We are excited that USAC cyclocross national championships are coming to Tacoma in December 2019.  Start positions for cross nationals are based on an individual’s rider ranking from results in USAC cross races.  For many reasons, much of the WSBA region has not had many USAC-sanctioned events in the past few years, and most riders have not been focused on their USAC ranking.  Now is the time to start thinking about your category and rankings for 2019 cross nationals in Tacoma.
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If you wonder how to improve your call-up position for nationals in 2018 and 2019, these three useful documents explain the process in which the USAC system assigns value based on the quality of field, points per place and ranking points:

http://www.wsbaracing.org/home/usac-ranking-points-explained
https://www.cxmagazine.com/wednesday-wonderings-followup-confessions-usac-points-chaser
http://www.usacycling.org/usa-cycling-rankings-faq.htm

​We are excited that the USAC cyclocross national championships are coming to Tacoma in December 2019.  Start positions for cross nationals are based on an individual’s rider ranking from results in USAC-sanctioned cross races.  For many reasons, much of the WSBA region has not had many USAC-sanctioned events in the past few years, and so most riders have not been focused on their USAC ranking.  Now is the time to start thinking about your category and rankings for 2019 cross nationals in Tacoma!
This season, USAC cross racing returns to the Puget Sound area with the NW CX Cup series of 7 races.  To align your USAC membership to the proper cross category*, here are the steps for current or new USAC members:
If you are already a USAC annual member (or have ever been a USAC annual member) and you have been racing “up” in a higher category in local cyclocross events than what your USAC membership account shows:

• Submit an upgrade request through your USAC membership account.  In the text box provided, list cross events in the WSBA region in which you competed UP from the category listed on your membership during the last 36 months or since your last category upgrade, whichever is most recent.
• The WSBA cyclocross director will review your results and finish placings to confirm your skills and ability are within the bell curve of this category.
• If you are an active OBRA member with a cyclocross category higher than your USAC category, you may submit your OBRA membership information to have category reciprocity invoked.

If you’ve never owned a USAC annual membership and you have been racing in events other than Category 5 in local cross races:

• Purchase a USAC annual membership.
• Upon completion of the purchase, request an upgrade through your USAC membership account to the category in which you’ve been competing.  List all your cyclocross results in the WSBA region from the last 36 months.
• If you are an active OBRA member, you may submit your OBRA membership information to have category reciprocity invoked.
• The WSBA cyclocross director will review your and finish placings to confirm your skills and ability are within the bell curve of this category.

 
If you are already a USAC annual member and you’ve been racing in the cyclocross category that shows on your USAC account and are looking to upgrade, follow these instructions: http://www.wsbaracing.org/cross-upgrade-guidelines.html
 
*All Category 2 to 1 upgrades are processed by USAC and outside the control of the WSBA upgrade coordinators

The calendar for Meet the Team Rides--ROAD and DIRT versions--is growing!  The purpose of these rides is to allow riders at all levels and abilities to get to know local Northwest teams seeking new members.

If your team is interested in hosting a Meet the Team ride this year, please contact marthalwalsh at yahoo.com with your preferred date and one or two alternates. To secure a date, you’ll need to provide: 
1. the name and email address of a team contact (which will be published with ride details);
2. a brief statement of your team's goals and who you’re recruiting;
3. the URL of your team website.
 
For Seattle-area rides, dates are available on a first-come, first-served basis.  We're happy to post details for rides outside the Seattle metro area too.
 
USA Cycling recommends that each team permit its Meet the Team ride as a Non-Competitive Training Ride, which can provide general liability insurance. More information on that permitting process is available from USA Cycling:
http://www.usacycling.org/forms/waiver.php?url=noncompetitiveeventapp.pdf
If you have questions regarding the permit or process, please contact permit@wsbaracing.com.

Officials are a critical resource in our bike racing ecosystem and the WSBA region has a dwindling supply of trained folks available to cover our events. 
If you have ever wondered how you can contribute to keeping our sport healthy this is one very important way. 
Each team is offered ONE FREE USAC official license and having an official affiliated with your team can be a team benefit for all your members as assorted rule type questions arise over the course of the season. 

Where:   Métier Café mezzanine conference room 1017 E. Union St Seattle, WA 98122
 
When:     Sunday April 2nd at 9:00am
 
Contact: Zach Maino  - zachmaino@gmail.com
 
If interested, please sign up through your USA cycling account. Go to the Officials page and click on “Officials Clinics/Webinars” under the Education section and sign up for the class offered on 4/2. 

For more details download this document.

Seattle USA Cycling Beginning Racer Program (SBRP)Cycle University in conjunction with the WSBA (Washington State Bicycle Racing Association) and USAC (USA Cycling) are offering “Learn how to road race” clinics called Seattle USA Cycling Beginning Racer Program, SBRP. The goal is to make racing safer in the NW for Women, Men and Juniors and introduce more riders to the correct technique for fast riding in a group or race environment.


