Executive Race Director John Meehan of the UCI Carousel Volkswagen Jingle Cross Rock presented by Scheels has announced that the top 15 elite women will be awarded the same prize money as the top 15 elite men over the course of the entire 3 day Jingle Cross weekend. The Jingle Cross is scheduled from Friday November 16th through Sunday November 18th in Iowa City, Iowa with UCI C2 races on Friday and Saturday and C1 races on Sunday. While the men will be racing for the C1 money in their C1 finale on Sunday, the women will be racing for the same top C1 dollar awards as the men but will do so during their C2 race on Friday Night, increasing the standard women’s C2 prize money by 5 times the typical amount that evening.
“Friday Night is Ladies Night at the Jingle Cross, “ said Meehan “In celebration of the great women in all of sports, we will literally put the spotlight on the ladies and they will be the Marquis event on November 16th, 2012! Thanks to our Title Sponsor, Carousel Volkswagen, and other great sponsors who have been with us for many years, we have built the Jingle Cross into the Premier Spectator Cyclocross Race in North America.”
Meredith Miller (CalGiant) gets the holeshot at 2011 Jingle Cross
Friday’s Nighttime Jingle Cross tends to bring the most raucous crowds, creating a party atmosphere with the nighttime stadium style illumination provided by outdoor event giant Musco Lighting. Saturday and Sunday will be in the daytime with the women’s Saturday C2 daytime race also matching the men’s C2 prize money. On Sunday, the women will be racing for highly sought after C1 points and the prize money has been increased to the Men’s C2 payout for Sunday. Overall, these award increases will ensure that the top 15 men and women will be awarded the same total prize over the course of the 3 days.
“We have been wanting to equalize the prize money between the men and women for several years but the economics of the times simply made it impossible. We have been very careful with our event; maintaining a high standard of quality racing, professional appearance, and spectator excitement without jeopardizing the challenges organizers face financially. Most importantly, we have – and always will – make a substantial donation to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital at the end of the event.”
The Jingle Cross operates as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization and 100% of all proceeds are donated to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.
The Jingle Cross Rock started as a small single day race in 2004 with only 60 riders on a field near Meehan’s home. The race grew year by year moving to its current location at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in 2006 and expanding to a 2 day event. The Christmas themed Jingle Cross has unique features including a green painted sand-filled scale house aptly named the Grinch’s Lair, log barriers known as Yule Logs, and the infamous Mt. Krumpit which is just as treacherous going up as it is going down. The Jingle Cross became a UCI in 2007, expanded to 3 days 2009, and upgraded to C1 event in 2010. The Jingle Cross now offers 46 amateur and pro events for men, women, and juniors.