[tmx]

..to race downhill!!!!!! i just found out from usa cyling and norba that the two podiums i """"earned"""" at wv and vt nationals have not been granted any points what-so-ever because there weren't sufficient racers in my class.

they said: "Although your races look pretty good, you need to make sure that you have enough competitors to actually give you ranking points (i.e. Snowshoe NMBS)--you need to have at least 2 other competitors besides yourself. [Your Vermont competitor] only has two NORBA races for this year, one of which is a DNF and the other was the race with you, but you were the only competitors so no points are given for that race."

not exactly sure why they don't chose to combine age groups, though i don't know if even that would have provided sufficient number of competitors to warrant points.

so, in following norba's instructions i am asking pleading begging for you all to get your mom's, aunts, grannies, sisters, girlfriends and wives to race downhill so i can earn some points. plus...it makes the podium a whole lot less lonely when there are a few of us up there. so come on out and race!!!!!

 

[douglas]

what if I wore a long blonde wig?

 

[Lexx D]

I'm trying to get a couple lady friends to come to the mountain. We'll see how it goes.

 

[tmx]

douglas, i appreciate the offer but if you show up at the start gate in a blonde wig i will be laughing so hard i won't be able to take my race run. so i'll have to nix you on that one. but thanks anyway.

lexx, cool...bring them! and if anyone brings a newbie chick who would feel more comfy taking introductory runs with a conciensious guide (blasted! someone spell that for me), i am more than happy to take a couple runs with them. spent all of last sunday with a newbie. unfortunately he wasn't female. hehe.

 

[Repack]

Have you thought about trying to start some kind of petition to get the classes combined or something? It sucks that changing age brackets would be a pain b/c of the different courses. But you are very fast and should be racing the bigger courses! And don't lie to everyone and say that I am just saying this to make you feel good!
Sorry K and I missed you at PKill. We went to 10e b/c it was much less $ for us.

EDIT: While it may not help you directly, there have been a bunch more girls racing DH in New Englkand this year, and they are all getting fast/faster and attracting more women. Maybe if Lazlo showed the ladies the respect they deserve, things would be different at PKill. K got started in DH after Sunday River made ALL of its womens classes $10 to enter at one race, but still gave out all the same cash/prizes as the corresponding mens classes. Every mountain should try to do that once a year.

 

[tmx]

would like to hear more opinions on the matter or promises that you're all sending your mom's to race downhill or get an earful (eyeful) of someone telling me to shove it up my arse because no one cares.

i have no way of knowing how many people are in my class until we speak at the starting gate. the age break-downs had not been included on the start list for the two nats i attended this year and all of that happens long after i've signed up to race and paid them the lovely entry fee. if there aren't enough competitors in a class to warrant points, why can't they work it out so there are?? do the pewnsy amount of women that race downhill really need their age classes broken down into groups of five-year brackets??? heck, i'd even be happy to race the twenty year olds if there are sufficient kids in that class to warrant points. jeez. am i just a big sucker if i continue to enter norba races when i am indeed looking to gain points, yet have no clue how many people are in my class???!!! (in full rant mode now...) why don't the ORGANIZERS (root word, ORGANIZE) organize the nationals better so they can assess how many people in each age group to adjust the classes accordingly?? there was another old fart at mt snow, but she was in the next 5 yr age grouping as me and my teammate. if they had put all three of us together then we all would have gotten points, but the way they let it fall, none of the three of us got points.

there are far too few of us and for crying out loud (as i am here and now!!) i race for the lots of reasons and one of them is the love of competition. what's the competition if i'm the only plonker in my damn class?!?! is it really my responsibility (beyond the corralling i already do) to make sure i have enough people in my class? or is it the responsibility of the race organizers to ensure they ORGANIZE the classes so that everyone is given equal opportunity to garner points??

am i really trying to be logical about norba? where's that "beating a dead horse" emoticon dammit!!?

 

[tmx]

Have you thought about trying to start some kind of petition to get the classes combined or something? It sucks that changing age brackets would be a pain b/c of the different courses. But you are very fast and should be racing the bigger courses! And don't lie to everyone and say that I am just saying this to make you feel good!
Sorry K and I missed you at PKill. We went to 10e b/c it was much less $ for us.

