Online Exclusive: Choose Your Own DH Adventure

Fionn Griffiths flies down the 2007 Sea Otter DH course Alan Davis

The first weeks of 2008 signal the time to start planning this year’s vacation days. Before you break out that shiny new day planner, though, there are numbers to crunch. This season, U.S. gravity racers have more choices than ever. Whether you’re a pro or an amateur, there are three main series and multiple independent races to consider. Selecting which races to attend, which series to align with, and which days to call in sick has never been trickier.

Wading through the alphabet soup that represents America’s three major gravity series—the National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS), National Racing Calendar (NRC) and Mountain States Cup (MSC)—can be confusing, but don’t be overwhelmed. Some of the major races actually count toward more than one of those three series, and unless you’re a pro going for overall titles, it hardly matters. The real message here is positive: There are now more quality events to choose from than ever, which gives U.S. gravity racing the kick in the pants that it needs.

In the past, pro racers have attended as many NMBS races (formerly the NORBA National series) as possible, chasing points and the series title. Now, however, gravity racers may find it difficult to focus on just NMBS points. This year it seems to be the NRC that’s getting the most publicity, thanks to USA Cycling’s member newsletters and press releases. In order for a race to be included on the NRC, promoters must meet certain guidelines that include financial obligations, including minimum pro purse requirements.

Jeff Frost, organizer of the NMBS, says his series “has nothing to do with” the National Racing Calendar, and the reason NMBS gravity events are listed on USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar has to do with pro cross-country events. “That listing was not by our choice, but was a function of hosting the only UCI cross-country events in the United States,” Frost says.

Though the 2008 NMBS exists as a separate entity from the NRC, it has traditionally been considered the premier pro series, and this year it travels to legendary venues like Deer Valley, Utah, and Santa Ynez, California, as well as newer locales like Fontana, California, and Tamarack, Idaho.

The upstart Mountain States Cup hosts six of the 10 NRC events, which explains why half of the NRC occurs in Colorado. While the top attraction of NMBS races seems to be professional cross-country racing, the MSC focuses on gravity racing. The MSC hosts two more races that aren’t part of the NRC—Nathrop, Colorado, and Crested Butte, Colorado. The rest of the NRC is composed of races hosted by other promoters. These races include the Keyesville Classic in California, the Capital Cup at Wisp, Maryland, and the Whiteface 5K Downhill in New York.

Then there’s Angel Fire, New Mexico. If you’re going to travel to one event this season, make it Angel Fire. It manages to count toward each series—MSC, NRC, and NMBS—and pros can vie for UCI points too. There are now three downhill and four-cross races in the U.S. that count for UCI points (Snowmass, Colorado, offers Class 1 points while Angel Fire, and Keystone, Colorado, are Class 2). These promise to be some of the biggest events of the year and should give American pros a much-needed opportunity to gain the UCI points required to race World Cup events.

Though only a small number of racers will dedicate themselves to overall titles, it’s still worth noting the season’s biggest conflict comes at the end. All of the final races occur Labor Day weekend—the MSC and NRC finale is at Sol Vista, Colorado, and the NMBS wrap-up is at Tamarack, Idaho. To add a bit more confusion to the mix, the NRC’s Whiteface 5K Downhill takes place that weekend too.

With all of these racing opportunities, what’s a gravity addict to do? Here are some suggestions:

1) If you’re a pro, the first step is easy—write the UCI races on your calendar with ink and attend those races. (Unless you’re a pro who likes cash more than UCI points. In that case, travel to the U.S. Open at Diablo Freeride Park in New Jersey and forgo Angel Fire.) 2) This goes for pros and amateurs alike: Pick an NMBS race that lets you leave your home state. 3) Attend a race that kicked your butt last year and redeem yourself. 4) Go to at least one of the MSC G3-formatted races. 5) Attend your local races 6) And get to one or more of these events: Sea Otter Classic, Crankworx, and the U.S. Open.

Scheduling conflicts are inevitable, but if you choose where and when you want to race, you’ll have a successful and stress-free season.

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