[Pbody]

In the press release, it does say "Further discretionary selections will be announced later this week."

For this year's nomination information, it can be found at:

http://www.usacycling.org/forms/2006 MTB Worlds Athlete Nomination.pdf

 

[Zutroy]

So the US pays for Jr Men DH to go to worlds, that's good....but they don't pay for the Jr. Women to go in DH, that's kinda sucky. No wonder we've got no one coming up on the women's side.

 

[stratguy1618]

So the US pays for Jr Men DH to go to worlds, that's good....but they don't pay for the Jr. Women to go in DH, that's kinda sucky. No wonder we've got no one coming up on the women's side.

yeah, chrissie qualified but now since they arent paying for it, its all BS

 

[DH Diva]

yeah, chrissie qualified but now since they arent paying for it, its all BS

If I were that girls parents I'd be so freakin pissed. Such blanant sexual discrimination is BS, she earned her spot too. And people compain that the women aren't getting any better....Hmmmm I wonder why?:eviltongu

 

[Zutroy]

If I were that girls parents I'd be so freakin pissed. Such blanant sexual discrimination is BS, she earned her spot too. And people compain that the women aren't getting any better....Hmmmm I wonder why?:eviltongu

Yeah, that is a pretty crappy deal.

 

[stratguy1618]

If I were that girls parents I'd be so freakin pissed. Such blanant sexual discrimination is BS, she earned her spot too. And people compain that the women aren't getting any better....Hmmmm I wonder why?:eviltongu

yeah I just talked to her and she is gonna call up some guy up there at USAC and bitch him out pretty much for that ****.

 

[stratguy1618]

yeah, chrissie qualified but now since they arent paying for it, its all BS

BTW for those of u who didnt know the girl who was selected for Jr Women DH is the pinkster on here

 

[Tenacious Doug]

I presume your federation funds the places in categories where they feel they have a serious chance of medals? So they feel Junior men have a chance but not junior women.

 

[DH Diva]

There is just such total disinterest it kills me. A couple years back when we had three jr girls qualify for worlds (Leana gerrard, Katie Holden, and Jenny Cornelison), I guess Leigh Donovan volunteered to coach them for the week I think if USA Cycling gave her a place to stay over there or something like that, that in the whole grand scheme of things was a pretty minor in exchange for what she was offering. They turned her down. WTF is up with that?

 

[DH Diva]

I presume your federation funds the places in categories where they feel they have a serious chance of medals? So they feel Junior men have a chance but not junior women.

I'm pretty sure they haven't paid for Jr women in years. I don't think it has anything to do with medal contention.

 

[Transcend]

I wouldn't feel too bad. Canada pays for NO ONE in a gravity spot. This includes elite men and women. Elite, Junior and espoire are covered on the XC side from what I understand.

 

[Msisle Dad]

So the US pays for Jr Men DH to go to worlds, that's good....but they don't pay for the Jr. Women to go in DH, that's kinda sucky. No wonder we've got no one coming up on the women's side.

I dont believe they pay for any jr's . male or female

 

[ska todd]

USAC only pays for Olympic disciplines from what I understand.

-ska todd

 

[Pbody]

USAC only pays for Olympic disciplines from what I understand.

-ska todd

At the top of the Nomination Information's 1st page, it states in the "Financial Responsibility" section that they cover the trip for 2 Jr. Men Downhill.

 

[biker3]

I dont believe they pay for any jr's . male or female

Unless there hasn't been a drastic change in the past few years they pay for the top 2 Junior men slots. There should be a few more members of the team, these ones anounced are just the automatic qualis which are the series leader and the natl champ. The issue with the funding is an endless circle.Why send sucky Dhers across the world to get killed, but if they aren't sent then we will continue to suck. From what I've noticed upcoming female DH is pretty absimile in the states. I can't remember the last time I raced a race with a Juniorx girls field. At least that girl gets the oppurtunity to go. Getting together money for a plane ticket and what not is NOT that difficult. Brenden Newton did it last year. Its all about the individual anyway, USAcycling benefits minimally from sending gravity riders so I say if someone wants to go bad enough, get your own **** together instead of making excuses. This is one of the major problems with DH, its a teeny sport with gargantuan events and venues. Hence world races in the farthest corner of the earth next to antarctica.

 

[SlackBoy]

Kiwi's for years have been paying their own way. I suspect this is true for many others as well.
Although with all the pople at USAC, I still fail to see why they would require people to have to petition to get in. So a few people are auto qualifiers, why can't they select others. Dang, if they can do it in lil ole backwards New Zealand, I woulda thought that a rich and powerful country like the US could stump up the nowse to be able to select.

