Event Updates
UPCOMING RACES
Event
Date
Division
Register
Key Information
Online Registration
Online registration ensures our events run smooth and helps reduce the workload on our volunteer organization. Please only use day of registration as a last resort. Our registration system helps us verify that every racer is a member of the club which is required by our insurance policy.
On site registration will be available for most events but we encourage everyone to sign up in advance online.
Memberships
An active Arctic Bicycle Club membership is required to participate in races for insurance purposes. Money collected from membership dues goes toward improving the Arctic Bicycle Club as a whole.
Individual Membership is for racers 18 and over. We allow up to 4 children to be listed on each adult profile as a form of family membership. The family membership is designed for families with children under the age of 15 with no email addresses yet.
Junior Membership is for racers 17 and under. We want to encourage young riders to experience the joy of cycling. That’s why all riders 17 and under with an active junior membership ride for free in any race they sign up for! Each junior must be accompanied by an adult at each event.
Categories
- Novice/Intermediate:This category was once called Beginner, but we renamed it to reflect that it is truly a mix of first time racers, beginners, and intermediate participants. This really is the fun category, and is for those that want to give cyclocross a try. It also includes our racers who aren’t ready to participate in Open, or simply aren’t interested in that level of competitiveness. It’s a great category to learn the ropes. Novice/Intermediate racers race for 40 minutes + 1 lap. Any racer 18+ may compete in this category
- .Open:This is the elite category. Participants in this category are typically fit and competitive. Prior experience in cyclocross racing is not required to do Open; we often have first time cyclcross racers who are experienced and strong road, mountain, or winter bike racers. There is no age limit for this category, and under 18 racers may compete in the Open category. Open men compete for 50 minutes + 1 lap, Open women compete for 40 minutes + 1 lap.
- Master 40 and Master 55+:As the title suggests, these two categories are for our wiser and more distinguished participants. A racer who is 40 or older is not required to race in a masters division, they may also race in Open or Novice/Intermediate if they chose. Master Men 40+ race for 50 minutes + 1 lap, Master Men 55+ and all Masters women race for 40 minutes +1 lap.
- Single Speed:Also, as the title suggests, this category is for those that missed the memo about the invention of the derailleur! This division is open to any age or skill level rider. Single Speed men race for 50 minutes + 1 lap, Single Speed women race for 40 minutes +1 lap
- Junior Elite:The Junior Elite division is for young competitive racers under 18 who are ready to compete in full length races, but are not ready to race Open. There is no minimum age for this category, but typically they are 13+. Junior Elite racers must be able to ride the full course for 40 minutes + 1 lap.
Refunds
As a policy Arctic Bicycle Club does not refund race fees. Planning and developing an athletic event that ensures adequate support and supplies for participants is difficult. We rely on the registration information to provide us with an accurate participant count. Because this is vital to the success of our events, there will be no refunds once a registration has been processed.
FAQ
Race Formats
Cross races are held on 1-2 mile loops where participants complete as many laps around the course as they can in a set amount of time. Courses consist of a mix of grass, pavement, and dirt trail, and riders must navigate obstacles like fixed barriers, sand, mud, logs, roots, and run-ups up small steep slopes. Racers will have to dismount and re-mount their bike a few times each lap to get over some of these obstacles. Courses are designed to be both challenging, and fun! There are seven races total, and the season starts the weekend after Labor Day, and ends in mid-October. Races are held on weekends, event times and locations are posted on flyers and our Facebook page.
Race Waves
We hold 5 race waves during an event. Within each wave there are several different categories. In other words, your category will include participants in different categories. We try to group categories into these waves so that all participants are at a similar level. This is more of an art than a science! Start times and wave order may change from one season to the next, so always check race flyers for the latest info.
Wave 1: 40 Minutes +1 Lap – Novice/Intermediate Men, Junior Elite Boys, Master Men 55+, Adult Unicycles
Wave 2 (Women’s Race): 40 Minutes +1 Lap – (Women’s Categories except OPEN) Novice/Intermediate, Junior Elite, Master 40+, Master 55+, Single Speed
Wave 3 (Junior Race): 20 Minutes – Junior Boys, Junior Girls
Wave 4 (Kiddo Race): 1 Lap, Short Course – Strider Boys, Strider Girls, Pedal Boys, Pedal Girls
Wave 5: 50 Minutes + 1 Lap – Open Men & Women, Master 40+ Men, Single Speed Men
Equipment
In addition to cyclocross and gravel bikes, participants use fat bikes, full suspension mountain bikes, hard tails, and rigid hybrids. We even have a division for unicycles! Our only recommendation is that the bike has tires wide enough to handle riding off road, and a knobby tread for traction.