[Eastern States Cup]

Since there has been a fair amount of debate on the subject, I figured why not post the actual rules:

taken from: http://usacycling.org/forms/USAC_rulebook-6.pdf

6B6. The responsibility of keeping on the prescribed course rests with the rider. A rider may not leave the prescribed course unless ordered to do so by public authorities or a race official [disqualification]


6B7. Short-cutting and/or cutting trail switchbacks or course is not permitted and may result in disqualification. A rider is required to stay on the designated trail that is marked and or specified as the race course. It is the rider's responsibility to know the designated race course. Lack of tape or barriers on the course, or misplaced signs will not constitute an excuse for cutting the course.

6F1.(f) If a rider leaves the course, the rider must re-enter the course at the same spot where the rider exited the course. If a rider is unable to re-enter at the point of exit, and gains no advantage, the Chief Referee will determine if the rider is assessed a penalty.

 

[Transcend]

6b7 is a bit retarded. "oh this is the course but we were too lazy to tape it. Stay on it!"

Is 6" off of it "off course" or is 6'? How about 6m? Talk about nebulous.

 

[Cant Climb]

6b7 is a bit retarded. "oh this is the course but we were too lazy to tape it. Stay on it!"

Talk about nebulous.

Not sure about taping 6 miles of trail for an xc race......that's a waste.

 

[ekozy39]

6b7 is a bit retarded. "oh this is the course but we were too lazy to tape it. Stay on it!"

Is 6" off of it "off course" or is 6'? How about 6m? Talk about nebulous.

not necessarily officials being lazy.. 6b7 is also covering lack of tape due to another rider or riders knocking tape down during a run and it not being replaced in time..

 

[Pslide]

I can think of situations where 6b7 could become an argument among racers. Like GES#2 at 7 springs, there was a very short non-taped section where someone went well off the defined track through some pretty high weeds much to their advantage. OK or not OK?

I'm not complaining, just sayin...

 

[Big J]

6B12. Intentionally removing obstacles deemed by Officials to be part of the character of the race course is prohibited.

Prohibited but no penalty. In the Midwest some racers don't think twice about making a course change if they deem an obstacle too difficult such as picking rocks out a rock garden or during the night before race day trying to bench in a berm on an off camber turn....it's a trip, I've never seen anything like it.

I guess it's because the MW courses are so short and I've grown accustom to riding out East where the DH courses are long.

J

 

[thom9719]

I can think of situations where 6b7 could become an argument among racers. Like GES#2 at 7 springs, there was a very short non-taped section where someone went well off the defined track through some pretty high weeds much to their advantage. OK or not OK?

I'm not complaining, just sayin...

How hard is it for the organizer to put a short section of tape at the inside of a corner, almost like a slalom "gate"?

-KT

 

[epic]

Do they tape long courses like Downieville or Ashland?

 

[big-ted]

And yet still no-one actually addresses the question posed in the original thread. What actually constitutes leaving the course?

We have defined the boundary of the course as a vertical plane as defined by the tape. Now what part/parts of the bike/rider need to cross over this plane in order to constitute course-cutting?

 

[DhUrbaner]

It seems pretty self explanatory to me. Just amother reason to save my money,and freeride with the bros. rather then racing. Too many cheaters on coarse these days. You know when your off trail or not. It destroys the race atmosphere completely.

 

[NY_Star]

To me that seems really vague. No where does it define what "The Course" is.

 

[Inclag]

USACycling has rules?....

That are enforced by course marshals, promoters, and organizers?...

 

[RayB]

Do they tape long courses like Downieville or Ashland?

lol, where are you gonna cut the course at the Downieville Classic?!

 

[worship_mud]

so, in this video, has Danny Hart left th "course" and should be DQed?

http://dirt.mpora.com/news/mtbcut-val-di-sole-race-day.html

holy drifting batman, showing Sam Hill how it's done!

 

[worship_mud]

Has Danny Hart left the "course" in this video and should be DQed?

http://dirt.mpora.com/news/mtbcut-val-di-sole-race-day.html

holy drifting batman, showing Sam Hill how it's done!

 

[trib]

I think that if you leave and re-enter under the same stretch of tape, as Hart doesw, it's fine. Similarly if you were to pop off a root and subsequently you whip the back end out a bit and that is above the tape line you havent actually left the course. If you were to skid out, crash, then re enter down the same stretch that is a different kettle of fish an you should re-enter where you went out. If you continue along both wheels upright and don't physically miss a section that is deemed as part of the course you're fine

 

[SuspectDevice]

I always insist on taping the entire track when I'm involved with promotion of an XC or DH race. Tape is cheap. Time isn't. I always fully tape on principle. Whether it's a Thursday night fun race or a regional championship race, the track, and the professional preparation thereof is really of the utmost importance. It's the simplest, most surefire thing you can do to ensure at least a modicum of quality at your event. A mountainbike race lives and dies by it's track. Yes, it's the racers that make the results, and I've done some pretty **** races with great racing, but first and foremost a track needs create results with some matter of precision and accuracy.

Messed up timing, nutty organization, crap weather, delays, godzilla- all of the stuff that can drag an event down seems far less crucial if you properly prepare a track. As a track builder and promoter, I want to make sure the riders are riding the track that I designed- I'm proud of it, and they paid for a race track made for competitive racing and reliability.

Racers can and will do everything they can to take the shortest route down the hill, don't think for a second that someone will voluntarily dsq themselves for taking the fast line. Putting up tape makes for a better track, and it makes it easier for riders to make the decision to "cheat" less.
Even without marshalls, in my experience people do a much better job staying within the spirit of the rules when they have very clear feedback that they aren't on the track.

Full tape, especially on a track with many open sections is a necessity for a track to be truly competitive. Wide taping is awesome- as long as it makes sense, weedwacking is lame.

Blowing through the tape and missing a gate or two an re-entering asap is a much different animal than point your bike straight downhill. Unfortunately there is no way to create rules based on intent.
Tape high, tape wide and cheat as little as you can.