 

[thePINKster]

At least that girl gets the oppurtunity to go. Getting together money for a plane ticket and what not is NOT that difficult. Brenden Newton did it last year. Its all about the individual anyway, USAcycling benefits minimally from sending gravity riders so I say if someone wants to go bad enough, get your own **** together instead of making excuses.

i'm thankful for the opportunity to go. i cant express how shocked i was to see my name on that list...

with all that said, i'm not making excuses. it IS alot harder than you think to gather up the money for it. you dont know me, you dont know my family's financial situation, so dont stick your nose in my business. If it's so easy, then send me the money, i'd be happy to receive it

 

[DH Diva]

Why send sucky Dhers across the world to get killed, but if they aren't sent then we will continue to suck. From what I've noticed upcoming female DH is pretty absimile in the states. I can't remember the last time I raced a race with a Juniorx girls field.

So shutting them out and not helping them get the experience they need to improve is going to help the jr women get better?? That makes a lot of sense.

 

[Transcend]

i'm thankful for the opportunity to go. i cant express how shocked i was to see my name on that list...

with all that said, i'm not making excuses. it IS alot harder than you think to gather up the money for it. you dont know me, you dont know my family's financial situation, so dont stick your nose in my business. If it's so easy, then send me the money, i'd be happy to receive it

I'm pretty sure he means by asking local businesses, sponsors etc. It works very well for athletes going to high profile / world class events. At ticket out of SFO/LAX right now is about $875 with qantas, fyi. Talk to the local community paper, they do an article, local businesses get free publicity - everyone wins.

 

[biker3]

So shutting them out and not helping them get the experience they need to improve is going to help the jr women get better?? That makes a lot of sense.

How is giving any rider an oppurtunity to go to New Zealand shutting them out? Just be realistic about it, this has nothing to do with sex or sexism, it has to do with money. And there is about as much money in female DH as there is penis. Its just not gunna happen the way it used to. Pruitt, Streb, giove all those girls are from the mtb haydays which are GONE. Unless our sport makes a total flip, there won't be another Anne caro. I respect your opinion DHDiva but the whole USAcycling OWES us gravity riders something is getting out of hand. There are TONS and TONS of ways to get sponsership money for going to something like the world champs of MTB. Like I said, brenden newton did it last year on his own tab raising money so its completally possible. It'd be a different story if USA cycling was screwing over SERIOUS contenders but its simple, our gravity team doesn't contend.

 

[DH Diva]

I respect your opinion DHDiva but the whole USAcycling OWES us gravity riders something is getting out of hand.

When did I say anything like that??? I said if they are going to pay for the jr men to go, they should pay for the jr women. Plain and simple. I don't think USA Cycling owes DH anything, and I'm not sure how you got to that.

If you take away opportunity, like not helping pay there way, then yes, womens DH will continue to decline in talent and depth. With the plane ticket money she is going to have to shell out, that the guys aren't having to pay, she could help pay for a coach (therefore improving her skills), or going to more races therefore gaining experience, or any other number of things that would help her grow as a DH rider. But, she has to spend her money on travel, when the other JR's don't. I still just don't think that it is at all fair.

 

[biker3]

When did I say anything like that??? I said if they are going to pay for the jr men to go, they should pay for the jr women. Plain and simple. I don't think USA Cycling owes DH anything, and I'm not sure how you got to that.

If you take away opportunity, like not helping pay there way, then yes, womens DH will continue to decline in talent and depth. With the plane ticket money she is going to have to shell out, that the guys aren't having to pay, she could help pay for a coach (therefore improving her skills), or going to more races therefore gaining experience, or any other number of things that would help her grow as a DH rider. But, she has to spend her money on travel, when the other JR's don't. I still just don't think that it is at all fair.

I fully understand and respect what you're saying. I didn't mean you specifically about the owe me stuff, I just meant in general. Its not fair and I never said it was or right but its the real world and like every other greedy person on the planet USAcycling follows the money. And please DH Diva don't act like there is not a difference between race experience and the "world champs". We have TONS of races to go to right here at home, all which count for experience. On the level of the world champs? no but experience for MUCH less expense nonetheless. It sucks and its not fair but at least the girl got on the list, id give both balls, sweep up turds and hound any and EVERY person I knew for help so I could go.

Best of luck to the girl who got selected. GEt a fund going on here like NEwton did last year, I think he made quite a bit from pay pal donations.

 

[DH Diva]

I fully understand and respect what you're saying. I didn't mean you specifically about the owe me stuff, I just meant in general. Its not fair and I never said it was or right but its the real world and like every other greedy person on the planet USAcycling follows the money. And please DH Diva don't act like there is not a difference between race experience and the "world champs". We have TONS of races to go to right here at home, all which count for experience. On the level of the world champs? no but experience for MUCH less expense nonetheless. It sucks and its not fair but at least the girl got on the list, id give both balls, sweep up turds and hound any and EVERY person I knew for help so I could go.

