NORBA has their head so far up their ass they are seeing sunshine. Maybe they should have the dh race at the raceway down the stairs in the bleachers..
US National Championships at Infineon Raceway!?
- Thread starter W4S
- Start date
sayndesyn said:
i'm smelling..............Urban-er assault
Well....I just decided to move my vacation time from Sonoma to Crankworx....Results are results....f*ck...
bballe336 said:
yeah, if we only had good mountains on the west
Oh wait, you have good mountains that are open and available that weekend? Big Bear, Mammoth and Tahoe are all out as choices. I am pretty sure he meant the east coast ones would welcome the event.offtheedge said:yeah, if we only had good mountains on the west
Funny, NORBA couldn't/ decided not to find one.
Transcend said:Oh wait, you have good mountains that are open and available that weekend? Big Bear, Mammoth and Tahoe are all out as choices. I am pretty sure he meant the east coast ones would welcome the event.
Funny, NORBA couldn't/ decided not to find one.
Well, thats three possabilities out of maybe ten resorts in the waste. Now whether or not the waste coast resorts aren't welcoming or Norba isn't soliciting who knows?
I'm not claiming to know sh@t, but the amount of mountains and resorts this direction is hard to overlook.
Most of the resorts out west don't cater to MTBing, so they wont have a trail network, summer infrastructure to do it.offtheedge said:
Also, NORBA probably didn't look.
Sweet. I had have 2 riders that are possible contentders for Semi-slow DH. Now I have to complete change their programs from training for DH to training for..... Well, uh, something that isn't really DH I guess...
Hell...instead of dubbing Infineon the Championship...why not just move it up another week and hold it at Deer Valley??!!! Where there's, dare I say, actual terrain worthy of DH and XC races.....offtheedge said:
I enjoyed Fontana for what it was. It was a race. Plain and simple. I had a good time and I went home. However, I will not travel the distance or spend the money on it again though. Nor will I travel and spend money on another event that is similar to it. Stick that in the collective NORBA pipe and smoke it...sigh...Crankworx here I come...
Yeah....Cardio, cardio, and...um....oh yeah, more cardio.SuspectDevice said:
yeah, deer valley seems like a logical choice.
last year david k had a 1:52 or something...not a long track. i predict there will be a tie for first place...times will go to the thousandths and there will be a tie. mark my words. if there isn't a tie, the national champ will be champ over the other 9 top 10 riders bike like a knob-length.
last year david k had a 1:52 or something...not a long track. i predict there will be a tie for first place...times will go to the thousandths and there will be a tie. mark my words. if there isn't a tie, the national champ will be champ over the other 9 top 10 riders bike like a knob-length.
G&%DAMN, I did not think that The national series ould get any gayer... I guess I was wrong. This is pathetic, I cannot believe that one of the greatest venues that is raced in the world can be replaced by a cheesy motorsports venue. I am ashamed of what this sport is becoming...
Is there anything we (the DH crowd) could do to change this? I know Fontana was a last minute decision to break away from the Bonelli Park NORBA.
edit: its definetely no use, i guess another option other than Crankworx is the Snowmass Mountain States Cup race.
edit: its definetely no use, i guess another option other than Crankworx is the Snowmass Mountain States Cup race.
What a cluster f@#! These people could'nt manage there way out of a paper bag. For as little as NORBA cares, I think USA Cycling cares twice as less (is that possible?) . At this point, they're cutting off dead limbs, and to them, DH racing is about the smallest branch on the tree.
I got the email too, noticed that there is no word on what"s going to happen if you were planning on using Infineon to qualify for Natoinals. I guess they figured it's a given--you're screwed! I really think I'm going to sent them my NORBA liscence, back, tell 'em they can keep the piece of garbage. I mean what the f- did they sell it to me for, to taunt me??!?!?! Mammoth in July!?!?!?!! Look at how damn cold the place is in Sept., and tell me that was a good idea!
rant over (for now
)
-218138, out
I got the email too, noticed that there is no word on what"s going to happen if you were planning on using Infineon to qualify for Natoinals. I guess they figured it's a given--you're screwed! I really think I'm going to sent them my NORBA liscence, back, tell 'em they can keep the piece of garbage. I mean what the f- did they sell it to me for, to taunt me??!?!?! Mammoth in July!?!?!?!! Look at how damn cold the place is in Sept., and tell me that was a good idea!
rant over (for now
)-218138, out
I'm with you 100% man! I'd much rather see the Nat Champs 1. at a real venue w/ a real track & 2. here in the good ole USA but, I think that desperate times call for desperate measures. The Nat Champs have to be awarded before Worlds and unfortunately just about every weekend in June, July, & beg Aug has a World Cup or NCS event scheduled. For the entire traveling extravaganza of the North American race scene to move from the west coast, to the east coast, back to the west coast just wouldn't be logistically possible or economically feasible for a lot of teams or the privateers.Metal said:
Whatever happens, as an American downhill community we all must get ourselves on the phones and emailing tomorrow to anyone and everyone at USA Cycling and let them know that this is unacceptable. I have already started doing this myself and urge everyone else to let their voices be heard as Norba members.
