The 13th Annual SLUG Cat

Working together gets the job done faster. Photo: India Mendoza.

The 13th Annual SLUG Cat bike race saw around 130 community members take to the streets in friendly competition, hitting up challenges at local landmarks and partnering businesses, before cycling back to celebrate their own tenacity with a little block party at SLUG HQ. Photo: India Mendoza.

Image: India Mendoza, Kevin TK Frantz

Community

The 13th Annual SLUG Cat was a roaring success. Saturday, May 10 was a day of biking, games and drag that reminded us all of how awesome the SLC community is and why we do this year after year. A record 134 riders put their pedal to the metal in this biking scavenger hunt!

Registration began at 4 p.m. at SLUG HQ where riders were given manifests with cleverly constructed clues leading to various local businesses around the downtown area like Bouldering Project, Dangerous Pretzel, Kilby Court and more. Riders excitedly deciphered the clues and planned out their routes as they spread across the city in a frenzy to be the next SLUG Cat champion. The race lasted two hours, giving riders plenty of time to participate in various fun tasks and trivia, testing their skill and knowledge as they racked up as many points as possible. Bonds were forged and friendships were made as the riders dashed through the city and overcame challenges together.

Their quest ended where it began, at the SLUG Mag offices (SLUG HQ), but the fun wasn’t over yet. Riders were treated to some dang good pizza courtesy of Dang Brother Pizza. Saturday Cycles and Archer’s Bikes provided the bikes that were used as the grand prizes for each of the three competitive divisions. As points were tallied, DJ Nix Beat provided some fun beats, while riders participated in some exciting activities from Unplugged Wellness and enjoyed some colorful drag performances by Nancy Raygun, Justin Secrecy and Divina 2.0.

As the event came to end, the first, second and third place winners of each division were announced. A surprising turn of events was the announcement of a tie in the Women’s Division. SLUG staff devised a thrilling tie-breaker race ending in a hop-scotch battle; a sweet little cherry on top of the SLUG Cat sundae… well, Saturday. Here’s hoping for more eventful SLUG Cats in the coming years. We can’t wait for SLUG Cat 14!

Non-Binary Division:
1st Place: Squanchy Papi (Nick Santos)
2nd Place: Jackson Johnings
3rd Place: Jerald Lim

Women’s Division:
1st Place: Coco Cookson
2nd Place: Hannah Hendricks
3rd Place: Gina Sombatsaphay

Men’s Division:
1st Place: Davey Davis
2nd Place: Dario Figueroa
3rd Place: Clint Campbell

Dead Fucking Last:
Ruth Hennessy

SLUG would like to extend our thanks to our sponsors who helped make this event possible: Abus, Archer’s Bikes, Bingham Cyclery, Buddha Gear, Dang Brother Pizza, Dangerous Pretzel, Drift Lounge, Hallowed Grounds Cafe & Gifts, JRC Events, Kilby Court, Loki Coffee, Momentum Climbing Gym, Oasis Games, Pit Viper Sunglasses, Salt Lake Bouldering Project, Salt Lake City Corporation Office of the Mayor, Saturday Cycles, SLUG Magazine, Wasatch Co-Op.