IELD LIMIT
New
for 2009 is a field size limit of 750. Let me be clear...that's 750
race plates. Why the distinction? Because a team counts as one!
Why the limit? A couple of reasons...
First and foremost, our USFS permit says so...that's reason enough really!
Second,
we don't believe bigger is necessarily better. We heard from a few
last year that the route was pretty crowded on Lap 1. On Lap 2 the
pack thins out considerably especially when you consider the DNF rate
(25% in 2008). We believe now, as we believed in the beginning, that
quality is better than quantity and that taking care of the racer is
Job #1. Now, there's a chance we will NOT fill and we will be able to
accomodate everyone that wants to participate. How do you know how
full the race is so that you can make that Game Day decision? We will
post the total number of registrations-to-date on the homepage
bulletin. We will update a couple times a week through the end of
April and then more frequently as we get into May.
Bottom line here is...Register early. We were over 750 last year!
TIME LIMIT
In
the interests of safety, a time limit will be imposed for 2009. The
cut-off location is Aid Station #2 on Lap 2. This is Mile 36.5 and the
cut-off time is 4:15PM. For a racer starting at 11:15 this allows them
5 hours or an average speed of 7.3mph. Projected over the 50 mile
course, 7.3mph equates to a total time of 7:08. We feel this is a
reasonable rate of speed for Sport racers and allows faster racers time
to deal with mechanical issues and still make the cut-off.
Any racer arriving at Aid #2 after 4:15 will be directed downhill on French Gulch Rd. to downtown Breckenridge.
START INTERVALS
We
are working with the great folks at the Breckenridge Resort Chamber
(they organize the parade) to utilize two minute start interval between
waves. At the very least we will go with two minute intervals for the
Marathon Championship Open categories. We are working out the
logistics and impacts on the parade timeline if we go with two minute
intervals throughout.
START ORDER
Pro/Open
Women will start with the Pro/Open Men. They will line up at the back
of the Pro/Open Men's field and roll out together. Last year the gals
had to work their way through a throng of Open class men and as pros
you deserve a clear track. Also, due to their popularity the Maverick
and Singlespeed classes will start separately.
COURSE IMPROVEMENTS
We
had a meeting recently with the USFS to begin plans on a muddy section
of trail at about Mile 8...you know the one I mean...lots of braiding,
tons of mud, just before the switchback climb out of Mt. Pride Mine.
Maverick Sports and the Summit Fat Tire Society will be sharing the
bill on this important project and it will be ready by race day.
We
are in negotiations with the Country Boy Mine to re-route the course
through their awesome property. This will eliminate the two-way
section on Sally Barber Road...my personal nightmare. This is a
tentative announcement.
Lastly, remember Nightmare on Baldy?
Nightmare was the wicked steep loose descent that dumped you out at
Sally Barber Mine. Well...it's gone! Nightmare has been replaced with
brand new contouring singletrack. Thanks to Volunteers for Outdoor
Colorado, Town of Breckenridge Open Space and Trails, Summit County
Open Space and Trails and about a gozillion volunteers. Completed in
July 2008 this new trail is Awesome!
GT GOLDEN RACE SERIES
This
year's Firecracker has been selected as part of the GT Golden Bike
Series. The short story is GT will give a FREE bike and an All
Expenses Paid trip for two to the next race in the series. The prize
goes to the 1st Place non-Pro finisher. This is a super cool promotion
and all details are posted at www.gtisgolden.com.
THE HISTORY
What started out as a gleam in our eye has
grown into a staple on the Colorado mountain bike racing calendar. Why
the 4th?
Because absolutely nothing athletic was happening in our town. Sure
Scott Yule,
Mike Zobbe, Ellen Hollinshead, Monique Merrill, and a host of other
local mountain goat legends were bagging a 14er, skiing 4th of July
Bowl on Peak 10, or riding
their favorite epic. But nothing organized was happening. Where I come
from
there is at least a dinky little July 4th 5k Run just about everywhere;
and
then people get with family and friends, BBQ, and relax for the rest of
the
day. On July 4, 2000, while watching the parade after a morning bike
ride, Mike McCormack and I looked at each other, cut our palms
with a rusty chain tool, high fived each other and made a blood pact.
The
Firecracker 50 was born!
