April 11, 2007 — A new cycling co-op will open soon on St. Croix to meet the demands of more than 700 professional athletes scheduled to arrive and race along with local athletes in the 18th annual Ironman 70.3 Triathlon, scheduled for May 6.
The V.I. Sports Co-op is primed to fill the void left when Endurance Sports closed less than two months before the island gears up for the largest sporting event in the Virgin Islands.
The Ironman 70.3 Triathlon traditionally brings the best triathletes from around the world to qualify for slots in the Hawaii Ironman and the Florida World Triathlon Championship.
"You can't host a triathlon with out a local bike store," race organizer Tom Guthrie said Wednesday. "People won't come."
Guthrie said Endurance Sports has been servicing the Ironman athletes for seven years, and without them, race organizers had to "jump into the fray" and fill the void. "A local and professional bike shop is essential to the athletes because most do not know how to take apart and put together their bikes for racing," he said.
Bike shops also offer full-service bike repair.
The new store, which will be located at the Bingo Building at 4A Orange Grove, will serve the needs of local athletes, V.I. Cycling Federation members and the general public. The store, which will offer sporting goods, including bicycles and triathlon gear, will be owned and operated by the federation — something that Guthrie said is a new concept for racers. "We are developing a new paradigm of bike shops," Guthrie said, "one that is owned by the racers. We're excited."
The store will be a not-for profit entity, and memberships will be sold for $50 a year, entitling members to discounts and sports equipment at below retail cost, Guthrie explained.
The store will not be exclusive to members, Guthrie said, but nonmembers will not be able to enjoy the full discounts.
"We want to continue the federation's mission of promoting sports to the local population and bringing sports events to St. Croix," he said.
For more information on the V.I. Sports Co-op, call 773-8456.
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