Sea Otter Classic 2011

yes. this will be my first year. i am going to do the beginner XC race in my age group (i am 30). never raced before.....

 

No Super D at Sea Otter??

Did anyone else notice that the Sea Otter Classic isn't going to have a Super D race this year? I can't find anything about the lack of racing on the interweb. Anyone here know what's up?

 

Couldn't find any notices on the website, but checked the schedule and registration and Super D is not listed. I'll check the FB page and see if I can find anything.

 

No Super D

Here is the update from FB:

The BLM has a major construction project in the works and access to the course is totally eliminated. It'll be back for 2012.

 

DH Course updates

DH course updates will be posted via Twitter @seaotterclassic.

 

DH Course Update #1 of 21: Add 6' 2 start house adding fun/flow to initial section of track. 2 more changes will be unveiled today.

 

Sweet. Thanks for the info. This will be year three for me, but coming off of a splenic laceration I've got no legs for all the pedaling. Stoked to see some changes to the course. It was getting a little boring and while it was challenging, the upper jumps weren't that fun. It'll be sweet to see something new. Make sure to stop by our booth, 50/50 DH Racing. It's way over in the corner close to where they give away the Muscle Milk. We'll have couches and music and hopefully free Zinka. See you there!

 

Trials Demos and Yoga with Ryan Leech

Hi Everyone!

The 2011 Sea Otter Classic is coming up April 14-17 in Monterey California.

My focus at this world renowned cycling festival will be to perform trials shows in the pit area (see schedule below); but as a side bonus, I’m happy to announce that I’ll be once again offering free morning yoga classes for anyone that is interested.
So this blog post will serve as a reference for all those riders or exhibitors who are keen. Of note, instead of an early 7am start like last year, it’ll be a more manageable 8am start.
Whether you’re racing, watching, working, exhibiting, or performing, the goal of this class is to charge you up so you’re feeling amazing for the day ahead—loose body, primed muscles, and a clean and clear mind. Nothing too serious, just playing yoga!

Instructor: Ryan Leech
When: April 15, 16, 17
Time: 8am – 9am
Where: Chapparel Campground B in the Meeting Building
Google Map:
Venue Map:
Style: Vinyasa Flow
Level: All levels All good
For Who: Everyone welcome

If you have your own yoga mat, please be sure to bring it. But I’ll have a few extra just in case.



For an interview with Ryan about how mountain biking and yoga fit together, check out NSMB.com.

If you’d like to check out a trials show, I’ll be at booth 755. Come on by for daily shows:

Thursday: 1 and 3
Friday: 10:30, 1 and 3
Saturday: 10:30, 1 and 3
Sunday: 10:30 and 1


(photo-Harookz, chain line from CRUX)

Looking forward to see you there!

All the best,

Ryan

 

Sounds like they're going to take out the first big jump which had the smaller line on the right and big step back on the left and replace it with better dirt, better drainage and improved flow. Hopefully. I'm really looking forward to some new/rebuilt features.

 

DH Update #2

DH Course Update #2 of 21: Initial Jump Section: Safer, funner, spectacularer. Rollers reshaped, big jump dirt taken away. Bad dirt replaced.

 

Sea Otter Classic and Truvativ Partner to Rebuild Downhill Course

Momentum Trail Concepts Retained for Project
​

March 8, 2010 – (Monterey, CA) – Sea Otter Classic and Truvativ are pleased to announce a comprehensive makeover for Sea Otter's current downhill course. Bike park builders Momentum Trail Concepts will author and implement course renovations with the collaborative project slated for the spring of 2011.

Sea Otter serves as cycling's opening event each year, kicking off the riding season by offering racing in nearly every mountain bike discipline, the festival features downhill (DH) as one of its premier competitions, drawing competitors and journalists from around the world. Located on the Laguna Seca Recreational Area in the Monterey County Parks system, the existing course is exhibiting signs that it's been well loved with the resulting wear and tear causing impacts to the course's flow.

"Truvativ's parent company SRAM has never failed to creatively add to the event – for over a decade their partnership has made Sea Otter a better experience for attendees and competitors alike," offers Sea Otter president and CEO Frank Yohannan, "Their contribution on the downhill course project and the high bar they've established for what success looks like maintains that tradition. Their efforts will make the 2011 course better for athletes in all categories."



Late last year Truvativ's Benny Cruickshank, Morgan Meredith and Tyler Morland approached Sea Otter's operations team with a proposal designed to enhance the quality, sustainability and fun factor for the track. The project gained momentum with the addition of established bike park builders, professional gravity riders and trail builders Momentum Trails Concepts (MTC).

"We love what the festival has come to mean to the cycling community and we're exited that we've been able to help coordinate the DH course project," states Truvativ's Tyler Morland, "We wanted to make an impact on the gravity side of the event that would benefit everyone. To Sea Otter's credit, they were in 100% agreement. The addition of Momentum Trail Concepts provided us with a partner that understood the history and the issues, yet brought practical-minded solutions to address them."


A joint site visit with all three partners resulted in a master document outlining changes and upgrades to be performed by MTC in advance of the 2011 festival. Truvativ's assistance comes in the form of a trail maintenance grant with the brand helping underwrite significant course upgrades including;

1. An emphasis placed on sustainability throughout the design and build process.
2. 
   That the course become more accessible and more importantly, more fun for riders of all levels.
3. That rider safety is addressed through thoughtful design and meticulous building practices.