EDIT: While it may not help you directly, there have been a bunch more girls racing DH in New Englkand this year, and they are all getting fast/faster and attracting more women. Maybe if Lazlo showed the ladies the respect they deserve, things would be different at PKill. K got started in DH after Sunday River made ALL of its womens classes $10 to enter at one race, but still gave out all the same cash/prizes as the corresponding mens classes. Every mountain should try to do that once a year.

cool james. thanks for responding and with good ideas and a good point about people like laszlo (with his pathetic dumbass sexist remarks that turn women off and away from racing his mountain). i am in communication with the norba contacts about this and making my feelings known. perhaps a petition is in order.

so did you race last w/e? have fun? hopefully it wasn't xc. haha. heard about that fiasco. yikes. looked like there were a good amount of women racing there. why aren't they all 40 - 44 yr old experts racing the nats?? hehe.

 

[LordOpie]

that sux, I'm sorry to hear it.

A friend is the only woman 50+ and she always asks people at the races to encourage their moms to come out and have fun.

They won't let her race in the 40+ category... probably cuz she's actually very good and would beat women 10-15 yrs younger than her.

Good luck and I hope you find a solution!

 

[tmx]

that sux, I'm sorry to hear it.

A friend is the only woman 50+ and she always asks people at the races to encourage their moms to come out and have fun.

They won't let her race in the 40+ category... probably cuz she's actually very good and would beat women 10-15 yrs younger than her.

Good luck and I hope you find a solution!

wow, cool. thanks for the support and good wishes. doesn't your 50+ friend also take issue that she's not gaining any points in the rankings because she is the only one and they won't let her race a lower age group where she might indeed have sufficient competitors to earn points, especially if she's fast and skilled!!!!?? it's like they're setting her up to not earn a single point. maybe she doesn't care about points. ?? am i a points ho for caring about this? but isn't it part of why most of us race, to see where we stand amongst our peers and the ranking is part of it?

i'm gonna start OLDBA. Old Ladies Downhill Bike Association. eff norba. Not Organized Rotten Bike Ass.

 

[Velocity Girl]

I agree that they should either combine the classes or give you the points. I don't think you shoudl be penalized for being the only one to come out and support the sport!! I am curious though as to why you are so concerned with the points from a Nat? Are they part of the local series point competition? Or is it just to see where you are in relation to the other gals across the country? (I only ask because I really don't look at my points. I don't do enough Nats in a year right now for it to currently matter because you miss one race and boom...there go the points. I tend to just compare my times.)

 

[tmx]

hey vg and welcome to the right coast. yes, it is indeed to see where i stand amongst all those across the nation. regional and national races are included in the points that calculate our rankings, or so i've been informed by usa cyling. i think podiums at the nationals earn more points than podiums at regionals, and i used to do all but one or two of the nationals.

right!!! we (those who have fewer than three in their class...not just the old betties) are being "penalized" for something beyond our control. again, i appreciate the support. i was thinking i might get more "quit your whining and ride" comments.

 

[grizgal]

For your national ranking, do they take your top 3 results or do they take more into consideration? I wonder how many folks look at their national ranking...CG - you know how I feel about this issue - if you start a petition you'll have a lot of support.

VG - when are you coming to the east coast races?? Sorry to get off the subject.

 

[tmx]

grizzah fo'shizzah, i don't know the answer to that. but i have learned that if i podium at six nationals and twenty regionals and there is never more than two people in my class, i ain't getting any points and that's that. regional race promoters have more flexibility in their class break-downs, which is great and most them put all expert women together. good! but it still leaves the one and two person classes at the nats and any of those that compete regionally where organizers might not combine classes without the eligibility to earn points.

i'm not looking for freebies, i would rather they re-organize the classes depending on how many riders are registered. we should all be equally eligible to earn points, nationally and regionally, old and young, chick or dude.

in the meantime please convince your mums that downhill racing in the expert class is the fountain of youth.

 

[Full Trucker]

Move back to No Coast, race Expert with all the fast ladies, podium a bunch and then go Pro. BAM. No more age breakdowns and plenty of competition.




Plus, we just plain miss you.

 

[tmx]

Move back to No Coast, race Expert with all the fast ladies, podium a bunch and then go Pro. BAM. No more age breakdowns and plenty of competition.