So...welcome to the 2009 Firecracker 50, welcome to Breckenridge, welcome to our backyard!
Jeff
PS Not racing and would like to volunteer? Drop me a line.
Past Pro Champions
2001 Melissa Thomas/Dave Wiens
2002 Michelle Keane/Jimi Mortenson
2003 Mary Grigson/Craig Gordon
2004 Danelle Ballengee/Travis Brown
2005 Gretchen Reeves/Liam Killeen
2006 Gretchen Reeves/Bryan Smith
2007 Shonny Vandlandingham/Jay Henry
2008 Sari Anderson/Jeremiah Bishop
USA CYCLING MARATHON MTB NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
For the third year in a row the Firecracker 50 plays host as the USA
Cycling Marathon MTB National Championships! We are honored to have the
distinction.
What's it all mean?
It
means that 12 people will be crowned "National Champion"...on the 4th
of July...you know, Independence Day?...they'll don the Red, White, and
Blue Stars and Stripes Jersey that all National Champions receive. The
symbolism's compelling. We think that's pretty cool!
What's it mean for you? Nothing new since 2007...the race will be formatted in similar fashion.
There
are "Open" categories that will vie for the National Championships. We
are still offering other categories too! Just means that those other
categories will NOT be up for National Championship designation.
It
also means that anyone in an "Open" category, those racing for the
National title, MUST have an annual license AND must be a U.S. citizen.
No exceptions!
The cost for a license is $60 and for an add-on it's $30.
One day licenses are still available to all other categories for $5.
Click the USA Cycling logo for a direct link to membership sign-up information!
CATEGORIES
These categories are the National Marathon Championship designated "Open" classes.
To race in these categories you MUST have a USA Cycling Annual License AND be a U.S. citizen.
These categories race solo, 2 laps on the 25 mile loop:
Pro/Open Men 19+
Open Men 19-29
Open Men 30-34
Open Men 35-39
Open Men 40-49
Open Men 50-59
Open Men 60+
Pro/Open Women 19+
Open Women 19-29
Open Women 30-39
Open Women 40-49
Open Women 50+
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These categories race solo, 2 laps on the 25 mile loop.
These racers MUST have a USA Cycling Annual License OR a one day.
These categories DO NOT compete for the National Championships.
Maverick Men (no age breakdowns)*
Maverick Women (no age breakdowns)*
Singlespeed Women
Sport Women 19-29
Sport Women 30-39
Sport Women 40+
Singlespeed Men
Sport Men 19-29
Sport Men 30-34
Sport Men 35-39
Sport Men 40-49
Sport Men 50+
Clydesdale (190lbs+)
*The Maverick classes are designed for the upper level rider who:
1. Does not wish to compete for the National Championship and/or is not a US Citizen.
2. Has participated in the Firecracker for years
with a one day license and was bummed when we announced that
the only option was to buy an annual.
3. Has a conscience and
doesn't want to sandbag into the Sport classes.
If any of the above
applies to you then Maverick is the way to go. Maverick classes will not have age breakdowns.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These classes race as a 2 person team, each teammate rides one lap each,
relay format, on the 25 mile loop.
Each team member must have either a USA Cycling Annual License OR a one day.
Choose the category that matches the highest level rider on your team.
Sport Women Team
Sport Men Team
Maverick Women Team
Maverick Men Team
Sport Coed Team
Maverick Coed Team
NOTE: There is no "team" category for Beginner riders. If you can ride one lap of this course you are not a Beginner.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These categories race THE SPARKLER, a 14 mile portion of the 25 mile loop.
Riders in these categories MUST have a USA Cycling Annual License OR a one day.
Junior Women 13-18
Junior Men 13-15
Junior Men 16-18
Beginner Women
Beginner Men 19-34
Beginner Men 35+
PRIZES
The Top 3 in all categories will be recognized.
Open
category winners will be crowned National Champions and will receive
the Stars and Stripes Champion Jersey and Gold Medal. 2nd and 3rd place
finishers will receive Silver and Bronze Medals.
All other categories will be recognized with custom awards plaques.
Additionally we plan on disbursing a cash purse totalling $2000!
Stay tuned for the details on the cash payout!
AWARDS CEREMONY
Awards for The Sparkler will start at approximately 1:00
Awards for the Pro/Open Men and Women will be presented at approximately 4:00.
