ABA Disney Cup Nationals

Gilbert, Arizonaâ€October 17, 2007†The American Bicycle Association (ABA) Fall Nationals/Disney Cup bicycle motocross (BMX) is being held October 26-28, 2007 at Walt Disney World Resort. The events will be held at Disney’s Pop Century resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida and will feature the excitement of top professional BMX racers in one of the final events on the 15-stop ABA BMX PRO Tour.

The event will feature competitors from across the U.S. and Europe, Canada, Australia and Japan. It’s being hosted by Disney’s Wide World of Sports, which is expected to host several BMX events over the next five years.
The ABA has structured the Disney events as family adventures, allowing BMX racers and their families to enjoy the Walt Disney World Resort and race an ABA National event. Walt Disney World Resort will provide a unique location that has never before been experienced in the sport of BMX. The sport of BMX is one of the very first “Action Sports” to host a national level event at Disney.

“Since we announced that ABA had reached an agreement with Disney’s Wide World of Sports to hold a national event, the enthusiasm and excitement could not have been better. Parents and racers have expressed their interest in participating in a race that combines the love of BMX with the Disney magic!” exclaimed Clayton John, President of the ABA.

The ABA’s professional track designers and construction crew began on-site preparations of the BMX track earlier this month. With loads of dirt brought in specifically for the BMX track, and countless hours of pre-preparation, Disney’s Pop Century resort will become home to Florida’s newest world-class BMX track, at least temporarily. The dirt course is approximately 1100 feet long and combines jumps, obstacles and bermed corners. Racers riding specially prepared BMX bicycles compete on the course separated by age and skill level. The prizes include trophies for amateurs and cash prizes for the pros; however, the ultimate reward is the points that are earned. The valuable points are accrued throughout the year and ultimately earn riders prized number plates, the best being a coveted #1.

“We are excited to host this ABA event as BMX racing is one of the hottest emerging sports in America, making it a perfect fit among the growing list of nationally-recognized sports events taking place at Disney,” said John Bisignano, Manager of Account Development for Disney Sports Attractions. “Having this action sports event represents another step in our commitment to broaden the variety of prestigious sports events we're able to offer athletes and guests at Disney, particularly Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex, which is the leading sports venue for amateur and professional sports in the country.”

About Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex:
Opened in 1997 at Walt Disney World, Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex is the preeminent sports venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States. The sprawling 220-acre state-of-the-art complex features the Milk House, a 30,000-square-foot field house which seats 5,000 for basketball; the 9,500-seat Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex; and the Hess Sports Fields, which include multiple baseball, softball and soccer fields. In addition, the complex has 10 tennis courts, including a stadium court, and a track and field complex. The complex is home to more than 180 amateur and professional sports events each year, including the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp, the Major League Baseball Atlanta Braves spring training and the Tampa Bay Rays regular-season series, the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, the Pop Warner Super Bowl and the AAU National Championship events. The complex is the centerpiece of Disney's Wide World of Sports, which includes 81 holes of golf among five golf courses, including the site of the PGA TOUR's prestigious Children’s Miracle Network Classic, the Richard Petty Driving Experience, the Walt Disney World Marathon, BASS fishing excursions, plus Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, the two most popular water parks in the United States, and a variety of sports and recreation activities such as boating, fishing, parasailing and surfing.
To learn more about the Disney’s Wide World of Sports® complex visit
www.disneysports.com.

About¬The American Bicycle Association¬
ABA (American Bicycle Association), formed in 1977 and headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, is “The Sanctioning Body of BMX”©. The ABA organizes BMX racing for boys, girls and adults, nationwide and Canada. With 60,000 active members, 274 racing facilities and a 27 event-national race schedule; ABA is the largest promoter of action sports. For additional press information about ABA, the sport of BMX, ABA events or Professional racers, call bonspeedMedia; (714) 666-1999. To find races in your area or view the national event schedule, visit www.ababmx.com.