Mid Season Update

Next race up is Southern Cross in Altona. Information is here and here. Southern Cross always has great community support.

Results from The Barrier are here. Sorry for the delay. Had some technical issues.

A Big Thanks
A big thanks to everyone who has helped with the races so far. I've been involved with Manitoba Cyclocross for 10 years and it's always had a community feel. People come out, help set up the course, cheer on others, race, hang around, and then help tear down. It's what makes cross great.

Sign-In Procedure.
Please remember the races are organized by volunteers. Cross races require a shocking number of hours to set-up, host, and tear down. All the work is done by volunteers, all of whom do it for the love of the sport, all of whom give up precious time so you can race, and many of whom give up their own results to help the race go off. Often volunteers are relatives or friends who are helping for the first time this year. Help these people out. Don't make their job more difficult because you haven't bothered to read the blog or the race bible. Check the blog regularly. Read the race bible. Bring your forms completed.

I know there's a lot of adrenaline flowing before the race, but the sign in pattern has been the same all year. When you sign in you need to:
1) Hand in your registration.
2) Pay the race fee (unless you are a season pass holder).
3) Show your licence to the commissaire.
4) Sign the race registration sheet.
5) Initial beside your name on the seeding sheet.
It's not the end of the world if you fail to follow all the steps, but it does cause a lot of confusion, makes everyone who's warmed up wait at assembly, and slows everything down. And maybe we shouldn't blame the volunteers.

Discounted Race Licence
Every year there's one person who asks for a discount, because they only want to race cross. Sheesh, the cross race fees are so cheap and you want a discount for racing the most fun part of the year? Most cycling federations charge for every discipline that you race in. So racing in MTB, road, BMX, downhill, and cyclocross would require the main licence fee and four add-ons for the four additional disciplines. Manitoba has always had the one fee with no add-ons. No one expects a rider to ride all the road, mountain, BMX, downhill, and cross races. Most riders will race in one or two disciplines, but the beauty of the Manitoba system is that riders can choose what they want without having to worry about additional costs.

Race Times
Race order is set the by the organizers who have to balance many conflicting needs; what is technically possible, what's good for racers, what works with the time constraints, what is needed by the supporting community, what is needed by the land owner, what is required by sponsors, what works for the commissaires, what works for the volunteers, etc.