Vouilloz and Streb inducted to Hall of Fame
Nicolas Vouilloz and Marla Streb headlined the inductees to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame, located in Crested Butte, Colorado, held the 2013 induction ceremony at the Interbike trade show in Las Vegas, Wednesday, September 18.
Vouilloz and Streb were inducted in the racing history category, and with good reason.
Streb, an American, didn’t start racing seriously until her late 20s. As a competitor, she racked up victories at the X Games, UCI Downhill World Cup and three U.S. National Championships. Streb isn’t just a competitor. As an advocate of mountain biking she has helped promote the sport. As a teacher, she has led clinics of riders looking to better their skills.
Marla Streb – the first LUNA Pro and a marine biologist! Living legend: http://t.co/Mdy43bpXxO #LUNAChixSummit
— LUNA Bar (@LUNAbar) April 5, 2013
Vouilloz is among the most successful men ever to race n a mountain bike. Starting in 1992 as a Junior, Vouilloz won the Downhill World Championship. He defended that title in 1993 and 1994. Moving to elite in 1995, Vouilloz continued his domination, winning all but one World Championship title up to and including 2002. In 2000, he finished eighth. Vouilloz also won 16 World Cup races.
The Hall of Fame also inducts individuals and groups in other categories.
In 1987, as mountain biking faced big challenges in California, the Concerned Off RoadBicyclists Association formed and stepped in to advocate for mountain bikers. A year later, CORBA helped to found the International Mountain Bike Association. CORBA was inducted for advocacy.
Even before CORBA had been thought of, two brothers in Moab, out of work and with few options, decided to open a bike shop. Bill and Robin Groff both invested $1500 to open Rim Cycleryin 1983. Since that time, the brothers have worked to turn the former mining town into mountain biking’s mecca. The Hall of Fame honoured Bill and Robin Groff as Pioneers.
Photographer David Epperson has been a fixture in the world of mountain biking for three and a half decades. His work has helped expose mountain biking to the world. Epperson was inducted in the category of Journalism.
Finally, the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame also announced that they will be moving from Crested Butte – home to the Hall since 1988 – to Marin County, California, and into the trusted hands of Joe Breeze, Otis Guy and Marc Vendetti, all inductees to the Hall in years past.
