Race 1: Merrell Trail

Raceday: Saturday August 24th and Sunday August 25th, 2024

Race FAQ:

• What can I do to help? Please volunteer for a shift this weekend. We’re the home team, and our volunteers make this work on race day.
• What time should we show up? At least 45 minutes before staging time (listed below). We will publish specific team warmup times as we get closer to race day and recommend you get there for a ride so you can warmup with teammates. There is a single driveway into this park. Sometimes it gets really backed up. Please plan to be early.
• Do we have to pay for parking? Parking is $10 for 1-day and $15 for the weekend. This is somewhat at the discretion of the park itself, not MiSCA and not the Coyotes.
• What if the roster doesn’t show my name? If you are not listed, then you aren’t registered for this race, or you are not listed as a Coyote with MiSCA. Either of those scenarios can be easily resolved by emailing the coaches and/or emailing MiSCA.
• When do I get my number plate? Coaches will have your number plates at the race. Please turn them in after your race so that we can bring them each week for you. There is a $10 fee to replace, but if you give them back to us each week we will ensure they arrive safely. You can keep the number plate at the end of the season.
• Who do I tell if my rider quits mid-race or cannot finish for some reason? MiSCA needs to know first. Please stop by the scoring tent near the start/finish to let them know. They will go out on the trail looking for your child if they don’t show up at the end of a race, so it’s important to let them know. After telling MiSCA, please tell a Coyotes coach as well so that we’re not wondering what happened.
• What if we need to switch race categories from last race? Please talk to a coach by Thursday evening so we can submit the form to MiSCA. We’d love to talk to you first, before the change gets made. If you changed race classes between races (e.g. after Merrell, before Addison Oaks) please get your plate from the team tent, and then proceed to the MiSCA information tent to ensure the change was recorded (they’ll use your plate-chip to test it).

Food at the Race:

• Sign up for the team potluck luncheon and snack depot. Questions about this can be sent to Katrina Broughton for Saturday and Sue James for Sunday.
  • Saturday Link
  • Sunday Link
• Diners: Please throw your trash away when you’re done so the take-down crew isn’t stuck picking up your gross hot-dog buns and used cups.
• Please bring a reusable drink container (anything from a solo cup to a hydroflask). We have drink coolers but no cups. Bike water bottles work too!

Race Rules 101 (a quick summary)

Bike racing is pretty basic, right? The fastest biker wins. Like any sport, however, there’s a big rulebook for you to review. Please check it out so you’re up to speed. Here’s a summary of the big rules you need to know:

1. Wear a helmet. Everyone. Parents, riders, siblings, friends. Anyone with a leg over a bike needs a helmet or we risk penalties. They will dock your rider 5 minutes if it’s a parent. They’ll dock the team some points as well, as an alternative. Either way, it’s easier to put on a helmet, so do it.
2. Don’t be late for staging. You risk being started late, or worse being told you can’t race. The easy solution? Be early for everything.
3. Feed zones are the only area you can hand bottles/food to racers. This ensures that people aren’t stopping/slowing to grab water bottles in unsafe spots (blind corners, etc). Feedzones will be marked at races so you know where it’s ok.
4. Mechanical Assistance: Varsity. Varsity riders may only receive assistance from other racers who are currently racing on the course at the same time. This means that coaches, parents, friends, siblings, teammates from another race may not help. The time-penalty for violations isn’t worth it.
5. Mechanical Assistance: Elementary, Middle School, High School Novice, Junior Varsity. Assistance is more complex here.
   • Anyone can share parts, tools, etc. (adults, coaches, etc.)
   • Assistance in the form of physically aiding in repairs, including touching the rider’s bike during a repair, may only be received from others actively engaged in racing at the same time or approved adults.
   • Approved adults:
     • Active volunteers (a volunteer on-duty at the time of need)
     • MiSCA race staff
     • Mountain bike patrol
     • Official neutral support
     • Race offficials
     • This does not include coaches who do not meet one of the listed criteria.

Spectator Etiquette

Parents, fans, friends, and anyone else at the park during a race will find the races exciting. Here are some spectator etiquette tips to help you adjust to our exciting sport if you haven’t been to a race in the past.

• Bring a cowbell. It’s the traditional bike-racing noisemaker and Coyotes pride ourselves on boisterous cheering. If you don’t have a cowbell, we’ve also seen horns, whistles, old bike wheels/rims, vuvuzelas, jinglebells, chainsaws (seriously), and of course our own lungs as noisemakers at bike races. Shimano was gracious enough to post this Fan Training video a few years ago. We think it’s still applicable today.
  
• Hike into the woods! The races are great to watch from just about anywhere. Especially at Merrell where most of the course is within a mile’s hike of the start-line, you can really “get out there” and enjoy!
  
• Stay off the trail when you’re hiking to a viewing spot. Riders and marshalls are the only people allowed on course unless the race calls for more adults to be on the course for some reason.
  
• Only cross the course where necessary, and only if there aren’t any riders within 50 yards of you. It’s distracting and startling to riders to see someone running down the trail.
  
• Please treat course marshals with respect and follow their directions. They took the time to volunteer and they deserve our respect and cooperation.
  
• Keep it fun. Kids put enough pressure on themselves, they don’t need our help in that department.
  
• Be early, clean up your trash, respect the parks we’re visiting, be nice to park staff if they’re around, be nice to MiSCA staff who are doing this for so your kids can have a great experience.

Rider Etiquette

• Let people pass quickly if they’re from a faster group
  
• If you’re getting lapped, let them pass
  
• If you’re getting passed by someone in your actual race, don’t cut people off… hold your line within reason, you don’t have to give way, but this isn’t NASCAR. Rubbing isn’t racing in MTB, it’ll get you DQ’ed. If they’re clearly faster than you, let them by. You’ll be friends over lunch afterward.
  
• Be early, clean up your trash, respect the parks we’re visiting, be nice to park staff if they’re around, be nice to MiSCA staff who are doing this for so you can have a great experience.
  
• Please stay away the start and finish gates with your number plate on until it’s time to race. The chip in your plate can set of the timing and screw up the race results. It’s best to stay 25′ away if your plate is on your bike.

Staging Times for Race Day

Please report to the start at the time marked under “Staging.” Don’t forget, you’ll need time to park, prep, warm-up (20 minutes) before you report to staging. Get there early and give yourself plenty of time to get ready.