I've noticed a sudden trend this year. Seems like it may have started with Snowshoe. But what happened to the "sport" class? Now its just noob, am, and pro. Who declared sport dead??
No more sport?
- Thread starter OB1
- Start date
Pro = Pro
Expert = Cat 1
Sport = Cat 2
Beginner = Cat 3
Expert = Cat 1
Sport = Cat 2
Beginner = Cat 3
In snowshoe's case sport and expert are all in amateur.
Same with Diablo
So that everybody can race and get a time against their buddies...and pros can actually get a paycheck. Plus, the winner of Am gets legitimately good prizes instead of 732 people getting on a podium to the chants of "sandbagger" and a free sandwich coupon from Subway. Since it's not USAC sanctioned, there's no sense in splitting that many categories.
I think 4 cat's was a bit too much if there are not very few races around (because that would mean a ~500 rider attendance and would than make sense). We have only am/pro for the senior and junior guys around here (plus hardtails, girls, masters) and it get's really crowded with up to 150 riders in am (with around 30 people who really should be in 30person pro ) so 3 skill cats would be perfect and I kinda envy the us riders that system. Especialy that it ecourages beginer riders to start where around here there are close to no begginers on races (5-10% at most, often less and meaning begginers I don't mean guys who just started but typical weekend warriors)
I always felt like sport class was 1/2 beginners and 1/2 experts anyway. Unsanctioned races give you the choice of class without a license or upgrade system and 3 classes simplifies logistics and results.
When i started racing, I start in beginner. After a year of that, I started winning races, and getting podiums. So I switch straight to junior ex. It took a few races to catch up to everyone else's times, but now I'm getting top 3's in 18 and under. I'm 16. So it almost seems useless to have a sport class.
Back in the Norba heydey, Sport class used to draw huge fields in local xc races. It was generally guys who rode a ton but weren't full on racers. Or guys who do one or two focus races a year. Like a race on the local turf.....and they could do it on the $5 one-day license.
The beginner-sport-expert set-up in DH always had it's problems...small fields, sandbagging, guys just wanting to ride the harder course etc.....
The beginner-sport-expert set-up in DH always had it's problems...small fields, sandbagging, guys just wanting to ride the harder course etc.....
I've hÍt 9 races so far this year. Haven't seen a sport class yet. Last year every race(except the Open) that I attended had a sport/ww class. I agree it was crowded etc. But why the sudden change? I could be wrong, but it SEEMS like everyone around here is just following Snowshoes lead. No?
Is snowshoe non-USAC? Diablo can do it that way because they are non USAC.
The last Shoe race in 07 was my first dh race. Its funny how you just imagine that, however things are when you start, that must be how its always been. Haha.
Norbar, I really don't even know how many people were in sport at any of the races. Never counted.
It's just like Norba everything is the same just the names have changed. ahha
Beginner = Intro
Sport = Am
Expert/Pro = Elite
Nationals split Ex and Pro but, were combined back in the day at other events.
Just like Bmx had novice and now call it intermediate or whatever...
Probably has more to do with field sizes compared with 10 years ago it's like half the turnout at races. I remember Nats. having Like 30 beginners 40 sport 80 Experts and 100+ Pros at bigger races and that was in Slalom! DH had age groups splits and still those kind of numbers. So when you cut those numbers down to the attendance we now see, if the classes remained the same you would have like 3 beg. 10 sport 16 expert and 20 Pros
I don't know if Snowshoe set the standard with the "names" of classes but, they were one of the first to ditch Norba and just do the race themselves since that was what they were doing anyway. A lot of resorts figured out... We can lose money doing Norba events or make a couple bucks doing it ourselves.
I blame Norba for every thing! Hahaha
Beginner = Intro
Sport = Am
Expert/Pro = Elite
Nationals split Ex and Pro but, were combined back in the day at other events.
Just like Bmx had novice and now call it intermediate or whatever...
Probably has more to do with field sizes compared with 10 years ago it's like half the turnout at races. I remember Nats. having Like 30 beginners 40 sport 80 Experts and 100+ Pros at bigger races and that was in Slalom! DH had age groups splits and still those kind of numbers. So when you cut those numbers down to the attendance we now see, if the classes remained the same you would have like 3 beg. 10 sport 16 expert and 20 Pros
I don't know if Snowshoe set the standard with the "names" of classes but, they were one of the first to ditch Norba and just do the race themselves since that was what they were doing anyway. A lot of resorts figured out... We can lose money doing Norba events or make a couple bucks doing it ourselves.
I blame Norba for every thing! Hahaha
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WOW! You mean it was/is normal for non-professionals to race professionals?
That seems like an obvious place to split the field. BMX changed too? It's been many years since I've done the bmx thing...but last I heard NBL still had Rookie/Novice/Expert/Elite....and ABA had Novice/Intermediate/Expert/A Pro/AA pro/Masters/Ultimates/Amazing/God Like/etc. ABA was always the king of creating classes.
Well, first off there is probably not one real professional racing the Snowshoe series.
That being said it gives experts the chance to race against a faster field so they can get faster.
That being said it gives experts the chance to race against a faster field so they can get faster.
Ouch! I'd call Herndon and Gerrit "real" pros.
But I get yer point.
The word "Pro" means very little in DH. DH is time Vs time, not man Vs man, such as bmx.
Theory: the sole purpose of creating DH classes, is to attract more racers.
Right??? For the most part, if people don't feel they have a chance, they won't compete.
To an extent. USAC consolidated the classes in theory to make Pro more competitive. CAT1 definitly got faster. Especially the 30-39 class that is now stacked with vet pros who didn't feel like paying $150 for a license.
I could care less if I win if there are only 4 people in my class.
History lesson: Expert/Pro were combined pre '97 for Nationals as well.WOW! You mean it was/is normal for non-professionals to race professionals?
DH was also on Saturdays! Parties were great and Sundays were for XC.
To think of the famous Iron Horse bike could have been called the "Saturday"
is funny.
You must be basing that statement purely on $Professionalism$
There are 2 Pro Nat. champs and a Jr. Nat. Champ among other worlds team riders and past semi-pro champs racing in that series. Plus I can think of about 4-5 guys who placed well in international competition or big races like the U.S. open. I would say if you can qualify for a World Cup you are Professional level rider in My opinion.
If your statement is not based on $$ then I would say there is only one current "Pro" racing in the United States. Gwin is the only American to podium a WC in ages. You may have a point on the World Wide scale in that the other U.S. competitors are not in the league with the top 10-20 Pros.