Sports in brief . . .

Hunter safety course
    A hunter safety course will be offered through the Presque Isle High School Adult Education department Oct. 20, 21, 27 and 28.
    The course is for individuals ages 13 and older. The registration fee is $5 and the deadline to register is Oct. 10.      Call the adult education office at 764-4776 for more information.
Fat Tire Festival slated for Saturday
    PRESQUE ISLE – Fall foliage, good food, skill-testing single-track trails, and heart-pounding mountain bike races and tours are in store for participants in the second annual The Aroostook Medical Center/Nordic Heritage Center Fat Tire Festival on Oct. 19.
    Originally scheduled for Sept. 27 and 28 but canceled due to heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Kyle, organizers and volunteers have crafted a condensed version of the event. According to event director Chad McPherson, the one-day itinerary features many of the same activities.
    “The races, the bike rodeo, the trail tours…it’s all still in (the schedule),” said McPherson. “Even the local bike shops and food vendors have committed to being here. We’re looking forward to putting on a great event.”
    Taking place on the trails of the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle, activities will be centered on cross-country and downhill races for novice, intermediate and expert riders. Volunteers will lead guided tours of the trails, while a bike rodeo and the center’s terrain park will be open throughout the day. Mountain bikers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate.
    The Nordic Heritage Center includes over 20 miles of hand-made and machine-made single track. The trails wind through different forest types and vary from smooth and fluid to narrow and technical. Moderate to expert line options such as log skinnies, exposed bedrock outcrops, and natural drops can be found on some of the trails.
    The Nordic Heritage Center lodge, which is open to the public from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and includes kitchen facilities, restrooms, shower rooms, and a sauna, will serve as the hub of the events.
    For more information, or to register, please visit www.nordicheritagecenter.org, or contact McPherson at cdmcpherson@maine.rr.com, or Chief of Communications Mark Shea at (207) 227-7465 or via email at mark@mainewsc.org.
Soccer academy offering Europe tour in April
    Plans are now finalized for the Dutch Soccer Academy’s April 2009 tour of Italy.
    The tour will be held April 16-24, 2009. The cost is $2,800, which includes round trip air fare from Boston to Rome, bus transportation from Aroostook County to Boston, hotel accommodations, two meals daily, sight seeing tours, tickets to a professional match, three friendly matches with Italian teams, professional training with a licensed Italian instructor and a DSA uniform and training jacket.
    Those interested should download a player information form off the DSA website (www.dutchsocceracademy.com) and send it to DSA Euro Tours, 99 Lynn Drive, Caribou, ME 04736 along with a $100 serious intent deposit.
    The remainder of the payment schedule is as follows: payment one, $600, due Oct. 20; payment two, $700, due Dec. 10; payment three, $700, due Feb. 10, 2009; and payment four, $700, due March 15, 2009.
    In the event that too many students sign up, preference will be given to DSA students and upperclassmen.
    A complete tour itinerary is also available to view on the DSA website. Contact Robbie or Tammy Krul at 492-1147 for more information.