Mammoth Bike Park To Open June 24th

dhReno clued us into the fact that Mammoth Bike Park will be opening for the season on June 24th, 2006. Normally I wouldn't be covering this, but with the Northstar canceling their season and the US MTB Championships being moved, I figured some people would want to know about it. They must not be opening much of the mountain in June...

Norcal Racing This Weekend: May 31 - June 4, 2006

There's racing at all corners of NorCal this weekend, with a little of something everywhere for everyone:

Tonight (WEDNESDAY) marks another Prairie City Race (PCRS#8). Riders do a varying amount of 4 mile laps (course varies weekly) depending on category. Registration starts at 4:15 PM and costs $25 (subsequent races cost $10). Make sure to come out to Prairie City (near Folsom, CA) for your midweek XC races.

SATURDAY brings us downhill madness at the Tish Tang Televison in Hopa, CA (near Arcata, CA) and steep XC climbing fun at the Peavine Challenge in Reno, NV. Tish Tang TV had to be rescheduled from last week, but promises to be another quality DH race. And best of all, its free. The Peavine Challenge is the third XC race in the Northern Nevada MTB Cup and is a US MTB National Championship qualifier. Expect 7 - 26 miles and 1200' to 4400' of climbing depending on your category. Peavine registration is held onsite and costs $25 for adults ($10 for juniors).

SUNDAY closes out the busy weekend with the return of two coastal classic XC series: CCCX (now number #5) and Billy Cross Races (Billy Cross #6). CCCX #5 restarts the season after a two month layoff, but you catch up with what you missed with this handy first half recap. Be ready for the fast course in Seaside, CA (near Monterey) as “laps will be between five and six miles … 3 laps for Beginners, 4 laps for Sport, 5 laps for Expert/Pro.” The race costs $30 ($15 for juniors) with registration onsite. Billy Cross Racing #6 returns back to the XC format and Bogg's Mountain (near Cobb, CA in the North Bay) after May's team marathon races.

But were not done! Sunday also features the Humbug Hurry-up way up north in Yreka, CA [ MAP ]. An XC race ranging from 9 - 24 miles (depending on ability), the Hurry-Up is now part of Breakaway Events 2006 Cross Country Series. Registration is $25 plus license and available onsite for a $5 fee.

For you downhillers looking to qualify for the US MTB Nationals, there is also a NORBA sanctioned qualfier in Santa Barbara this weekend. I'll post something later today or tomorrow on it.

12 Hrs of Weaverville Pics

I haven't seen any results from yesterday's 12 Hours of Weaverville, but it looks like they have posted some pictures. I'll update this with results when I see them.

ROAD TRIP: Fears, Tears and Beers Enduro

Okay, so I am just going to float this one out there since June is a little bit of a slow month for NorCal racing . . . The Great Basin Trails Alliance announces the Eastern Nevada's First Annual Mountain Bike Enduro: Fears, Tears and Beers. The enduro (or rally) styled) race will be held in Ely, NV (about 9 hours east of South Lake Tahoe) on June 10th, 2006. The race will consist of "3-5 timed sections, mostly twisty downhills. The sum of the times on these special tests will determine the winner. Additionally, riders must reach the beginning of each special test by a predetermined cutoff time to avoid penalties added to the time. These cutoff times will be set to allow approximately 90% of the riders to make the cutoffs if they ride at a moderate trail pace." The length of the race depends on ability:

• Beginner: 17.5 miles, 2,300' elevation gain, 2 timed sections
• Sport: 26.6 miles, 3,500' elevation gain, 3 timed sections
• Pro/Expert: 33.2 miles, 5,400' elevation gain, 5 timed sections

This sounds like a really cool event on an open weekend. It's a drive, but you could also hit Austin, NV and Winnemuca, NV on the way.

Event: Fears, Tears and Beers Enduro
Dates: June 10th, 2006
Location: Ely, NV [ MAP ]
Competition: XC/SD/DH
Cost: $30 pre-reg / $40 (after June 4th)
URL: http://www.motosapiens.net/fears_tears_beers.html
License: none
Registration: online

RACE REPORT: Skyline Park

The results are in for last weekend's Skyline Park XC race. Congratulations Aren Timmel (Soulcraft) who won the Pro Men's competition and Sarah Kerlin (Another Bike Shop) who took the Pro Women's race. Aren also won the Napa Valley Dirt Classic last month.

