Out of curiosity, if there were another DH race in the lower mainland, where do you guys think would be the best location for a great fun course?
Hope?
protect tom mcdonald at all costs
Who's got the best DH Race scene???
Squamish?
Biking: As addictive as cocaine, twice as expensive!
:safrica: - :canada:
Not only that, it gives lower category racers a goal. Beginner level DH can be discouraging. Creating a separate points race for that category would be huge. It would also encourage the beg/sport racers that occasionally show up to be there every time.
I totally agree. Racing in the beginner class is a joke.
You have the super fast locals, the ex-racers who didn't register this year and a couple of old pros who just drop in for one race a season… I have a few friends who would race more often if they had an outside chance of getting points.
The way it is now, the one-race-a-season guys take all the top spots and leave nothing for the riders who get a license and try to do the whole circuit.
just to clearify; unlicensed racers DO NOT accumulate upgrade points. the top 10 licensed riders get the points. so they don't hinder your ability to move up.
you can check your personal status on line at: www.karelo.com
just to clearify; unlicensed racers DO NOT accumulate upgrade points. the top 10 licensed riders get the points. so they don't hinder your ability to move up.
Good point - that always hasn't been clear to people starting out when ten36 posts the results.
Thanks for the info about Karelo/points. I didn't know where they went when they disappeared from CyclingBC!
Seriously though, would CyclingBC give any thought to instituting a points race / championship for the lower categories (ala Ontario)? Obviously it wouldn't be UCI official or anything, but it would give beg/sport racers much more to strive for, and create a better atmoshpere. Lots of those riders aren't going for upgrade points, they don't have time/money/skill to train enough to compete at a higher level, but they do want a competitive, challenging series at their level.
Basically, (and I know it's not the best comparison, but…) beginner and sport dh racing in BC can be compared to a hockey beer league without a playoffs or even points standings. Think of how much more "into it" those players get when there is points and standings at stake, regardless of the level of competition.
I think striving to reach a championship category is enough motivation to keep racing for most people. It doesn't take much to move up. It took me under 2 years to make it to the elite class and I didn't have very good results in sport or expert.
I'd say keep it like it is.
I haven't figured out how to check your status on Karelo.com … insight GRJ?
Biking: As addictive as cocaine, twice as expensive!
:safrica: - :canada:
how would you award a champion?
everyone fast would move up.
i'm going to be honest here: race because it is fun, not because you may win a prize.
I didn't know this citizen racers don't get upgrade points business … I'm almost certain I have enough points to move into Sport.
Biking: As addictive as cocaine, twice as expensive!
:safrica: - :canada:
I haven't figured out how to check your status on Karelo.com … insight GRJ?
Here's why Racing is such a hard sell to those looking to get their feet wet.
Race entry $50
Gas to get there $50
two nights accomodation $150
food and beer $150
Various parts, lift tickets, bandages $40
So you've got $440 every 3 weeks (sometimes more, sometimes less) for 3-5 minutes of racing. That's a really hard sell.
The problem is that even at a beginner level, you've only got championship-type scenarios. In almost any other sport, you've got practices and tournaments like DH does, but you've also got weekly games where you can fine tune your skills in a competative setting. When races are 3-5 weeks apart, it's hard to maintain momentum and enthusiasm, and it's tough to see yourself get better. When they're all over the province, it's easy to skip a few (as most of us do this for fun and have other commitments from time to time).
A weekly series like the bikercross but for DH would be the ideal solution to get people into it and let the BC Cup series be the watermark for performance.
So now I'll go buy a lottery ticket so I can quit my job and arrange such a series. If anyone else ends up winning, I'd also be up for doing the work as their employee :D
I emailed GRJ's link above and I got the following response. Looks like its off to Cycling BC to find out:
"Hello Tim,
We do not manage the points for the races. Please contact Cycling BC
directly ([email protected] | (604) 737-3034 ) to know how many points
you have accumulated so far.
Happy racing!
Alicia Renoirte"
Biking: As addictive as cocaine, twice as expensive!
:safrica: - :canada:
We have a biweekly TWOONIE event up here, what's wrong with coming up here to race? AS far as the overall title for each category, its a sweet idea, worked for me in Ontario when I got 2nd overall in Ex back in 97, I was stoked. What about the fast guys in their category not wanting to move up if they know they won't be competitive in that category? And as far as my overall placing this year I have no clue at the moment.
mtbskierdad
how would you award a champion?
everyone fast would move up.What about the fast guys in their category not wanting to move up if they know they won't be competitive in that category?
http://www.ontariocycling.org/web_pages/comp_up_points.php
Sounds a tad complicated, but it's working just dandy for Ontario. I'd like to think that we're just as smart as they are…
Upgrade Points - Mountain Bike
For upgrading purposes your best three race results points are added together. If your best three total is greater than or equal to 260 points you may upgrade to the next harder ability category. If your best three results are greater than or equal to 290 points then you are required to upgrade at the end of the season
NEW for 2005!! - Riders who earn greater than or equal to 290 upgrade points on their best 3 races are not required to upgrade before the next race. They may continue to ride in their category for the remainder of the year. However for 2006, they will be required to upgrade when they purchase their licence.
NEW for 2005!! - Ontario Cup points in lower ability categories are still tracked however the procedure for O-Cup Points and mid season upgrading has changed. O-Cup points earned in the lower category will be divided by 3 and each lower category race will count as one race. For example a rider who earns 9 O-Cups points in each of their 3 sport races, then upgrades to expert will earn 3 O-Cup points for each of these individual sport races. In the overall expert series, the best 5 results are used for tabulation. Each of the sport events would count as one individual expert event with 3 O-Cup points. For clarification, please contact the OCA office.
Originally Posted by grj
i'm going to be honest here: race because it is fun, not because you may win a prize.
I don't know. I ride for fun. I race for the competition. Because I like to push myself against others, to see where I stack up. It's not about a prize, it's about a tangible goal. Everyone knows that you need to have tangible goals. Getting upgrade points with your eye on turning pro isn't everyone's goal. Also, not everyone has what it takes to go pro. Some people have a max capability that is somewhere around beginner or sport or expert class. It would be a great thing for them to have a points series at that level.
Lower category points series would also accomodate those people who love to race, but don't have the time to train, or money for the high-end bike. The student who can only afford a hardtail, or can only ride twice a week because of a job. Telling those people that their goal should be upgrade points to turn pro is a bit unrealistic, and in my opinion, uncaring of the grassroots riders that make up cycling's base. If you want an increase in ridership, how about having something to offer them?
Originally Posted by Wayne Parsons
I think striving to reach a championship category is enough motivation to keep racing for most people. It doesn't take much to move up. It took me under 2 years to make it to the elite class and I didn't have very good results in sport or expert.I'd say keep it like it is.
But again, how many people are realistically going to reach pro? How many have time for that kind of training? Yes, some do, but ask anyone with a kid how easy it is to keep up the training.
The point I am trying to make is that adding lower class points series doesn't change the fundamentals. It doesn't change it for the pros. Racing stays the same. It takes some extra administrative work to set it up and some data entry to keep it going, but everything else functions as normal. Even trying it out for a year or two as a trial period wouldn't hurt.
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