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ECCC 2009 February Planning Meeting

Cyclocross Discussion

Slides from Mark V's excellent status update are available here:

• Slides on CX Status and Directions, by Mark Vareschi

The white slide at the end outlines major discussion points. Detailed notes are as follows.

Nationals

Should push nationally for other conferences to make restrictions

• Must be Cat 1--3
• Must do collegiate races

What effect will CX nats moving to January (possibly if ever?) have?

• Probably can't run our schedule past mid-December anyway
  • Holidays, finals

UCI Races

Costs are arguably higher

• Registration for A race $35 pre-reg; $45 for late fee
• UCI License required for A racers

Large field sizes are good, bad

• Exciting event, lots of racers
• Less accessible for new people---huge and cutthroat
  • Sportsmanship in collegiate vs amateur
    • Angry non-collegiate CX racers...
  • Learning how to manage such big fields is an important skill

Registration issues

• Staging based on pre-reg...
  • Put all collegiate racers in one section at the back?
    • Tough to really be in race then, stuck at back
    • Would require management & oversight
      • Need to pitch to promoters that ECCC requires no extra effort
• Concerns about riders being excluded by field limits
  • CX promoters in general should run more categories...

Standalone or non-UCI ECCC CX

Not yet at point of having standalone CX races?

• Financial costs still significant at many venues
  • Especially given small attendance for foreseeable future

NE non-UCI races worried about attendance

• Bolster w/ collegiate categories?
• Try to get $15/racer
  • Offer volunteers, labor from collegiate team hooking up with promoter

Scheduling

Drifting CX season earlier and overlap MTB or fill empty MTB weekends

• Might allow more elite racers to race collegiate
  • Meet requirements before trade team obligations kick in
• Make Nittany CX an official part of the season?

Running CX at same time as MTB, at the same venue?

• Logistically possible?
• Could do at common venues: UNH, UMass, UVM

Categories

NE next year cat 2s are elite race now

Scoring based on numeric categories?

Scored B points last week, score B points this week...

When there is a choice of categories, rider must pick lower?

• Some sandbagging, but forcing up pushes newer riders too fast

Specific Races

PSU enduro CX race?

• Possibly w/ Iron Cross (same weekend as Gloucester)

LI hard to get to; not a big draw...

Innsbury? UNH, Tony E

Warkwick, URI talk to promoter?

Mercer---probably avoid

Southhampton---on the line

Puttany--Nov 8; date change?

Size issues at Northhampton

NBX collegiate cross fees?