OLYMPIAD EXPERIENCED MAJOR GROWTH IN 2009

The 2009 Hickory Nut Gorge Olympiad saw exponential growth as athletes and spectators poured into Lake Lure and Chimney Rock for the fifth annual sports festival on August 27-30.

The biggest draw for the Olympiad is always the sprint triathlon, which anchors the sports festival, followed by the 5-Mile Dam Run and the Race to the Rock.  All three races saw major growth from last year to this year.  The 5-Mile Dam Run doubled the number of runners; partication in the Race to the Rock more than tripled, and the acclaimed Lake Lure Sprint Triathlon grew from 169 athletes in 2008 to an astonishing 432 in 2009 !

Other events garnered more attendance including the shag dance, dragon boat races, lake swim, kayak races, and Junior Olympiad.  The Lake Lure Lions Club managed the golf tournament for the Olympiad and brought in over $2,000 from that event alone.  

So, what is behind this major influx of participants?  With fewer sponsors, a poor economy and a nearly 50% cut in the organization’s operating budget, Kay Dittmer, chairman of the Olympiad Board of Governors, implemented a grassroots approach to marketing the Olympiad.

“We [The Board of Governors] printed thousands of postcards for our three anchor races with additional info on what else athletes could do during the Olympiad, and physically handed them out at numerous triathlons around the state,” explains Dittmer.  “The process took a huge amount of time and energy, but it was absolutely worth it when you look at our attendance this year as compared to previous years.  Sometimes you have to go back to the basics!”

The 5-Mile Dam Run, the Sprint Triathlon and the Race to the Rock together formed the “Three Races in Three Days” challenge.  While athletes were welcome to compete in just one event, the Olympiad wanted to see who could handle all three.  Only 10 of the athletes from the three races rose to the challenge including Lake Lure’s Town Manager Chris Braund and his wife Karen Van Sickler, and Travis Dodrill who owns A Plus Car Rental in Spindale, N.C. and is a member of the Rutherford Outdoor Coalition. 

Jay Curwen of Asheville, who also completed the three races challenge, was the overall winner of the sprint triathlon.  Like the other athletes interviewed throughout the weekend, Curwen had glowing feedback on the triathlon.

“It was hard to focus on the course with such beautiful scenery around you,” complimented Curwen.  “The bike course was a little harder than I thought.  The bike course was hilly, and I definitely thought I went the wrong way at one point because I rode by myself the whole time.  The swim course was extremely flat, which was good, and short which was even better.”

While governed by a nine-member, all-volunteer board, there are countless people and organizations without whom the Olympiad would fail to exist. 

“We had some big-time help,” stresses Dittmer.  “Rumbling Bald Resort was tremendously supportive, financially and otherwise. This event could not have gotten anywhere without the assistance of Tom Judson and his great staff.  Valley Market gave us an endless supply of ice and water, Camp Lurecrest baked 900 cookies for our athletes, and both Wyndham Vacations and Rumbling Bald Resort provided accommodations for the race work crews.  Plus, Carolina First stepped up at the beginning of the year with a much-appreciated sponsorship.  The list goes on.”

In addition, Ingles donated food, ice and beverages for the Athletes’ Tables, which according to Dittmer, was proclaimed the “best food table ever” by the athletes. 

Local businesses also benefitted from the influx of people in the area like Genevieve Helms, owner of Lake Lure Adventure Company.  “I had a lot of Olympiad participants rent pontoon boats from me over the weekend.  They all had flattering remarks about the Olympiad, too.  It was wonderful for my business.”

Sixteen charities will benefit from the 2009 Olympiad games.  These organizations include: Bat Cave Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department, Bills Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Camp Lurecrest, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Chimney Rock Volunteer Fire Department, Community Pet Center, Dragon Boat Racing of Lake Lure, Fairfield Mountains Volunteer Fire Department, Friends of the Mountains Library, Hickory Nut Gorge EMS, KidSenses Children’s InterACTIVE Museum, Lake Lure Lion’s Club, Cancer Resource Center, Hospice of Rutherford County, Rutherford County Humane Society, and Shepherd’s Care.