YWCA, Tulsa Sports Commission and Broken Arrow Convention and Visitors Bureau have partnered with Ruts N’ Guts to provide equal payouts for women athletes at this weekend’s Professional Cyclo-cross competition.

“Traditionally, women have always gotten paid less because they’ve had less participation,” said Race Director, Mike Guillen. “We feel like the women put in just as much work and deserve just as much pay in return. So for Ruts N’ Guts, it’s been our mission from day one to pay women equally to help elevate the sport of women’s cycling.”

Ruts N’ Guts invites elite and amateur athletes to compete in a series of cyclo-cross events. This year, the race has been upgraded to Category 1, which means that the event is now attracting international cyclists and is sanctioned by Union Cycliste Internationale, the international governing body for the sport of cycling.  Hosting six of the top 50 ranked women in the world, Ruts N’ Guts’ focus on women athletes has the potential to further highlight the gender gap in professional sports, particularly as it pertains to wages.

“It is becoming better known that, on average, women in Oklahoma make nearly $500,000 less than men over the course of their career. Many in the public are surprised, however, to find that women also face significant pay disparities across the field of professional sports. Closing all wage gaps is central to YWCA’s mission of empowering and advancing women. We are excited and encouraged by Ruts N’ Guts and their effort to level the playing field and raise the bar for cyclo-cross sports across the nation,” said YWCA CEO, Vanessa Finley.

“The Tulsa Sports Commission is dedicated to improving the quality of life of Tulsans. Making sure that female competitors are equally compensated and celebrated definitely aligns with our mission of making sure Tulsa is a progressive, innovative sporting destination,” said Katie Nicholas, National Sales and Development Manager, Tulsa Sports Commission.

Cyclists from around the world are hitting Broken Arrow’s Chisholm Trail this weekend, December 3-4. Amateur women’s races begin at 10:00 a.m. both days, and professional women will be racing at 3:00 p.m., followed by professional men at 4:00 p.m. Professional cyclist, Amanda Miller, will be walking the route with local women amateur cyclists on Friday, December 2, to teach them the best angles and lines to ride to achieve the best outcome at this weekend’s race.

In addition to two full days of races, Ruts N’ Guts will offer food and beverage options for visitors. Saturday is the Craft Beer Festival, with a variety of flavors from eight to 12 breweries in one location adjacent to the race course. Admission is $35 per person (21 years and older) if purchased in advance; $40 at the gate. All events are held at Chisolm Trail south Park, a 165-acre community part east of Northeastern State University. More information can be found at www.rutsandguts.com/ride.

About YWCA
YWCA is on a mission to stand up for social justice, help families and strengthen communities. Each year YWCA creates real change in the lives of more than 20,000 women, men and children through direct service programs while also focusing on advocacy efforts that reduce disparities in wellness, wealth and education. YWCA’s work begins with a focus on empowering and advancing ALL women, making racial justice - along with women’s empowerment – a core component of its mission of eliminating racism, empowering and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Infusing the ideals of the mission, YWCA’s direct service departments are:

• Health & Wellness – supporting more than 4,000 women and their families by offering year-round fitness and aquatics programs at two locations, a community garden that provides fresh produce for the residents surrounding the East facility, and partnerships with dozens of community organizations providing health screenings and education classes to help increase the quality of life of all Tulsans.

• Immigrant & Refugee Empowerment – serving more than 13,000 newcomers every year by providing English Language classes, citizenship courses, immigration legal services, job placement, wrap-around social service case management, and translation and interpretation support. For more information, visit www.ywcatulsa.org.

About the Tulsa Sports Commission
Since its inception, the Tulsa Sports Commission (TSC) has accounted for more than $300 million in economic impact to the Tulsa region by helping attract, market and host amateur championships and sports-related clinics and conventions to the region. Founded in 1993, TSC is also a founding member of the National Association of Sports Commissions. For more information, visit www.tulsasports.org.