Awards for all other categories will be presented at 6:00.
ENTRY FEES
The Sparkler
Beginners and Juniors-$55 pre-registered, $65 day-of
The Firecracker 50
All Open categories and all other solo categories-$75 pre-registered, $85 day-of
Teams
$130 pre-registered, $140 day-of
INCLUDES:
DeFeet Woolie Boolie Firecracker 50 socks
Vintage Firecracker 50 Ringer T-Shirt for Men...Ladies Spaghetti Tank Tops
Goody Bag
Post Race Food Orgy-veggie food too!
Bike Wash
Body Wash-aka showers
4 Aid Stations per lap with energy foods and liquids
Intermediate Times
Moto Support
Medical Support
Parade-more on this later!
REGISTRATION and PACKET PICKUP
PRE-REGISTRATION
Click the Register Now button for SportsBaseOnline registration. Online Registration closes July 1 at 8:00pm MST.
Click Here for a 2009 Mail-in Registration Form
Waivers
for all pre-registered racers, including on-line registrants, will be
available at packet pick-up. All fields will be pre-populated and all
that is required is your signature!
PRE-REGISTRATION CLOSES ON JULY 2 at 6:00pm
The last chance to register without incurring a late fee will be on July 3rd from 5-8:30pm at Great Adventure Sports, City Market Plaza, Breckenridge, 453-0333. No other registration opportunities exist on July 3!
DAY-OF REGISTRATION
At Carter Park, site of the transition area, finish and post race festivities.
Day-of reg opens at 8:00 and we'll keep it open until the RACE STARTS AT 11:00AM
A $10 late fee will be applied to all day-of registrations.
METHOD OF PAYMENT ON RACE DAY: CASH OR CHECK ONLY!
PACKET PICK-UP
At Great Adventure Sports, City Market Plaza, on July 3 from 5-8:30 pm
OR
At Carter Park the morning of the race, July 4, beginning at 8:00.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Come see what the local mountain goats ride every day. Each 25 mile lap
has 5400' of climbing. Fortunately for you a bunch of that is on the
climb out of Breckenridge on the old narrow gauge Railroad grade. The
race starts the 4th of July Parade in a neutral start format by start
wave. From there the odyssey sends you into the Backcountry. There are
a couple of grunty little climbs (especially coming out of Lincoln
Park, locals hate that one), a couple of long lungbusters (up past the
old snowplow at Iowa Mill and Little French), some absolutely rippin'
descents (from Humbug to Lincoln Park) and plenty of contouring flume
and singletrack (Little French Flume) for you to mash on your big ring
(or your only ring if your sick enough to go singlespeed, right Tim G?).
Take my word for it, the course is a full-on MTB course. It has it all and it's no gimme!
Click Here for Course Map
Click Here for an Elevation Profile
Click Here for a written Course Description
PRE-RIDING
Always a popular topic...
We will start marking the course on Thursday, June 26 and have the confusing sections ready to go by that weekend.
AID STATIONS
Use 'em...trust me...
One of our slogans is "you can go long and you can go light".
There
are 4 Aid Stations per lap. Check the map for locations. We'll have an
army of volunteers out there doing hand-ups. For info on personal items
read below*.
Aid Stations will be stocked with Gatorade and Water in bottles that will fit in cages.
Thanks to our ongoing relationship with CLIF we will provide Clif ShotBloks and ClifBar Minis.
*To
those of you who have given us feedback on having more variety at the
Aid Stations this is for you! We truly appreciate the comments. It's
just not possible for us to predict the likes and dislikes of several
hundred people. Therefore we continue to support you with CLIF energy
products, water and Gatorade.
If you want personal items at each Aid
Station drop them off by
9:00 the day of the race at Carter Park in the appropriate truck. The
trucks for Aid
Stations #1, #2, and #3 will be parked on the lawn with signage (Aid #4
is right there in Carter Park so you can walk across the lawn and drop
it off yourself!)
We'll gladly get the
stuff out there for you and bring it back to Carter Park at the end of the day (approx. 6:00pm).
YOU
are responsible for finding your own
stuff at the Aid Stations! We'll have the personal items set aside from
the neutral stuff to make it easier for you to find your items.
