Piedmont Bike Fest ’17 welcomes Katerina Nash, five time mountain bike Olympian

Katerina Nash, five-time Olympian and World Cup winner in the cyclocross and mountain bike, will be leading a ride skills workshop at the Piedmont Scouting Annual Bike Fest ‘17 on Saturday, May 6 at Beach School located at 100 Lake Avenue in Piedmont from 10am to 2pm.

Clif Bar and Katerina Nash are joining forces with the Boy Scouts, Piedmont Police Explorers and Alameda County's Safe Routes to Schools to help organize Piedmont's Bike Fest ‘17.

This year's Bike Fest will include a "Slow Race" or a balance and control skills workshop lead by Ms. Nash. Boys and girls will compete in a short race of 30 feet by coming in last while staying in their lane. Ms. Nash is from the Czech Republic and currently lives in Emeryville with her family. She first competed in the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games in 1996 at the age of 17 in the mountain bike races, and again in the London and Rio games. Impressively, Ms. Nash also competed in the Nagano and Salt Lake City Winter Games in cross country skiing.

Additionally, the Piedmont Police Explorers will set up obstacle courses for little speedsters and give them a change to practice using a traffic radar gun, while the Safe Routes to Schools organization will offer free safety checks of equipment, bike repairs, provide bikes for those that would like to join in on the fun, and make pedal-powered smoothies. Clif Bar and Montclair's Rhythm Bike are generous sponsors of Piedmont Bike Fest ’17.

The Piedmont Bike Fest begins at 10am, with Katerina Nash's "Slow Races" workshop from 11am-1pm. The Piedmont Bike Fest ’17 (formerly Bike Rodeo) is organized by the Piedmont Council of the Boy Scouts of America and is designed to celebrate and promote biking and bike safe for kids and the entire family.

The Police Explorer Post 911 will be selling hamburgers and hotdogs. For more information, contact Jeff Lindenmuth at (510) 547-4493 ext. 2 or at jefflindenmuth@piedmontbsa.org.

The Piedmont Council BSA

Scouting has a 100-year tradition in Piedmont and currently serves over 1000 girls and boys in the community. It is coordinated and supported by the Piedmont Council, Executive Board, and more than 300 dedicated volunteers. Programs include Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, coed Venturing, Sea Scouts, Explorer and Learning for Life.

Piedmont Police Explorer Post 911

Young men & women, between 14 and 21 years in age, who are motivated, mature, and have a desire to serve their community are invited to apply to become Police Explorers. Sponsored by the Piedmont Police Department, Explorers assist the department in the furtherance of its mission to provide police services to the community.

Explorers receive training at monthly meetings, including the criminal justice system, law enforcement procedures, patrol procedures, community policing, investigations, evidence collection, firearm safety, self-defense and other law enforcement tasks and responsibilities. Under the guidance of Piedmont Police Department Explorer Post Advisors and officers, the Explorers develop personal confidence, leadership and teamwork skills.

Safe Routes to School National Partnership

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is a nonprofit organization that improves quality of life for kids and communities by promoting healthy living, safe infrastructure, and physical activity, starting with bicycling and walking to school and beyond. We advance policy change; catalyze support with a network of more than 750 partner organizations, as well as schools, policy makers, and grassroots supporters; and we share our deep expertise at national, state and local levels with those helping propel our mission.

Athlete Name: Katerina Nash (Czech Republic)

DOB December 9, 1977

Sport: Cycling (Mountain Bike, Road, Cyclocross)

Athlete Title: Five-time OIympian and World Cup winner in cyclocross and mountain bike

Hometown (City, State): Prachatice, Czech Republic. Currently lives in Emeryville, CA

Clif Athlete Since (year): 2002

Katerina was one of the first women signed to the LUNA Pro Team back in 2002 and the only original member of the team still racing. Originally from the Czech Republic, Katerina moved to the U.S. in 2000 on a college scholarship for cross-country ski racing. A five-time Olympian(!) – first competing in the mountain bike race at the Atlanta Games in 1996 at age 17, and most recently in Rio at age 38 – Katerina has proven to be among the world’s most versatile and enduring athletes, showing the world that women can remain competitive at the highest levels well into their thirties.

Although she obviously loves to race, ride and ski, her true loves are Ruby and Lola, her Vizslas (they’re dogs...) who she takes on as many adventures as she can during her downtime. Not surprisingly, these dogs are in fantastic shape...

Five-time Olympian (Summer MTB and winter XC Skiing)

• Atlanta ’96, London 2012, Rio 2016-Mtn Bike
• Japan ’98- and Salt Lake City 2002 - XC Skiing

• World Cup winner in both mountain bike and cyclocross
• Broke 7 ribs my first season of mountain bike racing, still riding bikes 23 years later.

Interesting facts:

• First memory participating in your sport: Crashing in the mud before the race even started and being worried about how dirty I was going to the start. Back then we didn’t have multiple kits like we have now. Must have been to last time I was worried about my muddy looks! I became to like it and wish we would always race in the mud.
• On My Day Off: Coffee, long dog hike, more coffee, trip to dog beach to sit in the sun and watch my dogs play, go out to dinner, wine.
• Why “Sport you participate in”: It’s a great way to live life. People dream about riding bikes and can’t wait for the weekend. I get to ride my bike every day. I like that my sport happens outside and it takes me places. I never spent time in a gym. I’m always outside. I also like that racing is always different because courses and conditions are diverse. It keeps me interested and with its evolving nature I must keep learning and working at it.