Fast Vets.....

[Oldas]

I don't get the joke. Why shouldn't someone who's 38 be proud of taking out a state vet series racing against some 30 year olds and some 39 year olds?

Hi

I think if someone enters a lesser grade of competition to win knowing they should be and are more than capable of being competitive in Elite then that's a little un cool.

I completely agree with what you have said and believe you have simply taken me out of context.


Cheers

 

[Calvin M]

I sort of like the idear of Vet A and B but think it wouldnt work in the end. Would be good to have the Vets that are still running elite together (Benny Karl Wisey Nick Watkins etc) But if these sorts of riders steeped out of elite the field in elite would be so small. The problem is that more Expert need to step up and Sport step up to Expert. Then the Vets field would be big enought to have 2 groups. Im thinking about running elite this year as the field was so small last year that I would of qualified 3 times in elite with times that didnt win Vets.
But I wont because I love raceing with guys my own age that all get along so well they are why I like racing so much. See you at the races.

 

[SideFX]

Vets class is nether here nor there . The Vets don`t get the prises at the end of the year or a second timed run a the big races . There doesn't seem to be any enticement to race vets . If your a former elliet rider and race vets and win vets , well big deal and if your new to the sport or a casual vets racer well guess what ? your going to get wiped buy some young guy and or race one or two people of similar age < boring > .
Maybe vets should be an ongoing seeding for the the next race and an ongoing championship within the race series . Like first five vets get Gold plates for the next race . Then the next 5 Silver . Then the next five bronze . with the changing of plates at the end of the race .
Also chance the name Vets !

 

[redfin]

I'm pretty keen to see some more info on this subject too. I'm planning on entering the VDHS this season and i've never raced DH before and I qualify for vets.( have been to a few races though).
Should i enter straight into vets or not ??? obviously i don't know how competetive i'm going to be yet ?? The problem is i'd hate to be someone that holds up a quicker more serious rider !!! So is there another category i should enter at first and if i do that can i move back to vets after a couple of rounds once i know where i'm gonna be in the field if i want ??? Would really like to meet and have fun competing with guys my own age mostly so vets would be ideal !!!
Can anyone indicate roughly the entry numbers on average in vets ??
I was thinking that if there isn't that many numbers in this category that the organisers ot other riders would maybe recognise the slower riders and send them off last. ?? or at least this is what i'm hoping for my sake LOL.
Note : i don't actually know if this is how it works as i haven't raced yet so please don't jump on my back if this is obvious to everyone how it works already ? the thread kinda relates to faster riders being held up thats all. I'm really looking for info myself too before i get to my first race. Nervous enough thinking about it without even knowing what category i should be in now !!!
Otherwise i would be agreeing to split into Vet A and Vet B.
Cheers.

 

[Kram]

And I will ask my question again:

Why should it be only Vets expected to place themselves in Elite if they are quick - how about the quick u17s or u19s, some of whom could podium in Elite?

Why is this only a question asked of Vets riders?

Great question that seems to get ignored.
Sandbagging junior world champs.

 

[xc turbine]

Down here in Tassie. During the local winter XC series, we had Vets and U/19s in elite. The veteran ended up winning the series.

 

[24alpha]

I'm pretty keen to see some more info on this subject too. I'm planning on entering the VDHS this season and i've never raced DH before and I qualify for vets.( have been to a few races though).
Should i enter straight into vets or not ??? obviously i don't know how competetive i'm going to be yet ?? The problem is i'd hate to be someone that holds up a quicker more serious rider !!! So is there another category i should enter at first and if i do that can i move back to vets after a couple of rounds once i know where i'm gonna be in the field if i want ??? Would really like to meet and have fun competing with guys my own age mostly so vets would be ideal !!!
Can anyone indicate roughly the entry numbers on average in vets ??
I was thinking that if there isn't that many numbers in this category that the organisers ot other riders would maybe recognise the slower riders and send them off last. ?? or at least this is what i'm hoping for my sake LOL.
Note : i don't actually know if this is how it works as i haven't raced yet so please don't jump on my back if this is obvious to everyone how it works already ? the thread kinda relates to faster riders being held up thats all. I'm really looking for info myself too before i get to my first race. Nervous enough thinking about it without even knowing what category i should be in now !!!
Otherwise i would be agreeing to split into Vet A and Vet B.
Cheers.