Best of luck to the girl who got selected. GEt a fund going on here like NEwton did last year, I think he made quite a bit from pay pal donations.

The main goal behind having a jr worlds in the first place for most countries is to target it's young riders and get them to international events so that when they are out of the jr ranks, they are stronger pro's right? More experience, jr development, and all that jazz right?

So if it's really come down to "we'll pay for you to go only if we think you'll win," and down to a trophy, it's no wonder we as a nation are getting are butts handed to us, and why there's not as much depth as there used to be. The point of jr development should be to take the kids that are showing promise and help them get to the next level.

It's rare that young girls jump on a bike and say, I wanna be a downhill mountain bike champ! So here we have one and USA Cycling is making it harder for her to realize her full potential, because she might not make the podium? It just sucks.

And Biker3, I'm not saying your wrong here about why they aren't paying her way, I'm smart enough to realize money talks, but it's not right and I'm not going to be quite about it. We are not going to bring women's DH back to the place it was when missy was racing without putting more effort into helping out or young riders.

 

[thePINKster]

all this controversy. dang

it's just depressing.

 

[HeyLady]

they dont pay for jr men in DH...BOND had to pay near 3 grand to go last year and he was the only automatic qualifier last year. they pay for junior XC to go. its pretty GAY...

(this is mikey)

 

[DH Diva]

they dont pay for jr men in DH...BOND had to pay near 3 grand to go last year and he was the only automatic qualifier last year. they pay for junior XC to go. its pretty GAY...

(this is mikey)

My bad for assuming they did. It was mentioned earlier in the thread that they would pay for the top two jr men to go, and the rest of the team had to pay there own way. If this is the case, it still sucks that our own governing body doesn't have any type of jr support or development anymore.

 

[thePINKster]

but it says on the form of financial responsibilities that they pay way for 2 jr men... i'm way confused

 

[DylanDeanDesign]

Do you know who this person was and what capacity they were involved in?

-ska todd

honestly, i donno the guy's name.... there were a few guys there that we were talking to, trying to get things straightened out (to no avail). it was more in context to the international pro podium.... i'm gonna post some more info about it on the DeclineMagazine.com Community blog in a few (i just went for a run...i need a shower first)

 

[DH Diva]

but it says on the form of financial responsibilities that they pay way for 2 jr men... i'm way confused

Perhaps Bond had to pay his own way because he wasn't in the top 2?

 

[WhiteRavenKS]

dunno if this matters at all but the way i heard it was that last year they didnt pay for anyone and they changed that for this season to help out the top two jr men.

 

[dondon]

As far as the JNR men that are being paid for - they have been paying their way all year -for everything to get to US open all the Norbas, Mt St anne, entires, travel , accomodation etc. out of own pockets. These expenses add up to way more than a worlds trip. So if anyone deserves financial support it is those two guys.
Other than that, local raffles/parties supported by your local bike shop and riding community should help raise a grand for tickets.

COmming from countries like South Africa and Namibia and South America it is way harder for riders to raise money to afford worlds with the hugely negative exchange rate but they all do it, whatever it takes out of honour and pride and just the whole experience.

So anyone complaining in USA should just suck it up and do what it takes.

 

[bballe336]

Perhaps Bond had to pay his own way because he wasn't in the top 2?

If he was the only automatic qualifier that would automatically make him part of the top 2.....

Apparently the rules have changed for this year. At least USAC is paying for someone to go. If they haven't in the past (which it sounds like they haven't) Then this is a pretty big step forward. There is some progress towards the USA's development of gravity racing and that is a good thing.

 

[DH Diva]

As far as the JNR men that are being paid for - they have been paying their way all year -for everything to get to US open all the Norbas, Mt St anne, entires, travel , accomodation etc. out of own pockets. These expenses add up to way more than a worlds trip. So if anyone deserves financial support it is those two guys.
Other than that, local raffles/parties supported by your local bike shop and riding community should help raise a grand for tickets.

COmming from countries like South Africa and Namibia and South America it is way harder for riders to raise money to afford worlds with the hugely negative exchange rate but they all do it, whatever it takes out of honour and pride and just the whole experience.

So anyone complaining in USA should just suck it up and do what it takes.

I know how hard those guys have busted their butts getting to where they have and I applaud them for all they have accomplished this season.

I guess the reason this whole situation bothers me is the major negativity lately within the sport of downhill in the US. The first thing you hear when results from big events come out is, "Geesh, the first american placed so low, american riders really suck," and a lot of times this is coming from americans. And with that, there seems to be less and less support from our own governing body.

