Yes. We are a USAC (USA Cycling) sanctioned race series and therefore all racers (except children in the tykes and trikes race) must have a racing license. Annual licenses may be purchased online at www.usacycling.org (preferable) or in person at our races. Single-day licenses can be purchased in person at our races, but by USAC regulations are only available to participants in the men’s category 4 races, women’s category 4 races, junior races, and single-speed race.

New riders start in Category 4. Categories 1, 2, and 3 require that riders earn enough upgrade points to be authorized to advance to these categories. Please contact David James for all upgrade questions at djames98117@yahoo.com

Yes. We will have parking attendants to help guide you to the best available area. The earlier you get to a venue the better chances you have of being up close to the action.

Most venues have free parking. We will alway put the parking information on each SCX Venue’s page.

Yes. We encourage team participation and always have room for team tents on the course. We like to channel teams together in a specific area but depending on the venue your access in & out may be limited {Silver Lake}. To guarantee full access to the team zone you will need to be there with all your gear one hour before the first race begins at 9:15 A.M. That means you need to be there by 8:15 at the latest. Once the racing begins you can still set up your team gear on course but you might be in for a bit of a carry.

Yes & No. There is plenty of room for parking at all of our venues except for Silver Lake in Edmonds. Limited parking there means arrive early or bring the “small” RV.

Yes & No. Yes at Sprinker {RV only}, Monroe, & Enumclaw. No at; Marymoor, Steilacoom, & Silver Lake.

The Jr Natl Development Category has been eliminated from the race schedule but there is still a category for everyone. The fee per Jr racer will be $5. Many of our Juniors are faster than the typical Junior race so they will continue to find their competitive edge in the General Classification fields where they fit the best. Juniors that choose to race the General Classification fields will be charged the full adult fee.

As decreed by our Jr Liason Mark Lambie The true mid-day Jr schedule for 2012 will be as follows…

Jr race

 

11:15 start 15-16; 13-14, and 11-12 – 25 min race This is the multiple lap group; all in the multiple lap group will start together BUT they WILL BE scored by their age grouping.

(Note – some kids my get three laps depending on the course.)

 

11:15 stage all other kids that will do ONE full lap on the course. This group will be held just pasted the finish line until the first group is nearly done with their first lap ( to be determined by Dave Wamsley and Mark Lambie). The race numbers of this group will also be recorded at the start line and provided to Dave Wamsley to validate the 1 lap kids.

 

11:40 Tikes and Trikes – youngster not ready for a full lap – this will normally be a separate course as to not interfere with the main course. ( Snacks or some treat will normally be provided to this group.) There will be as many divisions as needed for this group to have fun.

Remember that the up and coming fast Juniors are always welcome to race one of the adult General Classification races. For example; check out the impressive teenage contingent repeatedly at the front of the Cat 3 Men’s race.

 

Yes. Any & all mountain bikes are welcome to race Cyclocross as long as they do not have any handlebar extensions {Bar Ends}.

Yes. They were initially banned but the use of disc brakes is currently approved by the UCI governing body {Union Cycliste International}.

If you are new to the Seattle Cyclocross Series, WELCOME! For all those returning, WELCOME BACK! As in the past, the Series is seeking teams to volunteer for race course clean up. If your team is interested in helping make the Series successful, let Debbie Driver know by contacting her at debdriver@yahoo.com.

Typically we sign up two teams for each race which means the work goes pretty quickly as more folks are out there to help. Clean up usually consists of taking the course tape down, moving all cones and sandwich boards to the supply trailer, raking and smoothing out any worn down corners or areas of the course and getting more time to hang out with cool Cross racers! Check out the home page for the race schedule and send me your first and second race choices. I’ll do my best to accommodate each teams request. Not a part of a team? No problem! Send me an e-mail and your choice and I’ll connect you with the teams that will be helping that day.
Looking forward to another great Cross season and THANK YOU in advance!!!

Yes. Practice laps are a great way to familiarize yourself with the course, its terrain conditions, and your equipment; but we have two set in stone rules that are not to be broken while you are practicing.