I haven't seen any pictures posted but I will update this if I spot any.

RACE REPORT: PCRS #7

The seventh race in the Prairie City Race Series was held Wednesday night after last week's off week. Results are posted here and a few sets of pictures are posted here and here.

Norcal Racing This Weekend: May 27 - 29, 2006

So there's only one thing on the old calendar this weekend, and it isn't even actually this weekend: Team Bigfoot's 12 Hours of Weaverville will be held in Weaverville, CA on Monday, May 29th, 2006. Unfortunately, the registration deadline has passed, so if you haven't registered you're out of luck.

X-Fusion To Sponsor US MTB Natl Championship

Not that I am bagging on USA Cycling or X-Fusion, but has anyone heard of X-Fusion before ? Does anyone actually have one of their products ? It's nice that they actually are paying the pros this time around . . .

USA Cycling announced today X-Fusion as the title sponsor for its 2006 National Mountain Bike Championships this summer . . . X-Fusion’s support of the event, along with a supplemental contribution from Infineon Raceway, also means a $25,000 prize purse is up for grabs in the 12 men’s and women’s pro events. Competitors in the pro ranks of the Cross Country, Short Track, Mountain Cross, Downhill, Marathon and Super D will compete for a $1,000 cash prize to compliment his or her stars and stripes jersey, gold medal and title of national champion. Additional cash prizes will be paid out five deep - $500, $250, $150, and $100 respectively. Furthermore, an added $1,000 bonus will be on the line for any pro rider that wins two national titles over the weekend.

X-Fusion will also provide suspension products for expert categories through a post-race lottery system amongst podium finishers. In total, three Cross Country and three Downhill suspension packages will be awarded. Additional X-Fusion branded apparel and soft goods will be awarded to amateur category participants.

Full press release here.

12 Hours Of Weaverville Deadline

So there is still time to sign up for the Team Bigfoot's 12 Hours of Weaverville. Remember, there is no registration onsite. Online registration closes at noon on Thursday (12 PM 5/25/06).

12 Hours of Weaverville is a relay race for teams of 1, 2, 3 or 4 rider from 8am to 8pm on Monday, May 29th, 2006. Held on a 13-mile course is on the flume trails and single-track of the Weaverville Basin Trail System. There's about 1600' of climbing per lap, most of that is in the first three miles, then singletrack the whole way back.

The course should be marked by the afternoon of 5/25 for pre-riding.

Tish-Tang TV Rescheduled

From the Trinity River Pirates website: "Hate to tell you but we have rescheduled the DH for this weekend to June 3, 2006. We pushed the race back a week due due to several reasons but mainly because of the weather and not being able to spend enough time preparing the course for the race. Dig day help would be greatly appreciated if you are interested." I've updated the schedule and event info.

Magic Mushroom Speedway DH 2006

THIS RACE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO A MTX EVENT.

In addition to delaying the Tish Tang Television DH race, the Trinity River Pirates have posted some details on their June downhill race (Magic Mushroom Speedway). And it's another innovative one: "This race will be held under the moon and stars. The trail will be lit with all manner of multicolored lighting available including glow sticks, black lights, christmas lights, and halogen floods for the technical sections. The trail is rather short and fast with minimal technical areas. Bike lights will not be allowed, however, rest assured we will make sure that you are able to see the trail well enough to mob." It looks like the race will begin at dark with some practice time beforehand. Three runs combined times format will crown the winner. Course details are here.

