‘Steamboat Stinger’ Race Under New Leadership
Entering its 10th anniversary year, the ‘Steamboat Stinger’ race is set to change hands. Partners in Routt County and Routt County Riders, two local nonprofit agencies, will assume joint management of the longstanding mountain bike and trail running race – which will also take on a new name – for 2020 and beyond. Both organizations have strong ties within the cycling and trail use communities, as well as demonstrated backgrounds in large-scale outdoor event planning and execution.
Previously, the race has been owned and operated by Stinger Race Inc., which founded the event in 2011. Under its former ownership, the race was fully managed and produced by staff and volunteers from Honey Stinger, the Steamboat-based sports nutrition brand featuring honey, along with sister company Big Agnes. Each year, employees from both companies contributed hundreds of hours of volunteer time to help facilitate the race. Additionally, the event has provided an opportunity for Honey Stinger to give cash donations each year to several local organizations. Both Partners in Routt County and Routt County Riders have previously been among the beneficiaries.
Going forward, Honey Stinger will stay involved in the event through a peripheral sponsorship role but will have no ownership or oversight of the race.
“Producing the Steamboat Stinger has been a huge passion for the Stinger Race Inc. team, as well as the broader team of staff and volunteers who’ve dedicated tremendous time, energy and enthusiasm to make it happen year after year,” said Len Zani, co-founder of the Steamboat Stinger. “We’re so proud of the work we’ve put into this race, and what it has become. But as we seek for the event to continue to grow and thrive here in our community, after nine great years the time has come for a new team to lead the race into its next era. We are very pleased to see Partners in Routt County and Routt County Riders join together to move this beloved event forward, and we can’t wait to see where they take it.”
The Steamboat Stinger has become an annual staple on the race calendar for mountain bikers and trail runners alike, in Colorado and well beyond. Last year’s race drew a record number of registrants across sold-out fields, with nearly 1,000 competitors representing 33 states, as well as the United Kingdom and Canada.
“We are so excited about the possibilities for this race for 2020 and beyond, and we look forward to providing an amazing experience for riders and runners that not only meets their expectations from the perspective of event management but also enables even greater financial contribution to the local community,” said Laraine Martin, executive director of Routt County Riders. “There will certainly be some changes in how the event is run this year compared to its previous editions, but with this transition, we see great potential for the race to continue to grow well into the future.”
The summer 2020 event is slated for Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 8 and 9. The race will take place under a new name, which has not yet been finalized. Partners in Routt County and Routt County Riders are currently accepting suggestions from the public, with the opportunity to win a free race entry if your idea is selected. Submissions should be emailed to laraine@routtcountyriders.org by Jan. 21 to be considered.
Additional event details, including registration information and sponsorship opportunities, will be released soon.
