FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 March 2007
NISSAN ANNOUNCES QASHQAI URBAN CHALLENGE – SERIES 1
- First ever pan-European event series in free-riding - five countries, over five weekends, five disciplines
- 200,000 euros – highest prize money in the sport of mountain biking
- First international broadcast of the sport
TRAPPES, France – As part of its European launch of the new ‘urbanproof’ crossover QASHQAI, Nissan announces the QASHQAI Urban Challenge - the first ever pan-European free-riding competition of its kind.
QASHQAI Urban Challenge is an urban free-riding competition where the world's best mountain bikers will compete in an urban environment to win 200,000 euros - the largest prize fund in this sport to date. Throughout May and June, five European cities will host each leg of the first series bringing together the best of the free-riding world as well as the uninitiated in each city where spectators can see the sport pushed to its limits.
The first series of QASHQAI Urban Challenge, which
will be broadcast for the first time internationally, will take place in the UK, Italy,
Spain, Germany and France. In each
more…
Nissan announces QASHQAI Urban Challenge – Series 1…2
country, contestants will encounter different challenges based on the
topography of the city and will use different disciplines to overcome these:
Dirt, North Shore, Park, Big Air and Street Trials. All five of the disciplines will be
stimulating to watch and relate more to moto-x or trails riding than common
perceptions of mountain biking.
Urban free-riding is the most progressive discipline in mountain biking and illustrates the changing trend of focus from open woodland areas into urban city centres. Nissan is the only non-sport related brand pioneering the ascent of urban free-riding and is looking forward to seeing how the riders respond to the challenge.
“The Urban free-rider epitomises the spirit of our new QASHQAI. They both enjoy the thrill of a challenge and overcoming the everyday obstacles encountered in an urban environment. It’s this joint pleasure of playing with the city that has led Nissan to challenge these professional riders to prove that they are as ‘urbanproof’ as our QASHQAI,” explains Paul Willcox, vice president of marketing at Nissan Europe.
A fully interactive website www.nissan-QASHQAIchallenge.com will provide feature details of the riders, the locations, the disciplines, event schedule and behind-the-scenes updates as the tour progresses.
Event timetable
Newcastle, UK: |
May 4/5 |
North Shore |
Milan, Italy: |
May 11/12 |
Dirt |
Madrid, Spain: |
May 18/19 |
Street |
Cologne, Germany: |
May 25/26 |
Park |
Paris, France: |
June 22/23 |
Big Air |
Further details about the QASHQAI Urban Challenge – Series 1 will be announced throughout the lead up to the tour.
Contact details
Penny Szczepaniak, Corporate Communications, Email: pszczepaniak@nissan-europe.com
Tel: +33 1 30 13 57 87
Gloria Maydew, Press Communications Manager, Email: gloria.maydew@nissan.co.uk
Tel: 01923 899937
52576/300307