The San Juan del Sur Howler Mountain Bike Race announces their third annual race to be held on December 11, 2010. Ox paths, dirt paths, single tracks and riverbeds make up the the unspoiled mountain bike action of 18 to 42 kilometers. The Howler race is Nicaragua’s entry into Central American mountain bike races.
Anthony Ippolito, a world-class racer and lead Howler course-setter loves this unique course. “Nicaragua is known for it’s untouched, raw landscape. This course takes full advantage of the diversity in the surrounding terrain and you only have to go five minutes outside of San Juan del Sur to find some really amazing stuff!”
The race is organized by Larry Thraen who is an adventure travel coordinator and ex-patriot living in San Juan del Sur. He was motivated to start the race by the local families who heavily rely on bicycles for transportation. “Many people don’t even have brakes on their bikes; they use their plastic flip-flops to slow down or stop their two-wheelers. It’s also worth noting how many people these talented Nicaraguans can put on a bike. I’ve seen five kids on an old three-speed from the 60s.”
The focus of the Howler Race is to put on an international sporting event that will also serve the local communities. They are striving to attract sponsor involvement to help bring down a container of bikes and helmets for each event. “The bike donation aspect serves a two-fold purpose. One, it’s to have a bike for the race. Secondly, after the race, they can use the bike to get themselves to town for supplies or to a job that helps feed their family,” Larry explains.
Proceeds from the race will go to two local organizations: Comunidad Connect which focuses on community development projects like recycling, literacy programs, sports and volunteer based tourism in the San Juan del Sur area and Fundacion Tierra which supports the municipality’s socio-economic welfare, education, reforestation, water and sanitation.
To learn more about the race, the organizations, register to participate or donate please visit www.sanjuanhowler.com
Eco-Lux Resort Breaks Ground
Pellas Development Group, a subsidiary of Grupo Pellas, Central America’s leading multi-industry economic group, has begun the first phase of construction of its eco-luxe resort, Guacalito de la Isla, a $250 million, 1,670-acre resort development on Nicaragua’s spectacular Pacific Coast.
Set on a four-mile sweep of forested coastal land, a two-hour drive from Managua International Airport, Guacalito de la Isla is the personal vision of Don Carlos Pellas, the founder of Pellas Development Group and the president and CEO of Grupo Pellas. The Pellas family has been a leader in the economic development of Central America for more than a century and has holdings in the sugar, rum, banking, transportation and credit-card businesses. At full buildout, Guacalito’s amenities will include a boutique luxury hotel; a beach club and restaurant; a marina; water sports from surfing to deep-sea fishing; hiking and biking trails; a championship 18-hole golf course; ecology, cultural and adventure-sports programs; an equestrian center; a world-class spa and family wellness center and a variety of multigenerational activities. “We are proud to be at the forefront of Nicaragua’s emergence as a destination for North Americans who seek an idyllic natural and sustainable refuge and an authentic experience,” said Pellas.
“Survivor” Premiere Tonight on CBS!
The long awaited premiere of the hit show Survivor airs tonight on CBS. As you know, this season was filmed just outside of San Juan del Sur on some of the countries most beautiful beaches.Watch tonight on TV or online. See the link below for details.
LA Times published an interesting article about Survivor being filmed near San Juan del Sur. Will the TV show that premiers next month be good for the local business?
“A Pacific Coast beach town has been playing host to the crew and cast of CBS-TV’s ‘Survivor.’ It’s all hush-hush, but fits in with a government push to market Nicaragua for tourism and investment….” Read the rest of the article HERE
Poker Series Continues
