Race Organisers Requirements

This page will advise the hosting club on the requirements to run an XC event.
The following information is in addition to the current rules within the Cycling Ireland technical guide here.

Prior to race-day

Safety!
All race hosting clubs must complete a safety review for their events and assign a Safety Officer – check the document/guidelines here. Appendix 2 of this document MUST be completed and a copy of it submitted to Cycling Ireland before the event takes place.

Race Commissaire

The hosting club must source an appropriate commissaire for their event.

The current list of Cycling Ireland approved commissaires can be found HERE.

The Commissaire is responsible for the general sporting organisation of the race and is empowered to interpret and enforce the rules and adjudicate on any matter not specifically covered in the rules.
The Offroad Commission must be notified of the race commissaire at least one week prior to the event.
The Race Commissaire should be fully aware of the rules and enforce the rules, and should have no additional duties on race day nor should he/she participate in the race.

Online Registration
Offroad Commission will provide online registration for events as requested by the hosting clubs.

The Club
To qualify to run an NPS race, the club must have demonstrated their ability to run a race to an acceptable standard in the preceding two years (open mtb, marathon, regional league, challenge event etc.).
A race will not be granted NPS status if the hosting club has not demonstrated it can run an event to the required standard.

Race Scheduling
The XC race calendar dates will be drafted by the Offroad Commission.
Dates will be made available to the clubs and the clubs will submit a preference/request for the various dates on a first-respond, first-served basis.
Dates will be scheduled on a regular basis to ensure no large time-gaps between events and also that events will not run on consecutive weekends
There must be min. 1-2 weeks between each round of the NPS.

Indemnity
A Letter of Indemnity is required from Cycling Ireland for all events, all land owners involved in the event MUST be indemnified otherwise the club may not be issued with indemnity for any of their future events.
If permission is required to use a race venue (Coillte, Forestry Commission, land owner) then this permission must be obtained before applying to run an NPS race.
Proof of permission to use the land must be provided to the Offroad Commission upon request

Race Promotion
The club must provide an email to the Offroad Commission providing full race details 3-4 weeks before the event, information to be included is as follows:
Google Map link to the race location
Course description (eg; % fireroad/open mountain/singletrack etc)
Start times must conform to the requirements listed here

Optional information:
Video preview
Any additional info (eg; if riders can ride practice laps the day before the event)

Race day

General Organisation

• Car park & car park marshall – (all day)
• Toilets/portaloo
• Timing laptop and / or tag timing (Preferred tag timing supplier: Red Tag Timing)
  A backup/manual timing method must be used in conjunction with the primary timing method
• Spare course-marking tape
• Grid Positions list (available from the results section on this site)
• Petty Cash
• Cable Ties
• Pens

Sign-on:

The sign-on sheets with pre-registered riders entered into them will be provided by the XC race co-ordinator in advance of the event. Ensure to print them off and lay them out on clipboards at sign-on.

If using the laptop timing system then you ideally will be using 2 laptops for sign-on – one for Senior cats. the other for Non-Senior cats.
The race results for the Youth races (U8/10/12 and possibly U14) should be recorded manually so the sign-on details do not necessarily need to be entered to the laptop registration, but if you have time to do so then please do so.
Ensure to close Senior cats. sign-on 30 mins before race start so that you have time to enter all the data to the laptop and 100% verify that all riders are entered.
Youth race sign-on can be closed 15 mins before race start but ensure that there is time for the riders to get to the start line.

Race Timing

Full results for all categories should be made available within 24 hours of race end.
It is required for all NPS race organisers to provide timed laps for all categories except Under 8 to Under 14.
Organisers have the choice of manual timing, tag timing (eg; Red Tag Timing) or laptop timing.
The Offroad Commission has a laptop and race timing software which can be made available to race organisers.

From 2011 forward, the XC race co-coordinator will NOT be available to perform the laptop registration at events.
It is up to the race organiser to be fully familiar with how to register riders (and perform the timing if required) well in advance of the event and to perform this task themselves.

The XC race co-coordinator will provide the laptop timing files (see below) before the event (which include all the online registrations entered to the Rider Registration file).
The XC race co-coordinator can assist with timing corrections AFTER the race if available.

Instructions for use of the laptop timing system are available here (Word file) or here (PDF file).

