Is Cross Country racing dying?

Anna Repetto

2006-07-25

My only complaint about the Spring Thaw (didn't do it this year, injury)
last year was the parking situation. We got 2 parking tickets that day!
The city should have provided parking passes because most of us were
there more than 4 hours (parking limit is 4 hours at Lithia Park). Yeah,
I'm going to abandon the race to go move my car...I don't think so! It
took a lot away from an otherwise very pleasant experience.

Anna Repetto
Sales Manager

PROLITHIC.COM / Prolithic Sports
Nutrition & Gear for Outdoor Athletes
email: anna@prolithic.com
phone: 800-969-6199 or 530-938-2900

-----Original Message-----
From: obrarace-bounces@list.obra.org
[mailto:obrarace-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of masessa@charter.net
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 10:46 AM
To: obra@list.obra.org; obrarace@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Race] Is Cross Country racing dying?

I think the race fee's are fine. Travel does get expensive if you live
in S. Oregon like some of us. But, I think race directors should also
look at what they are providing. Many people like the social aspect of
the races as well as the competition. Some races have little to offer
other than the race and some nylon ribbons. I remember a race last year
that offered a black trash bag with some loaves of bread for the post
race food. People still talk about that.

Take the Spring Thaw for example. There is little single track in this
race and it still attracted about 215 racers this year. Why? It is such
a well organized and well planned event that everyone has a great time.
The location, and the social aspect, the great post race food as well as
the race make for a really fun event. You definitely get what you pay
for. Have you seen the great Spring Thaw stem caps that were given out
for placing? The placing is engraved in the cap and they are gold,
silver and bronze. Where do the fee's for these other races go?
And they offer more categories. People like to compete and have a chance
of placing. OBRA should go back to having more categories. 19 to 39!? I
know some guys in their late 30's who don't like to race because they
don't feel they can compete with guys in their early 20's.

With that said, I do feel that the majority of the races are very well
done and I really enjoy attending. The drive and the fee's don't ever
stop me.
Thanks for listening.

---- Randy Dreiling wrote:
> Hi All
>
> Hope you don't mind me putting this on OBRA race as
> this is 100% about racing.
>
> Minus the Bend area, cross country racing numbers are
> way down.
>
> WHY?
>
> I would have guessed gas prices, but Mt Hood is the
> closest race for many racers, yet there were only 60
> racers at the state games.
>
> I have heard people say race fee's are up, BUT that is
> just not true, I have race flyers from 1993 and the
> race fee is the same or went up by $5 at most
> depending on your classes, this includes the late fee.
> In fact Hood's fee is now $15, which is less then the
> 1993 rate.
>
> Is cyclecross getting so big people are skipping the
> summer XC races to race cross?
>
> Why do you think it is slowing down??
>
> Thanks
>
>
> Randy Dreiling
> Owner Oregon Adventures www.oregon-adventures.com
> Executive Director Oakridge/Westfir Area Chamber of Commerce
> www.oakridgechamber.com
> Mt Bike Oregon www.mtbikeoregon.com
> Other Oregon Adventures Events
> Oakridge FTF, 12/24 of Willamette Pass
> Willamette Pass Downhill/Super D's Series
> www.oakridgefattire.com A simple site to download flyers
>
> __________________________________________________
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> obrarace@list.obra.org
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> Unsubscribe: obrarace-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
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masessa@charter.net

2006-07-25

I think the race fee's are fine. Travel does get expensive if you live in S. Oregon like some of us. But, I think race directors should also look at what they are providing. Many people like the social aspect of the races as well as the competition. Some races have little to offer other than the race and some nylon ribbons. I remember a race last year that offered a black trash bag with some loaves of bread for the post race food. People still talk about that.

Take the Spring Thaw for example. There is little single track in this race and it still attracted about 215 racers this year. Why? It is such a well organized and well planned event that everyone has a great time. The location, and the social aspect, the great post race food as well as the race make for a really fun event. You definitely get what you pay for. Have you seen the great Spring Thaw stem caps that were given out for placing? The placing is engraved in the cap and they are gold, silver and bronze. Where do the fee's for these other races go?
And they offer more categories. People like to compete and have a chance of placing. OBRA should go back to having more categories. 19 to 39!? I know some guys in their late 30's who don't like to race because they don't feel they can compete with guys in their early 20's.

