The Freewheelers Cycling Association of Spartanburg is pleased to announce the 2017 Assaults on Mt. Mitchell and Marion is set for Monday, May 15, 2017. This one-day century ride, known as the Southeast’s Premier Cycling Experience, attracts nearly 900 cyclists from around the world each year. With a climb of more than 10,000 vertical feet over the course of the ride, “the Beast of the East,” as it has come to be known, will also welcome Greenville Health System as presenting sponsor this year.
“Now in its forty-second year, The Assaults is a historic, intensive and beloved ride,” remarks Katie Jordan, Ride Director for The Assaults. “The Assaults have always had a charitable component, with more than $8,000 in proceeds benefiting community organizations in 2016 alone. We are thrilled to have Greenville Health System on board as presenting sponsor, as their tremendous support will help the ride go the ‘extra mile’ in its 2017 charitable donations.”
A portion of the proceeds from the 2017 Assaults Presented by Greenville Health System will support HUB Cycle, a program of Partners for Active Living. This program increases the availability of and access to bicycles for those using bicycles as a primary means of transportation in Spartanburg, S.C. Additional organizations supported by the ride include FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Palmetto Cycling Coalition, the Spartanburg Humane Society, and the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind.
Cyclists can register for the Assault on Mt. Mitchell, a 102.7-mile climb from downtown Spartanburg to the summit of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, now through December 31 as an Early Bird participant. The special early bird registration fee for the ride is $125, $10 off the regular fee of $135. Cyclists can register for the Assault on Marion, which is the shorter, 74.2-mile sister ride from downtown Spartanburg, S.C. to Tom Johnson Campground in Marion, N.C. starting January 2 for $50.
To register, riders may visit The Assaults website – www.theassaults.com. Registration closes Saturday, May 13 at noon.
Call for Sponsors
The caliber of The Assaults as one of the nation’s most beloved public cycling experiences provides incredible exposure opportunities for sponsors and event partners. Together with sponsors, The Freewheelers invests more than $165,000 annually to ensure that The Assaults will be professional, safe and exciting ride for all.
Nearly 900 cyclists participate in The Assaults each year, 30 percent of whom live within a 100-mile radius of Spartanburg, S.C. Seventy percent of those who participate in The Assaults come from outside this radius, and support the local economy through hotel, restaurant and retail patronage.
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact Ann Ellison by calling (864) 672-9768.