Vic's Crit - No SM 4 Open Cat?

[287506]

Is that flyer incorrect? Why are they leaving out the largest field?

[362477]

[i]SM 4s Largest Field at Vics Crit? [/i]Not last year... Was the second smallest men's field last year.
http://www.americancycling.org/Results/2008Results.aspx?RacePK=198

It's Masters State Champ this year, so that is what they look to be and should be focusing on.
7 other crits coming up in the next 5 weekends. plus 4 more CSP mid-week crits.
Plenty of crit racing to go around.

[244504]

That's disappointing. I was planning on doing this race, but there isn't any category I can race in. I guess it makes sense, since it's the masters championships. If that was the plan all along, it would have been nice to know that further in advance.

Do you suppose the low SM4 turnout last year had anything to do with the Boulder RR being that following day (and the SM4's had the highest participation by a significant margin - http://www.americancycling.org/Results/2008Results.aspx?RacePK=141)?

[6854]

[quote]I guess it makes sense, since it's the masters championships. If that was the plan all along, it would have been nice to know that further in advance.[/quote]

Ryan,

The fact that the Prospect Crit is the Masters Crit Champ Race has been on the ACA Web Site since February.

http://www.americancycling.org/PointsCompetitions/BAR_BAT/2009_BAR_BAT_Schedule.pdf

Harry.

[348740]

I think that the problem is that having no SM 4 totally excludes a group of racers. Riders over the age of 35 always have options for other categories, but cat. 4 riders under the age of 35 have only a single category to race in. At least group the SM4s and SM3s together, or create a cat. 4 field and have a SM 1,2,3 field. I think this also reveals the problem of having too many masters categories (see other topic discussions). And even though this race was announced in February as a Masters State Championships, I think it was reasonable to think that a SM4 category would be included, as it is at every other race on the calendar (and at past masters championships). The flyer only recently came out.

[244504]

Harry,
To me, Masters State Champ does not imply that there will be no SM4 race. For example, last year's Master Crit Championship race had a SM4 category. (http://www.americancycling.org/Results/2008Results.aspx?RacePK=207)

I don't have a problem with categories being left out to make for a reasonable length race day. It makes a lot of sense for this race, especially because there is another crit the next day that SM4's can race in. (One crit a weekend is plenty for me.) Ideally, there would be a way to get this information out sooner rather than finding out a couple weeks prior when the flier is published.

[362477]

I'm with you on promoters needing to get flyers out sooner. Good to know course, categories, entry fees and start times at least a month in advance. We have talked about this at Board meetings but are not sure how to get promoters to get the permit in earlier... Maybe they loose BAR/BAT status flyer is not sent in a month before race date?
This gets really bad during Cross season.

Looking at the August schedule, there are 3 races that don't have a flyer up yet.

[286321]

[quote=SwiftStephen]I'm with you on promoters needing to get flyers out sooner. Good to know course, categories, entry fees and start times at least a month in advance. We have talked about this at Board meetings but are not sure how to get promoters to get the permit in earlier... Maybe they loose BAR/BAT status flyer is not sent in a month before race date?
This gets really bad during Cross season.

Looking at the August schedule, there are 3 races that don't have a flyer up yet. [/quote]

Let's enforce the requirement that flyers must be posted 45 days in advance if the promotor wants to charge a late registration fee. A late fee of $10/racer times 100-200 racers brings in substantial extra revenue. The possibility of missing out on that revenue should provide a degree of motivation to get things settled earlier.

[362477]

When that is enforced, all the entries go up $5. See all the crits that are $30 with no late fee...

[0431]

FYI- we have legislation prepared that will ensure all fliers are posted well in advance. Basically, permits will not be processed until the flyer is approved. If this is important to you please make sure your club pays attention to legislation and votes at the annual meeting.