With that said, I do feel that the majority of the races are very well done and I really enjoy attending. The drive and the fee's don't ever stop me.
Thanks for listening.

---- Randy Dreiling wrote:
> Hi All
>
> Hope you don't mind me putting this on OBRA race as
> this is 100% about racing.
>
> Minus the Bend area, cross country racing numbers are
> way down.
>
> WHY?
>
> I would have guessed gas prices, but Mt Hood is the
> closest race for many racers, yet there were only 60
> racers at the state games.
>
> I have heard people say race fee's are up, BUT that is
> just not true, I have race flyers from 1993 and the
> race fee is the same or went up by $5 at most
> depending on your classes, this includes the late fee.
> In fact Hood's fee is now $15, which is less then the
> 1993 rate.
>
> Is cyclecross getting so big people are skipping the
> summer XC races to race cross?
>
> Why do you think it is slowing down??
>
> Thanks
>
>
> Randy Dreiling
> Owner Oregon Adventures www.oregon-adventures.com
> Executive Director Oakridge/Westfir Area Chamber of Commerce
> www.oakridgechamber.com
> Mt Bike Oregon www.mtbikeoregon.com
> Other Oregon Adventures Events
> Oakridge FTF, 12/24 of Willamette Pass
> Willamette Pass Downhill/Super D's Series
> www.oakridgefattire.com A simple site to download flyers
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
> _______________________________________________
> OBRArace mailing list
> obrarace@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obrarace
> Unsubscribe: obrarace-unsubscribe@list.obra.org


OregonMTB

2006-07-24

My $.02.

First off, I live in southern Oregon--so distance is a factor in the races I race.

Gas prices had an impact on what I raced this year. For cross-country races--I raced only 4 races this year:
Yreka, Grants Pass, Merlin, and Ashland.

Now, driving/gas is not that bad--as long as it's worth it. I also did 2 12-hour races in California (one in Weaverville and one in Arcata). I also plan on doing the Whiskeytown 9-to-5. What I am getting at--is, "If I am going to drive for 3-plus hours each way (and possibly spend the night in a hotel)--I want to make sure the race distance is worth it.

I race sport and singlespeed. There is nothing worse then going through the whole effort/expense of a race for a 1.5 hour sprint. On any other normal weekend--I like to get 3 to 5 hours of riding in. Make the sport level races 2-hour minimum and the expert level 3-hour minimum.

So there is a sliding scale--distance/expense vs. length of the race.

On a completely related note from a different point of view--for those of us married with kids, having a race on Mother's Day or Easter weekend--simply doesn't work. I won't ever attend one of those races.

And to repeat the sentiments of others--having one series would be best--although the Ski Bowl/Mt Hood races are simply too far for us Southern Oregon racers.

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Randy Dreiling

2006-07-24

Hi All

Hope you don't mind me putting this on OBRA race as
this is 100% about racing.

Minus the Bend area, cross country racing numbers are
way down.

WHY?

I would have guessed gas prices, but Mt Hood is the
closest race for many racers, yet there were only 60
racers at the state games.

I have heard people say race fee's are up, BUT that is
just not true, I have race flyers from 1993 and the
race fee is the same or went up by $5 at most
depending on your classes, this includes the late fee.
In fact Hood's fee is now $15, which is less then the
1993 rate.

Is cyclecross getting so big people are skipping the
summer XC races to race cross?

Why do you think it is slowing down??

Thanks

Randy Dreiling
Owner Oregon Adventures www.oregon-adventures.com
Executive Director Oakridge/Westfir Area Chamber of Commerce
www.oakridgechamber.com
Mt Bike Oregon www.mtbikeoregon.com
Other Oregon Adventures Events
Oakridge FTF, 12/24 of Willamette Pass
Willamette Pass Downhill/Super D's Series
www.oakridgefattire.com A simple site to download flyers

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
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