Hundreds of Balance Bike Racing Toddlers from around World to Descend on San Francisco

Rapid City, SD (July 6, 2016) — Strider Bikes, the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of children’s no-pedal balance bikes, is welcoming hundreds of balance bike racing toddlers – some still in diapers – to Pier 35 in San Francisco, July 29-30, for the 6th Annual 2016 Strider Cup World Championship presented by FedEx. This is the first time the event has been held in California.

Japanese toddlers have dominated past championships, taking 3 of the 4 world titles in the 2015 races. The 12 children already signed up from Ecuador are expected to give them a run for the top trophies. Other international competitors include riders from Thailand, Colombia and Canada. The 2015 Strider Cup World Championship recap page and video highlights all of the racers, including those in the Special Needs division.

Toddlers as young as 18 months old put their Strider Bike skills to the test during these family-friendly races. The event will also feature a free Strider Adventure Zone play area with games and Strider Bikes to test ride (helmets provided). Miss Clo-the-Cow, the celebrity bovine from Clover Stornetta Farms, will also make an appearance.

Several dozen California racers are signed up, including brother and sister duo Mason and Brooklyn Eastin from Newark, Calif. Brooklyn, who is five years old, got her Strider Balance Bike when she was three years old. She shocked her parents six months later by immediately transitioning to a pedal bike.

“One day, she pointed to a pedal bike and told us she wanted to ride it – without the training wheels,” recounts her father David Eastin. “We were hesitant, because she had never ridden a pedal bike before, but we took off the training wheels. We just had to hold the seat for her first try. Then, the second time, she was off and pedaling. It was mind blowing. Riding a Strider Bike gives kids independence and the ability to gain confidence on a bike without the having pressure of having to pedal or push back for braking.”

The Strider Cup World Championship includes the 2 and under class sponsored by Golden Gate Urgent Care, 3-year-old class sponsored by Yelp, 4-year-old class sponsored by Kidz Gear and the 5-year-old class sponsored by Clover Stornetta Farms. The registration fee is $25 online before July 22 at noon, or $35 on-site. Racers will receive a Strider jersey, number plate for their bike and a goodie bag valued at more than $50 with their registration Pre-registration is open at http://www.stridercupworldchampionship.com.

A typical Strider race scene features hundreds of excited and proud young parents and grandparents eagerly encouraging their young racers while ringing bright yellow cowbells as the starting gate drops. Toddlers, some still in diapers, lean forward, kick their short legs, and embark upon their 600-foot plus journey over obstacles such as dirt mounds and wooden ramps. All racers are treated to a celebratory podium award ceremony immediately following their main race, where they will receive either a trophy or a medal and pose for the cheering crowd.

Strider recently teamed up with CamelBak to give away 120 Strider Bikes to California youth. Several of those recipients are expected to participate in the Strider Cup World Championship. The donations included 45 bikes to the Sonoma County Bike Coalition to distribute to local children and 5 bikes to the Moms of Petaluma Group. Another 30 bikes were given away at the Giveaway Party hosted by CamelBak at their headquarters on June 29. Then, 10 bikes went to children of employees, and the remaining 30 bikes went to CamelBak’s San Diego location to be donated to a local charity in that area. Bell provided helmets for all of the recipients.

The Strider Cup events also include the Special Needs Races sponsored by CamelBak for athletes of all ages and abilities. Strider is working with Special Olympics Northern California to donate 11 bikes to individuals before the event. These athletes will race the 12” models, as well as Strider’s new, larger 16” and 20” balance bikes, which the company launched in 2014 specifically for the special needs community. Strider has waived the registration fee for riders with special needs.

Prior to the championship race, Strider will have hosted three Strider Cup races in cities around the country: June 11 in Lincoln, Nebraska, June 25 in Salt Lake City and July 9 in Spokane, WA, where over 500 toddlers qualified to race in the upcoming Strider Cup World Championship, July 29-30 at Pier 35 in San Francisco, California. The Strider event page, http://www.striderbikes.com/events has more information on all of the races.

About FedEx

FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $47 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 325,000 team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. www.fedex.com.

About Strider Sports International, Inc.

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Rapid City, SD, Strider Sports designs efficient, no-pedal balance bikes for children as young as 18 months, as well as for older riders with special needs. Strider’s mission is to simplify a bike to its essence, so proper size, weight, and simplicity combine to eliminate any fear of riding and instill confidence in the rider. Strider No-Pedal Balance Bikes are industry-leading training bikes that help children as young as 18 months learn to ride effectively on two wheels. Strider also manufactures balance bikes for individuals with special needs and for seniors wanting to stay active later in life. The patented Strider Balance Bikes focus on the fundamentals of balancing, leaning, and steering without the distractions and complications of pedals or training wheels. Strider Bikes are now distributed in more than 75 countries worldwide. In 2015, Strider sold its one-millionth bike. To learn more and to find a retailer in your area, visit www.StriderBikes.com, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.