U.S. BICYCLING HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES INDUCTEES FOR CLASS OF 2011
Davis, Calif. (October 14, 2011) – Four legends of American cycling will be inducted on November 5 into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in Davis, Calif.
The four honorees represent a range of cycling disciplines, including Olympians, World and National Champions, and industry pioneers from the 1920s to the present. The inductees are: Marty Nothstein (Modern Road & Track Competitor); Ruthie Matthes (Off-Road Competitor); Bobby Walthour, Jr. (Veteran Road & Track Competitor); and Mike Sinyard (Contributor to the Sport). The USA Cycling Athlete of the Year awards will also be presented.
“The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame is proud to honor the class of inductees for 2011,” said Hall of Fame President Anthony Costello. “They represent the quality and diversity of American cycling success over the last century, and their induction into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame will serve as a proud reminder of America’s role in shaping the global sport of cycling.”
In celebration of this year’s 25th Anniversary of the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, a special induction and anniversary ceremony is planned.
The public is encouraged to attend the November 5 induction ceremony in Davis, California, home of the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame. Induction Weekend will include an awards ceremony, reception, dinner, cycling history symposium, keynote speaker Bob Stapleton, and the opportunity to meet and greet all of the honorees.
Early-bird pricing of $ 100 per ticket is available exclusively to USA Cycling members through October 31. After October 31, individual tickets will be available for $ 125. Additionally, premium location tables (seating eight) near the stage can be purchased for $ 1,000 while they last. Help support an important piece of American cycling history by purchasing a ticket to attend the historic ceremony.
Individual tickets will go on sale soon at www.usbhof.org.
USA Cycling members will also be welcomed to the invitation-only VIP Reception and Inductee Reunion on Friday, Nov. 4. Held at the Hall of Fame in downtown Davis, the wine and cheese event will welcome past and present inductees, sponsors, and dignitaries of the sport.
For more information, please contact the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame Executive Director, Joe Herget at jherget@usbhof.org.
About the Class of 2011 Inductees:
Mike Sinyard (Contributor to the Sport) is a pioneer in the sport of cycling and an international industry leader. He founded?and still leads?Specialized Bicycle Components. In 1981, he launched the Specialized Stumpjumper, the first mass-produced mountain bike, which delivered an affordably-priced product. He is widely credited with making mountain biking available to the masses and ushering in a new era in cycling. In 1994, The Specialized Stumpjumper became part of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History collection. Mike is a founding member of the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). He is a consistent advocate for causes supporting the growth of the sport of cycling, healthier lifestyles, sustainable transportation, and youth programs.
Marty Nothstein (Modern Road & Track Competitor) is widely considered the most successful U.S. track cyclist in the sport’s long history. Marty began his legendary career on the banked concrete track in Trexlertown Pennsylvania, popularly known as the Lehigh Valley Velodrome. His resume is full of major road and track cycling accomplishments, including a record 35 U.S. National Titles, 4 Pan American Games Gold Medals, 3 World Championships, a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and Gold Medalist at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney Australia. Marty also has more than 50 professional road racing victories. He is a former world record holder and is still a national record holder. Marty won more than 150 races throughout his international career.
Ruthie Matthes (Off-Road Competitor) began her cycling career on the road in 1983 and quickly gained respect as a consistent and well-rounded racer. She won a hat-trick of three National Road Championships in three disciplines?road race, criterium, and team time trial?over a two-year period, plus a silver medal at the World Road Race Championships. In 1990 Ruthie traded her slick tires for knobbies and became a dominant force in mountain bike racing, amassing a list successes that include the 1991 World Mountain Bike Championship, 1992 Grundig Mountain Bike World Cup Championship, 5 World Championship medals, 5 National Cross Country Championships, and she competed as member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Mountain Bike Team
Bobby Walthour, Jr., (Veteran Road & Track Competitor) is the son and cousin of two other Hall of Famers, adding to his family’s cycling legacy of dominating tracks and thrilling audiences during the phenomenal heyday of six-day racing in America. In 1921, he won U.S. National Match Sprint Championship. Between 1924 and 1937 he won eight major international six-day events, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Ottawa. Bobby Jr. was co-holder of the world record for several years after he and his partner covered more than 3,000 miles during a single six-day event.
