Colorado Springs, Colo. (March 6, 2007)-USA Cycling has paid out more than $260,000 to Local Associations based on 2006 license sales with another $59,000 expected to be distributed. USA Cycling has agreements with 33 Local Associations that represent 85% of its road, track and cyclo-cross racing members.

"The Local Associations do a terrific job managing the racing and recruiting new members in communities across the U.S.," said USA Cycling chief executive officer, Steve Johnson. "It's only natural that we invest a significant portion of our members' license fees back into the grassroots racing organizations."

Including 2006 totals, USA Cycling has paid Local Associations more than $1 million since the program's inception four years ago. In the inaugural year of the program, USA Cycling paid out $197,615. In 2004, the amount increased to $201,548. In 2005, $304,161 was paid out, and in 2006 a total of $320,900 is expected to be paid.

In 2006, the Northern California/Nevada Cycling Association earned $35,735 from USA Cycling as the highest-paid L.A. The Southern California/Nevada Cycling Association earned $32,645 while The New England Bicycle Racing Association ($30,300), the Texas Bicycle Racing Association ($20,835), and the Washington State Bicycle Association ($16,425) rounded out the top five.

"The rebates we have received from USA Cycling for the Northern California/Nevada Cycling Association have allowed us to greatly expand the support we provide for several of our long-running programs," explained the association's president Casey Kerrigan. "We have increased funding for our junior points series, our category 3/4 women's series and our category-4 women's mentoring program. We've purchased new race equipment to support the growth of competitive cycling in our region and have been able to add programs such as the Northern California High School Mountain Bike Racing League."

"I feel that the success of USA Cycling's Local Association Program has helped fuel the 64% growth in the number of licensed road members in our region since the program started," Kerrigan continued. "The investments we have made in supporting entry-level riders is giving us a strong foundation to elevate the elite end of our regional racing spectrum."

For a complete outline of USA Cycling's Local Association program, including benefits and requirements, visit www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=175.

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