Important Update: Migration of Junior XC NPS Category to Ability Categories
The number of Junior riders in 2011 and previous years for the XC NPS has been very low, and is not anticipated to rise significantly in 2012. Junior numbers have been too low for them to attain proper race experience – i.e. racing and keeping pace in a competitive-sized group of riders.
The Offroad Commission with permission from Cycling Ireland have decided to enable Juniors to race in appropriate ability-based category for the 2012 XC NPS rounds.
To align with the UCI criteria for race durations, Junior boys can compete up to SENIOR 2 MEN, and Junior girls can compete up to SENIOR 2 WOMEN. However, these categories may be too long in duration for novice Juniors, thus Junior riders can compete in any category up to but not exceeding the above indicated categories.
* See note below on riders wanting to ride in a category higher than the above mentioned.
At the same time, it is important to still recognise the Juniors as a group/category, so Junior riders will be separated in the final league tables (assuming they race the minimum number of rounds etc..) to show their performance against each other, and be awarded medals/trophies for the Junior category. Juniors racing in a higher category than other Juniors will be ranked higher in the final Junior league tables. This way they get to compete both as an ability-based rider during the season, but also ranked/recognised as Juniors at the end of the season.
* If a Junior rider wants to race a category higher than that advised above, the rider will need to request specific permission from the Offroad Commission to do this. An email requesting permission to ride a higher category from both the rider and the rider’s parent/gaurdian should be sent to offroad.commission@gmail.com and further instructions will be issued to the rider to complete their request.
Junior-aged riders will not pay the typical race fee that Senior riders do; when completing the online registration form – Junior-aged riders must advise in the Comments field that they are a Junior rider and that they are only due to pay the Junior fee (typically half the price of the Senior category).
This initiative will be reviewed at the end of 2012 to determine if it will be carried forward into subsequent years.
Any questions to be directed to the Offroad Commission.