-ska todd
mtns that could hold the championships
Durango
Keystone
Dear valley
brian head
anglefire(it can hold a world cup, why not a nat championship)
Vail(hm... 2 world cups)
Diablo
Mt. snow
Snowshoe
I know a few of these are already on the circuit, why not hit them 2x? maybe they can have a second nat'l course.
As for ska todd's comment i believe that everyone should follow his lead and let usa cycling/norba know their feelings
Durango
Keystone
Dear valley
brian head
anglefire(it can hold a world cup, why not a nat championship)
Vail(hm... 2 world cups)
Diablo
Mt. snow
Snowshoe
I know a few of these are already on the circuit, why not hit them 2x? maybe they can have a second nat'l course.
As for ska todd's comment i believe that everyone should follow his lead and let usa cycling/norba know their feelings
This is what has to happen, and has had to for a few years and has not. Maybe this will be a wakeup call and the sweet ass series and courses we had around 2000 will come back. Decent organization, much cheaper registrations and good courses.ska todd said:
Park City, Crystal Mtn, Mammoth, Durango, Mount Snow etc.
I miss those races. Boy, do I ever miss Crystal. Most middle of nowhere venue ever with possibly the greatest start line view and most epic course in all of North America.
Edit: About hitting venues twice, you woudl be surprised how booked up most of those venues are dying the summer for festivals, meetings, coorporate getaways etc. It probably isn't feasible for them to have a race twice. They have to run the lift and have staff, which they don't for some coorporate thing that also filles the hotels, condos and shops.
What the hell... their landscape is HILL not 700 ft tall. Last year they made a pretty fun course about 2 minutes long, however like Fontana it's awesome for a local venue, not the National Championships. This is so fvcking embarassing. I'm glad I'm going to miss it. Maybe spend an extra few days in Canuckistan at a real race?NORBA said:
Edit: they don't have much of a hill but their DH shouldn't be compared to Fontucky or Sea Otter. There's very little pedaling, just some traversing of hillsides and some fun shifty corners. No rocks. 2 steep sections. One jump.
You guys need to stop questioning NORBA.... That's as crazy as second guessing our President. Just have trust.
Transcend said:
(sigh)....that place was truly EPIC! probably my FAVORITE course i have EVER been on! It truly did have a bit of everything...gnarly rock sections, high speed, steep twisty tree sections... i think Rennie's winning time was in the 5 minute area. Amazing.(now we're looking at courses less than a minute long!!?!?!). Ashame it was fairly far from everything....but defintaely worth the trip in my opinion!
Remember the off the hook party we had that night at the bar in the woods? That was insane. I have never PHYSICALLY been thrown out of a bar before, and then had the bouncer try and steal my beer. Asshat.DylanDeanDesign said:
Wow. I am very very glad I opted not to spend what small amount of money I had for racing this year and used it to build up a better rig and on martial arts training and diving gear. If I had blown money on gas, lodging, race fees, etc. this year I would have been vastly disappointed. **** racing.
EVERYONE!!!! We need to all send an email, give a call, write a letter, dispatch a telegram or do anything ywe can to get in contact with USA Cycling and let them know that this is not a reasonable solution for Natn'l Champs. Let them know that we won't go if its at Sonoma. Together we might actually be able to make a difference.
UPS stopped sending telegrams a few months ago.
Make their bloody phones ring off the damn hook.
Make their bloody phones ring off the damn hook.
Who are you guys emailing/calling? I just sent an email to alee@usacycling.org. Any other ideas on people to send stuff to/call? I just picked that address because it was at the bottom of the page. This is crap.
Andy Lee is just the PR guy for NORBA, don't bother hassling him.
Wow, Norba just destoyed themselves
should everyone rally around getting deer valley to be the nat'l champs? seems like it'd make the most sense. just emailing them that they suck or whatever won't help. if they get 100 emails saying dh should have nat's at deer valley, it'd give them an easy goal/answer.
they'll still have sonoma, but it won't be the decision-making race, ya know?
they'll still have sonoma, but it won't be the decision-making race, ya know?
