Would you like to ride in a bike race? The Odaigahara Hill Climb Race in Nara Prefecture's Kamikitayama-mura has a special offer available to the first 20 foreign participants to sign up!
The Odaigahara is a remote and beautiful mountain area in southeast Nara Prefecture. It tops out at over 1600 meters in elevation in many places. Every September the village of Kamikitayama-mura holds the Odaigahara Hill Climb Bike Race. The 28 kilometer race starts in the center of Kamikitayama-mura and climbs 1,240 meters (4,067feet) on the way to the Odaigahara parking lot. The brunt of the climb comes in a tough 8 kilometer long climb at an average 9.3% grade between the 10km and 18km mark; and racers only have 3 hours to make it to the goal! A tough race but an unforgettable experience and accomplishment.
Kamikitayama-mura and the Hill Climb's organizers want to attract at least 20 foreign participants in the 2015 event and will provide free pick up and drop off at Kintetsu Yamato Kamiichi Station, free lodging, dinner the night before the race and breakfast and lunch the day of the race to the first 20 foreign racers.
Participants have only to pay the regular entry fee of ￥7,000 (covers entry fees, accident insurance and other expenses) for individuals, ￥20,000 for teams of 3 or 4 riders, ￥10,000 for pairs or ￥2,000 for kids class events. Race reception is on September 12th with the the Hill Climb taking place the following day (Sunday September 13th).
Registration is open through the 17th of August. Check the links below for more information and to enter. Do you have what it takes to be King of the Odaigahara Hill Climb?
