Shawn - some questions about the Open...

[S.K.C.]

...when will registration start for the U.S. Open?

Yeah - I know it's really early to be asking that, but I want to make sure I get in before registration gets filled up.

(btw, this is cadillac_kid from hcor)

Also - since BMW got rutted out in the rain last year after 4 years of usage in the Open, where will the new course go?

[Diablo_Freeride]

Cheers!

Online registration will launch at 9:00am on March 1st.

The 2007 U.S. Open Course will feature a few key reroutes while keeping many of its existing traits. The entire course will be revamped, improved and race ready by May 25th!

[S.K.C.]

Bitchin'!

Thanks for the quick reply.

[dirtyjrzy1031]

shawn, you should put some ads in Metro sports....and list the dates for the races,bike rentals,etc

[dante]

Shawn, have you contacted Maxim/Stuff? They're both based out of NYC, and could see one of them sending a photographer/reporter out to cover it.

[pinkshirtphotos]

I will be there taking photos of the race. Just look for the pink shirt. There also mite be some pink shirt photos shirts for sale soon.

[spec-rider88]

Will upper or lower dominion be incorporated into the U.S. open or domination series races?

[pinkshirtphotos]

Will upper or lower dominion be incorporated into the U.S. open or domination series races?

that side of the mountain is never used for racing.

[woof]

Just a few thoughts - (not bitching!)

--The Redbull was great, but would it be possible to get a few water coolers at the top and bottom?
--Anyone have ideas to make registration move a little quicker so we can avoid a 100 person line again? I pre-registered and arrived early, so no problem for me, but that line was huge.
--Can we maybe get just one beer included in the complimentary vip munchies?
--And I guess there's not a whole lot that can be done about the traffic jams during AM practice, but if anyone has a few good thoughts, feel free... When someone is down, you just have to wait, but tiptoeing thru the tulips for no particular reason doesn’t help anyone. Let's all be courteous and keep the train moving.

Awesome job last year Diablo, Can't wait till May!

[peopleschamp21]

i was thinking the same thing about that dam nasty redbull. as far as the am practice goes. they should spilt the 300 entries into 3 groups and have 3 different am practice times. one thing that HAS to be done is not leting anyone that is not racing on the course. i think the only way that is going to happen is to require all racers to put on there number plates during practice. if those two things can happen smoothly then the am practice would be a breeze.

and woof arent you pro now?

[woof]

and woof arent you pro now?
I would say I race in the open class :brows:
I was just rambling off some of the more bothersome things I noticed the last few years. I don't think many people would go for the split am practice as your time would be so limited on course (especially on Sat. & Sun.). There were course marshalls at the start gate last year keeping people off course if they didn't belong. That helped a bunch. Pin It Yall' and all will be happy.

[demo 9]

i was thinking the same thing about that dam nasty redbull. as far as the am practice goes. they should spilt the 300 entries into 3 groups and have 3 different am practice times. one thing that HAS to be done is not leting anyone that is not racing on the course. i think the only way that is going to happen is to require all racers to put on there number plates during practice. if those two things can happen smoothly then the am practice would be a breeze.

and woof arent you pro now?

i have 2 bikes. and they gave out little bracelts. my main broke in my second run so i busted out the backup. i went 3 turns b4 getting stoped. they said i was "poaching the course" even though i have a wristband. its ok. i got my race practice in anyway. (getting away from that guy)

[DS Dom]

Just a few thoughts - (not bitching!)
--Can we maybe get just one beer included in the complimentary vip munchies?
--And I guess there's not a whole lot that can be done about the traffic jams during AM practice, but if anyone has a few good thoughts, feel free... When someone is down, you just have to wait, but tiptoeing thru the tulips for no particular reason doesn’t help anyone. Let's all be courteous and keep the train moving.
Awesome job last year Diablo, Can't wait till May!


One Beer was included with each meal last year, although it was a corona in a can, it was better than nothing. Some of the vending people had no clue and you may have had to ask a little harder.

As far as the traffic jams go in practice, I really don't think there is much of an alternative. If you split practice up into 2 or 3 separate times then you run into the issue of broken parts. Say you rip of your derailleur and get a hole in your brake line during a crash on your first run. If the times were split up, you would have no chance of fixing this and getting in a practice run.

[dante]

to back up what woof said, any way to get a shorter line at registration? otherwise was great last year, traffic jams were a bit of a b!tch but that's just something I've gotten used to... at least in AM when we're not racing for big $$$$.

[ChrisKring]

I have an idea for the people complaining about backups in the AM class (since they are so fast): RACE PRO.

Or you can just not stop at the backup. Back in the day, there would be 300 guys racing Expert at a place like Snowshoe with all of the mud. The secret was to not stop at the backups. Just bust around the backup. That said, stop if there is someone injured. However, most of the time that is not the case. It is people walking (without their bikes) the section getting in the way.

[Stiff]

As far as the traffic jams go in practice, I really don't think there is much of an alternative. If you split practice up into 2 or 3 separate times then you run into the issue of broken parts. Say you rip of your derailleur and get a hole in your brake line during a crash on your first run. If the times were split up, you would have no chance of fixing this and getting in a practice run.

Why not just open the gondola earlier and close it later just that Satday? Maybe it already is open later, can't remember.

[spec-rider88]

Will the U.S. Open course be tolerable on a 6" bike ('06 Specialized SX Trail I)? I've had no problem at Diablo before, but I've never raced there.

[pinkshirtphotos]

are you smooth?

[dirtyjrzy1031]

i hope STIGMATA is opened i love that drop

[ChrisKring]

Unless they fix the approach to the roll in, Diablo would be insane to put Stigmata in the Open course. The backups would be 300 people deep in Amatuer practice. Heck, even Am qualifing would be a cluster.

I think Pro practice would be screwed up too since (no offense) some pro women would have issues with the approach into that line.

[DS Dom]

i hope STIGMATA is opened i love that drop

I'm fairly sure that Stigmata will never be used in a race again, and especially not the U.S. Open. I think the casualties would be very bad as well.

[spec-rider88]

Is there gonna be a map of the course posted anytime soon?