Plus, we just plain miss you.

mmwaaa! big smooch for you. sounds like a great solution to working around some crummy rules. know of anyone hiring a dynamite accounts receivables/operations manager? i get a weekly listing from coloradojobs.com and it looks like the market is picking up out there. possibly better than that...my current job will be setting up a server that would enable me to work remotely. it should all be coming together soon. pro? me? hmmm......

btw, i miss you too. so does tony. ran into him at mt snow nat, then again at plattekill last weekend. got the digits and gonna get his mass-a$$ down to nyc for some urban assault.

 

[Repack]

so did you race last w/e? have fun? hopefully it wasn't xc. haha. heard about that fiasco. yikes. looked like there were a good amount of women racing there. why aren't they all 40 - 44 yr old experts racing the nats?? hehe.

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. K = no b/c it was canceled
4. I'm glad you didn't ask how we did!
Both K and I had much better practice runs than race runs. I felt like I was riding like crap all day. Then I found an issue with my fork. The legs kept twisting. As I was loading up the bikes for the drive home, I found that my front hub was WAY loose. Then I felt like an idiot b/c this had happened before. When my hub gets loose, the legs of my Shiver twist easily. So all my crown bolt tightening was for nothing. Oh well. I still had fun, and looked good on video!
K is becoming a terror. I can't believe how fast she is gettting faster. She just needs to get passed the "Oh s***!" momments that lead to her hitting the brakes and then crashing. She flew through some sections, but had issues with others. Once she can do a mini-manual, she'll be all set. I can't believe some of the crashes I saw her take! A couple of times she looked like she was trying to outdo Karen's Yardsale performance.

 

[KPicha]

So, how old are you talkin'? I just might fit that 'ol ladies category at 35 and I'd consider racing if it wasn't too far away.

 

[tammy]

Tmx - That is exactly what they told me last year too. Even after doing nearly 20 races in a single season, because no one else in my age group (40+) was racing, I got NO POINTS, ZERO, NADA. I'm not even ranked at all on the USA Cycling site, and you know how much racing I've done. I know my decision to stop downhilling isn't helping you out much and is narrowing the class even more - still love ya though - but I had to do what was best for me (you know I'm an endurance rider at heart). Of course, many of those events don't even count for NORBA points at all... :mumble:

Try not to worry about it - what matters most is that we all know you're still the Goddess and always will be, even if you did change your screenname.

 

[tmx]

you've got to be kidding me tammy!!! that is unbelievable. had you any notification prior to doing those 20 races?? had you concluded throughout the season you were earning points? does your national ranking matter to you in the general scheme of racing? did you not earn points regionally either? why won't they group us together when there is an insufficient number of competitors to warrant points? wouldn't y'all prefer that? i want more competition so it's a challenge to place well, not less so i'm guaranteed a podium. i try not to let this interrupt whatever i might be feeling about my race run, but i find it quite lonely up there when there are no other competitors in my class. so tammy, did you take any actions? write letters? emails? ask for your money back? we want equal opportunity racing dammit!

tams, you're sweet to mention the effect your choice to dump downhill racing might have on my issue here. you know i don't have an ounce of yuck toward you about that. that's a given. only thing i don't like about you not racing downhill is that i miss out on the treat it is to hear you work your way through practice and how delightful you are before our race runs. other than that, you're golden my friend. golden!!

pich, really? wanna race?? i found out i can dip down to the lower age group, so those 35 years will be fine. how far is too far? though i don't think this is as much of an issue at the regionals where the promoter is permitted to lump categories together and most around here usually have at least 3 expert betties racing. but now i'm not sure since tammy surely raced at least 19 regionals, right? i know one of her 20 races was a national. ?? more q's for usacyling. anyway, for various reasons i won't race my local mountain, but it looks like i have to reconsider that. but i'll also consider traveling farther south to race so i can meet the coolest mom in the world, mrs kpicha!!!

i don't want y'all to get the idea the points and rankings are my sole/soul purpose for racing. it's not. i race for a hundred bazillion reasons. okay, maybe just like a hundred, but still, alot more than points and rankings.

lydia bosch and kelli lusk at usa cycling/norba have been incredibly patient and helpful in translating the rules for me. while i might not like the info they're delivering, they have been extremely thorough and understanding. it looks like i will indeed get to dip to the lower age groups at the nationals but not permitted to race junior x. (AAAHAHAHA!!!) lemme know if anyone needs me to post the information i've been collecting from usa cycling/norba about these rulings and such.

good god i can ramble, eh.

