Fayetteville preps for cyclo-cross World Cup event - Axios NW ArkansasLog InLog InAxios NW Arkansas is an Axios company.

Fayetteville preps for cyclo-cross World Cup event

A competitor in last year's World Cup event. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios Kids are back in school. The air is crisper. And leaves are turning. The change can only mean one thing — cyclo-cross meets Halloween. What's happening: Fayetteville's Centennial Park will again host a (UCI) World Cup competition, attracting a slate of international athletes on Sunday, Oct. 16. Organizers added before the pros compete, hoping to draw families and enthusiasts with amateur races. Why it matters: Hosting UCl-level events brings international attention to NWA as a cycling destination and gets mileage out of the $3.3 million Centennial Park, built precisely for this purpose. Yes, and: It's fun as hell to watch. Context: The World Cup is a qualifier event (think Monday night football) for the World Championship (think Super Bowl).This World Cup is the in a series of 14 competitions — one of only two in the U.S. — leading up to the in the Netherlands in February 2023. Cyclo-cross is not to be confused with , which was held here in April. By the numbers: The championship is what was held in Fayetteville last January. It drew more than 17,000 spectators, including an estimated 6,000 from Europe. That event spiked hotel-motel-restaurant tax collections to be the highest ever for the month of January in Fayetteville, a 144% increase over the previous year, Molly Rawn, CEO of Experience Fayetteville emailed Axios. Between 650-700 amateurs are expected to race on Saturday, Oct. 15. It's too early to know how many elite and junior women and men will compete on Sunday. Details: Last year, the competition was held on a Wednesday — in the rain — but still drew a significant crowd of dedicated spectators. Organizers hope more will turn out for the weekend event and have added attractions for younger people, including costumes and candy. A , but for an idea of what to expect: Friday — UCI races begin at 10am and run through the evening. Kids will be encouraged to trick-or-treat throughout the expo.Saturday — Amateur races begin at 8am and run all day. Outrageous costumes are welcome for both spectators and competitors. . Sunday — Amateur juniors start at 8am and UCI racing begins at 9:15am. What they're saying: "I don't care if you're 2 or 102, we've got a race for you," Brannon Pack, director of cycling tourism for Experience Fayetteville, told Axios. Go deeper: .... Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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