The premier awards gala for the bicycle industry, the Interbike Awards (IB Awards), is set to return to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center (MBCC) during the Interbike International Expo this Fall. Taking place on Thursday, September 22, 2016 in the South Pacific Ballroom of the MBCC, the energetic IB Awards will kick-off with a 6:30pm cocktail reception, with the awards presentation to follow.
The evening will honor achievements from the current product and race year. To help keep the flow of the event moving along at a faster pace, Interbike has tightened up the categories, and will require any winners not in attendance to submit video acceptance speeches in advance of the event. Nominees and winners will be selected from categories across the bike community, with several new awards being added including:
- Domestic Mountain Bike Race of the Year; presented by VeloNews
- Next Generation Rider of the Year; presented by the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA)
- E-bike Product Innovation of the Year; presented by Electric Bike Action
- Best OmniChannel Retailer of the Year; presented by Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN)
- Interbike Lifetime Achievement Award; presented by Bicycle Products Supplier Association (BPSA)
“After having the cast of Breaking Away at last year’s event, we are certainly going to be challenged to top it,” said Pat Hus, Vice President of Interbike. “But a combination of tightening up the categories, securing Alonzo Bodden again and having a few big surprises in the works will certainly make it another must-attend event during Interbike.”
World Bicycle Relief, a non-profit mobilizing people through the power of bicycles, will be the beneficiary partner for this year’s gala. Interbike will be donating $10 from each ticket sold to support their efforts.
“We are deeply thankful for our continued partnership with Interbike and for being able to share the stories of individuals who until now had no voice but whose lives are transformed by the Power of Bicycles,” said FK Day, Founder and President of World Bicycle Relief. “During a night that recognizes individuals and groups for their contributions to our industry, it’s wonderful that there’s time to acknowledge what’s possible when our industry rallies around those who have so little, but will benefit so much from the Power of Bicycles.”
Interbike is proud to partner with multiple media organizations and key industry colleagues to curate the award categories, select nominees and ultimately honor the winners:
- Product Innovation: Hi-Torque Publications (Road Bike Action, Mountain Bike Action, and Electric Bike Action)
- Athletic Achievement: VeloNews and National Interscholastic Cycling Association
- Best-in-Triathlon: Triathlon Business International
- Dealer Excellence: Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
- Supplier Performance: National Bicycle Dealers AssociationM
- Advocacy Efforts: PeopleForBikes
- Lifetime Achievement: Bicycle Product Supplier Association
A complete list of the multiple awards within the categories can be found on the Interbike website. The first round of nominees will be announced in June with athlete awards to be presented at the beginning of August. Criteria for the nomination process for each award category can be found on the Official Guide to the 2016 Interbike Awards on the Interbike Website.
For more information on the Interbike Awards, visit interbike.com
Interbike returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center beginning with OutDoor Demo in Boulder City, Nev., September 19-20, 2016, followed by the Interbike Expo September 21-23, 2016.
