Trail Vision Awards Bring Fresh Perspectives to the Big Screen

The inaugural Trail Vision Awards was an instant classic! Alongside our event partner Bicycle Trip, we hosted over four-hundred and fifty trail advocates at the Rio Theater last Friday to celebrate the natural beauty of our local trail network. With beer provided by Fort Point Brewing and a Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Carbon to raffle off, the Rio filled up fast! There were over one-hundred photos and videos submitted this year, featuring local flora and fauna as well as bikers, hikers, runners and equestrians across backdrops of Santa Cruz’s best skyscraper-like redwoods and breathtaking ocean cliffs. In addition to a gallery of prints from all entrants, each submitted photo and video was given its time up on the big screen through our interactive slideshow with live audience polling. Winners in each category were:

• Best bike photo (jury): Daydreams are Night Rides by Josh Becker
• Best bike photo (people’s choice): Dirty Cob by Tina West

[caption id="attachment_10121" align="alignnone" width="430"] Daydreams are Night Rides by Josh Becker (top), Dirty Cob by Tina West (bottom)[/caption]

• Best non-bike photo (jury): Untitled by Isaac Wallen
• Best non-bike photo (people’s choice): Curious Bobcat by Jenni Peters

[caption id="attachment_10122" align="alignnone" width="520"] Untitled by Isaac Wallen (top), Curious Bobcat by Jenni Peters (bottom) [/caption]

• Best bike video (jury): What is Life by Kiki Ong - view here
• Best bike video (people’s choice): Good Girl Gone Rad by Ximena Prugue - view here
• Best non-bike video (jury): Dig Day on the Flow Trail by Bruce Dorman - view here
• Best non-bike video (people’s choice): Run by Christiane Posl - view here

If you’d like to get another peek at select entries, Bicycle Trip will be hosting a “best-of” screening on First Friday, December 6, 2019 at their Santa Cruz location. This year’s Trail Vision Awards were also home to one of MBOSC’s biggest raffles yet! With prizes donated by Specialized, FOX Factory, Ibis Cycles, Verve Coffee, Santa Cruz Warriors, Hotel Paradox, Flourish Designs, Adventure Sports Journal, Ride the Redwoods, Adventure Out, Maggie’s Place, York Framing, Childish, Home/work, Amoureuse, Fleet Fleet Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Track Club, we were able to raise over eight-thousand dollars for trail advocacy efforts in the coming months. In addition to raising funds for more local trails, the first-ever Trail Vision Awards provided a much-needed opportunity to bring together the diverse group of trail users that make our local Santa Cruz trail network so unique. The fresh perspectives shared at this year’s event created a buzz of excitement and anticipation throughout the Rio, as various outdoor enthusiasts were given the opportunity to share their point of view on what makes Santa Cruz trails so great. We expect the Trail Vision Awards to be even bigger next year, and can’t wait to do it all again in 2020. See you next year!