Press Release

USA Cycling Announces 2011 Gravity National Championship 47

bturman
12/22/2010 3:49pm
An excerpt from USA Cycling's latest press release:


In its first year as a separate event, the USA Cycling Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships will head to the Great Smoky Mountains. Scheduled for September 24-25 on North Carolina’s Beech Mountain, the event will feature downhill and four-cross racing for gravity enthusiasts of all ages.


Let's hear it Vital members, what do you think?  Who's been there?  What's the terrain like?  Your thoughts on hosting it so late in the year?




47 comments

View replies to: USA Cycling Announces 2011 Gravity National Championship

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Morpheous
13 years ago
Just an Idea.! USAC chould probably consider an Eastern & Western championship, it would double the participation due to logistics and make for reasonable travel costs for all. (plus eastern and western US mountain terrain is totally different in nature.) Not sure why the date after the Worlds is an issue? School is a consideration, but surely you've all missed school for lesser reasons Im sure. ......
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Uncle Mayhem
13 years ago
I got no problem with the location but are you kidding about September??? A month after school starts is just flat out lame. Not too mention the Worlds will be over. I can say there will be a small junior turnout which is so so sad.
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jet
13 years ago
Why is everyone from the West crying? If you want a shot at being a champion, go to the race. If not shut up...Finally some home court advantage for us on the East coast. I think I'm gonna reserve my room now...
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Peddler
13 years ago
OK Northstar was a little over 1 hour. This is a bit farther but a cool part of the world just the same. I am sure they can come up with a acceptable track. I never totally understood having the Championships mid season as it is a bit like having your desert before the main coarse. Herndon and Beytag know whats up for a proper track. If you have any money left over we can head to Dollywood.
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BenMx26
13 years ago
My projected funds needed for 2011 Nationals:
Airfare - $300.00
Rental Car - $300
Hotel - $300
Race Fees - $90
Food - ??
Gas - ??
Bike Baggage Costs - ??
Estimated Total for ONE person - $1200.00

Last years Nationals cost me under $300.00. Majority of that was gas money. I was able to camp, and bring my own food and drinks. Looks like I better start saving!! ...and this year my wife wants to come.
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chequamie
13 years ago
First of all, I would like to agree with Quinton, we need to use lemons to make lemonade, secondly, there are some concerns arising from this situation. Issue #1 the juniors and amateurs are getting screwed as the majority of them are in some sort of school, or work situation that makes it a bad time to take time off out of vacation time etc. not to mention a lot of racers are just plain out of money by the end of the season weather it is from broken equipment, broken bones or travel expenses lets face it this sport is not cheap It seem usac is giving this event a B- rating rather than the A+ rating it should have being a TRUE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! Issue #2 Im not sure how many of you are aware that there is a mountain bike promoters summit in colorado Springs in the fall where Usac addresses issues with race promoters and athlete trustees, in some discussions i have taken part in with people who participated these meetings, participation numbers are addressed, it appears that gravity is being surpassed by cyclocross according to usac data. JDD or darner could probably clarify (please keep in mind I am getting some of this info second hand but it sounds accurate considering my sources) . My fear is that with this event being scheduled as it is, the participation numbers will be lower than average and that these lower numbers will be used by usac as justification to pull more funding and physical resources from gravity and use them elsewhere.
Issue # 4 What happened to growing the sport? the real future of the sport is not the pros who are gonna miss crankworks but the 12 and 15 year old kids who spend every waking hour riding and honing their skills with the hope that one day they might be a pro!! time to reevaluate people!