So everybody wants to complain that we lack depth, but what is happening to help that? Less support for Jr riders, and all jr riders not just the girls, isn't going to make the situation better. It seems like in the past there has been more guidance and opportunity for the young riders but recently every year there seems to be less and less. It's most likely reflective of the general direction dh seems to be taking recently in this country.

I hope things get better. It's a bummer to see so few new kids showing up at the races, and sticking around.

Anyways, Good luck to everyone who can make it over there, and to those who can't, start saving up for next year and show 'em what you got until them.

 

[thePINKster]

As far as the JNR men that are being paid for - they have been paying their way all year -for everything to get to US open all the Norbas, Mt St anne, entires, travel , accomodation etc. out of own pockets. These expenses add up to way more than a worlds trip. So if anyone deserves financial support it is those two guys.
Other than that, local raffles/parties supported by your local bike shop and riding community should help raise a grand for tickets.

COmming from countries like South Africa and Namibia and South America it is way harder for riders to raise money to afford worlds with the hugely negative exchange rate but they all do it, whatever it takes out of honour and pride and just the whole experience.

So anyone complaining in USA should just suck it up and do what it takes.

I totally agree with you that they have worked hard. They deserve financial support to go to worlds cuz yes, they have been working their butts off to get to where they are.

I've been working hard too though. maybe not as hard as those boys, but I've been extremely dedicated to the sport, and have given it my focus for years.

dont under-rate the women's dedication. They probably want it just as badly.

 

[DH Diva]

If he was the only automatic qualifier that would automatically make him part of the top 2.....

Apparently the rules have changed for this year. At least USAC is paying for someone to go. If they haven't in the past (which it sounds like they haven't) Then this is a pretty big step forward. There is some progress towards the USA's development of gravity racing and that is a good thing.

Just a few years ago, maybe 3ish I think, they paid for the top 2 male and female junior team members to go. I don't know about the last couple years though, maybe they haven't been so maybe this is a step foward?

 

[biker3]

Perhaps Bond had to pay his own way because he wasn't in the top 2?

Nah Bond rolled the Juniors last year. He was series leader by that point and he was JR nationals champ which actually happened later. If anyone would have gotten paid for, it would have been him. He qualied 7th at Junior worlds so he was def right up there.

 

[DH Diva]

Nah Bond rolled the Juniors last year. He was series leader by that point and he was JR nationals champ which actually happened later. If anyone would have gotten paid for, it would have been him. He qualied 7th at Junior worlds so he was def right up there.

Wow. I had no idea that USA Cycling ever stopped funding the jr team, I knew several kids a few years ago that had their ways paid. Sad really. So has the jr scene seem to be effected by this at all? There certainly aren't as many jr women anymore, is talent the jr men's field as deep as it used to be?

 

[General Lee]

just got a new press release from usa cycling. . . . looks like the updates roster:

Elite Men’s Downhill
*Duncan Riffle (Santa Barbara, Calif.)
*Justin Havukainen (Castro Valley, Calif.)

Cody Warren (Alpine, Calif.)

Curtis Keene (Fremont, Calif.)

Cole Bangert (Twin Lakes, Colo.)

Christopher Herndon (Etowah, N.C.)

Luke Strobel (Renton, Wash.)

Elite Women’s Downhill
*Tara Llanes (Los Alamitos, Calif.)
*Jackie Harmony (Tucson, Ariz.)

Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz.)

Junior Men’s Downhill
*Daniel Hultgen (Santa Barbara, Calif.)
*Hank Cadle (Lake Forest , Calif.)

Logan Bignelli (St. George, Utah)

Andrew Pierce (Park City, Utah)

Tim Price (Great Falls, Va.)

Junior Women’s Downhill
*Christina Pinney (Concord, Calif.)

Elite Men’s 4-Cross
*Brian Lopes (San Clemente, Calif.)
*Chris Powell (San Diego, Calif.)
*Rich Houseman (Temecula, Calif.)
*Eric Carter (Winchester, Calif.)

Cody Warren (Alpine, Calif.)

Make Haderer (Concord, Calif.)

Lars Sternberg (Vashon, Wash.)

Elite Women’s 4-Cross
*Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash.)
*Tara Llanes (Los Alamitos, Calif.)
*Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz.)
*Jessica Vogt (Boulder, Colo.)

Leanna Gerrard (Lake Tapps, Wash.)

 

[motomike]

Much better.

 

[DH Diva]

Is anyone else but me surprised that April didn't make the DH team?? She's second in the series, and it looks like of 4 national events, jackie only placed higher than her once, and April has won 2 NMBS races this season?? That's a bummer, it seems like she's having a really good season.