Cat 4 Race Series | Cat 4 Race Series FAQ | Cat 3 Race Series
Washington State Bicycle Association | Women's Cycling
The WSBA is committed to developing and supporting new bike racers and improving the quality of women's bike racing in the Pacific Northwest. Several activities throughout the year focus on helping women to build their racing skills and find a team for training and racing.
POC Cat 4 Women's Race Series
A season-long race series for category 4 (beginning) women featuring a variety of races and generous sponsorship. See the links at the top of this page for more information.
Völkl Cup and Völkl Challenge + FSA Wheel Lottery (for Cat 3 Women)
In 2012 Völkl will sponsor two separate series for cat 3 women: The Völkl Cup rewards performance among cat 3 peers and provides greater opportunity to earn upgrade points. The Völkl Challenge features combined cat 1-2-3 races (raced together, scored together), rewards performance in combined women’s category events, and challenges the cat 3 racer to develop stronger skills. Plus!! FSA will sponsor a wheel lottery for women who upgrade from cat 3 to cat 2. See details in the links at the top of this page for more information.
Finding a Team
The WSBA organizes Meet the Team Rides each autumn to help new riders find teammates with compatible goals and interests. Rides are scheduled from September through November in Seattle and other locations. A schedule and other information will be posted on the WSBA website by late summer.
Intro to Women's Cycling and Racing Teams: In late summer and early fall, a combination of women from many of the local racing teams will host rides similar to the Meet the Teams rides, with the exception that this ride is for women only, and each ride is hosted by women representatives from multiple teams. If you are new to the racing community, looking to strengthen your riding skills, thinking about racing, or looking to speak with other women about local racing teams or riding opportunities, this ride's for you!
Watch this page in July for dates for 2012.
Time: 9:00 AM at Pert's in Leschi. Prepare to be on the road by 9:10 AM. Please don't be late!
Route: south end of Lake Washington
Skills: pacelines, riding a straight line, and racing tactics/techniques. Depending on turnout, we'll break into groups no greater than 10 to keep it manageable and go over the basics, making sure to keep things fun and not stressful.
Developing Skills
- CycleU (Seattle) and Emde Sports (Spokane) (among other resources in Washington) offer classes that teach everything from the basics of bike handling to advanced racing skills and time trialing. The registration fee at these two facilities for the Women's Racing Fundamentals and Upgrade Class is partly subsidized by the WSBA, and clinic participants receive FOUR (4) cat 3 upgrade points. Classes will be offered several times in the late winter and spring at each facility. Please check their websites for more info on these classes and when they are scheduled.
Limit: one subsidy and one set of upgrade points per rider; you may take the clinic as many times as you wish, but the WSBA will not subsidize more than one clinic per rider, and you may not earn more than 3 points for the upgrade to cat 3 no matter how many clinics you take.
- Coaching clinics are sponsored by the WSBA at early season races specifically to help cat 4 women build their racing skills and understanding. Local coaches and expert riders will carefully watch the race (from the lead car in road races) and then offer post-race feedback on the elements of the race, including team tactics, bike handling, and other components that make up the race. The 2012 schedule of clinic dates and leaders (who will enlist help from their teammates so racers hear multiple viewpoints) is:
- March 4: Mason Lake Road Race #1: Jadine Riley and Tricia Sandstrom from Team Group Health
- March 17: Sequim Road Race #2: Jessica Cutler and Kelly Woznicki from Peterson Racing p/b Spokeswomen
- April 7: Volunteer Park Criterium: Beth Lyndon-Griffith, a USA level 2 cycling coach with True Balance Training, and Liz Nettles, both riders for Recycled Cycles Racing
Come hear the advice and insights these experienced local racers and their teammates offer about the action in the cat 4 races on these three different courses. Cat 4 women should watch for information posted at these races and/or announced on the start line for the exact location and time for these free clinics, which will be held immediately after the races finish.
- Seward Park will host a 5:00 race on Thursdays for beginner women and juniors, starting April 5. Mentored-racing events are scheduled on May 3, May 17, May 31, June 14, June 28, July 12, and July 26: Kele Murdin of the Keller Rohrback Cycling Team and Jessica Cutler of Peterson Racing p/b Spokeswomen plus some of their elite teammates will ride in the 5:00 race to offer suggestions for improving racing skills and tactics. Watch for more information about Seward Park races on the JL Velo Racing website. No license is required to race at this event.
- BuDu Racing hosts women’s training events and a cat 4 women’s race series at Pacific Raceways. Training events kick off on April 10 and continue through June 19. Developing riders and beginning racers are divided by skill level and experience, and elite racers from local teams ride with both groups to offer riding and racing tips as each race unfolds. The PR Women's Cat 4 Road Race Series follows in mid to late summer, with cat 4 women-only races tentatively scheduled for July 10, July 24, and August 14. Pacific Raceways is an auto racetrack completely closed to motor vehicles when used for bike racing, and races there feature a variety of different circuits. More information will be posted on the BuDu Racing website as the season approaches. No license is required to race at this event.
- The Marymoor Velodrome is another great place to develop racing skills. Please see velodrome.org for a list of classes and the calendar of events at the track. Bike rentals are available, but you must take the introductory track class prior to participating in any other sessions on the track.
