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2021 racing rumors

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,644
5,562
UK
Oh yeah totally - its just that EWS was the one sport that seemed to make a concerted effort to hold a *World* series
Not especially. But slightly more so than the current World Cup DH series. Back in the 90s/00s though although still pretty europe/america centric it at least did often go to more than three continents in a season.
 
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toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,502
4,755
Australia
Not especially. But slightly more so than the current World Cup DH series. Back in the 90s/00s though although still pretty europe/america centric it at least did often go to more than three continents in a season.
Oh yeah, I remember them racing in Brazil, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc. Its just been a few years since they went to the Southern Hemisphere is all.

The EWS did a really good job for a few years there balancing out the need for a "world" series whilst making a concerted effort to reduce the cost of entry for competitors. Pairing Chile/Colombia one year and then NZ/Australia the next was a nice touch that meant less back and forth for racers as well as letting people from those continents attend without going halfway around the world.

Would be a shit job trying to keep everyone happy I guess. Glad I don't have that role - but good on them for giving it a nudge. I've only done one EWS event and that wasn't even a local one anyway. Hoping to get to some of the Asian events in the next few years once things settle down a bit.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,644
5,562
UK
The EWS is coming back to Scotland later this year. The trails they'll be using are 40mins from here. Ironically I've ridden there once since the first Covid lockdown a year ago. I doubt if I'll go anywhere near it. (if it even does go ahead)
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,653
3,093
Oh yeah, I remember them racing in Brazil, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc. Its just been a few years since they went to the Southern Hemisphere is all.

The EWS did a really good job for a few years there balancing out the need for a "world" series whilst making a concerted effort to reduce the cost of entry for competitors. Pairing Chile/Colombia one year and then NZ/Australia the next was a nice touch that meant less back and forth for racers as well as letting people from those continents attend without going halfway around the world.

Would be a shit job trying to keep everyone happy I guess. Glad I don't have that role - but good on them for giving it a nudge. I've only done one EWS event and that wasn't even a local one anyway. Hoping to get to some of the Asian events in the next few years once things settle down a bit.
I think it would make sense for Worlcup racing to have more events than what counts towards the championship. Say, you have 15 races around the globe but only your best 10 results count towards the points. That way teams could focus on selected events that would make the most sense for their budgets, we would see races in more exotic places and and an injury/mechanical would not ruin a rider's season. In order to see the top riders directly competing against each other in the same race some should be mandatory, at least the season final. You could combine this with double headers and also throw some unconventional race formats like urban downhills or Hardline in there to make a truely diverse race series.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,502
4,755
Australia
The EWS is coming back to Scotland later this year. The trails they'll be using are 40mins from here. Ironically I've ridden there once since the first Covid lockdown a year ago. I doubt if I'll go anywhere near it. (if it even does go ahead)
I know not everyone enjoys racing but the EWS80 events are a good laugh hey. You don't have to be silly fit and they don't make you start the stages at a certain time or in a rider order so you can just punt around with your mates and have a laugh. Then go crack a beer and compare your stage times to the pros. Even if you don't race, it'd be worth going along to heckle and watch the pros.

also throw some unconventional race formats like urban downhills or Hardline in there to make a truely diverse race series.
I used to think they should have made that Lisbon urban race part of the WC just for a bit of variety, but I think the consequences at that event would put a lot of riders off. The EWS did an urban stage as a prologue in Colombia and the riders and crowds loved it (obviously a lot less technical of a course than Urban DH). The pictures show the crowd like 10 people deep the whole way down the track.

And Hardline is fucken mental. When Bryceland pulls out because its too silly I think its safe to say 90% of the WC field wouldn't be able to do it.
 

