WHAT’ S NEWS IN MILLCREEK
LAKE ERIE CYCLE FEST TO SHOWCASE ERIE REGION BIKEABILITY
The Erie Sports Commission has announced the Lake Erie Cycle Fest, a four-day event highlighting the Erie region’ s bikeability, which will debut Thursday, Aug. 10, through Sunday, Aug. 13. The event will include EmergyCare’ s annual Tour de West County, a longstanding summer bike tour already popular in the region on Saturday, Aug. 12. Proceeds from the weekend-long event will benefit EmergyCare, WQLN, and the YMCA of Greater Erie.
The event will kick-off on Aug. 10 with a fun“ slow roll ride” around Downtown Erie, presented by Bike Erie and Erie Arts and Culture. Plenty of surprises will be in store for cyclists as they pass by cultural icons for selfie opportunities, where riders will be encouraged to post photos to social media using # ErieCycleFest. The ride will conclude with live music at an Erie Downtown Block Party in Perry Square.
Friday, Aug. 11, will feature the weekend’ s first big ride, the YMCA’ s Jelly Jar Ride. The event will start and finish in Harborcreek, with 25- and 50-mile loops offered to participants, showcasing Erie’ s scenic vineyards, fruit farm region, and lakeshore in North East. A picnic will follow the noncompetitive ride. The YMCA’ s portion of the proceeds from Lake Erie Cycle Fest will directly benefit the Y’ s Food + Fun Bus, a mobile meals site for kids in need.
EmergyCare’ s Tour de West County, Erie County’ s premier bicycle tour, will provide four scenic ride routes on Aug. 12. This noncompetitive event will feature 12-, 25-, 50-, and 100-mile loops that highlight western Erie County’ s rolling farmland, narrow lanes, and old growth forest. Rides for this event will begin and end at YMCA’ s Camp Sherwin, which offers plenty of amenities for the whole family, including a pond for fishing, swimming pool, splash pad, hiking trails, basketball courts and access to the beach.
The weekend will wrap up on Sunday, Aug. 13, with an Alley Cat Bike Race and a scavenger hunt-themed ride, which is quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing themes for adventure bike rides in the country. The event will begin at Frontier Park, where cyclists will be given the race’ s first stop location. At that location, the race’ s remaining nine stop locations will be revealed, and cyclists will be tasked to determine the best way to connect them. The total length of the ride will be between 10 and 15 miles. Prizes from New Belgium Brewing will be given at the end of the ride.
For more information, including ride times and registration information, visit eriecyclefest. org.
FLYBOARD NATIONAL TOUR READY TO MAKE A SPLASH IN ERIE
Event to join annual Erie Poker Run for region’ s second“ Waterfront Weekend,” June 23-25.
The 2017 Flyboard National Tour will stop in Erie in June, hosting HydroFlight competitions on Presque Isle Bay Saturday, June 24, and Sunday, June 25. HydroFlight, a Pro Watercross event, will add to the already-popular Erie Poker Run, a go-fast powerboat event, which will be held in Erie for the third year beginning Friday, June 23.
Spectator admission to both events is free.
Event directors from Pro Watercross anticipate that 75 of the world’ s best HydroFlight athletes will take part in the event. Athletes will perform timed freestyle routines in qualifying events on Saturday with finals on Sunday. A Saturday night event will see competitors wearing suits with LED lights and lasers.
HydroFlight uses the power of water to send a rider through the air at extreme speeds and soaring heights. A hose is installed into each participant’ s personal watercraft( PWC), making all of the water power that it would use to move be re-routed to a jetpack strapped to the rider’ s back or feet. By controlling the PWC and the amount of force, the flyer can use the power of the jet stream to perform intricate stunts and maneuvers.
The Erie Poker Run will accommodate up to 60 high-powered speed boats, which will once again be housed at the Wolverine Park Marina beginning Friday, June 23, through Sunday, June 25. Performance boating enthusiasts from across the northeastern United States and Canada will convene in Erie before making five stops at establishments on the shores of Lake Erie to complete a poker hand.
Boats will arrive in Erie on Friday before the Poker Run takes off on Saturday morning.
For more information on Waterfront Weekend, including a schedule and viewing locations, please visit eriesportscommission. com / waterfront-weekend.
NCAA SELECTS ERIE TO HOST 2021 WOMEN’ S FROZEN FOUR
Mercyhurst University to host NCAA Women’ s Frozen Four Hockey Championships at Erie Insurance Arena.
The NCAA has chosen Erie for the 2021 Women’ s Frozen Four, which will be hosted by Mercyhurst University at the Erie Insurance Arena March 19-21, 2021.
2021 Women’ s
The championship event was previously held at the Erie Insurance Arena in 2011, also hosted by Mercyhurst University. The bid to secure the event was submitted jointly by Mercyhurst University and the Erie Sports Commission in Aug. 2016.
The tournament provides for a maximum field of eight teams. Four quarterfinal games will be played at the site of participating institutions March 12 and 13, 2021, with winners advancing to the Frozen Four in Erie.
Teams will begin to arrive on Wednesday, March 19. Two Semifinal games will be held Friday, March 19, at 4 p. m. and 7 p. m. before the Championship Game on Sunday, March 21, at 2 p. m. n
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