 

[Velocity Girl]

VG - when are you coming to the east coast races?? Sorry to get off the subject.

Sorry....off topic!

We've been out here for a week now. Just trying to get settled, find a house to rent (that will accept two dogs....but they're very cute dogs ), and all that good stuff. Not sure when we'll be venturing out to Diablo or Pkill....hopefully soon. And we might try to hit some of the end of the year Pkill races. Looking forward to meeting you and all the other EC mudhunnies (I know I'll be able to spot you with the your helmet )

 

[tammy]

you've got to be kidding me tammy!!! that is unbelievable. had you any notification prior to doing those 20 races?? had you concluded throughout the season you were earning points? does your national ranking matter to you in the general scheme of racing? did you not earn points regionally either? why won't they group us together when there is an insufficient number of competitors to warrant points? wouldn't y'all prefer that? i want more competition so it's a challenge to place well, not less so i'm guaranteed a podium.

No, I didn't realize I wasn't earning points or rankings or standings, etc. But my national ranking really doesn't matter that much to me in all reality, because racing isn't really my "bag", so it wasn't too terribly much of a big deal to me personally. I've looked at my finish times in comparison with all the other classes at the races I've attended, and honestly I would have been dead last of everyone competing (in all categories) most of the time. I don't like getting awards and podium spots just because there is no one else in my class - I know full well I wouldn't have won a thing had there been other competitors, so it's tough for the "wins" by default to mean that much to me. That's part of the reason I've kind of lost interest in racing except for endurance. Granted, I never win at the endurance stuff either, but at least I more often than not have competition in those events (albeit frequently pros - and sometimes even lumped in with the men!!!), and I would rather be last in a large tough class than first by default.

 

[TreeSaw]

mmwaaa! big smooch for you. sounds like a great solution to working around some crummy rules. know of anyone hiring a dynamite accounts receivables/operations manager? i get a weekly listing from coloradojobs.com and it looks like the market is picking up out there. possibly better than that...my current job will be setting up a server that would enable me to work remotely. it should all be coming together soon. pro? me? hmmm......

btw, i miss you too. so does tony. ran into him at mt snow nat, then again at plattekill last weekend. got the digits and gonna get his mass-a$$ down to nyc for some urban assault.

NYC urban
I'm totally jonesing to rip some DH!

 

[KPicha]

pich, really? wanna race?? i found out i can dip down to the lower age group, so those 35 years will be fine. how far is too far? though i don't think this is as much of an issue at the regionals where the promoter is permitted to lump categories together and most around here usually have at least 3 expert betties racing. but now i'm not sure since tammy surely raced at least 19 regionals, right? i know one of her 20 races was a national. ?? more q's for usacyling. anyway, for various reasons i won't race my local mountain, but it looks like i have to reconsider that. but i'll also consider traveling farther south to race so i can meet the coolest mom in the world, mrs kpicha!!!

Sure, if its someplace I could make a day trip out of and have a mini-DH bike to borrow. I don't think my beloved XCE would do well for that kind of riding but yeah, I'd be up for it given the right equipment!

Oh wait, what level would I have to be racing at?

 

[MMcG]

Sure, if its someplace I could make a day trip out of and have a mini-DH bike to borrow. I don't think my beloved XCE would do well for that kind of riding but yeah, I'd be up for it given the right equipment!

Oh wait, what level would I have to be racing at?

I think tmx might have an extra TMX that might possibly be available for other mudhunnies to fill up a race group so she can earn some well deserved points (assuming you don't come in and smoke the field Kristina - I've never seen you ride - so I'm not sure of your skills.

Hell if the race was close enough - I'd come down for it too and you could always ride my Cheeta - it would fit ya I bet and you could just throw your flats on it and rip it up!

Cheers,

Mark

 

[KPicha]

Ha, well seeing as I've never ridden DH before, I'm sure I'd be the lone turtle on the course so, no worries there as far me smokin' the field.
What size is your Cheeta? I'm only 5'4" so I'd have to be riding something pretty small.

 

[MMcG]

Ha, well seeing as I've never ridden DH before, I'm sure I'd be the lone turtle on the course so, no worries there as far me smokin' the field.
What size is your Cheeta? I'm only 5'4" so I'd have to be riding something pretty small.

The Cheeta is a small/medium frame - I think it'd fit ya.