The ranks of Kona Bike Parks is swelling. The concept is simple – Kona teams up with the operators of MTB resorts around the world, helps them to design trails and freeride areas, promotes and markets the results and supplies a fleet of suitable bikes for visitors to hire.

There are already Kona parks in Europe at Leogang in Austria, Todtnau in Germany, Livigno in Italy and Les Gets in France. North America has Whistler Blackcomb and Panorama in Canada and Winter Park and Snowshoe in the US. Then there’s Gravity Bolivia in, um, Bolivia and Mount Buller in Australia.

Freshly added to the ranks for 2006 are Verbier, Switzerland; Killington, VT, USA; Canada Olympic Park, Calgary; and Levi, Finland. Kelly Steelman is Kona’s “North American Bike Park Guy”:

“Verbier, Killington, Canada Olympic and Levi are just the kind of resorts we want Kona to be associated with. These parks share the energy and attitude Kona wants to infuse into the sport, and they’ll be great places for mountain bikers to hone their freeride skills, or simply give the sport a try for the very first time.”

You can find out more at www.konabikeparks.com.