Calvin’s Challenge

Last lap rules NEW!

If you are new to Calvin’s Challenge, the rule used to be that only full laps count. That meant that sometimes you might have 15 minutes left on the clock to the end of the race, but not enough time to make a full lap before time ran out. If you didn’t finish your last lap before time ran out, even if it was just a few seconds, it didn’t count.

After looking at how other races handle this issue, we decided to go with the plan to mark each mile point on the 7 mile loop. You could then ride to the end of race regulation time and a course marshal would stop you at the mile mark you reached and punch your scorecard. Last year was the first time we tried this approach of allowing racers to race all the way to the 6 or 12 hour time limit. With safety as our primary concern, we stipulated that you had to be back to the school and have you scorecard turned by 15 minutes after your race time limit had been reached. You also had finish the lap, maintaining the same direction of travel. In practice, this meant that no one took advantage of the one or two mile check points. There simply wasn’t enough time to finish the loop and turn in the scorecard.

After reviewing how well and safe the last lap worked, we have decided to change the rules to make it even easier to get in those last few miles. The same mile points will be used. A course marshal will stop you at the mile point you have reached at the end race regulation time. Your scorecard will be marked with that mile point and you will then turn the scorecard over to the marshal right there. You can return to the school in either direction you want. For those of you reaching mile points 1 through 3, you can turn around and proceed back to the school in the opposite direction that the race was ran in. If you make it to mile point 4 or further, you should just continue the lap in the same direction after your final mile has been scored and card turned in. We ask that you please stay safe on the return back to the school, don’t let you guard down just because the race is over.

We are very excited about the addition of Team competition to Calvin’s Challenge 12 hour race. We have created two basic categories, a 2 person and a 4 person. They can be all male, all female or mixed. Any mixture of the kinds of types of bicycles is permissible, such as the mix of traditional frame bikes and  un-faired recumbents (no HPV’s) If you want to use a tandem, that would count as one member of the team, but those two riders must always work together on the tandem.  We will create age groups as we go once we see how well the Team category develops. The rules are pretty simple and that invites each team to be creative about how they will manage their race.
 
The Team category is only for the 12 hour race.

The exchange of riders can only happen at one of the two check points. Each checkpoint will have a designated Team transition area. For timing and scoring purposes, the on coming rider must follow the off coming rider through the timing chute. On the 50 mile loop, this means a leg of about 25 miles. On the 7 mile loop, it means that the rider will ride the whole loop without an exchange.

If you decide to have a crew, they can only meet you at the check points and cannot follow riders on the route. There is a crew route between the checkpoints that will be signed (but one turn is easy to miss). No matter if you are doing a 2 or 4 person team, it is quite easy  to do this without a crew.

Some recommendations:

You could send out each racer to do the 50 mile loop in it’s entirety, but that would be a slow way to score mileage.

You can have as many of the team on the route riding together as you want, but even if you have all 4 (or 2)  members on the route riding together you’ll only be scored as one. So, if all 4 of your team rode the 50 mile loop together as a team TT, you would only be scored 50 miles and not 200 miles

Teams can draft any of the other racers. Only the TT racers are excluded from drafting or being drafted on. They will have special designation to single them out. No drafting of the "Fun" riders, They will the riders without a number.

Whether it is the 2 or 4 person team, send a rider to the mid loop checkpoint with a vehicle that is stocked with what the other teammates will need when they transition later in the race. Start the race with rider #1 with rider #2 staged at the mid loop checkpoint. Rider #1 races the first leg to the mid loop checkpoint. Rider #2 takes over at the mid loop checkpoint. Rider #1 stays at that checkpoint and refuels and rests. Rider #2 races the leg back to the main checkpoint, where rider #3 takes over and races to the mid loop checkpoint where rider #1 is staged. Rider #1 races back to the main checkpoint where rider #4 takes over and races to the mid checkpoint where rider #3 is waiting to finish the loop. When all the loops are completed the remaining rider drives back to the main checkpoint and rejoins their team, (which has most likely started on the 7 mile loops). If your team is planning to start on the 7 mile loop after the two required 50 mile laps, you should send two riders to the mid loop checkpoint. If not, rider #1 of the rotation will end up riding two legs and rider #4 none.

For the 2 person teams, you’ll have to drive between the checkpoints after exchanges if your plan is to ride only 25 mile segments. Again,  this can be done without a crew.

By no means do you have to do it in this fashion, be creative (but stay within the rules). Rider communication (two way radios and cell phones) is permissible and recommended. You don’t want to roll into a checkpoint and have your relief rider off somewhere.

Both the 2 person and 4 person must complete two full laps of the 50 mile loop (100 miles) before starting into the 7 mile loop. But, the teams can continue on the 50 mile loop as much as the like.

Teams should think about setting up their pit area prior to the timing chute as the on coming rider MUST follow the off coming rider through the timing chute to be timed and scored.

The same last partial lap rules apply to the Teams. The Team rider that is last on the course will be stopped at the mile mark they reached at the end of race regulation time. Their number will be marked with that mileage. The remaining team members should remove their numbers and turn them as a group after race regulation time has been reached.

As well as the team category being new , so is the electronic timing and scoring, so please bear with us as we work through the inevitable issues.

In case of a complete failure of the Electronic Timing and Scoring system, we will revert back to the old way of scouring. You will be required to come to a stop so that we can mark/ punch your number at each checkpoint.

Rules for Calvin’s Challenge 12 hour, 6 hour and 100TT.

The First rule that must be addressed is the mirror rule. Yes, mirrors are required. They can be Bike, Helmet, Eye glasses or Hand mounted. (it is a recumbent way of doing it). The reasons are many, but the number one reason is to prevent your injury or death.

We take the mirror rule seriously. Each one of the Directors uses a mirror every time we ride. Disregard for the rule will get you DQ’d. Don’t test us on it.

We race on roads open to traffic. It is often windy, which limits your ability to hear vehicles coming up from behind. There are a number of left hand turns on the route. Most of them are on quite country roads with little or no traffic. There is one left hand turn off the State Route 42 that one of our racers was killed while making the turn. There is a slight bend and hill right before the turn. From the time you turn around and look to see if it clear, the situation can change by the time make your turn. This limits your sight line to vehicles coming up from behind and their ability to see you until it is too late.UMCA racing is much different than other forms of racing that you may come from. First, we don’t have categorized levels of skill, such as Cat 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1. You may be lined up to a RAAM winner or next to someone that this is their first mass start. Add to the mix tandems and recumbents of all shapes and sizes and you’ll have a busy time keeping track of who is where. It is just good to be able to watch the wheel ahead of you and be able to see what is on your wheel without having to turn around. In that split second of you looking back could have you in a crash.I think it is just a great racing tool. I can easily see if I’ve got a gap or that the group in closing in. Do I go or sit up and wait? All without tipping my hand with the “Look Back”.The same arguments we hear about mirrors are the same we heard about helmets (other than they are hot). The mirror is the cheapest and simplest way to improve your safety on the road.