Panaracer Announces Renewed Title Sponsorship Agreement for “NISEKO GRAVEL 2023”

Panaracer Announces Renewed Title Sponsorship 

Agreement for “NISEKO GRAVEL 2023” 

Renowned cycling tire manufacturer Panaracer and cycling events company Hokkaido Events  are excited to announce continued partnership through Panaracerʼs renewed title sponsorship of the Niseko Gravel cycling event. 

This gravel festival event, originally organized as two test events, was first held in October of 2020 with just 5 riders and  was followed by a second edition in 2021 with an impressive turnout of 100 riders. The event has grown from these  humble origins and is now held twice a year, with a ride event in spring and main ride event in autumn. The 2022 Niseko  Gravel Autumn Ride marked the 5th running of the event, and attracted over 300 participants who had the opportunity to  experience the region’s untouched natural beauty, ever-changing landscapes, and thrilling gravel rides. 

The autumn 2023 event will be the sixth edition of this event, and will see the event expand its scale and further solidify  Niseko as the hub of gravel culture in Japan. Like last year, the event will take place over two days (September 23rd and  24th) and will be held at the Niseko Annupuri International Ski Resort. Riders and attendees will be able to visit the  booths of their favorite gravel cycling and outdoor gravel brands, and will be able to choose from a wide selection of food  trucks offering delicious treats and refreshing drinks. The festival-like atmosphere of this event will showcase the region’s  fast growing gravel scene, and make for an enjoyable experience for locals and visitors alike. 

Panaracer is a leading manufacturer of bicycle tires and tubes, headquartered in Tamba City, Hyogo Prefecture.  Throughout their 70 year history, Panaracer has produced numerous products and has supported the achievements of  riders and teams at the highest levels of cycling. In 2014, Panaracer released their now iconic “GRAVELKING” tire – one  of the first gravel specific tires to hit the market. 9 years later, this tire has gained tremendous popularity the world over, and now boasts a top-class share of the market. 

HOKKAIDO EVENTS was established in 2015 in the international winter resort of Niseko with the aim of further boosting  the region’s tourism industry. The organization now hosts the NISEKO CLASSIC amateur cycling race, an UCI  sanctioned Gran Fondo World Series qualifier that has grown into one of the region’s flagship events. This event, and the  Hokkaido Events organization, aims to enhance the area’s tour industry and to further establish it as a global summer  destination. 

HOKKAIDO EVENTSMinami1-Nishi2 Kutchan Abuta-gun Hokkaido TEL　0136-55-6081 / Email [email protected] 

HOKKAIDO EVENTS engages in various activities, primarily focused on promoting cycling businesses that showcase the  region’s natural beauty. The organization also manages and organizes several small-to-medium-scale events which are  deeply rooted in the local community. The organization’s main event, the “NISEKO CLASSIC”, has seen steady growth in  popularity with the 2023 event (held from June 17th to 18th of 2023) drawing over 1,100 attendees to the region from  throughout Japan and around the world. 

The renewed relationship between Panaracer and HOKKAIDO EVENTS, through Panracer’s continued sponsorship of  NISEKO GRAVEL, represents the organizations’ common goal of establishing a unique, authentic and distinctively  Japanese gravel culture. The two organizations’ share a vision of growing this event, and expanding it to the global  stage, and have reached an agreement for Panaracer’s continued sponsorship of the event. 

As part of Panaracer’s sponsorship, the organization is providing prizes, as well as promotional and financial support.  Sponsorship funds are allocated towards the events’ ride operations, venue festivals and event promotion. Panaracer’s  contributions aim to develop the culture of gravel riding in Japan, fostering its growth and advancement.

Comment from Kazuhiko Konno, Representative director of HOKKAIDO EVENTS 

Japan has been quick to utilize the abundant nature of Hokkaido as part of our nation’s policy to implement “sports  tourism promotion”. 

 As part of this policy, Niseko has risen to global fame, attracting both domestic and international investors, and  advancing the region towards its goal of joining the ranks of other world-renowned resort destinations. 

The Niseko area has long incorporated cycling tourism into its core strategy, and has become a well established  destination for road cycling. HOKKAIDO EVENTS is proud to incorporate the growing genre of gravel cycling into the  region’s wider tourism strategy – an addition that joins the region’s road cycling races and hill climbs, and that places  Niseko shoulder to shoulder with renowned resorts around the world. 

Through our continued sponsorship agreement with the Panaracer Corporation, we are able to create an environment  ripe for the introduction of further cycling categories, and to further grow the diversity of activities in the Niseko area. 

Comment from Ryoichi Yamato, President and CEO of Panaracer 

It is with great pleasure that we announce Panaracers continued title sponsorship of “NISEKO GRAVEL 2023”,an event  organized by HOKKAIDO EVENTS. Gravel riding continues to grow here in Japan, with more and more cyclists out riding  on paved roads, unpaved roads, gravel paths and narrow mountain trails. Gravel riding provides cyclists with the joy of  immersion in natural landscapes, and Niseko’s stunning natural scenery makes it ideal for such experiences. 

We are committed to providing new and exciting ways to enjoy cycling, and we believe that gravel riding is a great way to  experience the outdoors and meet new people. We are looking forward to continuing to support this event and, to seeing  you at the NISEKO GRAVEL 2023!