Photography Workshop & Tours Guide Blog - Bob Maynard

Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park will be part of the nation-wide program of no admission fees thia weekend.

As some of the world’s most elite outdoor athletes flock to the seventh annual Lyons Outdoor Games this weekend, competitors can go bigger than ever with the debut of Boulder County’s first public “pump park” and an extended lineup of events.

The games, which typically draw more than 2,000 spectators and more than 200 competitors — including more than a dozen world champion kayakers — are now home to Colorado’s second public pump park. The other is at Lory State Park near Fort Collins.

The Lyons pump park is a bike trail on about an acre of land that incorporates both manmade and natural jumps and bends, mimicking mountain trails and sending bikers flying high, said David Cosgrove, the town’s park and recreation director.

It was completed just in time to debut at the Smith Optics Lyons Outdoor Games, which run today through Sunday.

“It’s a full-blown dirt jump-skills park,” Cosgrove said. “It combines dirt jump riding, skills riding and a pump track. All riders, no matter their skill levels, will be able to utilize the park and practice their skills.”

At its inception in 2002, the Lyons Outdoor Games focused primarily on whitewater kayaking over the Class V waters of the South St. Vrain Creek, but Cosgrove hopes the pump park will complement the already-world-class kayaking venue, invigorate bike competitions in future years and add to the town’s overall appeal.

“It’s an unbelievable asset to not only the games but for the Lyons community,” Cosgrove said.

Apart from the pump track, an air of extreme-sport competitiveness pervades the games. Competitions for kayakers, BMX bikers, fly-fishers, mountain bikers and skateboarders of all ages and skill levels are packed into the three-day event.

“Every year we look at what we have and change it just a little,” said lead event coordinator Reed Farr. “We try to make it better for spectators, better for competitors and better for the town of Lyons.”

This year, organizers added new events including more bike and kayak races, daily chainsaw carving exhibitions and a skateboard competition.

Even dogs can compete in a splashing, leap-into-a-pond event called the “canine cannonball.”

Spectators can mingle with pros during teaching clinics led by a few of the world champion athletes, or peruse the myriad booths and tents that will be selling outdoorwear and equipment at Sandstone Park. Tunes from live local bands and cold beer provided by Oskar Blues will accompany the festivities throughout the weekend.

Competitors will splash, jump, race and carve their way to a variety of amateur prizes and $2,100 in cash prizes presented at an award ceremony scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday.

In hopes of having a zero-waste event, organizers have scheduled a cleanup of the river and park areas Sunday morning.

By Jean Spencer, Camera Staff Writer
Friday, June 12, 2009

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