What is SBRP: USA Cycling Clinics with practice races to teach riders how to race safe and get started right. Open to anyone wanting to learn how to race or improve their fast riding ability in a group. Two upgrade points are available at each of these 5 unique clinics for a total of 10 upgrade points which last for 3 years. Category 4 riders can use up to 3 SBRP points toward their Category 3 upgrade.
Riders can take any combination of these clinics. You can sign up for all 5 or any individual clinic of your choice, cost is $40 for one or $150 for all 5 (can be taken out of sequence and from either Spring or Summer but the maximum points allowed is for 5 clinics *space is limited in each clinic).

More details can be found here: Seattle Beginner Race Program

​Renew your WSBA membership during the online USA Cycling renewal process, or join the WSBA when you sign up for a new USAC membership online.  Do this by January 20 and receive your WSBA numbers in time for the first road events of 2017.  WSBA membership is $25 for 2017.
 
If you aren’t renewing with USAC for 2017, or your USAC account doesn’t show WSBA as your Local Association, or if you’ve never had a USAC membership, follow this link: http://www.wsbaracing.org/membership.html.
 
For memberships received by midnight January 20, 2017:
 

• WSBA race numbers will be sent to each team for members whose USAC accounts indicate membership in that road team.  Bulk shipments will go out no later than February 10.  Team leaders, please email the recipient’s name and address for bulk shipment of your team numbers by January 11 to joinwsba@gmail.com and gkavesh@gmail.com.

 

• Numbers for members without a team affiliation will be individually mailed to the member’s address in the USAC database no later than February 13, 2017.

 
After January 20:
 
Memberships will be processed in the order received and will likely be received early March.  Those received before February 25 will be shipped in mid-March.  For memberships purchased after February, allow at least 3 weeks to receive race numbers.  After June 1, new and renewing members should email joinwsba@gmail.com to indicate membership purchase or the membership may not be processed due to so few new members in this time frame.
 
Numbers returned due to incorrect addresses will be resent after all new memberships are processed. Any member whose numbers are returned for an incorrect address more than one time will be subject to a $5.00 handling fee.  Please verify your address on file with USAC is correct when you renew!

Oak Harbor is hosting the 2016 WSBA Cross Championships on December 11th, 2016. Make a weekend of it up North racing at Fort Nugent City park. 
Day of schedule is posted here

The WSBA is now taking nominations for elections that will be held at the annual meeting, which is scheduled for 4:00 pm on December 17, 2016, at the Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle.

Nominations are sought for the following positions on the WSBA Board of Directors:

East Region (currently held by Ted Chauvin)
West Region (currently held by David Hills)
Oregon Region (new position)
Cyclocross (currently held by Jim Wood)
Track (currently held by Eric Johnson)
Officials (currently held by Al Cronin)

If you are interested in one of these positions or would like to nominate someone, please contact this year's WSBA nominating committee:  David Chipchase (chip113 at hotmail.com), Jerry Long (strangest_attractor at yahoo.com), or myself (marthalwalsh at yahoo.com).  We'd be happy to answer any questions you have about the WSBA Board of Directors or the duties of these positions.

We ask that all nominations be submitted by November 4, 2016.

The WSBA bylaws may be viewed here:
http://www.wsbaracing.org/wsba-data---minutes-financials-etc.html

USAC and OBRA announced formal category reciprocity today September 22, 2016. OBRA events do NOT accrue USAC upgrade points. However, the WSBA will process upgrade requests from members to align a USAC category to an OBRA category.  

Upgrading in OBRA does NOT notify us of the need for a USAC category match. Thus, you must still submit a request through your USAC account if you are looking to align your category in both organizations.  

Formal press release can be found here.
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​YOU can help the WSBA to grow bike racing in our region!  Only with the help of our members can we be sure the attached poster about the Meet the Team rides will find its way to wherever cyclists gather.  YOU can:

• Take print copies to your favorite LBS, local coffee shop, public library—anywhere with a bulletin board. 
• Email copies to your friends, coworkers, family—anyone with a bike.
• Share the image on your social media sites.

The more places this message gets posted, the higher the probability we will see more riders attend the Meet the Team rides this year, get excited about bike racing, and join us for the 2017 season.
The Meet the Team rides are a unique opportunity for us to grow our sport. Without previous marketing efforts, the rides have not reached the widest group of cyclists in our region.  Here’s YOUR chance to help showcase the vibrant and dynamic competitive cycling community that exists in the WSBA region regardless of discipline.  The WSBA and USAC worked together to create the attached post and ask YOU to join us in reaching out to those who may be interested in taking their riding in a different direction. 

DOWNLOAD THE FULL SIZE IMAGE or PDF