By Kyla Wright
Be sure to take your family to the Lake George Municipal Complex, in St Cloud, Minn. on Saturday, July 12th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to participate in and witness Strider Racing at its best. Come out and cheer on your 2 to 5 year old riders as they put their Strider Balance Bike skills to the test through a series of obstacles and ramps. If your youngsters don’t ride, yet, release them from their strollers and let them play and ride on Strider No-Pedal Balance bikes in the Events Free Strider Adventure Zone, where staff from Scheels will help toddlers and young kids learn to ride and play with other kids.
STRIDER Championship Series
The unique Strider Championship Series caters directly to children between ages two and five years old who want to experience the thrill of racing. Children of all sizes and skill levels are welcome to participate. STRIDER No-Pedal Balance Bikes are developed for both learning the ropes of bicycle riding and honing advanced skills in racing.
There will be heats for 2, 3, 4, and 5-year-olds at each of the races, with the two year olds lining up at the start gate at 10 a.m. Those families with Strider Riders should visit the Strider Bikes website for further information and pre-registration. Register your Strider Rider online at www.StriderBikes.com and save $10.
A typical Strider race scene has young parents and grandparents holding their breath as the bright yellow cowbells are rung and the starting gate drops. Toddlers, some still in diapers, lean forward, grasp their mini grips, kick their short legs, and embark upon their 400-foot plus journey over obstacles from dirt mounds to wooden ramps.
All young racers are treated to an Olympic-style podium award ceremony immediately following their race, where trophies almost as tall as some of the riders are given to top finishers. All participants receive either a trophy or a medal and pose for the crowd of proud parents and spectators.
STRIDER™ balance bikes are industry-leading training bikes that help children as young as 18 months learn to ride on two wheels. STRIDER balance bikes focus on the fundamentals of balancing, leaning, and steering without the distractions and complications of pedals or training wheels. The STRIDER’s simple, no-pedal design builds confidence and eliminates fear by allowing kids to have their feet on the ground and progress at their own pace. This unique design teaches young children balance on two wheels right from the start, avoiding developmental delays typical with tricycles and training-wheel bikes.
Hope to see you out at the Strider Bike Championship Race!
About Scheels St. Cloud
The Crossroads Mall off Highway 15 in Waite Park, MN is home to the Waite Park Scheels, which opened its doors in 2004. This location features 120,000 square feet of retail space on two levels, providing an extensive selection of sporting goods, clothing, and the hottest brands in fashion. The focal point of this location is its large maple tree from NatureMaker of California, centrally located within the store’s atrium. Scheels is a collection of women’s, men’s, youth, specialty, and sport and game shops. Each shop is staffed with experts who are focused on their passions. Scheels is an employee-owned company and provides the best training in retail for its career associates. Our people make us special and Scheels associates are among the highest paid in retail, with outstanding benefits. Scheels also gives back to the local communities. In 2010, Scheels gave back more than 10% of its profits to local charities and local non-profit organizations.
About St. Cloud, MN
St. Cloud enjoys a superb quality of life-nearly 100 area parks, sparkling lakes and the Mississippi River. The area is known for its friendly and safe cities and neighborhoods; hundreds of restaurants and shops; a wide variety of recreational, cultural and educational opportunities and a business-friendly climate that is sustaining a robust regional economy. The St. Cloud area is a center for education, retail and is one of the state’s popular destinations for sports recreation and tourism. The 270 acre Lake George Regional Park is very popular with families and young adults who seek recreation activities such as volleyball, swimming, biking, and boating.
About the Downtown Walk About
The Walk About is part of the international “Open Streets” movement. These Events typically involve the temporary closing of the streets or, rather, opening up of selected streets to motor vehicle traffic, making them available to all non-motorized transportation and people of all abilities. With key messages and strategic execution, open streets events can be a powerfully persuasive experience that invites the public to re-imagine the streets as not just a place for motor vehicles, but a place for people. For more information about St. Cloud, click here.
Kyla is the Marketing Manager for Strider Sports Intl., Inc and has been working in marketing for over 20 years. She enjoys running and has completed several half marathons. Though fairly new to the cycling industry, she recently purchased her first mountain bike this past year and is having fun exploring trails with her coworkers in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
