[downhill mike]

This years 5K Downhill will be on Sunday September 11, 2011.

The Official Press Release will be out next Monday but here are a few things we thought you'd like to know.

* Online registration will be $65.00 for amateurs. The $65.00 includes your 2 day lift pass. That's the same cost as our 2 day lift pass during the regular season.

* Online Registration will be $80.00 for pros (includes 2 day lift pass).

* On site registration will be $15.00 more for all (includes 2 day lift pass).

* USAC Sanctioned State Championship Event
It's The Battle of New York with Plattekill versus Whiteface!

* Full 5 K Downhill course from the summit of Little Whiteface
(8 minute pro times)

* Professionally timed

 

[Sandwich]

i;m exhausted just thinking about it. course details?

 

[downhill mike]

Too early for course details. We just opened last weekend for the very busy bike fest. I like last years course the best though. Cliffs of Insanity- stream crossing, ect.

 

[Eastern States Cup]

Wow Mike,

That is great you are able to keep the price so low for such a big mountain. NYS Championship Finals, Eastern States Cup #10 and the flumes, great stuff.

 

[downhill mike]

I keep learning from Lazslo. You once told me it was cheaper to race at Plattekill than to ride there. That deserves a big wow!

 

[downhill mike]

Online registration for the 5 K DH will open this week!
This thread will be updated as soon as that happens and all info will be on www.downhillmike.com

Final course to be decided this week. It will be a full 5 K DH course. The only difference racers will notice is the price to race at The Face

Check this out: Right now it's $65.00 for a 2 day lift pass. Same as last year as we did not raise prices on lift passes this year.

If you register online it's $65.00 to race and for your 2 day lift pass. Kind of like a free race!

Online price: Amateurs = $65.00/Pros = $80.00.
On site registration will be $15.00 more for all categories.

So who's coming?

 

[downhill mike]

Online registration for this years Whiteface 5 K DH can be found at: http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1978533&assetId=2ccc6353-45ee-4f32-9abf-ddd62c8ab2d7

 

[p-spec]

That photo looks my style riding,why do I have to be broke.

Looks fun.

 

[boogenman]

Holy smokes I can't believe it has been 6 years already! I have tentative plans to be there thAt weekend. Maybe Boogenman will dust off his racing boots

 

[downhill mike]

Yep 6 years already. We will be celebrating our 10th annual 5 K DH before you know it. We'll have to do something HUGE for that one. Ha-ha.

Jamie Ford won our 1st 5 K DH with a time of 6:36. That was the shortest course we ever had, as last year Justin Leov came in 1st at around 7:45 or so, and Tracey Mosely with a 9:01. This year we expect a more regional top 10 as we are not part of the Pro GRT.

The final course should be decided by next week. Once that is done we will place 5 K DH stickers on all trail signs that the course will follow. That way anyone can practice the race course while we are sill open 7 days a week.

There is so much new stuff this year we are having trouble deciding which trails to use. Not a bad problem! The new section of upper Freedom is sick!

 

[downhill mike]

Should we add more single-track up top?
If we do Evil Empire (27) to Cliffs of Insanity (26) and back to lower Evil (27) that would add at least 1 to 2 minutes to the time. If we do that maybe we can just make it so once you get to mid it's like 30+ mph to the finish. Basically 6 or so minutes for the 1st 1,700 of vert, then 2 minutes or so for the last 880 feet of vert.

 

[Eastern States Cup]

I still like the first two years courses best. But all the trails are good so whatever you come up with it will be fun!!

 

[Sandwich]

Personally, I love #24 after the first section. That first section is brutal, but then it ducks back into the woods for some ultra greatness.

 

[nh dude]

Ran what you ran last year. IT was awesome especially with the new work in on cliffs of insanity. The orginal course is great too. The 08 course that went off the back and down through the fire road was great also. Everyone loves that top speed ski slop before cliffs.

 

[downhill mike]

I am liking last years course with the Cliffs and the stream crossing. Remember after entering 13 (after the stream crossing) you made a quick left on the flat wood chip road to a 90 degree right into trail 12. Well, the bottom of 13 used to be flat and that is why we did that last year. This year we fixed the flat section on 13. So now you'll carry more speed and still end up on 12 where we put a new pretty major bridge in. I was just thinking about losing the road section after the cliffs and go straight to the lowest section of Evil Empire single-track. Not sure if anyone minds an even longer and more challenging 5 K course.

Today's rain was the 1st rain we have in weeks. Tomorrow the trails should be nice and tacky! Anyone that can get here to check it out should.

 

[downhill mike]

 

[Eastern States Cup]

Mike, are you talking about that straight shot ski trail that gets you going Mach 10?