(Surefire way to get your stuff
fast is to have your own support staff out there doing hand-ups for
you. Our volunteers will be handing up neutral aid and can't be expected to know what your stuff looks like...)
LITTERING!!!
A
big deal in 2007. Here's what we'll do for you to make it easier NOT to
litter in the backcountry...we'll place a garbage can 100 yards or so
past each Aid Station. Get the the trash in, or near, the container and
we'll take care of the rest. It is completely inexcusable to
intentionally leave your wrappers and bottles out there! We realize
there is a requisite amount of post race cleanup that is our
responsibility. Frankly, I was appalled last year at the amount of
stuff that was a long way from the previous aid station. There's an aid
station every 6 miles. If you can't discard your trash at the garbage
cans then please hang onto it until the next aid station.
THE PARADE AND START FORMAT
Ever been in a 4th of July Parade? If not get ready for what some call
the best way to start a race. Yeah we've heard from a few morning birds
that they'd prefer to get up early and get on with it. We've heard from
many, many more that the Parade start is worth waiting until 11:00.
Imagine
a small village in France that the Tour goes through with people lining
the course 4 deep on both sides. We do a pretty good rendition of that!
All those folks are waiting for the parade to start and you guys are
the first spectacle to come rolling down Main St. Go ahead and high
five the little kids, say a Happy 4th of July to a few folks, and enjoy
the attention. It's a rare treat.
And besides, an 11:00 start allows for you to sleep in and have a nice
big breakfast, lots of coffee, and put a last minute tune on the bike.
The
race will begin in a neutral start format by start wave (see waves
below). Each wave will have its own marshal/leader that will roll at
10MPH. At the south end of Main St. the race moves to a width of one
lane and the yellow line rule is in effect. Please DO NOT PASS your
marshal until they pull out of the way. This will happen at South Park
Ave. and the race is on!
START WAVES
11:00 Pro Open Men and Pro Open Women
11:02 Open Men 19-29, 30-34
11:04 Open Men 35-39
11:06 Open Men 40-49, 50-59, 60+
11:08 Open Women 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50+
11:10 Maverick Men and Women
11:11 Singlespeed Men and Women
11:12 TEAMS
11:13 Sport Men 19-29, 30-34
11:14 Sport Men 35-39, Clydesdale
11:15 Sport Men 40-49, 50+
11:16 Sport Women 19-29, 30-39, 40+
11:17 Juniors, Beginner Men, Beginner Women
LODGING
Great Western Lodging is the official lodging partner of the
Firecracker 50. Jeff and Chad are avid cyclists and Great Western
sponsors a Mountain Bike Junior League Team in the local series The
Colorado Freeride Summit Mt. Challenge.
Great Western Lodging offers condo and private home rental. Please inquire about the possibility of a late check-out.
Click Here or call 
888-333-4535
.
For other accomodations, including hotel type environments, visit Breckenridge Central Reservations
2009 USA Marathon National Championships
Jhk, bishop, jay henry, peter stetina, colin cares is the mens top 5!
Katie compton and kelli emmett win the duo race easily.
Lots of flats out there. Mike and Marry, Dave Wiens, a bunch of others too... full coverage coming soon!
By Dave McElwaine in Breckenridge, Colorado
Over 750 racers will compete in the ninth edition of the Firecracker 50 this coming July 4th. Among them will be many professionals and amateurs attempting to win twelve national championship marathon jerseys. These will include defending champions Jeremiah Bishop (Mona Vie/Cannondale) and adventure racer Sari Anderson.
Racers will ride two laps of a rugged 25 mile course that takes place in the back country high above Breckenridge. Starting on Main Street at an elevation of about 9,600 feet, riders will climb above the tree line to nearly 12,000 feet. There is an estimated 5,400 feet of climbing per lap. The rocky course includes switchback climbs, singletrack, and some steep high speed descents back into town.
Unlike many of the original Marathon Championships that were competed at 100 kilometers/62 miles, the 50 mile distance of the Firecracker race has opened the door for some of the cross country racers who do typically race-2 ½ hours. The Firecracker is expected to take less than 4 hours so it may be a better fit for those racers than the ultra-endurance crowd that is more comfortable with longer efforts.
This year’s Marathon Championships appears to have the deepest field yet, both on the men’s and women’s side.