Redfin, first of all you'll be very welcome in the Vets class no matter what your skill level. If you are pretty slow compared to your mates, just mention it to whom ever is organising the riders at the start gate. (Note: this is before your run)
Our VDHS runs different numbers through out the season. 3 years ago we struggled to get more than 5 people even at the state champs. Now we get over 20 riders consistantly. The You Yangs round should have 30+.
Just come along with you bike, gear and fun attitude and you'll fit in just fine!

And I will ask my question again:

Why should it be only Vets expected to place themselves in Elite if they are quick - how about the quick u17s or u19s, some of whom could podium in Elite?

Why is this only a question asked of Vets riders?

Why is it only being asked of Vets riders...because it's in the Vets forum.

To answer your question, it shouldn't be just Vets. In fact, when Connor Fearon came and race Big Hill, he rode Elite. And won!
Spinner on here slots into the Master feild. He races Expert and holds his own in that class! And we have another legend who is about 45 and races expert as well. Both of these guys choose to race in harder categories and my hat goes off to both of them.

Hux out!

 

[Calvin M]

Straight into Vets redfin most guys that are over 30 and start racing do. Like Hux said talk to the people at the start gate before the vets race to put you to wards the back or ask when doing rego to have a high numbed plate. The next race you do after that you will be given a new race number which slots you into the starting order according to your series points placeing.

 

[karl]

vets in vic was once very close to being as fast as the elite class, and there were 4/5 guys that all could win, but it hasnt been like that for a few years. i qualify for the vets class, if i ride vets i get bitched at for sand bagging (mostly by guys who werent going to win anyway) and held up by a guy who could be timed with the passing of planetery features, in elite i have to ride over my comfort level and get hurt. what if the class took away the shinny prizes and just posted times for old guys to talk crap about???? if you want to win prizes then race in sport/expert/elite.

just a thought, be polite in your following tyraid

 

[24alpha]

held up by a guy who could be timed with the passing of planetery features

This is part of my point. And why I think a Vets A & B is a good idea. I'd like to see riders like Benny, Peely, Wisey, Jarrod and the likes racing each other without being slowed down in the category they want to ride in. And those riders like Redfin being able to enjoy a social ride without being over-taken by a rocket of the same vintage.
Bring on summer I say!!!!

 

[lifesgood]

Classes- Vets A/B

I race in Super Masters in Adelaide and have seen the Vets A & B series work and not work. When we had approx 15 to 20 vets racing a dual class worked well, when you have 7 odd riders there should really be one class as there were some races where there were not enough competitors to fill the 2 class podiums. Our Masters & Super Masters category is super competitive and in many cases podiums are judged in tenths of a second, and 10 seconds, however we also have an "open class" with no points or prizes where anyone from 15 to 53 can race for braging rights and a second run. My opinion is that the racing is about progresion and personal time improvement and not so much about the bling. This is a great class and would work any where in Australia.

 

[redfin]

Redfin, first of all you'll be very welcome in the Vets class no matter what your skill level. If you are pretty slow compared to your mates, just mention it to whom ever is organising the riders at the start gate. (Note: this is before your run)
Our VDHS runs different numbers through out the season. 3 years ago we struggled to get more than 5 people even at the state champs. Now we get over 20 riders consistantly. The You Yangs round should have 30+.
Just come along with you bike, gear and fun attitude and you'll fit in just fine!

Thanks Hux.
A fun attitude is the first thing i'll be bringing don't worry... oh bike and gear too !!!
Your reply was very informative and motivating too so i'll be there with bells on !
Cheers. Ben.