Crystal.....those were the days. When there were actually national courses worthy of being called nationals courses. What were the times on that course?? Like 8+ minutes of sheer rock smashing terror and exhaustion. Now we have Infineon. So sad. My local lift assisted state course is better than that crap. Lame.DylanDeanDesign said:
Steve Johnson is the acting CEO of USA Cycling, sjohnson@usacycling.org, and the Chairman of the Board is Jim Ochowicz, jochowicz@tweisel.com.matt12 said:
If you want more names to send to, go to www.usacycling.org, click on "about USA Cycling" and then go to contact. All the names and emails of everyone working in the office are there.
Whats up everyone, i just sent this out to Steve Johnson and Jim Ochowicz, i think it is a good idea you all do the same or something like it. If we all conduct this issue with class and respect our collective efforts could make a difference! Join inriverside73 said:
Dear Steve Johnson and Jim Ochowicz
My name is Brian Buell, NORBA # 218052, I am a Semi Pro Gravity Rider racing for RotecCycles and I will be traveling to many Venues this year including, Mt St Ann Canada, Snowmass, Vermont, US Open ect... These places make for great races becuase of the Vertical Drop, important for DH. Great terrain and a long 3-6 min course that will weed out the men from the boys. Now after presenting this information, it is obvious that Sonoma and the Infinion Raceway is not a proper place to hold a large DH event, let alone the National Championships. A raceway might be a great place for a XC race and mountaincross but holds no place for a world class, supposivly, DH race that will crown the best rider in the nation. This course will not showcase the best overall DH rider but only the best sprinter due to the lack of terrain(rocks, roots, logs ect). This needs to be changed. The possible solution that has been discussed by many is Deer Valley holding the DH NAT Champs the week before Sanoma. This is a great course perfect for a NAT Championship as it is very popular among DH riders of all classes. I was planning on attending Mammoth for the Nats but since this change was made i have absolutely no desire on attending a Nats at Sonoma. I look foreward to riding NORBA every year and esspecially the National Championships but of the look of things this year i am not to stoked about the situation! Please, everyone at NORBA, from a commited rider, listion to the many many people like me trying to make DH mountain bike riding better for all. Thank you for your time and consideration and hopefully this situation can be solved, thoughtfully, rationally and for the better. Gravity racers pay their dues each season and deserve better, much better.
Brian Buell
P.S. I respect all XC racers and appreciate everything they do for the sport yet they cannot dictate where large races like the NAT Champs are held.
Brilliant, when I sober up I will write a letter myself, probably won't make a difference judging by the total lack of respect of Norba for gravity racers, but, the more constructive feedback they get the more likely they will actually listen to what we have to say.BRIANBUELL said:Whats up everyone, i just sent this out to Steve Johnson and Jim Ochowicz, i think it is a good idea you all do the same or something like it. If we all conduct this issue with class and respect our collective efforts could make a difference! Join in
Dear Steve Johnson and Jim Ochowicz
My name is Brian Buell, NORBA # 218052, I am a Semi Pro Gravity Rider racing for RotecCycles and I will be traveling to many Venues this year including, Mt St Ann Canada, Snowmass, Vermont, US Open ect... These places make for great races becuase of the Vertical Drop, important for DH. Great terrain and a long 3-6 min course that will weed out the men from the boys. Now after presenting this information, it is obvious that Sonoma and the Infinion Raceway is not a proper place to hold a large DH event, let alone the National Championships. A raceway might be a great place for a XC race and mountaincross but holds no place for a world class, supposivly, DH race that will crown the best rider in the nation. This course will not showcase the best overall DH rider but only the best sprinter due to the lack of terrain(rocks, roots, logs ect). This needs to be changed. The possible solution that has been discussed by many is Deer Valley holding the DH NAT Champs the week before Sanoma. This is a great course perfect for a NAT Championship as it is very popular among DH riders of all classes. I was planning on attending Mammoth for the Nats but since this change was made i have absolutely no desire on attending a Nats at Sonoma. I look foreward to riding NORBA every year and esspecially the National Championships but of the look of things this year i am not to stoked about the situation! Please, everyone at NORBA, from a commited rider, listion to the many many people like me trying to make DH mountain bike riding better for all. Thank you for your time and consideration and hopefully this situation can be solved, thoughtfully, rationally and for the better. Gravity racers pay their dues each season and deserve better, much better.
Brian Buell
P.S. I respect all XC racers and appreciate everything they do for the sport yet they cannot dictate where large races like the NAT Champs are held.
P.S. If they don'e listen to us and make a change, everyone should just come race the colorado state championships, put on by the mountian states cup the same weekend at snowmass. Brand new course on much more vertical and respect for all riders of every diciplen and category, it will be a great race.
DV will be clear.
My vote is for Sundance (if they can build in time) or Brian Head.
My vote is for Sundance (if they can build in time) or Brian Head.
My suggestion: have someone literate write the letter.