Club Crit racing - length?

[GAV!N]

Just wondering what the average club out there does for the crits?

I've recently signed up for my local club, who for their crits does something like this:
A grade: 60 mins + 2 laps
B Grade: 50 mins + 2 laps
C & D: 40 mins + 2 laps
(laps are around 2.5km)
I think these are pretty reasonable times for crits...


I was looking at going to race with another club this weekend, however notice they only do:
A grade: 20 mins + 2 laps
B Grade: 15mins + 2 laps
C&D: 10 mins + 2 laps.
I haven't raced here, and don't know how big their laps are, but to be honest It doesn't at all seem worth the time, effort and money, to go and race for such a small amount of time. Being in C or D grade would probably be less than a 20 minute race.


What does your club do?
Would you bother paying, going, (30 minutes early), hanging around etc for less than 20 mins racing?

[toolonglegs]

Some clubs have to run really short crits because they can only fit one grade on the track at a time... I agree, hardly worth the effort but they can be fun if you are well prepared.
Most of our crits at my level are 90min to 2hours... the grade above does about 100-120km. You sell more beer and food if you put on a longer show .

[skull]

good tactics

[cerb]

Our grades as follows:

A Men - 60min + 3 laps
A Women - 50min + 3 laps
B Open - 55min + 3 laps
B Women - 45min + 3 laps
C Open - 50min + 3 laps
C Women - 35min + 3 laps
D Open - 45min + 3 laps
E Open - 25min + 3 laps

We typically have 100-200 people race across the grades, so as long as the weather is good there are plenty of people around and the atmosphere is good. Lots of people have their significant other/kids/dogs down there too so it can be pretty busy.

I usually arrive 30mins before my race to sign up and talk the proverbial before the race starts.... most other people seem to do the same. Sometimes I hang around post race for a coffee/BBQ and watch friends race. Time spent racing vs. time spent spectating doesn't really come into the equation for me - if I only raced 25mins, I'd have no issue with being there 30mins before and afterward (time permitting of course!).

[Derny Driver]

Just wondering what the average club out there does for the crits?

I was looking at going to race with another club this weekend, however notice they only do:
A grade: 20 mins + 2 laps
B Grade: 15mins + 2 laps
C&D: 10 mins + 2 laps.

hahaha mate if its a club just north of you, that would be my club.
I agree its ridiculously short.
I think you'll find that when the organisers get complaints at the sign on desk they will probably increase the times to A grade 40, B grade 30 and C grade 20 ... but I cant guarantee it.

[nescius]

The Wednesday night crits here tend to be pretty short, B grade will range between 20 and 33 minutes plus 2 laps. I don't mind shorter races, but you have to be ready to go as soon as the race starts, I have been known to launch attacks inside the first 200m of a race to try and immediately drop anyone who isn't warmed up. The racing tends to be fairly frenetic and it can be difficult to make a break and make it stick, but it's still fun. The lower grades have even shorter races, E grade is between 14 and 19 minutes plus 2 laps. Thursday nights are a bit longer, starting at 35 minutes.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Would you bother paying, going, (30 minutes early), hanging around etc for less than 20 mins racing?

No. If if were younger juniors, sure, but not older juniors or seniors.

[GAV!N]

Just wondering what the average club out there does for the crits?

I was looking at going to race with another club this weekend, however notice they only do:
A grade: 20 mins + 2 laps
B Grade: 15mins + 2 laps
C&D: 10 mins + 2 laps.

hahaha mate if its a club just north of you, that would be my club.
I agree its ridiculously short.
I think you'll find that when the organisers get complaints at the sign on desk they will probably increase the times to A grade 40, B grade 30 and C grade 20 ... but I cant guarantee it.

Yep. Didn't want to name names :p It's a shame because the rest of your races look quite good. Keen to come up and give the Don's farm course a crack sometime soon.

[Derny Driver]

Yep. Didn't want to name names :p It's a shame because the rest of your races look quite good. Keen to come up and give the Don's farm course a crack sometime soon.

Gavin our President says we have a time limit for use of the road (along the beach) but we can do 15 mins for C, 20 for B and 25 for A grade. Come up and have a crack.
If not, come to the road races at Dons farm, you will be most welcome. Im always there.

[GAV!N]

Cool. I have to come up that way on Sunday anyway so might stop in for a race. What's the course like? Lap length? From memory the roads down that part of Port are pretty much flat?

[Derny Driver]

Cool. I have to come up that way on Sunday anyway so might stop in for a race. What's the course like? Lap length? From memory the roads down that part of Port are pretty much flat?

Its maybe 400 metres long, banana shaped hotdog, so 800 metre laps (im guessing). Its 400 metres of slight uphill, then 400m downhill. Tight cone turn at each end. If you know MM beach, it starts at the southern end of the beach, and goes south up the rise to the Senior college, then back. Its not a bad course. We close the road to traffic.

[Triathlete]

I am usually getting ripped off in Triathlons however 10 min criteriums take the cake. That is about $2 a lap.

[Derny Driver]

[quote="GAV!N"] I have to come up that way on Sunday anyway so might stop in for a race. ....quote]
Mate I saw the results, you did very well!
Sorry I wasn't there.
Catch you next time you come up.

[GAV!N]

Thanks DD! Was a good experience. I found myself stuck at the back of the pack for most of the race. I found it quite hard to move up on such a short course, so went for a long range attack with 1.5 laps to go. I knew it was suicide, but gave it a crack. It definitely split the pack anyway. Held on to the last turn but hadn't nothing left so strolled in for 4th. Pretty happy with that. Lot's to learn!