vivisectxi

Monkey
Jan 14, 2021
473
578
yeast van
I know not everyone enjoys racing but the EWS80 events are a good laugh hey. You don't have to be silly fit and they don't make you start the stages at a certain time or in a rider order so you can just punt around with your mates and have a laugh. Then go crack a beer and compare your stage times to the pros. Even if you don't race, it'd be worth going along to heckle and watch the pros.
yep. after doing the full pull ews a couple times (that were fairly crushing days), the 80 was a fun departure. a good taste of the real thing, but much more chill.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,502
4,755
Australia
yep. after doing the full pull ews a couple times (that were fairly crushing days), the 80 was a fun departure. a good taste of the real thing, but much more chill.
Yeah the full ones are big days, plus the fixed start order means you're often not riding with your buddies etc. The EWS80 is much more welcoming and enjoyable. I'm happy to just stick to that level of event these days. In Whistler, I even stopped for a beer at Creekside before going up to the final stage.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,644
5,562
UK
I know not everyone enjoys racing but the EWS80 events are a good laugh hey. You don't have to be silly fit and they don't make you start the stages at a certain time or in a rider order so you can just punt around with your mates and have a laugh. Then go crack a beer and compare your stage times to the pros.
But what about if that's exactly what you and your mates (normally) do 50 weekends of the year without paying anything or being stuck amongst huge queues of folk all trying to ride the same trails?
Even if you don't race, it'd be worth going along to heckle and watch the pros.
Not really. Enduro is too spread out to be a decent spectator sport. and I'd rather just be riding.

I avoided the area completely the last time EWS came.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,644
5,562
UK
And Hardline is fucken mental. When Bryceland pulls out because its too silly I think its safe to say 90% of the WC field wouldn't be able to do it.
Matt Jones' videos of Hardline track walk and practice riding (and walking) were a really good indication of the actual level of riding required.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,502
4,755
Australia
What does EWS 80 actually mean?
80% of the full EWS. They normally drop one or two of the full event stages, plus the biggest climbs. Its more like 4 hours to do, depending on the venue.

They also run an EWS100 which is the full EWS course but for people that didn't qualify for the main event. It has more lenient liason times etc, which again suits me better because if there's one thing I like less than having to climb, its having to climb quickly.
 

Sandro

Terrified of Cucumbers
Nov 12, 2006
3,224
2,537
The old world
Since Europe is f*cked for the foreseeable future anyway, they should just use this opportunity to make up for decades of eurocentric World Cup action and have the entire series in the States. Bring back Big Bear, Vail and just to annoy kidwoo, have a dusty round at Northstar or Squaw Valley.
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,023
1,154
El Lay
Moving the series to the heart of the global pandemic seems unlikely.


Since Europe is f*cked for the foreseeable future anyway, they should just use this opportunity to make up for decades of eurocentric World Cup action and have the entire series in the States. Bring back Big Bear, Vail and just to annoy kidwoo, have a dusty round at Northstar or Squaw Valley.
 

Andeh

Customer Title
Mar 3, 2020
1,011
987
You’re more hopeful than I am about that; getting past 70% may be tough.
Yeah, I'll be shocked if we get past 60%, since apparently at least 40% of the population have decided that "science" and "statistics" aren't to be trusted, and instead they should listen to their crazy uncle on Facebook, who is reposting something he read on a website that looks like it was made in 1998.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,502
4,755
Australia
Since Europe is f*cked for the foreseeable future anyway, they should just use this opportunity to make up for decades of eurocentric World Cup action and have the entire series in the States. Bring back Big Bear, Vail and just to annoy kidwoo, have a dusty round at Northstar or Squaw Valley.
What was that rad old NORBA course the pros all loved? Durango or something? Probably long gone but I remember a few of the people who raced it rated it super highly.
 

FlipSide

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2001
1,387
824
Yeah, I'll be shocked if we get past 60%, since apparently at least 40% of the population have decided that "science" and "statistics" aren't to be trusted, and instead they should listen to their crazy uncle on Facebook, who is reposting something he read on a website that looks like it was made in 1998.
I don't think it is much better in Europe.

I read somewhere that only about 60% of the population of France intends to take the vaccine. They (Louis Pasteur) fucking invented the vaccines and it should be the greatest national pride for them. WTF frenchies!?
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Got my first vaccine dose today. I should probably also get tetanus and rabies boosters before snowshoe.
Not getting that shit anytime soon...2 years later bunch of people gonna be part of a TV commercial asking if you had the vaccine for a class action lawsuit...nope...

I'll stick with eating off the floor, rode at 250r no helmet and a big wheel 110, said "hold my kool-aid watch this" as a child....I'm immune plus i survived the 80s...covid took a vaccine to keep it from catching me....



On the racing side of things I hope the rest stay put. Just started watching wc and love the style and techniques they ride with...definently more fitness than before and the courses aren't what they used to be....theybare supposed to add more aggressive nasty lines back in..less park like...
 
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Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,915
1,270
SWE
They won't let riders from other countries in because of Covid.
I know a Swedish couple who spend the last few months in NZ. They had to spend the first 15 days in quarantaine locked down in a hotel room at the airport.