For the Love of Mud, a film nearly two years in the making, will be shown at U.S. Nationals
Film that showcases the sport of cyclocross will make its world premiere during a week of national championship racing in Austin, bringing international cycling elite out to this hot ticket event.
A second showing will be held at 11p.m. (added after first screening sold out in five hours). The following was written by the organization of Texas Bike Racing:
December 30, 2014, Austin – TexasBikeRacing.com will host the world premiere of the cyclo-cross cycling film documentary “For the Love of Mud” on January 9, 2015 with showings at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. at Austin’s legendary Stateside Theater. Tickets for the 7 p.m. showing sold out in just five hours; tickets remain for the 11 p.m. showing. The screening will be held in conjunction with USA Cycling’s 2015 Cyclo-Cross National Championships from January 7-11, in Austin, Texas. More information on tickets and the event can be found at http://texasbikeracing.com/cx-nats/
Presented by Stages Cycling and the work of British filmmaker and artist Benedict Campbell, the event will take place from 7-10 pm beginning with happy hour before the screening and a Q&A session with Benedict Campbell and many of the country’s top professional cyclo-cross racers after the movie. Much more than a race movie, the film provides a beautiful history and narrative on the “religion” of cyclo-cross. To view a trailer of the film, see below:
“I wanted to debut this film in Austin because the sport is growing quite rapidly in the state of Texas,” says Campbell, who shot, wrote and edited the film himself as sort of a side project during and after his race seasons. “And, quite simply put, I really like the city of Austin.” He spent 1.5 years on the film that he says highlights the sport on many levels, from beginner to professional racers. “This is a movie that all cyclo-cross racers can identify with and share with people to introduce them to the sport.”
Texas-based racing news website TexasBikeRacing.com is hosting the film premiere as a way to showcase the sport to during a major event such as the national championships. “Benedict Campbell is a ridiculously talented photographer and filmmaker and we’re honored to have a chance to premiere his film,” says TexasBikeRacing.com publisher and Austin resident Robert Wray. “The film is so well done and has such a story and history that even if you don’t like or know much about ‘cross you’ll enjoy the film.”
The USAC Cyclo-Cross National Championships will be held in Austin’s Zilker Park and will attract elite bicycle racers from across the country as they compete to win a national jersey in both amateur and professional categories.
Destined to become a cult classic for our crazy sport of cyclo-cross, “For the Love of Mud” includes coverage from Cyclo-Cross Nationals in Boulder 2014, the World Championships in Hoogerheide, along with numerous Superprestige races across Europe. Interviews include top pros Sven Nys, Helen Wyman, Gabby Durrin, Jeremy Powers, Katie Compton, along with age groupers and rabid fans.
Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing and consists of on- and off-road courses that are held on mix of surfaces including pavement, grass, and often mud. Obstacles such as barriers, steep climbs, sand pits exist throughout the course and force racers to navigate tight spaces and turn and often dismount and re-mount the bicycle, carrying it on their shoulders if needed. The sport first began in the Flanders area of Belgium and is usually held in the fall and winter seasons, and racers use specific cyclo-cross bicycles that are outfitted to handle the rigors of cyclo-cross. Races vary in distances depending on course conditions and difficulty and usually last between 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.
Benedict Campbell (www.benedict1.com) is a renowned global photographer, digital artist, and filmmaker; he has produced eye-catching imagery for the world’s leading brands and draws on a wide range of styles. When he’s not working on advertising campaigns, he spends his time making cult documentaries, such as “It Ain’t About Cav,” “Café Cowboy” and “The Wall of Death.” He’s still very passionate about riding his bike.
Stages Cycling (www.stagescycling.com) is a Colorado-based manufacturer of cycling-specific power-based training meters for both indoor- and outdoor-use bicycles.
TexasBikeRacing.com is the go-to source for bicycle racing in the state of Texas. The site includes race results and reports, cyclist profiles, a calendar of events, photos and more.