Straight into Vets redfin most guys that are over 30 and start racing do. Like Hux said talk to the people at the start gate before the vets race to put you to wards the back or ask when doing rego to have a high numbed plate. The next race you do after that you will be given a new race number which slots you into the starting order according to your series points placeing.

Thanks too Calvin. I at least i know where to make a start now. Stress relieved !!!
Cheers. Ben

 

[24alpha]

FYI - I believe the VDHS is trialing the Vets A & B at this weekends Eildon round.

 

[Calvin M]

FYI - I believe the VDHS is trialing the Vets A & B at this weekends Eildon round.

Realy. We need a C class for me LOL. How will they work it? The winner of B has to go to A?

And a side note what Vets Masters and Supers on here will be going to Eildon. See you there if you are.

 

[Whitie]

Who will be racing Vets/Masters

Hey Calvin

The old man will be (can't keep up with the youngsters though)

You should see how many pairs of undies he's packed!!!!

I'm sure they're not all in case it's wet!!!!!

He qualifies for Masters.

Hey Redfin it will be his first Vic DH series after watching our 9 & 12 year olds last year.

You can enjoy it together!!

See you all there.

 

[Wisey]

This is part of my point. And why I think a Vets A & B is a good idea. I'd like to see riders like Benny, Peely, Wisey, Jarrod and the likes racing each other without being slowed down in the category they want to ride in. And those riders like Redfin being able to enjoy a social ride without being over-taken by a rocket of the same vintage.

OK, just found this thread, seems to have been going for a while and as my name has been mentioned a couple of times I'll throw in my 2c worth. I totally agree with your sentiments Hux, Vets needs to be broken up into fast and fun or changed so the fast riders don't get held up. I'm 38, rode a DH bike for the first time in 2006 (at 34) and have been madly hooked ever since. I do take it a little more seriously than others my age, I train and aspire to become a better rider (much to my wifes frustration), but when I reach a level that I feel I'm not going to get any faster or my balls shrink I will step back, until then I will push on.

My reasons for riding Elite and not Vets are these. I enjoy the challenge of qualifying in Elite and the buzz of coming down the hill at the end of the day with all the fast dudes, I would rather come 18th in a huge Elite field than win Vets by 10 or 20sec. I have contemplated racing Vets but I won't until we have some more competitive riders moving into the class (I may be to old for Vets by the time this happens) and some changes so the fast guys do not get held up by the slower riders, if KP and Benny R had of raced Vets this year I too may have done so. So if Vets are lumped in as one class and with the massive speed difference in some riders in the class I can't see myself going there until they change it a bit, if they ever do.

I hope this doesn't sound to "Elite-ist".

 

[24alpha]

Well spoken Wisey.
And well done on the weekend. Qualifying in such an Elite-ist feild was well done.

 

[dunndog]

I'm gunna race vets at Barj. Will be my first race, and at 35 I'm not really too fussed about pitting my.. ahem.. skills against lightning bolts half my age.
No point here really, just thought I'd share that with y'all.

 

[oetkb]

super fast

The guy who won the Veterans class at Barjarg on the weekend was super quick. So quick in fact that he would have won the expert section with a time of 3.08, and I believe have qualified for mens elite.
Not bad for an "old bloke" makes the rest of us oldies look fairly pedestrian.
With 25 competitors in vets and a fair number of them new to D.H maybe a vets A and B might be possible.

 

[24alpha]

The guy who won the Veterans class at Barjarg on the weekend was super quick. So quick in fact that he would have won the expert section with a time of 3.08, and I believe have qualified for mens elite.
Not bad for an "old bloke" makes the rest of us oldies look fairly pedestrian.
With 25 competitors in vets and a fair number of them new to D.H maybe a vets A and B might be possible.

That gentleman you speak of is super quick. There should have been some competition in Vets for him but they busted themselves up. He was also going slow.
The best way to beat him is to hide his bike before the race.

Bring on Vets A & B.