One final note,(no disrespect to herndon, beytagh and their capable crew) I also would like to point out that the momentum crew has left some big ass shoes for all future race promoters to step into, whether you love their courses or hate them they progressed the sport huge in the last two years, the small amount of tv time that they did get for Gravity racing definitely got peoples attention, and got them interested in mountain biking again.
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swbranney
13 years ago
It's not the location, we made the trek to vermont for the US nats before it went to Sol Vista. When the Nats were at Sol Vista they didn't have 3000 feet of vertical to work with either.
What pisses me off is USAC scheduling an event that is not only after the world championships for our discipline, but is even after the trade show that marks the start of the following year. Regardless of what the UCI would like, looking through the schedule it appears that most if not all other USAC disciplines have their national championships before the world championships.
Quinton's comments are valid, we have to make the most of what we have. Iif we just accept that it's OK for our governing body to drop a load of crap on us like they have with this decision, they'll continue to treat us like second class citizens within our own national governing body.
The venue is fine, the course builders could be great, and the timing of the event absolutely blows.
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Kathy_Carney
13 years ago
Well National champs and College national champs both on the east coast a month apart during school. That will be interesting logistically. Delta Airlines will certainly be stoked. But who doesn't love a new venue? I bet it will be awesome....and nothin' beats southern hospitality. Looking forward!
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jhart15
13 years ago
MotoMike-hence why I said it is best near the middle of the country....doesn't have to be colorado there are other resorts that could do it. Hopefully they do one on the west coast next time at least
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motomike
13 years ago
Wherever it is located, some people have to drive/fly long distances to get to it. Having it on the west coast would be no different, just a different group of people who have to fly to it and bitch about it..
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jhart15
13 years ago
Thom----im sure it would be cheap for you and also very cheap for people in the state doesn't make it cheap for anyone west especially during school time...I doubt many college kids would be able to fly money wise and missing classes for driving at least 4 days across the country would be out of the question...Im sure USA Cycling knows what they are doing but I believe they could of made a better decision to better suite everyone but that is just my humble opinion. Regardless im sure there will be more than enough competitors to make the race great, just disappointed that there is no possible way for me and many others like me to make it thats all
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KHSFactoryRacing
13 years ago
"If you fly into Knoxville or Charlotte, it's a straight shot up the interstate to Beech. I'm sure there will be pressure on Sugar to open the lifts for racers to play before and after on the course there. The bottom half of the mountain lends itself to a great 4x layout.

Herndon has plenty of experience building tracks and racing, with a National Championship to show for it. Geritt has a National Championship under his belt as well and we all know what we're doing when it comes to laying out good tracks. We'll make it fun as long as you're here to ride and race, not pout and pucker.

You can make most people happy some of the time, but you're not going to make everyone happy every time. Ride!!!!"

NICELY said! SEEEEEE!
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bizutch
13 years ago
If you fly into Knoxville or Charlotte, it's a straight shot up the interstate to Beech. I'm sure there will be pressure on Sugar to open the lifts for racers to play before and after on the course there. The bottom half of the mountain lends itself to a great 4x layout.

Herndon has plenty of experience building tracks and racing, with a National Championship to show for it. Geritt has a National Championship under his belt as well and we all know what we're doing when it comes to laying out good tracks. We'll make it fun as long as you're here to ride and race, not pout and pucker.

You can make most people happy some of the time, but you're not going to make everyone happy every time. Ride!!!!
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thom9719
13 years ago
@Jhart15, It's a lot cheaper for me to fly to North Carolina than to drive to Colorado from Seattle. Having it at the later date in a smaller location actually will save me money.

