Registration time is 6 a.m. and the mountain bike race starts 7 a.m. at Middle Road in front of La Fiesta. Entry fees are $20 for adults and $10 for students and military personnel.
“Everyone who enters goes home with a bunch of goodies just for participating and a shot at winning a bunch of raffle prizes,” said NP organizer Brad Ruszala in an email.
The race offers three courses – rookie, sport, and championship. From Middle Road, all riders will turn right to Marianas Resort and Spa until reaching the T-intersection. Participants will turn right again to the coral road near the 1,000,000 gallon tank and turn left on another coral road before heading down a path near the Far East Broadcasting Company site.
From there, riders will climb a paved road to the Kimikaze Trail, cross the paved road onto the Autobahn Trail, and turn right on the road leading to Santa Claus Lane. Participants will turn right toward Cow Town, pass the old raceway, and turn left on a trail that leads to Banzai Cliff. Bikers will then continue to the Last Command Post.
“From the Last Command Post, sport course riders will ride south along Middle Road to the finish line. Those chasing the $100 cash prize of the Championship Course will turn left at the FEBC road and pedal to the top of the hill, then turn right on the coral road all the way back to the 1,000,000 gallon tank. Once there, racers will fly down the paved road and turn left for a sprint to the finish line,” added Ruszala.
“In the rookie course, the riders will head right to the Marianas Resort, stay right until reaching the T-intersection at the top of the hill, turn right to coral road, continue to T-intersection (near the 1,000,000 gallon tank), turn left to coral road, turn left to FEBC road and continue to Middle Rd., turn left, and head back to the finish line. Cones and signs will be on the road to guide riders. A course briefing will also be held before the start of the race.”
Cash prizes will be given to the top finishers of the full course, with $100 going to the fastest man and woman in the championship course. Top finishers from each division are eligible for prizes. Medals will be given to the top three youth division winners in the sport and rookie courses.
“All participants are also eligible to win Michelob Ultra’s new trek mountain bike and free entry to the XTERRA Saipan Championship and XTERRA Sport, which will be raffled off during the presentation of prizes,” said Ruszala. “Nobody will go home empty handed as all participants will go home with prize packages!”
Around 45 to 100 riders are expected to compete this Sunday.
Last year, a portion of the Northern Passage’s proceeds went to the Northern Marianas Islands Triathlon Federation and Marianas High School’s National Honor Society.
Butch Sublemente, Tyce Mister, and Kieran Daly were the championship course’s top three winners last year, with Kimiko Hasegawa and Jackie Van Dam topping the women’s division.
Limited edition XTERRA Saipan and Tagaman race gear will be available at discounted prices.
Sponsors this year include: IT&E, Gold’s Gym, Michelob Ultra, POWERade, Foremost Water, DFS Saipan, XTERRA Saipan, Taga Inc., Mayor Donald Flores, Marianas Visitors Authority, Brabu Pharmacy and Wellness Center, Digital Motion, Triple J Superfresh Market, and Saipan Bike Pro.
