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nsw state cross country rounds


kilaton's picture

By kilaton - Posted on 09 February 2010

NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.

heard a rumour there maybe no nsw state cross country rounds only state champs was wondering if anyone can confirm anything at all

Flynny's picture

I know Craig is having a heap of trouble finding the time to organise rounds.
Clubs are a little reluctant for some reason and with all the other stuff he has going on he hasn't got the time to whip them

The champs only option was a suggestion. Considering how many enduros are on offer this year it may be the only option.

Rob's picture

Isn't Wazza helping out with this now? Or did I get the wrong end of the stick with that?

Flynny's picture

Warren got voted in as NSW rep on the MTBA committee.

As far as I know he hasn't had any contact with NSWMTB (the guys who have been organising the state series for the last 5 years or so).

I did put out the suggestion that the clubs hosting the new enduro series should look into having a state round on the saturday afternoon but no one else seemed to think that was a goer...

Antsonline's picture

Hi - I am following this thread with interest and didnt knw of any "new enduro series".
Flynny, can you elaborate?

GAZZA's picture

we're losing all these 'grass roots' event's. new people getting into the sport seem to prefer the enduro events as they're more a 'participation' type event so it doesn't matter what time or position you get over the line, it's that you finished thats more important.
the shorter xc type club events seem a bit daunting at first and, i think it puts a lot of newbies or not so fit people off.
i wish more people would support these events as they're a lot cheaper than the big events and truly are great fun, they're one hell of a fast way to build fittness and skill for those wanting to improve.
come on kids, enter a few xc races and support your local clubs!

Flynny's picture

Can't say much yet as there are still a few things to iron out and lock in but the new promoters are hoping to announce it in the next couple of weeks. and it sound very promising

Flynny's picture

"i wish more people would support these events as they're a lot cheaper"

Gazza, think price is one of the reasons we struggle, State races take a lot more set up and thus cost more for the club which in turn has to charge the riders. Local club members seem to be reluctant to race their home town state race as they see it as paying twice as much as a club race to race the same trail.

There is also the tyranny of distance which riders not wishing to drive too far for a 2hr race. It is a shame to be loosing the only format that is currently an Olympic discipline but maybe one all signing and dancing, bells and whistles state championships is just what is needed to injest a bit more interest in it

Last year was the first year in a long time that reversed the downward trend of numbers but still it a lot of work for club to barely scrap even. However te series was awesomely organised and run and I know a few of our club members were keen to jump on bard this year for the first time...

Lenny_GTA's picture

Its interesting, we (HMBA) regularly get over 100 riders to a club XC. But when we have hosted state XC round in the past the numbers have been significantly less.

When you look at a lot of the enduros, the individual riders in teams actually wouldn't ride any more than they would in a normal XC race, so it can only be the off track atmosphere that attracts people to the enduro's over the traditional XC races. I have always believed that there is legs in the traditional Xc style racing, it just somehow needs to be tapped.

It would be a shame though to see the year go by without a state XC series. Has anyone thought of making a single club rounds from various clubs a round of a state series? I can see an issue in that some clubs run graded racing, others the MTBA classes, but it is a format that could be looked at. I know for us when we went to graded, that was when the numbers really picked up.

kilaton's picture

I only raced two state rounds in 2009 at blue gum and Lithgow . I thought both were fantastically organised and run , had a great time . I am only a hacker but it is great that people with all kinds of ability can go in these . sure they may only last 1.5 to 2 hrs but not everyone is an elite athlete or not who wants to put themselves through the wringer and do enduros . I like the individuality of the races and as someone commented earlier if you are in a team you usually only race the equivilant of the state rounds . as i think it was craig who said that maybe clubs could run them as there club rounds , also they are the grass root racing and everyone should support them .

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