We Meet the Man Behind the US Open MTB
Clay Harper’s name is synonymous with the US Open MTB, and its return to the racing calendar in 2017, cemented it as one of the best races in the circuit. Clay to attracted huge stars including Aaron Gwin and Neko Mullaly to race in 2017, and plans are afoot for 2018, including the announcement of the new venue; Killington Resort in Vermont. At MeekBoyz HQ, we are very fortunate to consider Clay and his family good friends, and were delighted to have the opportunity to find out more about his background, plans for the US Open 2018 plus his insights into the future of the downhill scene.
What is your background in the mountain biking scene?
My first mountain bike was a 1990 Diamondback Sorrento and I’ve been hooked ever since! I raced a few XC races in high school, but never took it seriously. I always liked the downhills more than the uphill, but I didn’t race DH until I was at the University of Massachusetts in 1999 when I immediately fell in love with the sport. It was a great time to be racing collegiate with guys like Dave and Lee Trumpore, George Ryan, Marty Walsh, Dave Weagle, Ken Avery, Scott Hart, Joe Haley and others that are still in the bike industry today.
Around the same time, I was racing NORBA and wound up on the Iron Horse Bikes Team in the early 2000’s. I was given the opportunity to travel and have fun racing around the US, but I certainly wasn’t going to be the next Steve Peat! While I was in college, I was hired by Intrawest to help develop Mountain Creek’s first bike park. However, in 2001 they cancelled all their summer operations and closed the bike park. Then in 2003 I leased property from Mountain Creek to start Diablo Freeride Park and the US Open.
I later sold my half of the business and went into the retail side of the industry for a few years. After the economy crashed in 2008, I found myself working in the insurance industry for a few years, before coming back to resort operations as a risk manager and event director. In 2016 I was able to reacquire the US Open and relaunched the event in 2017. There are a lot of details and stories in between, but that’s my story in a nutshell!
As founder of the US Open MTB, what prompted you to create this race event?
Well we never set out to start the US Open…it just kind of happened. In 2003 I was burnt out on racing and I had just stepped away from racing NORBA events. I thought it was crazy that prize purses were so low and there were so many racer categories. Generally speaking, I was sort of frustrated with the scene. We were running our own bike park and I decided to craft a race that was fun and simple, with open/amateur classes and a big prize purse. We started putting together the plan when my partner, Shawn Orecchio says, “I think we just started the US Open of Mountain Biking!” And that was that! It was pretty funny actually.
What attracts people to this race event?
It’s fun. Since day one, that has been at the top of the list. The concept of the Open is that anyone can compete. Show up, put up – that’s what we say. It’s a chance for anyone to try to qualify amongst pro riders and go for the prize money. For many there’s simply a prestige that comes with making the cut to race the final in the open class. On the amateur side, we break it up into just a few classes and always give away great prizes.
Last year we launched our US Kids Open events to provide racing opportunities for intermediate and expert kids. The response was awesome! Fans also really like to come out for the USO Best Whip Comp. Besides the riding, we want everyone to just have fun while they’re at the Open. We have a history of ruckus crowds and we work hard to make sure the events are accessible. Everything is important; food and beverage, music, good emcee’s, etc. #partyrace #makesomenoise
What new plans do you have in store for the 2018 race?
The big news is that we’ve moved the race to Killington Resort in Vermont on August 1-5th 2018, which is the week before the Mont Sainte Anne World Cup. Killington Bike Park and the entire region have taken huge steps to become a MTB destination. There’s ample lodging, a campground right at the venue and plenty of restaurants. Killington is building a new DH track off their K1 summit and most importantly, the people in the region are excited for this event, so we anticipate a great crowd.
More big news is that we are now the FOX US OPEN OF MOUNTAIN BIKING. Just like us, Fox Racing believes in the heritage of US gravity racing and we’re excited to sign this multi-year title partnership with them.
Also new for 2018, we have added a USO Enduro to the line-up. Killington has a history of hosting great enduro races and we are excited to kick off the inaugural US Open Enduro, presented by GT Bikes. We’ve partnered with Red Bull on the USO Best Whip Comp and they are building a custom jump set near the finish line venue which will be very exciting. Flat Tire Defender and Fox Shox are both going to be activating at the Open and we’re working on some fun stuff with CLIF Bar.
You also include grom races for young people in your event. How is the future health of youth riding in the USA looking?
Honestly, it’s pretty amazing what kids can do these days! A few short years ago there were not that many kids under 14 years old that rode seriously. Now we’re seeing pockets around the country of young little rippers. Places like Highland Mountain Bike Park and Whistler have really built great youth programs and opened everyone’s eyes to the possibilities. All the advances in equipment certainly make it possible for kids to progress faster.
I also think social media has a lot to do with it. Now kids can see how other kids are riding all over the world and it’s another boost in progression. When I was a kid I didn’t have a clue what kids in other parts of the world were riding. Our goal is to create more opportunities for kids to have fun and race with kids from all over the US and other countries. The US Kids Open provides racing opportunities for kids at various levels of riding. The Grom Bomb takes place on a shorter, intermediate course. The Super Grom U14 class is part of our main USO Downhill event and is for expert level kids that are ready to race on the big track. We hope to really expand this segment and eventually add more age groups, creating something like a Loretta Lynn’s of MTB.
Is downhill racing experiencing a rejuvenation in the USA at present?
This question keeps popping up. I think there are a lot of good things happening. We have some really great racers coming out of the US these days – Gwin, Neko, Luca Shaw, Dakotah Norton, Bruce Klein, Charlie Harrison and more. Hopefully we will start to see some more female racers in the future too. I was chatting with Kat Sweet recently and I was stoked to learn about her Sweetlines Junior Racing program for girls.
There are also a lot of great race events on US soil these days. The US Open and Windrock ProGRT both pull international riders. Annual race series like Eastern States Cup, The NW Cup and Downhill Southeast are putting on dozens of awesome race events all season long. It’s a good time to be a racer! I think keeping it fun and making it simple will help us grow the ranks of racers too.
Your son, Zack, rides a MeekBoyz Beast – what’s your verdict on the bike?
The bike is incredible! Zack is 8 years old and he’s been riding for a few years now, so he has a decent skills base. When he got the Beast last summer I saw his progression ramp up immediately. He is riding all sorts of natural terrain and expert level trails and his jumping skills have exploded. He cleared the Lower Dominion jump line this past fall at Mountain Creek. The suspension on the Beast works better than most adult bikes and the geometry is spot on – the whole package has been great and Zack obviously loves it.
Any tips for kids/parents who want to pursue MTB as more than just a hobby?
Good equipment is key. Proper geometry and suspension make all the difference. I tell people to think about it like this, if you want to take your kid on trails that you’re riding, they’ll need a bike as good as your bike.
Beyond equipment, keeping it fun is the without a doubt the most important thing! Surround your child with other good riders and positive people. My son doesn’t take competition too seriously yet and I’m happy about that. We work on skills, making friends that ride, and generally having a good time!
It’s important to take the time to teach your child to ride and putting them on the right equipment pays dividends in a few short years. I’m having more fun now riding and traveling to new riding spots with my son Zack than any other time in my riding career. Bikes are fun and life is short!