 

[downhill mike]

Nope. Too much new stuff to explain. If you have not ridden Whiteface this year, it's hard to explain.

 

[downhill mike]

Finally a picture of me on the Cliffs of Insanity:

 

[downhill mike]

Proposed 5 K DH course map:

This course would be different from any previous 5 K DH course and will showcase much of the new work that has been done this year.

01) Starting off on Drifting Terror aka trail # 23 (service road) for the 1st 3 turns, then onto the new single-track on Freedom (trail #24).
02) From Freedom you'll work your way down to Inconceivable (trail # 25). This section of single-track is approx. 800 feet of vertical. You still have 1,488 feet of vertical from this point. There will be maybe 1/8 to 1/4 mile of service road to connect Freedom & Inconceivable.
03) Inconceivable is all in the woods too and offers plenty of fast flowy tech! This trail drops approx. 550 more vertical feet. Now your at mid station with another 880 vertical feet to go!
04) Blast down The Fire Swamp (trail # 4) which is a ski trail that you'll carry plenty of speed for another 1/8 of a mile or so to Fearless (trail # 22).
05) Fearless is all single-track and was used in one of our 5 K DH's.
06) Fearless ends on Brakelsss (trail # 9). This was the trail with the wood chips. No more wood chips and this trail is now super fast. Some may hit ludicrous speed here!
07) Before the end of Brakeless you make a right turn onto a service road for maybe 100 yards, so you can really enter Opiate (trail # 12) with some real speed. You'll bounce from berm to berm on this trail and also find it as a new trail if you've only raced here before.
08) Now the same sprint finish to the base area that was used in all previous 5 K DH's.

Whew! I got tired just typing that.

 

[downhill mike]

Just a reminder of our hours of operation after Labor Day.

The Whiteface Mountain Bike Park is still open 7 days a week from 9:00 till 3:30 until Monday September 5th (Labor Day).

After Labor Day we will be open on Friday, Saturday and Sundays only till 10-10.

The 5 K DH course can be ridden now, but please note that we will be closed on the weekdays leading up to the 5 K DH.

 

[epic]

Is the course marked now? I might try to get out there and ride it this week.

 

[boogenman]

Race fee is $65 even if I am staying at a ride and stay? Can't wait to get there either way.

 

[downhill mike]

FYI: Bike n Stay deals not valid with the $65.00 race fee. If you book a room it's still 65 bucks for your registration and 2 day lift pass.
The course is not marked now but easy to follow (once we have the final course decided). As of now trail 25 (Inconceivable) is not a dh trail. If a few sections can be made dh, it will be part of the course. Maybe 30 more man hours of work and we will know. However, all other trails on the projected course map will be used. If 25 is not used just substitute the section of trail 24 in that vicinity.

 

[downhill mike]

You may have noticed on the online registration that there are only 4 categories to choose from. Pro, Category 1, Category 2 or Category 3. This was taught to us by the timers at our last race out west. Once you register for your category we will then place you in the correct age and gender bracket.
This simplifies registration and ensures us the correct age since your USAC racing age may be 1 year older than you are now.
I think this idea was more important at Bootleg for 2 reasons (but I still like the idea here):
01) Most racers in February still have their birthday coming later the same year.
02) Many at Bootleg never raced a USAC sanctioned race and would enter the wrong age.

 

[downhill mike]

FYI. The Whiteface Region was hit by Hurricane Irene but not as bad as Plattekill or Highland. Our trail crew will be spending the next 2 weeks buffing out this new 5 K DH course.
We did have to close for a couple of days after this storm, but hope to re-open Wednesday August 30 for weekdays until 9-5.

Realizing this will be the 1st dh race in the north east in 3 weeks, we will be ready. Our web site has all the 5 K DH info on it with some rather big changes from previous years.

See ya at The Race

 

[downhill mike]

If anyone can help with course marshaling, we would greatly appreciate it. The 5 K is a big course and a total of 27 marshals are needed.
If you were wondering why this race will cost you less than previous 5 K DH races, the volunteers is one of the reasons. We have had to pay for course marshals in the past, and the cost was reflected in the higher price.
So, if you can course marshal it will really help us to keep the cost down this year, and for future 5 K DH races.

Also, no big named pros to scare off the local/regional pros. That must be why we went from averaging 70 pros a year, to only 30 last year? Anyways, the amateurs will not be paying for huge pro cash purses again.

We would like to continue with huge pro (and amateur) cash purses, but fully believe the manufacturers should be paying for that. Not you guys!

If you notice the tech/expo tab on the web site, we are NOT charging for prime parking near the finish line this year for teams or tech guys. We are doing all we can to make this big race, big but chill. Fun, fun and more fun is our goal for the 5 K DH!

Either chime in here or send me an email to: info@downhillmike.com