From Matt, OTH Co-founder

Orange County Mountain Bikers’ own local race series!

Going into our 6th season this year, Over the Hump Mountain Bike Race Series, kicked off our inaugural season in 2009 with 2 races. Both sold out!  That lit the fire.  2010’s 12 race series saw 1,500 people racing, with 2012’s season rolling 2,500 racers through the finish line. Watch out! It could be you who catches the racing bug in 2016!

Midweek, and easily accessible after work from all over Orange County.OTH is designed to be a fun, relaxed event for everyone. Our race course has been designed to challenge all levels of riders, and give you a great place to experience the fun and excitement of mountain bike racing. Our course offers a variety of scenic terrain  Weave through the pine trees above the lake to single track in the cottonwoods.

Come out and give racing a try, or just enjoy the buzz, as a fan club for your racer or team!  Irvine Lake’s course sends racers by the staging area 3 times every lap. Looking forward to seeing you out there with us.

  • Everyone is welcome! Beginners to Experienced racers.
  • OTH is a great first race to try Mountain Bike Racing, and challenging race for the experienced rider.
  • Exclusive Mountain Bike Race track available only to Over the Hump racers.
  • Fun and Competitive.
  • Highly visible track for your personal support team ( family and friends)
  • Bring the whole family out for the fun! Picnic area, grass, tons of shade, and full restrooms all right at the water.

Historical Timeline of OTH

2009 Kicked Off Our Inaugural Season

The Fire was lit.

Series, kicked off our inaugural season in 2009 with 2 races. No sponsors, no race history…just a dream to have a mid-week bike race in our backyard. That dream met a race-hungry Orange County. We started with only two races and both sold out, with over 350 racers!

2010

12 Week Race Series Bridges the Water at Irvine Lake

2010’s 12 race series saw 1,500 people racing. Sponsors, bike shops and friends filled the grass exhibit area next to the lake, making every night a bike race with a party.

2010’s rainy winter gave the course designers water to throw into the mix, with 100 yard land bridges and creative re-routing, as the water raised 20 feet, two weeks before race start.

2011

The Kids Race and the World Gets Better!

May: Linked Cycling starts the weekly Kid’s race (ages 6-11) driven by their passion for bikes and people. They wanted to see the kid’s race of 2010 happen weekly. Kids have raced every week since 2011, because Linked Cycling creates the kid’s race experience.

September: Over the Hump featured In Mountain Bike Action’s article “Over the Hump and Over the Top”The conclusion: “If every town had a Hump Race, the world would be a better place.”

2012

Over the Hump Goes Digital

Introducing… Over the Hump, “new and improved”! We added digital chips on the race number plates, a big finish arch and lots of bells and whistles to improve each racer’s mid-week fun race experience, rarely experienced at grass roots events. Replay Timing joined our team to offer:  Quick Check in, lap times, and real time results…does it get any better?

2013

OTH Grows the Fun!

For the first time, Over The Hump Mountain Bike Race Series™ licenses the midweek race brand, to see it grow into Los Angeles.

The vision: Reproduce, the viral phenomenon Orange County mountain bikers were living. A vision with a laser beam focus: to make mountain bike racing fun again. 

2014

Building and building

Over the Hump’s course begins to take some incredible shape.

Creativity meets creators on the course: tractor drivers, rangers and racers pick up their tools to create a re-envisioned course. New course features added berms, bumps, and layers of dirt, to add to the flavor of the Irvine Lake course.

2015

Beginner Ride-A-Long & 360 Fly Cash Dash

Shattering race “normals” Beginner and Junior racers had a mentor for their race. Then for the first time ever 40+ Elite Men and Women racers battled head to head on the one mile short course, sponsored by 360 Fly.

2016

Mazda Joins Over the Hump as Presenting Sponsor

We welcome Mazda as presenting sponsor, bringing their style to Over the Hump…including Mazda Preferred parking, dealer involvement in the series, and of course the car that makes Driving Matter.

What’s the rest of the Over the Hump Mountain Bike Race Story?

You’re in the middle of writing it. Everyday someone puts their leg over the bike, and heads to Castaic Lake, or Irvine Lake, trains or even visits as a part of a races “pit crew” they are writing the Over the Hump Story.

Throughout the year, we’re going to be introducing you to the people who make Over the Hump, the amazing, vibrant, and exciting community that it is.  Over the Hump is people, not a race. It’s a community, not a racer, or a team.  We have witnessed turn into a family, from the first time you rolled under the start banner, and put rubber to dirt (and asphalt).  Over the Hump, is our Tuesday night home, and we’re glad we get to share the backyard with so many amazing people.

Now you get to help us write the story of where it’s going.

This is your Race, this is your Community, this is your Family. We’re just glad to be a part of it. Thanks for including us in the journey.