The 2024 Season is Here!
We are so excited to have the season rolling and to see the constant chatter around practices and more kids on bikes! Our staff and amazing volunteer coaches have been hard at work all Spring and Summer to help prepare everyone for the 2024 Season. We feel like we have been everywhere in 2024 already and are excited to see you soon! The first competitive event kicks off just over a week from now at a brand-new venue for Arkansas NICA in Conway Arkansas. Many may not know this but the course you are coming to was partially built by NICA athletes. This is the first time in the history of NICA Nationally that an entire league event is being hosted on a trail built by NICA athletes. Below are a few topics that you may need to know as we approach our event season:
Teen Trail Corps Update
Time Trial Trivia
Regional Race Points Clarification
Race Clinic Sign Ups
Volunteers
Trek Bike Giveaway Kickoff!
Teen Trail Corps (TTC) Update:
We all share a common goal: to get #morekidsonbikes, with no tryouts and no benches. It’s a mission that unites us, and it’s a mission that requires our collective commitment. While we highly value the TTC and the positive impact it can have on our athletes and communities. Northwest Arkansas and the impact of tornadoes in May are a perfect example of how strong our bike community is. Thus far in 2024, our NICA athletes have given back nearly 4,000 volunteer hours in building and repairing trails. TTC is not just physically working on trails (serving), our athletes have attending meetings with community and civic leaders to help gain more access in other areas of our state. We are grateful to have the opportunity and access to some amazing trails in our state and wanted to thank you all for what you have done to help rebuild communities impacted and plan and develop new trails.
Time Trial Trivia!
Why is the time trial so important? We recognized that our student athletes all develop at a different pace. We want to ensure they have a positive experience in their NICA Journey while at the same time lowering barriers to competition. This first event is a solo effort that they start with their team as a unit and compete against the clock. Their results will be posted but no awards at the end of the day. We use these results to create a Call up order for Race 1 to the faster riders get to start in the front. It also helps ensure athletes are in the proper categories as the enter the season since we race in “ability based ” categories vs Age/Grade Groups. With some categories having over 100 athletes this season already having a time posted for the TT is crucial to kicking your season off on the right foot. Athletes with no times will be starting near the back of the pack at Race 1 and have to work their way up through the fields.
Click HERE to see your team start times: We recommend you follow team directions but arrive about 1 hour before your start time at minimum.
Race Weekend updates: Click HERE for the Race Flyer for the Time Trial
Many of you are new to NICA each season and maybe are not sure what to expect. We want you to have a fun and rewarding experience so here are a few tips we want you to know for 2024:
- All Registration for events is ONLINE ONLY for 2024. Online registration will close at Midnight Wednesday night the week of the race. We will have a registration tent/booth at the venues, but this is for race plate pickup/lost plate issues only.
- Callups will be posted by Thursday afternoon for each race week. Time Trial has no callups to the line as you are lined up by your team’s head coaches. There is NO REGISTRATION ON RACE WEEKENDS whatsoever.
- There is no riding of your bikes in the PITZONE area at race venues.
- If your leg is over a bicycle, you must have a helmet on and strapped.
- Athletes must have a number plate on for Pre-Ride on Saturdays. Coaches also must have your coach plates.
- New for 2024 we have added 5th graders to our programming. Their team coaches have to clear them to race before competition.
- New for 2024 we have added a “Just Ride” category that will be in the middle of the day for both High School and Middle School athletes that want to be there on race weekends and be a part of the event but do not desire to compete. You must request this category via a petition HERE
- New for 2024, we have split into 2 Regions (Plains and Plateaus) and will compete regionally for Race 1 and 3 and together for Race 2 and 4.
- New for 2024 we have separated female scoring from male. We want to celebrate our female accomplishments as a unit and build team unity amongst them in addition to their male counterparts. Thus, there will be team awards for female teams and male teams. In short, we want to help get more girls on bikes!
- Special Events taking place: At the Conway event we will have someone giving Hot Air Balloon rides on a tethered balloon Rides will be $25.00 per person and riders must be 48″ tall to go up. Please bring cash or have the Venmo app to pay. This will take place from 6-8:30 pm Saturday Night at the Conway Time Trial. Weather Permitting. Additionally, you may want to bring a fishing pole or a volleyball as there are 2-3 fishing spots and a beach volleyball court onsite. Free onsite camping is available but is primitive (no power /water).
Regional Championship Points Clarification
We wanted to clarify some questions regarding regional points. Attached is an excerpt from the Arkansas exceptions. Since we have moved to 2 split regions and added a true state championship at the end of the season the regional champion will be based off total points of the 3 regional races (no dropping of races). The Mid-season classic athletes will be scored overall as they finished in their region but will compete “head-to-head”. Callups will be based off total points as well. No dropping of races for callups. Special exceptions may petition per the handbook.
6.11.B. OVERALL INDIVIDUAL SERIES SCORING
6.11.B.1 Overall Regional Series scoring for individuals is based on the finishes for Races 1 through 3 to determine the regional champions.
No dropping of finishes.
State Championship Clarification:
6.11.D STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
6.11.D.1 Arkansas NICA Race 4 will be a stand-alone State Championship. Student Athletes must race in at least 2 prior regional events to be eligible to “win” the state championship (time trial not included). Any registered NICA athlete can still attend and compete however if that requirement is not met but will not be deemed eligible to win the Championship Title. Results determined by Race Finish at Race 4. No bonus points in effect for the State Championship. Call ups will be determined by regional finishing order for the State Championship.
6.11.E.3 Season bonus points are awarded to individuals following the calculation of overall series points after the final race of the regional series. Season Bonus Points are not added to points scored in the final race nor are they added into the team score.
For more information: NICA Handbook.7.1.24 (nationalmtb.org)
Student Athlete Race Clinic Sign Ups:
As we gear up for our event weekends throughout the year, we want to ensure that we prep our student athletes for what racing is truly like. To that end, we are offering a Race Clinic for new riders! And for us to make sure we go through a number of topics to increase confidence in our athletes. This clinic is geared toward student athletes who are new to RACING not new to riding. We will work on competition specific skills not 101 or even 201 level skills that they may be receiving in their practices, but you must register on a separate platform for these events: Register for a Race Clinic HERE
This race clinic will cover the following topics:
Feed Zone
Nutrition
Bumping/Passing
Race Starts
Staging
Trek Bike Fundraiser
Trek bicycles is a huge supporter of NICA and has graciously donated a 2024 Trek Supercaliber 9.8 race bike for us to give away at the end of the season to a lucky winner. This bike is worth over $8,000 and is nearly identical to the speed weapon the US Olympic team was using recently in Paris. During each race event we will choose the highest fundraising student athlete, and they will get to “pie” one of our NICA Staff in the face in the name of fun! 50% of the funds raised will go back to the teams and 50% will go to the Arkansas NICA League. Stay tuned to our socials for the kickoff and look for QR codes and the display bike at events near you soon!
Volunteers Needed!
We cannot pull of these amazing events without a small army of volunteers. We are looking for volunteers now for the first few events. Please signup today! Where else can you be a part of the event! We are finding new ways to reward our amazing volunteers and new for 2024 is a free meal card! Repeat volunteers are eligible for Arkansas NICA swag! more details to come. Sign up HERE
PS. Stay tuned for a Welcome email from one of our partners, Visit Conway on how to maximize your time in Conway at the upcoming events. Special things are in the works and it’s proving to be a special course with a little something for everyone.
Cheers,
Terry and the Arkansas NICA Team.