"We all know what Sea Otter means to the cycling community," says Momentum Trail Concepts' Matt Thompson, "We're excited to add to its legacy by helping to implement changes that will stand the test of time, enhance flow and provide more fun for riders of all abilities."


The two-week course build is slated to begin on April 3rd. A complete list of course changes can be found on Sea Otter's Facebook page, with an open-to-the-public online chat featuring Truvativ's Tyler Morland and MTC's Matt Thompson slated for the week of March 14, 2001 on the page. In keeping with Truvativ's "Every ride has a story" philosophy, they'll document the build with a series of videos to be published on the SRAM blog and Facebook page in addition to select online media outlets.

In related news, two other changes are on deck for this year, although both take place off-course. The first is a dedicated spectator shuttle with service between the expo area and downhill finish. The second? Ice-cold Sierra Nevada served at the finish in the new beer garden.

About the Sea Otter Classic

The inaugural Sea Otter Classic held in 1991 totaled 350 athletes and 150 spectators. 21 years later, it's a four-day celebration of cycling welcoming over 8,000 athletes and 49,000 fans. Regarded as the largest cycling festival in North America, the event hosts competitive and non-competitive events from the full spectrum of road and MTB cycling disciplines as well as the largest consumer cycling expo in the world. Held in Monterey, CA in the spring of each year, the Sea Otter Classic kicks off the cycling season for athletes and enthusiasts across North America and the world. More information can be found at www.seaotterclassic.com or by calling (800) 218-8411.

About SRAM

Global manufacturer of high-end bicycle components SRAM® was founded in Chicago, Illinois 1987 with the invention of Grip Shift®. For the past three decades SRAM has focused on the dual strategies of building organic in-house product development expertise and augmenting those capabilities via strategic acquisitions focused on amplifying them. SRAM acquired Schweinfurt, Germany's Sachs Bicycle Components in 1997 thus expanding its reach throughout Europe. Acquisitions of RockShox® (2001), Avid®, Truvativ® (2004) and Zipp (2007) soon followed thereby adding suspension componentry, disc brake technology, crankset proficiency and high-end carbon wheelsets and accessories to SRAM's existing offerings. SRAM is currently the 2nd largest manufacturer of bicycle components in the world with 2500 employees and offices and manufacturing in 15 countries. For more information, please visit www.SRAM.com.

 

DH Course Update #3 of 21: First Berm, good starting point but has eroded over time. 12-20 cubic yards of dirt will be used to reshape/renovate the turn. The berm will be renovated and only built up slightly - the shape on the exit , stability andimproved drainage are the main concerns.

 

Camp sites still available!

How to Make a Campsite Reservation

Home : Where to Stay : Camping : How to Make a Campsite Reservation



To reserve a campsite:

1. Review all available campsites at the “Online Reservations” page.
2. Identify two or three campsites that will meet your needs. Due to a high demand for camping, your first or second choice may not be available when you try to reserve it.
3. Review all rules and regulations for the campgrounds.
4. Return to the “Online Reservations” page and reserve your camping spot.
5. Have a valid credit card with information at hand when you make your online reservation: your credit card type, number, expiration date, security code, name on credit card, and billing address.
6. Please note that for all cancellations received on or before Sunday, March 13, 2011, there will be a $50 administrative cancellation fee per campsite. No refunds—medical or otherwise—will be issued after this date.
7. For further information, or if you have questions, please refer to the Camping FAQs, or contact

Julie Burbank, Camping Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
SOC Hotline: (800) 218-8411 or (831) 373-2331

 

DH Course Update #5 of 21: Small jumps after the Road crossing: the plan is to rework these jumps with existing dirt, mostly small modifications with longer backsides.

 

DH Course Update #6 of 21: As short as the time is, this section feels like an eternity. We want to make it more fun. Sustainability and safety are also key goals here. Some small grad ereversals (less than one foot in elevation change) and widening the trail to 4 feet will help this section tremendously.

 

DH Course Update #7 of 21: Old log Jump: This section is fun, fast and a spectator favorite. We're going to make it just a little bit more fun (bigger) and at the same time safer for riders and people off trail by adding a bit of dirt to an existing hole and buttressing the existing jump. 6 yeards of dirt will be used to repair and shape the lip and landing, plus fill the hole to rider's left.

 

DH Course Update #8 of 21: Fire Road - We're gonna create rolling grade reversals to help channel water off the road preventing sandy pile up and erosion. Fast section after old log jump - A fun section where riders are at their fastest. We want to keep the momentum riders have, but increase the safety. Ruts will be taken out and the grass will be given a haircut to increase visibility.

 

DH Course Update #10 of 21: Steep downhill section - The natural terrain here is great and we want to keep it slightly rough. In order to keep the water from flowing down the trail, we'll bank the trail left (and water will follow) onto the old road. Using the natural garade will stop the flow of water down the trail and increase the total number of corners on the track.

 

DH Course Update #10 of 21 (I think they messed up on the numbering): This berm can be a standout feature of the track. It's the last place most riders will hit their brakes and the most important feature to give riders momentum into the last third of the track. We're going to bake this berm A LOT bigger. It has eroded over the years and become a safety concern. We'll use 60 yards of dirt for the berm and one 20-foot pipe to train the inside corner.

 

DH Course Update #11 and 12 of 21: Jumps after Larger berm - No extra dirt needed here. We do want to give these features a facelift making the section slightly more forgiving in order for speeds to be kept up for the upcoming hip jump. We'll also install a pipe for the water seep that exists at the low point in the section.