[neversummersnow]

I've been thinking for a few years how to make DH racing more fun to the everyday joe and more dramatic for spectators/outside world.

I'm going to make this quick and hope this just gets the ball rolling.

Why don't we do more stage DH races? I'm not saying make it the only way to run a DH race but having racers do multiple runs in a day/multiple days certainly can add to the event from a racers perspective and a spectators perspective.

Even if there was only one course and a racer got 3 runs which were averaged together or all collectivly added up. Yes, orginizing would be a pain, the race promoter would have to be on the ball and its not feasible for every race...(just like every XC race isn't a marathon XC race).

Angelfire does do final descent but you could do so much more.

Think about the drama for TV as Rennie tries to find 3 seconds that Hill put on him the previous run etc.

 

[Zutroy]

I've been thinking for a few years how to make DH racing more fun to the everyday joe and more dramatic for spectators/outside world.

I'm going to make this quick and hope this just gets the ball rolling.

Why don't we do more stage DH races? I'm not saying make it the only way to run a DH race but having racers do multiple runs in a day/multiple days certainly can add to the event from a racers perspective and a spectators perspective.

Even if there was only one course and a racer got 3 runs which were averaged together or all collectivly added up. Yes, orginizing would be a pain, the race promoter would have to be on the ball and its not feasible for every race...(just like every XC race isn't a marathon XC race).

Angelfire does do final descent but you could do so much more.

Think about the drama for TV as Rennie tries to find 3 seconds that Hill put on him the previous run etc.

I know alot of smaller hill courses do that. The Cal State Champ was a combined two run format, it's kinda fun that way. I personally like fastest time with multiple run, cause then you can put on in at like 95-100% then just go bomb the hell outta your second or third run and see if you can hand on.

 

[dG video]

That would be an awsome Idea. Race coverage on Tv would really get the ball rolling aswell. Only thing is, to find a channel that on regular cable to promote the event. OLN is great but not everyone has digital cable. Maybe ESPN 2?

The race format works well, but what about the course, it would change quit a bit after a day or 2 of riding, and if it were to douce rain all of a sudden, there would be many angry racers crying for not having a "fair" chance.

Sounds like a good idea once all the kinks get worked out, are you actually planning on putting this together?

Dan

 

[punkassean]

Firestone does that (2-run combined time) and so did the new race at Elings park in SB. They did it because of the short course but even with a longer course it would be cool. It would reward consistency. I think it's cool...

 

[oly]

Alot of the races we attend out here are combined 2. Sometimes i wish it was combined best 2 of 3. that way you get one crappy throw out. One series did that once years ago.... . Gotta have a short course though..and not hundreds of racers.. The last weekends race had pro times of 1:30-1:40.... would be easy to do there..... Any course over 3 minutes though would be really hard to do i'd think with a good turnout, unless it was at a fast lift serviced hill.

 

[WheelieMan]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Didn't Big Bear run a 12 hour downhill race? Or am I thinking of another resort?

 

[Sherpa]

The entire MDHCS is best of two runs.

 

[WheelieMan]

Oh you're thinking more along the lines of multi-run races?

I think it would be cool to have an endurance downhill, with like 4 people to a team and you trade off runs down the mountain for like 6 hours. Team with the most runs completed wins. Of course you would need a long downhill course like in Keystone Colorado for something like this.

 

[Beyr]

There is a race deep in gnarcal this weekend that does best 2 out of three format.

 

[punkassean]

Matt- is SCORBA this weekend or is it something else???

 

[Beyr]

Matt- is SCORBA this weekend or is it something else???

Nah, its the race in Humboldt County.
http://www.teambigfoot.net/

 

[wysiwyg]

has anyone ever run a cup style race?

with all the same bikes/gear so it rider vs rider not about tech.

 

[buildyourown]

There was a race here several years ago that did this. 4 runs, 2 courses, combined times. It was really fun and the format favored me. It was my best finish ever. However, at the end of the day, I was ready to be done racing.

 

[trailhacker]

.... . Gotta have a short course though..and not hundreds of racers..

Actually, I think how many people would be the problem, not course length. If it were a 10 minute course vs. a 3 minute course, the last rider would finish 7 minutes later than if it were a 3 minute course - its not like there is 7 more minutes between each rider.
If it were a 3 minute course and you had 60 riders with no ghosts, it would take 1 hour and three minutes to finish (theoretically).
If it were a 10 minute course and you had 60 riders with no ghosts, it would take 1 hour and ten minutes to finish.
At Mt. hood this weekend the experts and pros will do two runs and the course will be around 5-1/2 for the fastest, 7+ for the slowest.

 

[trailhacker]

I think it would be cool to have an endurance downhill, with like 4 people to a team and you trade off runs down the mountain for like 6 hours. Team with the most runs completed wins. Of course you would need a long downhill course like in Keystone Colorado for something like this.

At Mt. Hood a a few years ago they did a 12 hours or 100 miles (can't remember which) DH race. you could do teams or solos.
I don't think it went over very well? Might have been due to lateness in season like end of September or October and weather - cold and wet!

 

[trailhacker]

There was a race here several years ago that did this. 4 runs, 2 courses, combined times. It was really fun and the format favored me. It was my best finish ever. However, at the end of the day, I was ready to be done racing.

Jones creek?

 

[MikeD]

Cool. The leader gets to wear the yellow dianese...

 

[buildyourown]

Jones creek?

Montesano. 2 runs on the regular course and 2 on that super muddy/steep "expert/pro" course.

Logistically it had issues because the 2 courses had different start points.

 

[Jeremy R]

At Mt. Hood a a few years ago they did a 12 hours or 100 miles (can't remember which) DH race. you could do teams or solos.
I don't think it went over very well? Might have been due to lateness in season like end of September or October and weather - cold and wet!

That actually sounds awesome.
Not so much for the competition, but just for the fun.
Just see how many runs you can do back to back.
I would love to do something like that.

 

[ÆX]

i was thinking you could do one like a WRC rally.

over 2-3 days.
down 2-3 tracks.
no preriding but inspection is ok.
each track would be cut into 3-5 sections on a big mountain.
you would run over the special stages 2-3 times during the rally.

best over all time wins.

try to make the total winning time 35 min or so!
this would dump all training times and congestion.
make for a super fun race b/c the whole weekend you
would have so much to talk about. so much "racing"!

after everyday riders would be re seaded for new start orders.

i am getting myself all rye'led up.

 

[joelsman]

If you had seperate courses for sport/beginer and pro/semi/exp, 3 run format would work better, less people per course.

I also like the enduro dh format, long course, makes endurance important and also not riding out of control, but if you do crash, you could make it up.

short races are too much of a sprint