US Open MTB Relay: Rules

Before we get to the rules let's talk about this thing. This event is meant to be a good time and fun way to kick of the season and the handicapping meant to level the playing field and keep everyone competitive until the end of the event. It is the first second time something like this has been attempted (that we know of) and therefore there is a very very good chance that the handicapping is still off a bit. We could debate for hours about the points I've allocated the categories, but we're not going to so continue to keep it to yourself; complain about it on MASSmatters; or post something anonymously on a DirtRag forum. Until we run this thing a few more times it just ain't gonna be perfect and to be honest it may never be since it's all about fun and kicking the season off right! So, tuck your head between your legs, grab your ankles, and kiss your butt goodbye - here we freakin' go.

Schedule
8:00AM - venue opens for pit set up
(note: one vehicle per team permitted to bring equipment to pit weather permitting)
9:00AM - registration opens (go pre-reg)
10:10AM - pre-race meeting
10:20AM - staging for the lemans style start
10:30AM - Its ON!!
2:30PM - Pencils down
2:45PM(ish) - Awards

1. No team member may complete more than 1 lap less than any other team members. If any rider is more than 1 lap behind the rest of the team at the end of the event then the team will be penalized 1 lap per occurrence. Injuries will be dealt with on a one-on-one basis.

2. Teams do not need to consist of members from the same MASS registered team and all teams will be eligible for the prize list.

3. All teams are eligible for the Team Championship Cup which will be engraved with the winning team's name and members and passed on from year to year as a perpetual trophy.

4. Teams must send their riders in the registration order. Deviation from the reg order will result in a one-lap penalty.

5. Every team must consist of four members. No teams may have less than four members. There shall be no teams with one, two, or three members, only four with four being the number of team members and the number of team members being four. Three which comes just before four nor five which follows four shall be the number of members on the team, but rather it shall be four. Four…

6. Teams may start their last rider up until the clock hits 4:00:00 after the start. As long as the previous rider crosses the transition line at 3:59:59 the next team member in registration order may race a final lap.

7. All team members, regardless of whether the team is an official MASS team or a combine, are eligible for MASS team points. Points will be divided amongst the team members as a percentage of the total team points awarded based on finishing position. For instance, if the winning team is VisitPA.com then 100% of the team points go to VisitPA.com. If the winning team consists of one rider from Spot, one from Cannondale, and two from Guys then the team points will be divided 25%, 25% and 50%, respectively.

8. Don't litter. If you're caught littering then your team will be disqualified. Yes, the top of a gel packet counts as littering. Laps are short. If you need during your time out on the course you might as well take a picnic basket and set up a blanket by the pond. You don't need to take anything to litter the trails with you.

8.5 The littering law extends to the pits and rest of the venue not just the trails. Pack out what you packed in. Again, this is private property and they let us run all over the joint a couple times a year. Want to f' if up for the rest of us? Be a douchebag and leave a pile of trash at your pit site after you leave...that'll make 'em glad to have us back time and time again. Way to be considerate. Pack out what you brought in. This includes cases of beer, broken camping chairs, and dang well every little piece of anything you bring with you. Most of you are fantastic guests and very considerate of the property. Some of you are jerkoffs. Don't be a jerkoff and clean up after yourself. If there are piles of trash left after the race at any site we will disqualify that team from the race.

9. Don't bug the results people while they are working during the race or after the race while they are tabulating the final results. If you're being a pain in the backside to the results people then you'll be beaten and publicly humiliated and your team will be docked a lap.

10. I'm in charge. What I say goes. Deal with it.

11. Please don't get naked, it scares people and makes the animals on the farm get sort of antsy and nutso, particularly the squirrels. Nutso antsy squirrels are not something we want to have to deal with during the weekend. The last time we had that problem it just made a big mess all over the yard. Take it from me, they are awfully hard to hit with a potato gun when they get like that. They are also the number one cause of global warming. It must be true - some people say they saw it on Fox News. Plus, cyclist just don't look that good naked - ask Nancy. So, please refrain from displaying your skinny farmer tanned hairy backed self to the rest of us it's just not pretty on so many levels.