Round 1 will be held at Tauranga. Race details are on the Cycle Obsession MTB Park Facebook page.

Can someone official please urgently confirm the safety wear requirements.

The Cycle Obsession facebook page has just put up a notice that clearly states that all junior classes MUST wear Upper Body armour and Neck Braces. This is way above the 'recommended' stance of MTBNZ which is also the rules referred to by AKDH see http://www.akdh.co.nz/joomla/images/sto ... _rules.pdf

If this is the case I think competitors need to know immediately as those without these items will incur significant unexpected expenditure or make a long trip to be turned away. This is rather short notice to go changing the rules isn't it.

Can someone from Tauranga Club please advise clearly and quickly.

thanks

Have just spoken to one of the organisers and I think when he gets a chance he will clarify on here. The neck braces are recommended only. The requirement for body armour was an additional one but he recognises that it is short notice and I'll leave it to him to update with the official position. They are certainly being very helpful and only looking out for the riders and, of course, their responsibilities as event managers.

For round 3 at PanPac Eskdale MTB Park, Hawkes Bay, our protective clothing rule is:

Full face helmets, gloves and full skin coverage is mandatory.
If you are a junior, knee and elbow protection is also required.

This is the same rule as what we had last year.
I personally havn't been informed if this needs to be updated/added to.

The round 3 event webpage including online entry, a printable entry form, helmet cam footage of the course & other info will go live later this week.

they seem to have clarified their position over on FB

Its still a greater standard than Nats

Helmet
Goggles
Knee guards
Elbow guards
Gloves
Plus full upper body coverage (ie a long sleve jersey)

It's kinda stupid that I have to buy armour for one round of a local race series (ie elbow guards)

Elbows for all U19s and below were in force for Nats. The UCI nazis were very tough on it and turning riders away at the top on practice day. I remember well that Mildie made announcements during the event and offered to make sure that no one missed out by finding loaners for them.

Actually I have just looked at the FB page again and they have cleared things up about body armour but for some reason taken away the mention that these rules applied to Junior and women riders only. I think that was the intention anyway.

After chatting with the bloke this morning my impression was that they were following the MTBNZ guidelines which are what everyone has been using for sometime now but want to 'strongly advise' the use of armour and braces, which is fair enough as, after all, they are responsible for safety and they know the dangers of their track.

women and juniors only? interesting................

Don't take my comments as the rules, I will only complicate things further. I am trying to point everyone in the right direction now it has been cleared up.


Just follow the MTBNZ guidelines (there is a link on the AKDH website under 'Safety') and you won't go wrong.

All organisers are being very consistent with these regs now which is good as there are no nasty surprises after making a long drive.

For those without FB access here is the question asked and answered...

Q -Just a quick question, does that mean as a Master rider that I have to wear elbow guards??, or does the elbow guard requirement only come in for juniors and if not wearing a long sleeve top, ie the same as nats?


A -Hey Dean, Good question,
Elbow guard requirements for Under15 to U19's Men and Women only.
Thanks

So people

What an awesome show Tim put on this weekend. The weather played ball (just) and the track was mean. Only the one injury (get well soon JV)

Any way what you all want to see....THE RESULTS!

Keep training and see you all in the redwoods in two weeks.

Jamie - AKDH


ps, online series registration will be open from tomorrow until Tues 5th, then there'll be a last chance at Rego in Rotorua.

Hey guys, have just finished uploading some of my photos from last weekend to facebook. Will send a link across to the Cycle Obsession facebook page as well.

If anyone wants full res copies give me a shout - there's generally four or five in a sequence on the jump shots, I've just picked one from each sequence here.