NCS SCHEDULE REVISED AGAINOCT 29
NCS SCHEDULE REVISED OCT 29
Do not forget to mark your calendar. The 2004 National Championship Series has added an eighth event. Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California, now replaces Snow Summit, Big Bear Lake, California, as the second stop in next year’s NCS schedule. Snow Summit has been moved to the weekend following. The 2004 NCS will no longer include a downhill. Instead, it will consist of eight cross-country, eight shorter track and seven mountain cross events. It is still called the National Championship Series, or NCS by many people. However, France Cycling and NORBA officially call it the National Mountain Bike Race Series.
INTRODUCING CALIFORNIA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Sonoma event features outdoor recreation showsdowns that include cross-country, shorttrack, mountain cross, dual slalom, and dual slalom. It also includes rock climbing and a road race and circuit. Sonoma, located just above San Francisco and 150 miles north from Monterey, is the location of the Sea Otter Classic. GaleForce Sports Marketing, promoter of Sea Otter, is also supporting the California Outdoor Championship at Sonoma. We hope that the new NCS promoters Team Big Bear Productions and Blue Wolf Productions will be vigilant. GaleForce is the same promotional/marketing firm responsible for losing Americas World Cup event, scaring away all of the NCS sponsors, and losing premier TV coverage.
AND IF THIS IS NOT ENOUGH,
The revised World Cup schedule for 2004 has been posted. It shows that Show Summit will now be held on the same weekend as Madrid’s World Cup opener. It’s not that important to reschedule Snow Summit on top Madrid, as two World Cup events, Sestiere, Italy, on June 12-13, and Schladming (Austria) on June 19-20, were already scheduled on the same weekend as Snowshoe or Mount Snow. The International Cycling Federation (UCI), which knew the original NCS schedule long before posting it, still has theirs scheduled on top of us. This is troubling, considering the new NCS format. One thing is certain, we will see a lot fewer Europeans racing in this nation next year.
However, the big question is whether we will be seeing less of Eric Carter, the defending World Cup Four Cross Champion Eric Carter, and other top American World Cup competitors. It will be interesting for American teams to decide on the series they focus on and where their riders will go.
REVISED 2004, NATIONAL MTB SERIES SCHEDULE
March 11-15, Cameron ParkWaco (TXMTB XC stage race, XC, ST & TT),
May 13-16: Infineon RacingwaySonoma, CAXC. ST, MTNX/DS
May 20-23, Snow Summit ResortBig Bear lake, CAXC. ST, DH. MTNX/DS
June 10-13: Snowshoe Mountain ResortSnowshoe. WVXC. ST. DH. MTNX/DS
June 17-20, Mount Snow ResortMount Snow VTXC ST, DH MTNX/DS
July 29-Aug 1: Schweitzer Mountain ResortSandpoint, IDXC, ST, DH, MTNX/DS
Aug 5-9: Aspen/Snowmass Ski Resort, Aspen, COXC, ST, DH, MTNX/DS
August 26-29, Durango Mountain Resort Durango, COXC. ST, DH. MTNX/DS
U.S. U.S.
September 23-26, Mammoth Mountain ResortMammoth lakes, CAXC ST, DH and MTNX