#1.) Practice laps are NEVER allowed during a race. Regardless of their category all racers ( includes Beginners & Juniors as well) are entitled to a race course free of traffic from racers out doing “Warm Up” laps. Warm Up laps are allowed in the morning until 9:20 and throughout the day in between races after the winner has crossed the finish line. To maximize your allowable time on the course wait at the finish line until the winner completes his/her final lap; once they cross the line you may begin the course from the finish line. NOTE: YOU should not pass, or ever be in front of, someone who is still racing and completing their final lap.

#2.) Do not EVER cross the actual finish line unless you are racing Calways next to the big white/blue truck with the Courage Classic logo. Since we are using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips to score and place you during your race passing under the sensors while not racing will result as a scored result. Removing your “practice lap” result is a frustration and headache that the score keepers do not have time for. Please dart off the course before passing the truck then cruise back in 50 feet after you have passed it.

Violation of either of these rules makes you eligible for a DQ (Disqualification) and nobody wants that to happen; so please be aware and courteous to all.

Look for the Registration banner near the triple wide tent and have cash or check ready to go because we do not accept credit / debit cards. Please make checks payable to SCX or the Seattle Cyclocross Association.

Each race is scheduled to run for an estimated period of time but depending on your location in the racing field you may be racing a bit longer or shorter. During racer instruction at the start line you will be told the expected # of laps but you cannot count on that 100%. What you can count on is the lap counter located on your left as you pass the scoring truck / Finish Line. The lap counter starts high and counts down to # of laps to go until that final “Bell Lap”. When you see it read One you know you are almost done.

Look for the “Pits Banner” in a centrally located part of the course that is typically accessed from two different entrance/exit locations.

Yes. A food vendor will be at each race location but their arrival and set up time can vary.

Yes & No. Some locations have spigot’s and fountain’s but some do not. We do not have water stations set up so please plan accordingly and bring plenty for yourself.

Yes. Between park facilities and porta potties we will have adequate room for all to take care of business.

Sorry but no. We are working on it for the future but for the 2011 season we are going to be accepting good old fashioned cash or check only.

Yes but it is included in your flat fee. The new 2011 tax law’s for Washington State requires that all entry fee registration funds for sporting events be taxed at a 10% rate. We have no choice but to pay this tax, though decided not to pass this tax onto the racers. We are passionate for the sport and will continue to do our best to offer a great value for your SCX registration fee.Please make checks payable to SCX or the Seattle Cyclocross Association.

No it is not; but you can save yourself some time by coming to the table well prepared. As is typically the case with Race #1 the lines can be longer at the registration table. Please help the awesome volunteers and expedite your time here by doing these three things…

1.)Pre-Register by filling in the appropriate info at http://seattlecx.com/series-info/registration/
2.)Print the waiver and fill it out in Clear & Legible handwriting at home. http://www.usacycling.org/forms/rider_release.pdf
3.)Show up one hour before your scheduled start time with cash or check & some positive energy. Please make checks payable to SCX or the Seattle Cyclocross Association.

Yes & No. Our good friends at Greggs Greenlake Cyclery will be staffing a mechanical aid station in the pit area. If you need a quick allen wrench, a tire pump, some advice, or a minor adjustment they are likely to be able to help you. Do not rush into the pits and yell…”I need a rear wheel” and expect them to provide you with a spare one. Please plan accordingly and bring along your own “Pit Bike /Wheels”.

We do not have reserved spaces in the pit area. Please follow established race day patterns for bike/wheel storage and do not block the access paths. Please put your name & category on your wheels and bike so in the off chance you forget to collect them we know who they belong to. All day is not OK. There is limited space in the pit area and nobody wants to search and trip through a bunch of wheels and bikes for racers that aren’t currently on the course. Please collect your bikes, wheels, etc…post race as soon as your heart rate gets back down to double digits.

No. You may only travel in a forward direction on the race course. Violators are subject to being DQ’d.

No. Lapped riders will not be pulled but all riders will finish on the race leaders lap. This race leader may even be someone from a different race than yours but you will all finish on the same lap.

