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

The WSBA and BuDu Racing, LLC are excited to announce opportunities for cat 3 and cat 4 women to earn upgrade points during USAC-sanctioned events at Pacific Raceways. 
Newly added women’s cat 3/4 races on June 14 and July 5 will run approximately 35 minutes, starting at 6:30, prior to the other events.  A minimum field size of 10 women (any combination of categories 3 and 4) is needed, so mark your calendars and bring your friends to these women’s nights at Pacific Raceways.  (All requirements for upgrades, including field size, apply; consult the USAC rulebook for specifics.)

​Unfortunately the city of Puyallup denied the use permits submitted by the promoter of Puyallup criterium which has resulted in this event being cancelled for 2016.
Due to this cancellation the WSBA Senior Criterium Championship p/b Absolute Mortgage will be held during the Georgetown Criterium on July 17, 2016 in conjunction with the WSBA Junior Criterium championship p/b Absolute Mortgage.
Stay tuned for more information and a detailed schedule of the event.
 
All Washington, North Idaho and Oregon members are eligible to win WSBA championships, including gold medals and the championship jersey. All USAC/UCI licensed riders are eligible to compete in WSBA championship events. However, racers from areas outside the USAC-defined geographic designation of the WSBA will not be awarded medals or championship jerseys. 
 
As part of their partnership with the WSBA, Absolute Mortgage and Ballard Public House offer the following discounts to all WSBA members.
 
ABSOLUTE MORTGAGE:
Receive a $1000 closing cost credit when buying or refinancing a home. Call Craig Walker (206)999-5600 and mention you’re a WSBA member.
 
BALLARD STATION PUBLIC HOUSE:
Mention to your server that you’re a WSBA member and save 10% off your tab. Offer excludes happy hour and other unique daily specials. Must be 21 and older. 
 

Have you noticed that your team or club name is incorrect (or blank) on results or pre-registration sheets?

Initially this season some of these issues were caused by errors in the data files uploaded to USAC.
However, those issues are now rectified and going forward these blanks are because your USAC account is missing data in either the team name field or the club name field.

You must fix this issue in your own account!
This file has simple instructions on how to do so


 

A free racing and coaching clinic for cat 4 women at Mason Lake on March 6 aims to help new AND experienced women racers expand their racing skills and understanding--and have more fun in the sport.  Sarah Carroll (SCCA/Starbucks) and Gina Kavesh (Bikesale/Automatic) will observe the race and offer post-race feedback on the elements of the race, including team tactics, bike handling, and other components that make up the race.
 
Listen for their quick announcement on the start line, race hard, and then meet in the community center (between the finish and start lines) 15 minutes after the race finish to hear them analyze the race and offer their tips for your next race.  Be sure to change out of your race kit, grab your recovery nutrition, and bring some extra cash for soup, hot cider, and other treats offered by the neighbors in the community center.
 
For details on the Mason Lake race, see the flyer: https://www.usacycling.org/events/getflyer.php?permit=2016-469
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Registration is open for the Larry Kemp Junior Development Camp, just click on registration button 

If your child is between 10 and 14 years old and wants to become a better cyclist please join us for the Larry Kemp Cycling Camp!   This camp is open to both new and experienced young riders who want to improve their cycling skills and have a fun weekend riding their bikes.
 
Our action packed weekend includes: Bike maintenance, bike handling skills from our Expert Cycle U Coaches, fun rides on great trails and roads, The Silly Olympics, an "Epic Ride" and a picnic on a creek, The Ranch swimming pool and of course S'mores around the campfire. 
  
Cost is $170 with a USA Cycling license, non licensed participants will be prompted to purchase a one day license for each day at camp.  Camp includes three days lodging, food and coaching. Thanks to the WSBA and Generous donations from our Sponsors and the cycling community. 
   
Location: The Flying Horseshoe Ranch, Cle Elum, WA   (1 hours drive from Seattle)  August 11 -14th  Pick up Sunday 14th at Noon.
 
Any questions please contact The Camp Director at dishwon@gmail.com.

​REGISTER HERE

By now many of you have received your 2016 WSBA bib and frame numbers and have seen these items are sponsored by Völkl Skis. This change has generated enough direct inquiries that it makes sense for this post.
We (the WSBA) have been paying approximately $16,000 a year for the bib & frame numbers which equated to $12.50 per WSBA member for these numbers alone. This expense constituted 25% of our total budget in 2015.
 
The board asked me to look for lower-cost solutions in hopes that a different supplier would help us lower this cost and avoid raising the $25 WSBA annual membership fee. I found two unique suppliers who could provide us bib & frame numbers at a total outlay significantly lower than $16,000. They also had the capacity to include logos at no additional charge which allowed us to explore opportunities to lower the WSBA’s cash outlay even further.  The Völkl rep in our area is an active bike racer, a WSBA member and for a number of years donated a pair of skis & bindings to the Women Cat3 series and was looking for a way Völkl could support our entire community. Völkl sponsorship of our race numbers created a win-win situation.
 
The WSBA has taken most of this savings and allocated it across a number of programs/opportunities that directly benefit members: 

• The NEW event subsidy program has $5,000 allocated to support promoters who are adding/evolving events in the region. We've already approved 2 events for subsidies in 2016.
• We were able to adjust our revenue expectation for equipment rentals and lower costs for promoters who add categories for youth & women as well as support our championship events with a no-cost equipment process. http://www.wsbaracing.org/equipment-rental-discount-program.html
• A portion of the budget savings was allocated toward providing a free championship jersey to the winner of each championship event in 2016 in combination with our other supporting partners Absolute Mortgage, JL Velo and Ballard Station Public House.
• The WSBA as an organization has not had appropriate insurance coverage for the volunteers who do much of the work on behalf of the organization. We have rectified this situation to insure all volunteers working on behalf of the WSBA do not carry a potential individual risk if something (someone) has an incident that involves our permitting process or equipment out on the open road.

 
Although the 2016 numbers look different from years past, both the frame and bib numbers meet UCI & USAC standards for number size/placement for scoring purposes.
 
WSBA financial statements and budgets may be found here http:/www.wsbaracing.org/wsba-data---minutes-financials-etc.html

Last year the WSBA notified membership about the potential gap in insurance coverage at USAC-sanctioned events: volunteers and their vehicles used within an event are not insured by the standard permit purchased by the Race Director.


Jed Barden, an attorney and WSBA member, offered to review the USAC insurance policies in relation to how they could be interpreted under Washington State insurance parameters.  His findings are posted to the WSBA website and confirm that there is a potential liability volunteers may assume if their own insurance policy has a race exclusion.


The WSBA is creating a guideline for race promoters and volunteers to assist in understanding the process of securing USAC non-owned motor insurance for events.