Cyclist arrived in droves last weekend to take part in the 2015 Pattaya Mountain Bike Challenge, held at Pratamnak Hill on Sunday, April 26, and with city mayor Ittipol Khunplome acting as the chairperson and overseeing the opening of the event. Other notable attendees included Dr. Weerawat Khakhai, deputy mayor of Pattaya, Manote Nongyai, president of the Mountain Bike Association of Pattaya and Ornwara Kornpin, director of the Environment Department Pattaya.
Over 350 cyclists participated in this popular event, which has a stated aim of promoting Pattaya as both a tourism and sporting destination and also encourages people of all ages to take up cycling as a healthy pastime and an ecologically friendly mode of transport.
Under-15 riders receive their trophies at the 2015 Pattaya Mountain Bike Challenge, Sunday, April 26.
The Mountain Bike Challenge was jointly organized by Pattaya City Hall and the Mountain Bike Association Pattaya and was well supported by TAT Pattaya, DASTA, Dtac 4G, East Water Co., Ltd., The Bicycle Association of Rayong and Courtyard Marriot South Pattaya.
The number of entrants who registered into the competition was well over the 300 expected by organizers and some hasty reshuffling had to be done in the morning to squeeze all the participants into the 18 separate age and gender related categories.
On a testing course that involved both on and off-road riding skills, the winner of the elite Men’s Open title was Veerapol Chaowchiangkwang while Natalie Panyawan crossed the line first in the Women’s Open division. Both riders received 7,000 THB in cash, a trophy and a 2 night stay in a studio suite and breakfast for 2 at the Courtyard Marriot South Pattaya.
Altogether, some 100,000 baht in prizes was distributed to the winning cyclists across the 18 divisions.
A race to the finish line in the Men’s Open division.
Weerakorn Bucha was the winner of the boys under-12 category.
A record field of 355 riders took part in this year’s event.
