High-speed cyclists gather for Marymoor Park races

Olympic hopefuls and top amateur cyclists gathered at Group Health Velodrome as the largest track-cycling race in the Seattle area kicked off Friday afternoon.

Riders don't brake or coast in this high-speed sport, and the event is another example of how King County is partnering with a private group at Marymoor Park near Redmond.

"Events like this are great, not only just for the sport of bicycling, but to bring spectators out to the park to see its amenities, and what a nice place it is," said Kevin Brown, King County parks director.

The event, which continues today and is expected to draw thousands of spectators, is a qualifier for the U.S. National Track Cycling Championships.

Cyclists are competing for more than $14,000 in prize money — the largest purse any velodrome in the country is offering this year, said Harley Sheffield, executive director of the Marymoor Velodrome Association, a nonprofit group that oversees the events at the track.

The entrance fee is $4 per adult, and children are admitted free, with racing today scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m.

This weekend's event is an example of how King County has turned to partnerships with local companies and organizations to market the assets of the park to the public.

Much of the 640-acre King County park is sustained with the help of other organizations and groups.

For instance, the events at the 30-year-old-plus velodrome are organized and sponsored by the Marymoor Velodrome Association, and Group Health pays the county $120,000 annually for naming rights to the track.

Rowing may also soon be another popular sport at the park. The county recently partnered with the Sammamish Rowing Association, giving the association a total of $175,000 in grants to help redesign and construct a boathouse at the park. The rowing association will contribute about $2.5 million in capital, and will operate and maintain the boathouse for 30 years. The boathouse is scheduled to be complete in the fall.

Another partnership is with the East Lake Washington Audubon Society, which received a $100,000 grant and entered into an agreement with King County Parks and Recreation to enhance the interpretive trail at Marymoor. The new trail will allow for better bird-watching and should be completed by July 2008.

The county is working to bring in corporate sponsorship to help offset the cost of running the park, Brown said. But it's also working to strike a balance between sponsorship and providing people with a quality experience while they are at the park, he said.

"We're trying to bring in business, but still respect what being a park is about," Brown said.

Rachel Tuinstra: 206-515-5637 or rtuinstra@seattletimes.com