You will need to download a trial version of the Filemaker Pro software, (or contact the XC race co-coordinator for a temporary copy of the software) and then download the 3 files below:

Race Timing
Reference
Registration

Note: You should always have back-up manual timing at your event, click HERE for manual timing Excel sheet.

Below are the requirements for results from chip timing providers:

• Chip timing must verify that all tags are 100% functional in advance of the event.
• Chip timing must verify that all mats/sensors used are 100% functional in advance of the event.
• Chip timing must keep a manual log of all race tag numbers issued
• Chip timing must keep a manual note of race or have a back-up system in place (eg; video camera) in case any tags fail or are mis-read.

Gridding

Grid Positions list is available from the results section on this site, ensure to print this off and provide it to the race commissaire.

Course Marking, Marshalling

• The course must be clearly marked with tape/signs, it should be easy to follow by all riders
• Warning arrows should be displayed advising of difficult/steep sections.
• Feed zone – This should to be as close to the Start/Finish area as possible to build atmosphere
• Main junctions and dangerous points must be manned by marshals for the full duration of the race
• Course signs and tape must not be removed while riders are still on the course except where all riders have completed the course-section.
• All course marking tape and signs must be completely removed immediately after the event

The Course

• The course must be 100% ridable for the majority of entrants
• Sports should race the same course as the other senior categories (chicken runs / easier lines should be used where appropriate)
• If there is a risk of a trail being badly affected by adverse weather conditions (e.g. flooding, mud), alternative route/options must be available.

Start Times / Category Sequences / Fees

Recommended race fees for the XC NPS are as follows (note; hosting clubs may charge slightly different fees):
All SENIOR categories: €20 (except as agreed in red below)
JUNIOR: €10
Youth categories €0

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).

Notes::
Under 14’s may be allowed to compete on the full course, this is determined by the hosting club.
Youth riders aged 16/17 who do not want to compete in Junior category may compete in either S4 or S3 (Male youth/boys) or S3 or S2 (Female youth/girls)

Also listed here

NPS Start sequences/times/laps:

Start times should be staggered at appropriate time intervals to minimise traffic in initial singletrack sections.

*If UNDER 14 are using the same course as the SENIOR 4 riders then UNDER 14 will start after SENIOR WOMEN 3.

Race organisers must stick to the race schedule as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, race start time can be delayed by up to 30 minutes but start times must NEVER be started before advertised schedule. Any delays to start times to be widely communicated via PA/megaphone to participants a min. of 20 mins ahead of time.

Information for Riders on Race Day

A large information notice board should be displayed, showing:

• Course route
• Start Times
• Number of Laps
• Starting order
• Marshal points marked on course route map

How many riders have registered for my event?

In order to see registration details for the latest XC event click this link.

Sign-on sheets

The sign-on sheets are exported from the online registration system on either the Friday or Saturday before the event and emailed to the event organiser.

Race Commissaire

The hosting club must source a commissaire for their event, a list of Cycling Ireland approved commissaires can be found here.
The Commissaire is responsible for the general sporting organisation of the race and is empowered to interpret and enforce the rules and adjudicate on any matter not specifically covered in the rules.
The Offroad Commission must be notified of the race commissar at least one week prior to the event.
The Race Commissaire should have no additional duties on race day nor should he/she participate in the race.

Letter of Indemnity

A Letter of Indemnity is required from Cycling Ireland for all events. This letter details insurance coverage of the event and should be provided to the venue owner. You should contact admin@cyclingireland.ie to arrange this.

Race Licences

Race Licence requirements for open Irish Offroad events are available here.

Day Licences

Race organisers should obtain the A3-sized sheets of Day Licences from the Cycling Ireland office. These must be issued to riders not in possession of a Cycling Ireland racing licence.

Completing the Day-Licence Form

1. Use a ballpoint pen to fill in the form
2. Complete the year on the top-right
3. Enter the amount in the box (eg; €5, €10 or €20)
4. Enter event name and date
5. Ask the competitor to fill in their Name, Date of Birth, Address and Signature
6. An adult must also witness the form if the competitor is under 18
7. Tick the appropriate category on the form
   • Senior
   • Junior
   • Youth
   • Non-competitive

Rules and Regulations

Cycling Ireland General Administrative Regulations

The UCI Mountainbike race rules can be viewed here.