mbaa2007

2007 RACE RULES

2007 UPDATES / 2007 REGULATIONS / SOMEONE HURT / SANDBAGGING / OVER 50?

Updates to Race Rules for 2007
THE FOLLOWING ARE CHANGES IN THE RACE RULES OF WHICH YOU SHOULD BE AWARE: These are some of the major changes, but take a minute and read through all the rules. If you have any questions get them answered before you race.

5) CATEGORY AND CLASSES – (MEN) the age group 50+ options have been expanded: for 2007 will be: Beginner 50-59 and Masters Men 60+ (doing beginner loops), Sport 50-54 and 55+ Sport/expert combined doing sport loops)

Single Speed Novice (combined men/women, doing sport loops

Single Speed Advanced (combined men/women, doing expert loops)

Marathon category – expert points

11.3) For determining the MBAA State Championships, a rider’s top FOUR finishes …..will be used.

IN SUMMARY, IT IS A FIVE RACE SERIES, ONLY TOP FOUR RACES (POINT WISE) COUNT TOWARD THE CHAMPIONSHIP (meaning you can drop a race), MUST DO AT LEAST FOUR RACES, ONE OF WHICH IS MUST BE THE LAST RACE (WHICH IS ALSO A DOUBLE POINTS RACE).

2007 Race Rules (.pdf) (.doc)
2007 Race categories (.pdf) (.doc)

2007 REGULATIONS

***REGULATIONS WHICH WILL BE ENFORCED DURING THE 2007 MBAA ARIZONA CHAMPIONSHIP POINT SERIES***

Course closed to all riders at 8:00 a.m. Anyone on course after 8:00 a.m. is subject to disqualification.
It is the rider’s responsibility to be familiar with the course and the rules governing the event.
TREAT OTHER RIDERS AS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED— WITH COURTESY
RIDERS MUST BE SELF-CONTAINED AND SELF-RELIANT DURING THE RACE (Feed zones will be established, if appropriate).
Riders shall complete the entire event on the same bicycle upon which the event was begun.
All repairs during an event will be performed by the individual racer. No outside support is permitted.
All spare parts and tools shall be carried by the individual racer. A racer can only use spare parts or tools that he/she started with at the beginning of the race.
Short-cutting and/or cutting trail switchbacks or course is not permitted and will result in disqualification.
Foul riding, unsportsmanlike like behavior or the use of profane or abusive language are grounds for warning, disqualification, fine.
Racers riding bicycles have the right of way over racers pushing bicycles. When practical, racers pushing should stay on the least rideable portion of the path when being passed.
Necessary Equipment: Helmets, handlebar ends that are closed and have no sharp or jagged ends; eye protection, closed shoes; no ear pieces/radios/walkman’s allowed on the course/venue.

SOMEONE HURT ON THE COURSE

If you come across someone on the course who is “down,” please do at least the following:

Ask if they need help and provide it if you are comfortable doing so.

If the answer is yes (they need help), please immediately upon returning to the venue, tell the PA announcer that someone is down (would be nice if a name or plate number was known) and where the accident occurred as best you can recall. The McDowell Competitive track now has named some areas which could be used to help identify where the accident occurred.

If you come across a course marshal after becoming aware of someone needing help, please give that information to the course marshal. BUT PLEASE ALSO MAKE SURE AND REPORT THE INFORMATION TO THE PA ANNOUNCER so he can insure that medical personnel are notified and can respond.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

SANDBAGGING IS NOT COOL!


Sandbagging:	Racing in a class that has an ability level below that which a racer possesses.

Do we have your attention? Give some thought to the category where you should be racing in and where you are currently racing in.

Is this the year you are willing to actually challenge yourself or will you continue to just be a sandbagger?

Yes, rules are rules, and you may not have to move up according to the rules. But if you have competed in one full race series as a beginner racer, guess what, your NOT a beginner racer anymore! If your finishing 10 minutes ahead of everybody else in your class, consistently, YOU NEED TO MOVE UP! Or yes YOU are a sandbagger. Racing should be about challenging yourself to your limits and if your sandbagging your not challenging yourself at all.

Some benifits are that you actually get more miles per dollar spent as you go up in category. Also, if you look at the age breakdowns for those men 30-49, you will find that the beginners stay in ten year increments while the sports category is broken into 5-year increments. This means there is a greater chance for you to podium.

So just what is the difference? In most cases it is simply a bit more time racing. This is certainly true comparing sports and beginners. Race time for beginners is about 60 minutes; race time for sports is about 90 minutes. Sometimes, depending on the terrain, expert riders will be doing a more challenging course. Expert riding time is about 120 minutes.

WHERE DO I BELONG IF I’M A MALE 50 OR OVER?

Check out the 2007 race rules and see all the choices you have as far as categories go.

Beginning men categories are 50-59 and you need to race in your appropriate age group.

Sport men categories are 50-54. Again you need to race in your appropriate age group.

55+ (combined sport/expert doing sport loops)

Expert men category is 50+.

Hey, I’m an expert man and I’m 55 now what? You can either continue racing in the expert category or you can choose to race in the sport/expert combined 55+ category. Your choice.

Once any male rider reaches the age of 60, he automatically becomes a MASTER and can race in any of the following categories:

Master 60+ combined class, doing beginner laps and getting beginner points

Sport/expert combined 55+ class, doing sport laps and getting sport points

Expert 50+ class, doing expert laps and getting expert points.

REMEMBER, ANYONE CAN RACE IN A HIGHER CLASS, BUT NOT A LOWER ONE. For juniors, this means racing in a class with a higher age than your racing age. For adults, this means racing in a class with a lower age than your racing age. Applies to all categories.

Totally confused now. Pose any questions to genMBAA@earthlink.net or call 602-351-7430.