Freyensee, James P
Yep, I totally agree. In my situation, I have more than enough points
to get my upgrade IF one single 3/4 race is counted, but there is
disagreement if it should be counted. Some 3's want me to upgrade (so I
won't steal some of their prize money anymore ;)), some cat 1's think I
should have an upgrade based upon my performances against them when I
have raced in 1/2/3 races this year, and I want the new challenge of a
1/2. I have raced the whole season, but since Elkhorn in June, there
have been very few cat 3 races and the ones that have happened have
failed to qualify as a race that could be used toward an upgrade.
I do have Eugene this weekend and I hope I can pull something off but
based on my performance at the st. hillclimb championship, I'm burning
out...
Jay
On the 1/2/3 and 3/4 race standpoint, cherry pie, silverton, PIRs (which
wind up being about the only racing going on in this area in July and
August), and Cascade Classic. And as it has been pointed out, though we
have awesome stage races here for cat 3 only, they wind up being SO
awesome it attracts top talent all over the nation and for whatever
reason it winds up being low oregon cat 3 participation. I am very
happy that the organizers of the Eugene Celebration changed the racing
category to a cat 3 only field, than what it was broken down to last
year (1/2/3, 3/4/5).
-----Original Message-----
From: J.Michael Manning [mailto:Cycle-@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 8:20 PM
To: ob-@topica.com; matthew.-@gmail.com
Subject: RE: [OBRA Chat] 1/2/3 & 3/4 Races
I think you make some excellent points. When you look at the established
guidelines, there are fewer opportunities for a Cat 3 to advance than
for other categories. Unless one is able and willing to race more or
less fulltime, there are simply not enough qualifying events available.
Ultimately, this means that the racer who is more active is more likely
to qualify for upgrading than one is less active but better qualified.
Just as we all know that the BAR represents a very active racer ( not
typically the best ). As a competitor, I know who to watch in any given
race, and it's not necessarily the guy you see at every race.
matthew.-@gmail.com wrote:
I was just wondering what others thought on this subject.
As a Cat 3 rider, I would like to see more races with proper Cat 3
fields
and fewer races set up as 1/2/3 and 3/4. When the races are done in
the
latter fashion, it seems to me that a Cat 3 rider hoping to earn
upgrade
points is at a disadvantage. That is, it doesn't seem like at Cat 3
rider
should have to earn his upgrade points in a 1/2/3 race.
At the same time, I have heard cases of 3/4 OBRA races not being
counted
towards an upgrade because there were "too many 4's" in a race, or not
enough cat 3 riders in the 3/4 race. We have a sizable cat 3 field in
Oregon. Yet few Cat 3 riders were upgraded this year (the ones who
were
were
clearly deserving; perhaps there is a good reason to restrict the
number
of
riders in the 2's that I am not aware of, or perhaps a significant
number of
cat 3's were upgraded this year and I'm mistaken on this point).
This seems at least in part due to the fact that there are relatively
few
races in which a cat 3 rider has a reasonable chance of earning
points.
(Of
course, there are stage races, but I would suggest that because our
Oregon
Stage races are so awesome (Col.Plateau, Hood, Elkhorn, Cascade) they
attract excellent cat3's from WA, CA and BC and thus the level of
competition in a cat 3 stage race is extremely high.
Thoughts? (besides the obvious "train more if you want to upgrade" )
Thanks,
Matthew
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