Jeremiah Bishop has been training at altitude ever since the Pro XCT race in Colorado Springs. Most recently he has been riding in the Park City where Cannondale was introducing some new products. When asked about the Firecracker race ,he replied “I pre-rode the course and it is awesome!!!”
Bishop has had one of his most satisfying season’s as a pro. His new team is allowing him to pick and choose races that he actually wants to do. This has resulted in several wins including the Mohican 100 and Dirt, Sweat, n’ Gears. He will also race in the Breck Epic Stage Race which begins the day after the Firecracker 50.
Bishop is expected to be challenged by a number of riders including Boulder’s Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Gary Fisher/Subaru) who recently won the Teva Games. In head-to-head matchups this season, JHK has had more speed than Bishop, albeit these races were contested at shorter distances. Horgan-Kobelski has been in his home state of Colorado for a month now due to an uncharacteristic break in the world cup schedule combined with the fact that the last Pro XCT race was held in Colorado Springs. He should be well rested and will be going for the win.
Also contending for the title will be the 2007 winner Jay Henry, Dave Wiens (Ergon), and Harlan Price (Independent Fabrications), and world cup racer Mike Broderick (Kenda-Seven-No Tubes). Ross Schnell, who excels in these mountainous epics, is expected to miss the race due to an injury.
At this writing, Todd Wells was unsure if he was going to race. Obviously, if he chooses to do so it will dramatically change the front of the pace. JHK, Bishop, and Wells are all capable of riding a world cup cross country pace and are likely to do so. The best hope for the endurance guys with less top end speed is to wear the leaders down. The big question….is 50 miles long enough for this to happen?
As all of these racers know, a lot can happen out in the back country. Last year’s event saw many mechanicals and crashes that resulted in lead changes. Things got so crazy on the final lap that Bishop rode across the finish line unsure he had actually won the race.
On the women’s side, Heather Irmiger (Gary Fisher/Subaru) has emerged as the pre-race favorite. She has raced the full World Cup schedule so far, lives at altitude, and has posted some impressive results in the USA, including the short track win at the Colorado Springs Pro XCT.
“I am really excited for the Firecracker 50-I’ve wanted to do it for years but it’s always conflicted with another major race or has been too close for ideal training” commented Irmiger. She added “Breckenridge has amazing riding and I’m really looking forward to racing and tuning up for the second half of the season.”
Sari Anderson, the defending champion, knows she has her work cut out for her this year. “This year’s Firecracker is stacked with competition from Mary McConneloug, Heather Irmiger, Pua Sawicki, Gretchen Reeves (two time winner), and many more” said Anderson.
“I have been focusing more on multi-sport racing, X-Terra, and adventure racing…but I’m looking forward to enjoying an awesome course and fun race.”
U.S.A. cross country champion and Olympian Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-No Tubes) will be using the Firecracker 50 to help prepare for the U.S.A. National Championships in Granby, Colorado on July 18th. Until this week, McConneloug has been living at sea level in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, but will now stay at altitude for several weeks to acclimate.
“Mike (Broderick) and I are excited for the opportunity to race the Marathon National Championships. This is the first year it fits nicely into our race calendar” said McConneloug. She added “The timing and location of the event seem to be about right for acclimating to the high elevation for racing the XC National Championships.”
Pua Sawaicki (Ellsworth) also figures to be a threat to win the race. While she always does well in the longer races, this year she has added to power and speed to her repertoire by competing in the full U.S. Cup Pro XCT schedule. She has become a regular on the cross country podiums and is challenging some of the top cross country racers in the sport.
The Firecracker 50 also includes a relay race where two racers each do one lap. U.S.A. Cyclocross Champion and Short Track Champion Katie Compton will team up with Kelli Emmett (Giant) to compete in this format with Emmett riding the anchor leg. It is hard imagine who can challenge them unless there are mechanicals or other mishaps.
Breckenridge was founded in 1859 during the mid 19th century rush to settle the west. The discovery of gold brought miners to participate in the “Blue River digging”. However, as a result of the civil war and difficulty in finding new gold, the population of Breckenridge plummeted to 51 persons by 1870. The closest it came to becoming a ghost town was in 1936 when it was dropped from the map of the United States.
In 1961, a lumber company opened the Breckinridge Ski area and a new boom era began that continues today.