Buffalo, NY – Racing enthusiasts it’s time to get down and dirty. The Columbia Muddy Buddy is heading to the Holiday Valley Ski Resort in Ellicottville this June. The 12-year-old national event series is a 6 mile race in which teams of two run and bike through a rugged course that includes 3 free-standing obstacles. The event’s signature finale involves both teammates crawling through a 50-foot-long mud pit before crossing the finish line together.

“This event has grown leaps and bounds in the last 12 years,” said Bob Babbitt, founder of the Muddy Buddy Series. “It’s such a unique, fun experience that welcomes all ability levels and where the most important element is simply getting muddy and having a great time.”

The inaugural Ellicottville event will feature enhanced obstacles, live post-race music, participant bag check and a new competitive division where the fastest Muddy Buddies get a chance to race for the ultimate title.

Kids between the ages of 4 and 13 can also join in the fun as a part of the Columbia Mini Muddy Buddy in which they complete a short obstacle course and slither through the same mud pit as the grown-ups. Columbia Muddy Buddy also partners with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which raises money for athletes with disabilities and provides them with adaptive equipment.

Registration for the Ellicottville event is open at www.muddybuddy.com . Visit www.holidayvalley.com/muddybuddy for more information.

Ellicottville is located on Route 219, just 50 miles south of Buffalo and less than three hours from Toronto and Cleveland.

About Columbia Sportswear Company
Columbia Sportswear Company is a leading innovator in the active outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment markets. Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia products are sold in more than 100 countries and have earned an international reputation for innovation, quality and performance. Columbia products feature technologies and designs that protect outdoor enthusiasts from the elements, increase comfort, and make outdoor activities more enjoyable. In addition to the Columbia brand, Columbia Sportswear Company also owns outdoor brands Mountain Hardwear?В®, Sorel?В®, Montrail?В®, and Pacific Trail?В®. To learn more, please visit the company’s websites at www.columbia.com , www.mountainhardwear.com , www.sorel.com , and www.montrail.com .

About Columbia Muddy Buddy
The Columbia Muddy Buddy Ride & Run Series, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2009, is all about having a great time with your husband, wife, son, daughter or best buddy. The ingredients are two runners, one mountain bike, six off-road miles, four awesome obstacles, one glorious mud pit and a hunger for having a ton of fun. Teammates take turns riding and running their way through the course. The first person to arrive at the final obstacle, the mud pit, waits for their partner and then traverses the mud pit together before crossing the finish line. For additional information, please visit www.muddybuddy.com .