Marila Alvares
I agree with Elizabeth... I feel that most mountain bike races are well worth the cost of the entrance fee, and have no problem paying that if I feel I'm really going to get something out of the race. But since most races require a significant amount of travel, I really have to take that into account, along with the weather, the course and a few other personal preferences. I raced the Firecraker last year, and it was so freakin cold and wet, and while the trails were in pretty good shape, the ladders were VERY sketchy and slippery, and pushing my bike up that endless hill four times just didn't quite do it for me. So when I considered it this year, I decided that a ride at Siouxon Creek with my friends would be much more fun. It sounds like they changed up the course a bit, and maybe I really missed out on a great race, but I had a pretty damn good time doing what I was doing. I raced the Chainbreaker and Bear Springs, and there were decent sized
groups of women. You're always going to have a small Pro/Elite field, but combined with the Sport and Masters fields, we ended up with a pretty good showing of women. With short track and cross, it requires a pretty minimal monitary and time commitment if you live in the Portland area, and I think more women are willing to get out there and try something new, but when it requires traveling an hour or two (or three), and paying a higher entrance fee, folks are less willing to take the plunge. I think it waxes and wanes as far as numbers. Not everyone is able or willing to race every weekend, and since not everyone has the luxury of having a weekday off to ride or train with friends, sometimes those rides take priority over a Sunday race.
Just my two or three cents...
Marila
----- Original Message ----
From: Elizabeth Cardinal
To: "missinwyo@juno.com" ; melissafroggie@gmail.com
Cc: obra_women@list.obra.org
Sent: Monday, June 2, 2008 9:42:47 PM
Subject: Re: [OBRA Women] [OBRA Chat] Falls City Firecracker: great event, but where are the women???
I am also a 'purist' mountain biker (and cyclocross racer). However, I will put a mt bike RIDE with a group of friends before a race any day. Mt bike racing is fun when the course is great, but it won't ever compare to a full day of exploring a remote place with friends on bikes. I don't win anything when I race, and I gain the same things I would from a race from just going on a ride (there's always friendly-competition on rides, right?)
Road racing involves tactics that you can only learn from racing, so it makes sense to do a lot of races. But with mt biking, a race is very similar to a ride, but you have to put up with people passing you, nerves, entry fees, getting up early, etc...
Mt bike races are time consuming and expensive, and that is why I don't do very many of them. However, if you want advice on how to get more women to race them, I have to say that word of mouth is the best way. Talk up your favorite races, and invite your teamates or friends to the races - share cars and hotels or camping. All it takes is one person on my team to mention a race, and the next thing you know, everyone is in. Two of my female teamates raced Bear Springs this year - their first mt bike race ever, and they loved it. I personally invited them both, and carpooled with one of them.
There are some races that are known for being fun, epic (hard is good!), and well-organized, and those are the ones that seem to have the best attendance. (And that are most well known and talked about.) The short track series is going to be a blast, and the women's fields will be huge. I think mostly b/c it is Monday evening, close to Portland, and not such a big time commitment.
That's one woman's advice. Maybe there's something useful in there?
Elizabeth Cardinal
Superwonderful Garden Design, LCB#8547
503-309-7708
www.superwonderful.org
www.superwonderful.blogspot.com
________________________________
From: missinwyo@juno.com
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 03:37:30 +0000
To: melissafroggie@gmail.com
CC: obra_women@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Women] [OBRA Chat] Falls City Firecracker: great event, but where are the women???
I wonder the same things--why don't more women race mountain bikes? There I'm a mountain bike purist and never road race. Racing for me isn't about winning--it's really just about riding a new course and being around other people who ride. It's disappointing to only see a handful of women at a race. What would it take to get more people out there?
Susan
-- "Melissa Boyd" wrote:
It's not that the women don't upgrade to Expert! There were only 3-5 women each in the Beginners, Sport, and Sport 40+ categories also at Firecracker. I think this was partly because the Team Time Trials were on Saturday, and Silverton on Sunday. Women's field sizes this year have ranged from 2-15 per category in the other races also, so are generally low.
There are loads of women coming out for the cross races in the fall, and I am somewhat curious what it would take to get more of them to do mountain biking. Is it the distance to the races, the length of races, the equipment, the time of year??
Melissa
On 6/2/08, sue butler wrote:
I agree that this was a great race and a lot of fun. When do you get to race on almost ALL singletrack?
I also agree that it was extremely disappointing to have only 4 women line up for the afternoon session of racing. I know the Silverton road race took a few 'regulars' out of the pack, but I continue to wonder why other women don't like to race their mtb's? It is great fun, great people and a great workout! Stay tuned for upcoming mtb clinics that will be at the short track races, which start later this month. Maybe this will help get more women out there racing their mountain bikes. I think all the men that were there need to work on one woman each to get them there. Because I know when you have no one to race, sometimes then you don't go and the cycle continues... I was just glad to be home and able to race a new venue!!!
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