NorCal MTB Racing This Weekend: June 5-6, 2010

For those of you making your weekend plans, here is quick rundown of this weekend's MTB racing schedule for NorCal:

1. Return On The Jedi (06/05/10)
2. Tamarancho Dirt Classic (06/06/10)
3. Peavine Challenge (06/06/10)

2009 Nevada Cup Scheduled

So I completely dropped the ball on this one, even after someone sent me an email to remind me about it:
The 2009 Nevada Cup is scheduled and underway. The four race series covers familar races from past years (Pine Nut, Peavine and Sky Tavern) but drops the Rainbow Ridge race (and the Comstock Classic didn't seem to pan out). I don't have websites for all of these but here are the dates:

• May 2nd: Pine Nut Cracker, Gardnerville (RESULTS in PDF)
• May 30th: Peavine Challenge, Reno
• Aug 16th: Sky Tavern Classic, Reno

Here is the full PDF listing the events with some details.

These aren't yet listed on the sidebar but should be up later today. Sorry again to the NorNevada folks about the oversight.

RACE REPORT: 2007 Peavine Challenge

Last weekend was the third race in the 2007 Nevada MTB Cup series, the Peavine Challenge. I missed the results being posted but here they are:

• Peavine Challenge DH results
• Peavine Challenge XC Results

dhRENO has filed an extended race report from the Peavine Challenge along with a whole mess of downhill photos.

2007 Nevada Cup

I saw this in a Reno area website, but haven't been able to confirm it. Figured I would run it anyway. Here are this year's Nevada Cup locations and dates:

• April 22: Jetway Chevrolet Rainbow Ridge Challenge [XC] (Fallon, Nevada)
• May 6: Pine Nut Cracker [XC] (Gardnerville, Nevada)
• June 2-3: Peavine Challenge [XC, DH] (Reno, Nevada)
• Aug 18-19: Sky Tavern [XC, DH] (near Reno on Mount Snow)

From the article, "Organizers announced the 2007 Nevada Cup series, which will determined the northern Nevada state mountain bike champions. Brent Hart of Reno Wheelman spoke about the series, "These courses were specifically chosen to challenge the advanced riders and at the same time allow beginning riders to feel comfortable to compete."

Series standing will be based on the total accumulated points from the series. In the event of a tie, the racer's place in the Series final race (Sky Tavern) will determine the final standing. In addition, the top 15 riders in each category/(age) class in each race will qualify for the US National Championships in Mt Snow, VT July 17-22, 2007. The Sky Tavern Classic qualifies for the 2008 USA National Championships.

I will be posting detailed information on each race over the next few days. Thanks to Cycling News for the announcement.

UPDATE (04/18/07): The Nevada Cup website has been posted.

RACE RESULTS: 2006 Peavine Challenge

The results are in from this weekend's 14th Annual Peavine Challenge. Congratulations to Scott Phillips (Content) who won the Pro competition by covering the 26 miles in 2:09:56. He edged out Peter Graf by almost 2 minutes. The Reno Wheelmen have also posted some podium pictures.

2006 Peavine Challenge

As part of the ongoing NORBA Northern Nevada State Mountain Bike Championship Series, the Reno Wheelmen will be sponsoring the 2006 Peavine Challenge in Reno, Nevada on June 3rd, 2006. The course is described as "Pit your skills against Peavine, Reno's Lonely Mountain with long grinding climbs and fast twisty single track. Pro, Semi-pro, Experts - 2 long laps (26 miles, 4400 ft of climbing). Sport, Junior Expert - 1 long, 1 short lap (19.5 miles, 3400 ft). Beginners, Junior Sport - 1 long lap (13.5 miles, 2200 ft). Junior Beginners - 1 short lap (7 miles, 1200 ft)." Course maps for 2005 have been provided:
There is also an elevation profile:
Registration opens at 8:30 am and the race starts at 10:00am.

Event: Peavine Challenge
Dates: June 3rd, 2006
Location: Reno, NV [ MAP ]
Competition: XC
Cost: $25 ($10 juniors)
URL: http://www.renowheelmen.org/
License: NORBA (one day licenses available)
Registration: onsite

NorCal Qualifers For MTB Championship

So with the changes in the NORBA and MTB National Championship schedule, I thought it might be good to go back over qualifying criteria and races. USA Cycling conducts National Championship races in cross country (XC), downhill (DH) and mountain cross (MTX). To compete in these championships, you need a top 10 finish in your category (ability category / age bracket) at a qualfying event, be a US Citizen and a NORBA member. USA Cycling recognizes these qualifying events:

Q: Where can riders find qualification races and/or series?
A: The qualification races for the 2006 USAC National MTB Championships are NORBA State and Regional Championships, American Mountain Bike Challenge (AMBC) events, Alison Dunlap Junior Olympic Mountain Bike (ADJOMTB) events for juniors, NORBA National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) events, and the USA Cycling Junior Development Mountain Bike Camps.

You also qualify if you were in the top 10 of last year's Cougar Mountain Classic.

I am a little hazy about this language. It seems to say that only state / regional championship races qualify, but I see people on the qualfier list from series races. However, following these rules, I believe the only qualifying race left on the NorCal / NorNevada calendar are:

• Bigfoot Classic (June 29 - July 2, 2006 in Arcata, CA) for XC and DH
• Pinenut Cracker (May 20th in Garnerville, CA) for XC
• Peavine Challenge (June 4th, 2006 in TBD, Northern Nevada) for XC

I think there are a few other qualifying opportunities, that are a bit of a roadtrip:

• Deer Valley (NMBS #4 on July 8th & 9th in Park City, UT) for MTX, XC and DH
  
• Big Bear ShootOut #1 (May 21st in Big Bear Lake, CA) for XC
  
• Cal State DH Championship (Southridge, CA on June 4th, 2006) for DH

You can check the list of qualifiers at the NORBA National Championship Qualifiers Page. And if you race a lot, you should -- I found out this morning that I was qualified in MTX from last year's Cougar Mountain/Infineon Race.

I'm hoping that there are some more qualfiying opportunities so I'm checking with USA Cycling and will update this as necessary. The National Championship site is being updated and registration will be opening tomorrow at 5PM. Leave a comment if you have any information to add. Otherwise, I expect to see a lot of people in Arcata come late June.