Giant Starkenn to organize the 14th MTB National Championship 2017

· Giant Starkenn will provide 34 premium bicycles to the riders of Maharashtra Team
· 4th time in a row Pune is hosting a MTB National Championship
Pune, September 15, 2016: Giant Starkenn today announced the 14th Giant Starkenn MTB National Championship 2017 to be held from 21st to 24th September at Pune’s coveted Oxford Golf Resort. This also marks the 4th consecutive year of Pune being a host to one of the most adrenal rushing and iconic endurance sporting events in the country. The four day event will witness participants under four categories namely Youth (under 14 years), Sub-Junior (15-16 years), Junior (17-18 years) and elite (above 19 years). So far, for this year’s National Championship, Giant Starkenn has received applications from 523 elite riders and the number is expected to grow to 610 by the time the National championship commences. Participants include 22 Indian States teams of elite riders along with a team from the Indian Army at the championship this year.

Starkenn Sports Pvt. Ltd & Cycling federation of India (CFI) have built a natural 5 kms looped cycling track which has been certified by the Union Cyclists Internationale (UCI) as the only cycling track in India at par with international standards. The cyclists are expected to cover 400 kms over the mountainous terrain during the race. With the spectacular Golf Course as a canvas to play on, the 4 day event promises to be one that is filled with adventure, challenge and a competition worth remembering for riders and viewers alike. In order to promote cycling as a sport at grass root level Giant Starkenn also handed over 34 premium bicycles to the teams of Maharashtra who are participating in MTB Championship this year.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Pravin V Patil, Managing Director and CEO, Starkenn Sports Pvt Ltd said, “It is a proud moment for Giant Starkenn to host the MTB National Championship 3rd time in a row. This year we have further worked on the technicalities of the cycling track and have added some obstacles to increase the difficulty level thus making the race more exciting for riders as well as viewers. At Giant Starkenn our aim is not only to sell bicycles but also to create a convivial environment for cycling and promote it as a sport in India. As a part of our commitment, we are providing 34 premium bicycles to the teams of Maharashtra competing in various categories and we are also giving premium bicycles to the winners of the Maharashtra team. I would like to take an opportunity to thank Oxford Golf Resort for providing us with such a world class venue and giving us a free hand in the designing and construction of the track. We plan to host Asian level MTB cycling tournaments in the near future. We aim to continue our association with MTB National Championship to create a cycling destination which can attract talent from across the globe.”

Mr. Pratap Jadhav, Organizing Secretary, Cycling federation of India (CFI) MTB National Championship said, “I am very happy to be a part of the MTB championship. Events of this grandeur will help to promote mountain biking in India. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of Starkenn Sports and Oxford Golf Resort for helping us in making this track at par with international standards. We are extremely happy to see the increasing response to MTB National Championship in the last 4 years. In near future we will certainly plan to host many more national and international level cycling tournaments in Pune.”