BENTONVILLE (KFSM) -- The International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) kicked off its World Summit in Bentonville on Wednesday (Nov. 9).
An estimated 530 mountain bikers and members of IMBA will be in the area through Saturday (Nov. 12) to hear from speakers, attend education sessions and network with other mountain bikers and trail builders.
This year marked the first time the IMBA World Summit sold out prior to the event.
Northwest Arkansas has quickly climbed the ranks of mountain biking hot spots.
Take it from Doug Dalton, who's attending from Park City, Utah, which has its own world renowned trail systems.
"To tell you the truth, I don't think Bentonville is far off," Dalton said. "The amount of trails, the skill levels, paved trails, smooth single track, jump trails. They really have it all."
Nearly 50 miles of new trails have opened in Northwest Arkansas in the months leading up to the summit.
Nicole Dorholt said she trains in the area, and made the short trip from Tulsa. She said hosting the event will further put Bentonville on the map.
"I feel like the trails in Arkansas are this gem that have been previously untapped," Dorholt said. "Everybody talks about Moab, or Park City, they talk about Pisgah, they talk about North Shore, I hope after this weekend they're talking about Arkansas."