-KT
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One Ghost
13 years ago
@Jhart15..and if we can get it televised!!! think of what TV does for football and NASCAR!
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E.T.
13 years ago
If only Whistler's Crankworx could host the U.S. National Champs...
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jhart15
13 years ago
@quitonspaulding--- I highly agree with you but it would make it a lot easier for us to embrace our sport with a national champs near the middle of the country for all to go to and at a time where the greatest number of competitors would be able to race
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One Ghost
13 years ago
I am neither excited or jaded by this venue or date. to me it is just a matter of logistics on how One Ghost Industries and our team will get there. maybe a bake sale is in order!
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KHSFactoryRacing
13 years ago
WE need to embrace what we have and make it better... LETS focus on whats important - RACING!!! We are off the back if compared to the rest of the World's pace, and why...? because we are always bitching about venues, dates and locations instead of knuckling down and focusing and what WE can do to win our OWN National Championships and elevate American DH racing to the level of success we all want. The rest of the World should be watching us... not visa versa. Lets band together as DH racers and make our sport better in the U.S., lets help each other succeed and stop fighting ourselves. Less TALK more ACTION!
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Bearded Clam
13 years ago
hum sooooo the east coast gets the U.S. Open and National Champs and the west gets interbike???
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TRex
13 years ago
All the dates are bad for scheduling, seems to me like this choice was about as good as any. If it was earlier in the year on an open weekend, would big teams and support rather criss cross the country multiple times for St. Anne, Windham, Crankworks, Idaho (for xc), back to Beech and then back to Interbike later? It may not be better than earlier, but its not that much worse either. All we should really care about is the courses. Can I put in a request for a smooth, flat 4X and very safe DH with nothing to hit? All the other stuff is just no fun.
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E.T.
13 years ago
I'm actually kinda stoked on this...I feel like National Champs had too much emphasis on World Champs selection in the past. This will obviously change that. I'm only a little bummed that it is on the East coast purely due to logistics and personal funding. Other than that, bring on the East coast GNAR!!! YEAH!!!!
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sideshow
13 years ago
huh...well, i guess it is cool that there is some new exposure for a new location/region.
however, i will say this: that is a terrible, terrible date. just think about what percentage of the necessary turnout at a national is within the age range of college and high school kids. also just the time of year and various preceding events add an unnecessary twist.
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Herndon
13 years ago
The date was originally July, probably not a big deal for most non pro racers. For a lot of the top US pro guys they are contracted for Crankworks. I personally know people that have and would skip National Champs for Crankworks. There were very few dates available and after contacting a handful of top US pros, USAC did listen and was willing to not conflict Crankworks. As for Worlds selection, National Champs was good for junior selection but I feel a clear definition of the races USAC will use will be just as good. For pros the World Cups determine who should go anyways. I was selected for a 3rd place finish one year at National Champs and while it was an honor to go, there were other riders that were better suited for that caliber of competition, and in my opinion those are the guys and girls that excel at the World Cups.
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mickey
13 years ago
Beech MT- The end of the yellow brick road. Really.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utyP6QqfeHI
There is an abandoned wizard of OZ themed amusement park at the top of the mountain. AND the paved road down the mountain is going to be gnarly as fuck on 2.5 hookworms. Something like 11 gnarly switchbacks and 2+ miles of paved chunder.

The betting pool for the road race starts now.

That sucks to hear that there might be a 4x race though. I was really hoping that that stupid fucking sport was finally going to die, especially since it's killing gravity racing in America.
I suggest all y'all Lindsey Wilson kids pass the hat and we can race the REAL gated championship on your DS track.
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drewfis
13 years ago
What a joke. This means a shit ton of sponsors aren't going to be there because of interbike. There's no way in hell they're going to get half the turnout.
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NY_Star
13 years ago
Looks like i will be skipping a few classes next year. 3 weeks after worlds is a HORRIBLE IDEA
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sspomer
13 years ago
glad there is an event and having it east coast is cool, IMO. with the quality of riders in that neck of the woods, the mountain should be able to put on a good show. the odd thing about the date is worlds selection. based on last year's usa worlds team, national champs seems like it played a pretty big role in who went. for 2011, that doesn't seem to be the case. the industry is burned out after interbike and the venue is 2077 miles from las vegas according to mapquest. it will be interesting to see what the support rig/industry turnout looks like.
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Downhill Mike
13 years ago
As Quinton said "We have a nationals championship!"
1 week after Interbike and 2 weeks after the Whiteface 5 K DH!
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JoeySchusler
13 years ago
Time for some easy coast action! Looking forward to both events, although Sept 24-25 is an odd date to have nats...
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bjenson
13 years ago
Pretty sure the majority of racers will be in school... Too bad for them (USAC, that is).
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bpatterson6
13 years ago
I'm kinda disappointed. I hoped for it to be in the western US again.
Not sure I'll be able to make it this year.
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MillsFan
13 years ago
Beech mtn is interesting. They have a pretty solid high speed lift and about 800-900 vertical feet. The runs will likely range between 2 and 2 &1/2 minutes. Expect rain, mud, and roots. I've heard lots and lots of dirt will be arriving at some point for the 4x track.
Interesting note: Beech mtn has one of the largest Mtn board courses in the east.
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bturman
13 years ago
As a quick fyi to those planning out your calendars, this is the week after interbike...
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swbranney
13 years ago
I'm happy for North Carolina, sounds like a nice mtn, but the race is 3 weeks AFTER the world championships

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