Quality of races - easy courses

[Donald Campbell]

Another topic to be involved in the bragging of how to do what...

some courses are too easy for most of the ams
one example: paris straight
i would personally be very happy if next year's straight would be 1,80cms, so that here is a challenge also for the ams
i trained that distance on a slope with 50 cones and was a bit bummed to see how wide the spacing in paris was - make it a bit more challenging please.

i also remember the munich guys trying to set distances in the beginning between 2-4 meters, because two longboard guys entered the race. The course had been changed later on, due to complaints by the riders,but hey is this a race/competition or what?
It's cool to set easy courses for absoluter beginners, but it sucks to see that the level is too easy sometimes.

[Jani Soderhall]

The reason for the long cone distance in Paris can be explained. When we planned the first race in 2003 we didn't want:
- to exclude longboarders,
- to scare beginners off,
- to risk cone slaughter.

That is why at the time it was set at 2.50 m. After that race reduced it to 2.40 and I think we changed it to 2.30 this year, but maybe it stayed at 2.40. (Don't remember)

I still think it may be wise to keep it slightly wider than the pro course, maybe 2.00 m would be appropriate for Am and Women (they've also been asking for tighter straight). I am taking into consideration that the ams likely to enter are mostly the better ams and that there are now other French races (local/regional) that are better suited for those who want to enter their first races.

/Jani

[Marty Schaub]

Jani,

If you don't challange them they will never improve. I NEVER volunteer to set a course when practicing with more than just myself. Why? This way I race someone else's ideas and have to learn how to ride it fast. It works....

[Jani Soderhall]

If you don't challange them they will never improve.

The idea of 2.50 m originated in 2002 for the 2003 race and it was the right decision then as it was already a challenge for many of them. Since then we could have moved faster to a shorter distance.

But don't forget that Trocadero is a pretty fast hill and that the top speed of both ams and pros is actually (believe it or not) identical! I think that's not too bad a challenge already.

Come and race with us in 2006!

/Jani

[Marty Schaub]

....but I gotta get sponsored by Radikal first......Or?