USA Cycling State Championships hosts this event new Santa Fe where mountain bike enthusiasts compete for state and regional titles of Best Mountain Biker. This event is open to amateurs but you’d better be in great shape to think you might compete with some of these hardcore bikers.

Angel Fire Resort hosts a huge annual event that is great for the entire family. Stretch your legs and hit the champagne powder on the resort followed by s’mores, live music, and apres drinks in the evening. Also, there are USASA competitions with slalom and giant slalom to enjoy without breaking a sweat.

The Lobos of University of New Mexico have a few competitive sports teams within the NCAA. The men’s basketball team, for instance has won the Mountain West Conference championship multiple times in recent years and has appeared in the NCAA tournament (AKA Final Four Tournament) four times in the last decade.

Sandia Speedway is the largest raceway near Albuquerque and hosts a variety of racing events. There are stock car races, motorcycle, and even go kart racing. There’s a lot of fun to be had as a spectator but you can also get behind the wheel for a dreamlike racing experience for yourself!

Duke City is an oasis of extreme sports and, specifically, a hub for BMX bike racing (hub, get it?). The Spring Nationals come to town every March for a free-entry (for spectators) BMX competition. Marvel at the courage these racers have navigating the huge course, trying to be number 1.

The New Mexico Bowl is one of 6,000 NCAA football bowl games that are played each year (OK, it’s not that many but college football fans would agree that there seem to be more bowls than teams). It is typically one of the first bowl games of the season which means it’s usually played in the middle of December. The game is currently played between one team from the Mountain West Conference, and one from Conference USA.

The NFL doesn’t seem ready for another expansion team yet, but that’s not going to keep professional football from New Mexico. The Duke City Gladiators started in 2015 and play in the Champions Indoor Football league. The games are fast-paced and high scoring so you’re bound to have an entertaining night at one of these games. Not to mention they are the reigning 2018 champions!

As of 2018, the United Soccer League is coming to New Mexico. With nearly 40 teams in the league the ABQ locals will have a new professional team to cheer on. The United’s first season will commence in 2019 and will play its games at the convenient Isotopes Stadium.

Also known as World Extreme Rock Crawling the WE Rock Nationals event takes place in September and is all about professional drivers defying the laws of physics and challenging the capabilities of vehicles. The gutsy drivers drive over not rocks or mere obstacles but entire boulders to show us that “off road” could have a spectrum of definitions.

When people think of the southwest, they think of baseball. Usually Spring Training but the farm leagues provide a lot of skilled ballers to the majors. In Albuquerque the big team to watch is the Isotopes. Game prices and concession prices are far cheaper than at an MLB game, and there are a lot of passionate fans to share high-fives with.