Posts from 200909

Going into its forth year, the Midwest Regional Championship will once again be held conjunction with the Iceman, in Traverse City, Michigan on Saturday November 7.

This competition offers many of those placing at the top of their class in WORS an opportunity to compete in the largest single day (and sold out) MTB event in North America and is certainly a great way to cap off the season while showcasing the talent of WORS racers.

The fee to participate in this great event will again be a mere $10 administrative fee to cover the cost of the number plate, processing of the entry, insurance, etc.. We are extremely grateful to the ?Iceman?, Steve Brown for making this possible!

In determining qualifiers for this event, WORS racers are slotted into the Iceman divisions (a possible 46 are applicable) with the race entry first offered to the highest placing qualifier in the combined division. If that qualifier is unable to attend or declines participation in the MRC, the entry will pass to the next highest qualifier. Slush cup and Sno Cone races at the Iceman do not qualify. Because WORS has many more classes than the 46 applicable Iceman divisions, we must combine many of our classes and use overall placement within a category to determine qualifiers. It may take until after Sheboygan to determine qualifiers in some classes. Please remember WORS Comp and Sport will be combined for Iceman Sport divisions, just as there are for reporting results to USA Cycling. The Iceman has expanded Sport divisions, notably Sport Men with 40-43, 44-46, and 47-49 requiring a reverse scenario from the one explained above. In determining the MRC standings after the race, only one racer will represent each series in any single Iceman division.

The Midwest Regional Championships (MRC) is a "lowest-points wins" competition between mountain bike race series in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky and West Virginia that pits division winners from each state series in a head to head competition. 1st place equals 1 point, 2nd place 2 points and so on. DNF?s are not scored. A minimum of 10 racers used in this lowest-points formula. For state series sending less than 10 representatives, a penalty of 20 points will be issued for each spot that is not filled.

VERY IMPORTANT: ALL registration forms for qualifying WORS racers must be sent directly to WORS and WORS will forward entries to the Iceman in ONE package. You must either mail your form to WORS or drop it off at the WORS tent at one of the last two races along with the $10 administrative fee for the Iceman. Entry forms will be available at the WORS tent or here.

All registration forms for WORS racers who think they may qualify must be received (not postmarked) no later than October 15.

Thanks to Ryan O?Dell, series director of the Ohio Mountain Bike Championships for coordinating this competition.

Direct any questions to Don at don@wors.org.

This summer?s NORBA Board of Trustees election also saw an incumbent who was on the USA Cycling Board of Directors defeated opening up his seat on the USAC BOD. Don was nominated for this position by the president of the NORBA Board of Trustees and elected to the post by a vote amongst the trustees. The USAC BOD deals with the financial aspects of USA Cycling among other all encompassing duties, meeting twice annually to conduct business. ?I am very excited about the new position and hope to quickly learn as much as I can so as to make the best of this opportunity.?

Input from members regarding USA Cycling can be directed to Don at don@wors.org.

I was out with chief of course, Brian Heikennen and area director, Scott Berry this week as we worked on finalizing the course. Here is the low down, the course will start with a significant rough logging road climb follow by an additional mile and half of rolling two track. From here a short section of single track (yet to be constructed) will take Sport and above to a technical switch back descent while Citizen will continue on a fast two track descent. The course comeback together and the remainder of the course switches back and forth between pretty much equal amounts of single track and two track all of it being rolling and rough, but with a very good flow. The lap should be approximately fiv and three quarters miles.

The WORS website events page for the Wolf River Rendezvous has been updated. Hope to see all of you at this event on October 4.

Camera maker GoPro has gifted Team WORS two of their GoPro HERO Wide-angle lens cameras. Footage from the cameras is online at the Team WORS vimeo.

Mark Lalonde, racing for Planet Bike, GT and Twin Six, is in contention for the Pro / Cat 1 Belgioioso Series Overall in the 2009 Wisconsin Off Road Series.

Mark rode with the WORS GoPro HERO Cam mounted to the stem of the GT "freak bike" 69er at Treadfest, tenth race in the series. The Treadfest course has been described as the most technical on the WORS circuit, and the conditions on September 13 were dry and dusty in the singletrack. This video shows Mark's entire first lap in a five-lap race. Mark went on to win at Treadfest, his third trip to the top of the Belgioioso Series podium this year.

WORS GoPro HERO Cam: Mark Lalonde Elite Treadfest - 1st lap (LOW Res version) from Team WORS on Vimeo.

A higher resolution video, divided into two sections, is here:

WORS GoPro HERO Cam: Mark Lalonde Elite Treadfest - 1st lap (HIGH Res version PART 1) from Team WORS on Vimeo.

