AWTCF Awards Felt Bicycles!

The American Women’s Track Cycling Fund awards FELT track bicycles to Junior Star Tara Both and DePauw University!!

World Champions Sarah Hammer and Jennie Reed, through the AWTCF, have awarded Felt TK2 track bicycles to Tara Both, an outstanding up and coming California junior cyclist, and to the DePauw University women’s cycling team based in Greencastle, Indiana.

Recently crowned World Champion Jennie Reed was on hand with two-time World Champion Sarah Hammer to present the Felt bike to Tara. After watching Tara beat the US National record for the 500 meter time trial, Hammer noted: “When we saw her record ride, we just knew that her talent deserved and could be enhanced with better equipment. Her new TK2 should be able to help Tara confidently set and pursue new and higher goals.”

Both Hammer and Reed train twice a week with Tara at the ADT Event Center Velodrome in Carson, California. “We were really happy to be able to present Tara with a Felt bike, especially as she was out-growing her old one,” said Reed. “After the Olympic games we will be sitting down and revisiting the mission of the AWTCF to see how we can best help other riders like Tara.”

The American Women’s Track Cycling Fund also donated three Felt TK2 track bikes to the DePauw University women’s cycling team. DePauw, known mostly for academic excellence, has shown a long history of developing cycling talent for young women, placing more women on the start line per capita than any other university in the Midwest. Under the leadership of Coach Kent Menzel, DePauw hit the track for the first time last fall. Said Coach Menzel, “The Felt track bikes are the shot in the arm we need to raise our women’s performance to an even higher level on the track. Because collegiate track competition covers multiple events, the Felt TK2 is particularly good for us as it races well in both mass start and timed events.”

http://www.awtcf.org/
http://www.depauw.edu/student/orgs/bikeclub/index.asp
http://www.feltracing.com/

Sarah makes the 2008 Beijing Olympic Team!

Fresh off her silver medal performance at the recent World Championships in Manchester, England, Sarah has solidified her place on the 2008 Olympic Team. Having taken this crucial first step toward accomplishing her Olympic Gold Medal dream, Sarah can now officially say that she will be representing the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China!

As many know, this fantastic news comes in a year that has been filled with both hardship and triumph for Sarah, who in the last twelve months has shown the highest degree of spirit and courage. May 4th marked the one-year anniversary of her debilitating back injury, where she suffered an annular tear in her L4/L5 disc. With the support of family, friends, sponsors, and supporters, Sarah has not only made the most difficult year in her competitive life a success, but has also shown the championship character that delivered her two World Championship titles and now an Olympic berth.

As Sarah explains: “This year has been both incredibly hard and incredibly educational. There were times in the last twelve months where I seriously questioned if I would be able to come back to top form with the back injury. Thanks to the support and encouragement of my family and supporters, and particularly the OUCH Sports Medical Center, I made it back and I have now accomplished one of my life-long dreams – representing America at the Olympic Games. I couldn’t be happier!”

Sarah now has approximately 2 months to get ready for the ride of her life and the key focus for her 2008 competitive season. Sarah’s main event, the 3 kilometer pursuit, will span over three days with the qualifying round beginning on August 15th. Sarah has also qualified for a further Olympic event, the 20 kilometer Points race, which is another event where she will be a medal favorite. The Points race will be held on August 18th.

More Sarah Olympic news can be found here:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=33/bio/index.html