2009 MTBO America Logo
MTBO America Mission Statement
MTBO America is dedicated to creating a sustainable and competitive amateur Mountain Bike Orienteering market to the United States of America.
Background
Europe and Australia have been building the sport of Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO) since the late 1990′s, to include their own national, regional, and world championships. However, no organized effort has ever been attempted to bring MTBO into the forefront of American orienteering competitions. Additionally, there are no American MTBO teams represented in any World MTBO Championship events, there is no active effort to form a competitive process for creating MTBO teams for international competition, and even the US Orienteering Federation (USOF) has yet to place any emphasis (or resources) on MTBO within America.
Call to Action
It is the mission of MTBO America to bring Mountain Bike Orienteering to the forefront of American orienteering competitions and build a competitive environment that will allow athletes to compete in the sport both regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Pilot Program Launch
Every great mission starts with a break-out event that presents our sport to the community-at-large. For MTBO America, that break-out event will be our MTBO Pilot Program that will feature a race series designed to introduce the sport, create interest in continued participation, and put our plans and policies to the test before going national. We expected to launch our simplified 3- to 5-race series pilot program in Northern Virginia sometime in Fall 2009.
Our 1-Year Plan
MTBO America’s primary goal is to promote Mountain Bike Orienteering through event sponsorship, online communication, educational programs, and regional organization. To accomplish this goal, we will begin our first year of competitive events in 2010 by standing up a competitive MTBO series at various local, state, national parks in the Mid-Atlantic region. Additionally, these public events will be accompanied by a marketing campaign that will include informational seminars, beginner athlete instruction, and promote race courses designed for all MTBO skill levels. We expected to launch an initial 5-race series in Spring 2010, followed by a second 5-race series in Fall 2010. Both MTBO series will conclude with a championship event.
Our 5-Year Plan
Upon the successful completion of our 1-Year Plan in 2011, we plan on proceeding with our ambitious 5-Year Plan to bring MTBO America national by 2015. The 5-Year Plan will push our race series model westward across the United States with a new MTBO race series presented in a new major region each year. We also expect to sponsor independent regional championships in each new region in anticipation to an expanded annual national championship event.
» Phase 1 – Westward Expansion by Region
MTBO America 5-Year Plan includes an westward expansion for the following regions:
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Atlantic Region This region will include the South Atlantic, Middle Atlantic, and New England sub-regions and will be initially based out of Virginia by 2011. Midwest Region South Region Mountain Region Pacific Region |
» Phase 2 – Building the First US National MTBO Championships
With the conclusion of each new and existing MTBO series of events, MTBO America will produce a National MTBO Championship beginning in 2012. Ultimately, this championship event will include the top MTBO athletes from each regional series and culminate into a US National MTBO Championship event each year. With each new region successfully added to MTBO America’s organization, the US National MTBO Championships will relocated to take place within that region as a “welcoming ceremony” for that region’s inclusion into the MTBO America community.
» Phase 3 – Building the First US MTBO Championship Team
MTBO America will form the first US National MTBO Racing Team and have that team compete in the World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships in 2015. This team will be created from the top ranked athletes each year following 2015 as determined by MTBO America’s US National MTBO Championships. This team will be the first official group of MTBO athletes to represent the United States of America in the World MTBO Championships (WMOC or WOC) held each year in Europe. MTBO America will expect to partner with the United States Orienteering Federation (USOF) to achieve official National Recognition, provide officials and coaching staff for team training, and cover all travel and entrance fees required by the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) sponsored event.
The Grand 10-Year Strategy
MTBO America’s Grand Strategy is to create a highly successful, competitive MTBO environment within the United States of America along side the creation of an internationally attractive MTBO circuit by 2020. We also expect this road to achieving our mission will ultimately provide our organization with the experience and credentials required to host the World MTBO Championships within 10 years of launching our endeavor. Bringing the WMOC to America in 2020 would not only be a fantastic accomplishment to all those who will make this vision a reality, but also serve as the perfect segue to MTBO America’s next 10 year strategy.
Join Us
We believe that the United States is ready for Mountain Bike Orienteering and have begun a movement to expand MTB Orienteering advocacy throughout the country! If you would like to be a part of the MTBO America movement, please contact us today! Or send us a donation to help us bring our Mountain Bike Orienteering revolution to your region tomorrow!