The second half of the HI RES version will be posted here, once it is online.

For complete results, check WORS.org.

You should follow Team WORS on Twitter here.

TeamWORS Treadfest Photo Contest Finalists here.

Check back here for more links to photos and WORS GoPro HERO Cam movies - including the movie of Mark Lalonde's complete first lap!

Please review the recently updated WORS Photo Contest rules, and submit photos to TeamWORS at gmail dot com.

NEW: TeamWORS is now accepting short (< 60 seconds) digital video clips as well as photos. The raw file (.mov, .avi, .mpg, etc) must be submitted directly via email.

1. Best Venue Photo. For tips on this category, see this page.
2. Best Photo of Racer(s) and a Sponsor Banner. For tips on this category, see the Team WORS website. Team WORS plans to install banners within walking distance of the start. Directions to these banners will be available at the Registration Tent after 4:00 on Saturday.
3. Best Candid Moment. This could be a photograph or short video of a racer, from the kids race, the podium, or spectators.
4. Best Photo or Video of the start climb.
5. Best Video of Racers in the Rock Garden. A spectator favorite, the rock garden is sure to attract photographers as well. Switch over to video mode, create a short video clip (< 60 seconds) and submit to TeamWORS AT gmail DOT com.

130+ Team WORS Photo Contest Finalists

WORS 2009 Movie Preview.

WORS Reforestation Ramble race report on cyclingnews.com, cyclingdirt.org, and MTBracenews.com.

WORS Photo Contest rules

WORS Photo Contest tips at TeamWORS.org

Camera maker GoPro has gifted Team WORS two of their GoPro HERO Wide-angle lens cameras. Footage from the cameras is online at the Team WORS vimeo.

Emily Shull, racing for CLIF Bar, is riding this year near the top of the women's Cat 3 Hayes Citizen Series. Emily's race at WORS #9, the Ramble, was no different. Emily (13) finished second out of 48 women, ranging in age from 12 to 55.

WORS GoPro HERO Cam: Emily S Cit REFORESTATION RAMBLE - 1st lap (short version) from Team WORS on Vimeo.

Because WORS is America's Largest Mountain Bike Race Series, the men in almost every field (except for the Pro / Cat 1 Belgioioso Elite Series) begin in age-group specific waves, staggered a few minutes apart. The smaller women's field then take to the course as a single group. Thus, the women have an outright race, competing against the entire field rather than only those within their age group.

At the top of every women's field, racers must learn to pass slower male riders who started in waves ahead of them. If this race had been a time trial, the winner of Emily's race would have finished around 40th out of 140 Cat 3 men on the course. This means that, during the course of her race, she probably passed around 40-60 riders from various start waves.

The amount of passing is great practice, and makes the women's race a technical and tactical challenge. The video shows 13-year old Emily and 14-year old Rachael (who won the Ramble) demonstrating excellent passing technique. Almost all of the men, too, show excellent skills and etiquette while being passed - especially those riders who were able to accommodate two passing riders at a time! You'll also see how quickly gaps close between the women in the front as they catch slower riders without the opportunity to pass, and how hard they sprint in open passing sections. That's great racing!

Thanks to Emily for riding with the camera mounted to her bike!

2009 WORS MOVIE - CALL FOR PHOTOS AND VIDEO!

After a good reception for the 2008 WORS movie, TeamWORS will again create a video for the 2009 season. The movie will include still photos and short video clips captured by WORS spectators and racers during the 2009 season, along with footage from the GoPro HERO Cams.

As before, we?re asking you to help us by contributing your photos and videos. All photos are appreciated, and we?re especially interested in multiple photos that capture a similar frame in a sequence (a preview of the 2008 movie will help to explain this request).

Video footage has been especially hard to find. If you have short movies taken with a video camera or hand-held camera at WORS events, we?d be delighted to have it. And, of course, if you ride with a helmet cam - let us know!

To contribute photos or video, burn them onto a disc and drop them off at the WORS registration tent at any event. Please remember to label the disc with your name and a contact info (phone or email), in case of questions. If you have a very larger number of ?les, email us at teamWORS at gmail dot com, and we may be able to arrange transfer using an external USB drive.

New this year, we?d really like to thank all photo and video contributors in the credits with a photo alongside their name. We?ll be asking photographers to submit a photo - preferably one taken at a WORS event. And, of course, contributors will receive a free copy of the ?nished WORS 2009 DVD. Thanks!!

Here's a preview of IOLA segment from the WORS 2009 movie in progress - it's still rough around the edges!

Iola preview from Team WORS on Vimeo.