You may not have been lapped by the leader of your race but you were more than likely lapped by at least one of the racers from the waves in front of you. Don’t worry! Our races are based on time, not number of laps. While you may have completed one less lap that the first finisher, you still got to race for at least (sometimes more!) the pre-designated amount of time.

Sorry about that. It could have been a typo or an inability to read your handwriting. Please submit any corrections to Dave Wamsley or Dave Stanton

Please report any & all race discrepancies ASAP to Dave Wamsley wams@seattlecx.com

On Race Day Sunday the results will be posted on the green easel board adjacent to the finish truck. Barring complications the results will be up approximately 30 minutes after the finish of the race. The website will have the results updated and posted ASAP; this typically will be done by Monday mid-day

Yes. The nice folks at registration will look up your information and make you a temporary one.

Yes. The nice folks at registration will look up your information and get you a new one, but there will be an additional $5 charge.

Got SCX Questions? Contact Phil the SCX-FAQ Specialist at …phil@seattlecx.com

Our SCX Sponsorship Specialist is Wick. Contact him at wick@seattlecx.com

Not Necessarily.

A rider’s cyclocross racing age for this SCX & USA Cycling season is the rider’s age on December 31, 2012.

The reason is that the cyclocross season spans two years, starting September 1 and ending February 28 (or Feb. 29 in leap years). Hence, the racing age in February is used, and that is Dec. 29, 2012 for the current cyclocross season.

This has nothing to do with Nationals moving from December to January.
There is also confusion from USA Cycling websites because they mainly talk about the road season, which starts and ends within the same year.
To add to the confusion the USA-Cycling Waiver http://www.usacycling.org/forms/rider_release.pdf which must be signed for every race incorrectly states that the “(racing age is as of 12/31/11)” but that is incorrect. The good folks at registration are aware of this and will help to place you in the correct age bracket.

No. When faced with a start line dilemma that affects your ability to race your best option is to ask the starting official the approximate time until the race start. The USAC Official officially starts the race but the real time determination for the exact start time is dictated to them via radio from the scoring truck. Each race has several waves that need to start within 30-60 seconds of each other else we generate lots of other potential scoring problems. The start line official will give you a general idea of things being on time or delayed; but they do not have the power to delay the start unless there is a course-wide emergency that effects all racers.

No. The race # you receive is your season long race # for that particular category. Please bring it and your helmet mount RFID chip with you every week.

No & Yes. You need to have a different number for each category that you compete in; but you can use the same RFID chip.

Both Small & Large bib numbers are always to be placed on the rider’s left hand side.

The Large bib # should be pinned in a vertical position on the left side of your body. It needs to be more on your side than your back so it can easily be seen from the finish line scoring truck on the left side of the course. Bib #s are to read from left to right so the larger 100 series numeral {100s, 200s, 300s, etc…} should be closest to your armpit. Start pinning with the bottom of the bib number three inches directly below your armpit and work your way toward your back from there.

The Small bib # should be pinned in a horizontal position on the forward portion of the left shoulder. Proper placement of this one gives the score keepers a headlight view from the front of your number more so than from the side.

Extra pins are always available at the registration tent; please use a minimum of 4 pins per bib # but 5 or 6 are even better.

No. The USA Cycling waiver form has to be signed in person for each event you participate in. Please print a full size one to fill out at home, or get one at registration.

http://www.usacycling.org/forms/rider_release.pdf

Express check-in is a new, faster system to get you registered. These special lines are for racers who:

1) have already done a race this year in our series,

2) are racing the same category as they previously did this year in our series, and

3) brought their race numbers and RFID chip to the race.

If this is you, then just bring your helmet RFID chip, your race waiver, your entry fee, and your racing license (or 1-day license fee if you are a Cat 4 or riding Single Speed) to the express line. The registration workers will scan your RFID chip, collect your entry material, and you are good to go. If you don’t have your RFID chip with you at registration, or lost your number, or are switching categories, the regular lines will process your entry.

Yes. If you forgot something in the Pits please contact Wick at… wick@seattlecx.com. If it is any other item we have an informal Lost & Found box on our equipment trailer near registration. Please ask about its location at registration. All unclaimed items will be donated / disposed of at season end.