Courtesy / Maine Sports Commission
The Gran Fondo Hincapie bicycle road race will return to Bangor on June 22.
Updated: January 4, 2024
Maine will host a range of new and returning sporting events this year
Courtesy / Maine Sports Commission
The XTERRA Trail Running Championship will make its return to Carrabassett Valley on Aug. 31.
From roller hockey to trail running and road cycling, Maine has a deep bench when it comes to sporting events planned for this year, including two national competitions.
The Maine Sports Commission said two of the key events will be the Maximum Cheer and Dance MaXout, a national cheerleading competition, which will held Feb. 24-25 at Thompson's Point in Portland, and the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association National Championships, which will be held April 17-22 at Norway Savings Arena in Auburn.
“While we will be new to the state, we already know how fantastic and supportive the people in Maine are,” said Pete Graham, director of events for Maximum Cheer LLC, whose Maximum Cheer and Dance MaXout is expected to attract roughly 1,200 people, including athletes, officials, coaches and spectators.
“We have had the privilege to host many gyms from the area at our other events in the region in the past. But this season we are bringing the event to them.”
Sporting events contributed an estimated $155.6 million to the Maine economy and attracted 253,071 out-of-state visitors in 2019, according to a study conducted by the University of Southern Maine’s Center for Business and Economic Research. More than half of spectators, 55%, came from out of state.
Other events
Several events will return to Maine after successful debuts in recent years.
- The Gran Fondo Hincapie Bangor bicycle road race will be June 22.
- The Ironman 70.3 Maine in Augusta will be July 28.
- The XTERRA Trail Running Championship will be in Carrabassett Valley on Aug. 31.
“I am excited that we will be returning for year two of the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship," said Steve Andrus, U.S. tour manager for XTERRA, which debuted at Sugarloaf in September 2023, attracting more than 1,000 runners and spectators. "The recent event's success was based on a great collaboration between XTERRA, the Maine Sports Commission, Carrabassett Valley and the Sugarloaf Resort's amazing team."
Sugarloaf has hosted other high-profile competitions, including the mountain biking's Enduro World Series and the U.S. Alpine Ski Championships.
Sheila Brennan Nee, strategic director for the Maine Sports Commission, said that Maine’s appeal as a sporting destination is poised to expand, with the growth of events like the Maine’s High Peaks Paddlefest in Rangeley (June 29) and efforts by the United Soccer League, which plans to bring an expansion team to Portland by 2025.
“World-class sporting organizers are discovering that Maine is an ideal year-round destination for their marquee competitions,” she said.
The Maine Sports Commission is a nonprofit that works to advance, elevate, and promote Maine as a four-season sports destination, strengthening the state through sports tourism, encouraging healthy, active lifestyles.
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