Event: Magic Mushroom Speedway DH
Dates: June 24th, 2006
Location: Hoopa, CA [ MAP ]
Competition: DH
Cost: free!
URL: Magic Mushroom Speedway page
License: none
Registration: email dh_race@yahoo.com

Norcal Racing This Week: May 24 - 26, 2006

Were back with midweek racing this week. On tap:

Tomorrow (WEDNESDAY) marks another Prairie City Race (PCRS#7). After the off week, we are back racing in Sacto. Riders do a varying amount of 4 mile laps (course varies weekly) depending on category. Registration starts at 4:15 PM and costs $25 (subsequent races cost $10). Make sure to come out to Prairie City (near Folsom, CA) for your enduro-style XC racin'.

THURSDAY night is the fifth race in the Reno Wheelmen's Twilight MTB series in Reno, NV. This week's XC race will be held at Hidden Valley [ MAP ]. The race costs $10 with onsite registration and starts at 6:30 PM.

RACE REPORT: Rainbow Ridge Challenge

Hey, I never posted the 2006 Jetway Chevrolet Rainbow Ridge Challenge results (because I couldn't find them). However, the good people over at the Reno Wheelmen site pointed me in the right direction. Here they are. The 2006 Pine Nut Cracker results are also posted (although in PDF). They also have the rest of the 2006 Nevada Cup race information posted.

RACE REPORT: 2006 Pine Nut Cracker

Zon and I got up early Saturday morning to drive over the Sierras to compete in Alta Alpina's Pine Nut Cracker race. Our two hour drive was well worth it. It was a beautiful day for a race in a beautiful place for a race.

We got there early and hoped to register one class up to make up for the short course. (Un)fortunately, this was a NORBA event and they couldn't allow us to race out of class without a bunch of paperwork, which turned out to be a good thing. The course looked short but was actually pretty challenging. The race was well organized with easy registration, a band and even a cookout with the largest burgers I had every eaten after the race.

The race drew about 60 riders in varying categories, with a strong showing in the expert and ladies classes. The course differed depending on racing class, varying length from 12 to 26 miles. As courses go, it was the standard "climb up the mountain, come flying down the backside, repeat if necessary" variety. A beginning/ending on fireroads/asphalt that led to the mountain loop. As I was pedaling the course, I couldn't believe that the elevation profile that they had posted could be correct. The profile showed a slow, steady 1000' climb over about 7 miles. However on the course, it was a series of 100' climbs with 50' gullies . . . that went on forever. After the race, my GPS elevation profile looked exactly like theirs.

My race went pretty well. I got out fast in the mass start, setting up with the front section of people. I didn't judge anyone to by in my age group, so I settled in with them. Though I had trouble keeping with the quick pace on the asphalt/fireroad lead to the loop, I caught up with everyone on the mountain singletrack. The altitude (5000+) was killing me, all my races this year have been near sea level. The gullies played to my weight, as I could blast down them and up almost the entire next hill before repeating. By the time we got to about 5750', I was primed to pass the last two people ahead of me. Knowing that I could downhill well on my ride (I was the only one of the group with dual suspension) I took my chances near the top, spending most of my energy to pass the last two people in front of me. I think I did it at about the perfect time, as 100' beyond that point it turned to straight downhill. I ripped down the singletrack, swooping through the whoops and berms hitting a consistent 30 MPH on the straightaways. I never saw anyone in my class again, but about go ran over twice by Experts on their lap. I cruised into the finish -- just to find out someone had slipped out in the front of us and beat me. Crap. Oh well, second place was still nice (and I hope it qualifies me for Nationals).

Zon also had a good race. He did a slightly longer track and was able to keep his leader in sight all the way to the final asphalt returns but got outsprinted to the finish.

After the race, the organizers had a band, extremely large hamburgers and winner PAYOUTS! Zon and I actually made $10 for our second place finishes. Wow, that is definately the first time I have actually made money riding.

The next race in the 2006 Northern Nevada Cup is June 3rd at the Peavine Challenge in Reno, NV.

UPDATE (05/22/06): The results are in. They are posted here in PDF.

Team Big Bear Moves Northstar Race

Due to NorthStar at Tahoe's extensive construction activities, Team BigBear has decided to move the September 9th, 2006 Cal State Series to Elling Park in Santa Barabara, CA. Unfortunately, this means that this will now be a cross country (XC) only race. The downhill (DH) and super D (SD) races will not be held. The date will remain the same.