Tuesday, September 24, 2013

September 25th CrossLab - final session for 2013

September 25th will be the final CrossLab of 2013 - your last chance for free, fun skills and drills that will get you ready to try 'cross for the first time or improve your racing.  Hal & Daniel will lead a shortened one-hour session this week (on account of the increasingly early darkness) that will walk through the course for MennoCross with some opportunities to preview a few of the tricky bits and get some extra practice in.

If you're planning on coming, might be a good call to bring bug spray - there were a surprising number of mosquitoes last week.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

CX101 Report

Huge thanks to lead instructor Michael Van Den Ham, assistants David Coughlin and Jayson Gillespie and to sponsors Olympia Cycling Club, Jonnies Sticky Buns, CMU and BikeReg.com for a fantastic clinic today. Thirty riders ranging from age 14 to 50+ and from total newbies to top provincial riders came out - and everyone took away something.  (Photo shows one of the rare non-riding parts of the clinic).


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Season Pass Codes

Season Pass Codes have been sent out.

If you are having trouble with yours, make sure that you are entering yourself in the appropriate season pass race category on CCN.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Cross Clinic with National Team Rider Michael van den Ham

CX101 Cyclocross Clinic with Michael van den Ham – Saturday, September 14th
Michael raced for Canada at the recent World Championships in Louisville. How cool is that?
Details and registration are here.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

EgoCross this Sunday

This Sunday September 15th.
Location: South East Corner of the former Southwood Golf & Country Club (University of Manitoba)
Time: On site registration opens at 0900, C Event starts at 1000, followed by Kids Race, B Event, and A Event.
Details are here.

Dirt Skirt Cross Race This Wednesday

Dirt Skirt open women's race at CMU this Wednesday. More information is here.

Cross Lab - September 11

CrossLab is a little different this week.
6:30 Wednesday @ CMU, 500 Shaftesbury Blvd

This Wednesday there will be a Dirt Skirt open women's race at CMU (more info here) - clinic will run concurrently and will focus on essential spectator skills including the fine (?) art of heckling. A special guest instructor will join us - you won't want to miss this session. We'll cheer the racers on and also talk course design, warm-up, starts. Stick around to help clean the course after and see how a course is put together.

P.S. Great job by all the CrossLabbers at Dark Cross!

DarkCross Results

An awesome opening to the cyclocross season at DarkCross. Thanks for everyone who raced, cheered, officiated and volunteered and an especially big hand to those who spent all day setting up the course Friday in that oppressive humid heat.

Results are here.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Seeding

Seeding points are given to every licenced racer for each race they take part in based on the typical number of racers for that category and finishing order. As cyclocross courses can be difficult to pass on this makes the start fairer. Because male and female riders in both the B and C events ride together the seeding points are unisex. Citizen racers cannot accumulate seeding points.

For the first race (DarkCross) seeding is based on points from the end of last season. For the second race seeding is based on points from last season and the first race with each given equal weighting.

NOTE: To speed up race day flow you must be pre-registered to be seeded. Pre-registration will typically close 48 hours before the race. If you do not pre-register you can still race, but won't be seeded i.e. will start at the back of your category.

Categories

Sorry for the delay. Category list can be found here. PLEASE NOTE that adjustments have been made up and down based on performance last year.

If you are not on the list you must race in the C event unless you gain an exemption from the cyclocross committee. That can take time. Apply to Gary Sewell ahead of time.

When you pre-register online, the CCN system cannot tell if you are in the correct category. It may let you to register for a category you won't be allowed to race in. If you accidentally sign up for the wrong category show up for your proper race and an adjustment will be made at sign-in.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Cyclocross Categories

Rider's categories are based on last year's results.

Because there is a lack of cross over between road or mountain bike racing and cyclocross, racers who are new to cyclocross MUST register as CX 4 male or CX 4 female (race in the C event). If you are too fast for this event you will be moved up after a couple of races. Riders who are extremely strong in road (very strong in cat 2/3 or riding away from the whole field in cat 4) or mountain bike (elite or expert men level) may apply to the cross committee to start in CX 1/2 or CX 3.

Note: The online registration system cannot tell which category you are allowed to race in. If you are a CX 4 rider, but register for CX 3 online you are still expected to show up for the CX 4 race. If you miss the CX 4 race you will be categorized as 'Did Not Start' and will  forfeit your race fee. You will not be allowed to take part in the CX 3 race.

The 2013 rider category list will be posted asap.

For more information please see this post and and this one.

Belgian Club Number Handout and Season Pass Night


Wednesday, September 4th - 7-10 p.m.
Belgian Club, 407 Provencher Blvd

- Pick up new 2013-14 race numbers (skip the line at the first race!)*
- Season pass available for purchase (cash only). The pass is $10 cheaper this night only.
- Talk to race organizers
- Ask questions - new racers welcome
- Have a Belgian brew

*Please note that everyone will need a new cyclocross number in order to race. There is a $20 deposit that will be returned at the end of the season if the numbers are returned in good shape.

Cyclocross Numbers


PLEASE NOTE: We will be using new numbers for cyclocross this year that are UCI compliant (one on body and one on each arm) so EVERYONE WILL NEED A NEW CYCLOCROSS NUMBER (except open and kids racers). The numbers are reusable so everyone will need to leave a $20 deposit which will be returned when the numbers are returned in good condition at the end of the year. If people lose one or more of the numbers they will need to pay for a new set.


Avoid the pre-race stress and danger of running behind at your race and pick up your numbers at the number handout and season pass night on Wednesday Sept 4th at the Belgian Club.

Season's Passes

Once again the cyclocross organizers are offering a crazy good deal in the form of the season's pass.
This year the pass is good for all eight races on the MCA calendar starting with DarkCross on September 7th and finishing up with Provincials at The Forks on November 3rd.

The pass is $130 for one day only: Wednesday September 4th at the Belgian Club 7 to 10 pm ($140 after that). Save over $50* off the cheapest method of race by race registration and up to $150 off race day registration! Race about a third of the races for free!

Season's passes are CASH ONLY. NO CHEQUES. NO CREDIT CARDS. NO IOUs.

If you can't make it to the Belgian Club on the 4th a friend can buy a pass for you. They will need to know the email address that you used to register with CCN when you bought your MCA licence.

If you live more than 50km outside of Winnipeg you can email gsewell at mts dot net with a valid VISA number, name on card, and exp date before midnight on the 4th. Sorry no MasterCard, AMEX, etc. and no IOUs.

*Pre-registering early for each individual race (the next cheapest method) will cost you approximately $181 for the season. Registering on race day at each race will cost approximately $260-$280.