20 Jul 2015

Thank you GP Sponsors!!!

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A huge shout out to all these sponsors, without wonderful people like you the GP would not be possible!

UCI Race Sponsors

Catherine Clark Women’s Omnium – Catherine practice in civil litigation, real estate and eminent domain at both the trial and appellate court level. She is a consistent sponsor of the GP and a supporter of women’s cycling all around the PNW.

Vision Tech Men’s Omnium – Synonymous with no-expense spared assault on wind resistance. They will make your faster, check out their super secret sale this weekend.

Pyatt Broadmark Management Men’s/Women’s Sprints – Pyatt Broadmark Management is a Seattle, WA based firm specializing in private, short term commercial financing throughout WA, OR, ID. PBM specializes in construction, land acquisition, development, rehab, bridge to conventional and commercial real estate purchase loans. Pyatt is a long time racer and supporter of the velodrome!

Gregg’s Cycles Men’s Keirin – Gregg’s Cycles is located in Greenlake, Alderwood and Bellevue.   Family-owned Gregg’s Cycles started in 1932 and continues it’s commitment to the cycling industry.

Rafaela Levi Mensher Women’s Keirin –  BioWillie coffee is a Seattle based micro-roasting operation based on community and committed to providing organic, hand crafted and consistently amazing full bodied coffees.  They are providing podium prizes for all the groups as well!

USAC Race Sponsors

John Duggan Bicycle Attorney – Law practice dedicated to representing injured bicyclists and working with advocacy groups such as the Cascade Bicycle Club, Bicycle Alliance of Washington and Safe Routes to School in order to make Washington a better place for everyone.  John Duggan is a daily bike commuter and recreational rider and he sponsors 6 cycling teams along with many non-profit cycling causes

Bikesport – The main focus at Bikesport is to ensure our customers have fun on their bikes, go check them out in Ballard and in our expo on Friday and Saturday!

Element Cycles – Your local one stop shop for all things cycling! They carry Norco, BMC, Cervelo, Bianchi and Focus. Located at 8215 160th Ave NE!

Center Cycle – Since 1974 Center Cycle has been a tradition in Renton, WA for hundreds of families. Let us bring our special attention to detail to your next purchase of a bike or accessory.

Additional Expo/Vendors

Kidzone presented by Cross Revolution! Get a taste of what cyclocross has to offer, check out the mini cross course behind corners 1 and 2 this weekend!

Prolite – Born of a racing heritage spanning more than 30 years and covering most of the globe, Pro-Lite brings you the vision of former professional athletes to a production team raised on hand-built quality. The expertise of being the biggest hand built wheel company in the world goes into every wheel they build!

Clif Bar – Born on a bike, kitchen crafted, family and employee owned, that’s the Clif way! A big Thank You goes to Clif Bar for providing all the goodies for the Kiddie Kilo! Grab some samples at their booth this weekend!

JL Velo – Family owned and 100% American-made, JL Velo is the lead producer of athletic wear. 30 years of experience in designing and manufacturing means you are going to receive the very highest quality product. JL velo has also provided our regular season omnium leaders jerseys! Check them out in their booth!

Cycle Science Training – You can now train smarter, not just harder with CycleScienceTraining. Whatever your goals might be, you will be equipped to reach them with the help of CycleScienceTraining and one of their training packages.  Cycle Science is providing the 1/2 and Cat 3 Men overall prizes!

Nuun – the first company to separate electrolyte replacement from carbs.  With their simple, self-dissolving, sugar free electrolyte tab, they revolutionized the sports drink forever! Nuun is the official Hydration of the Marymoor Velodrome.

Food/Drink Sponsors

Mac and Jacks Brewery – Mac and Jacks, located right next to the Velodrome, has been brewing some of Seattle region’s finest and most sought-after craft beers for the last twenty years.  All proceeds go directly to the Marymoor Velodrome!

Locust Cider – Locust Cider is a racer-owned establishment that couldn’t help but give back something to the greatest track on earth. Using mostly Pacific Northwest apples, the cider they are blessing our taste buds with is a traditional cider, which they describe as accessible, gluten free and on the dry-end of the spectrum. All proceeds go directly to the Marymoor Velodrome.

OS Winery – Securing fruit from the best vineyards and working with the growers on the details of viticulture was and remains the foundation of OS Winery. Enjoy the official MVA wine “Red Line” in a glass or by the bottle! Proceeds go directly to the Marymoor Velodrome.

Menchies Frozen Yogurt – Menchies mission statement is “we make you smile”, so go check out their booth here at the event or check them out right next to Whole Foods in Redmond. Their frozen yogurt and sorbet is a great way to cool off after racing and they are open late!

Spicy Papaya – Authentic Laotian dishes. Famous Papaya Salad, Lao-Style Noodles, Grilled Lemongrass Wings, Spicy Basil Chicken and Sticky Rice. Made from fresh ingredients with love from our culture to yours.

Kirkland Tacos El Guero – One of our “regular” food trucks out here, check out their huge menu and enjoy something a little spicy.

Prime Steakhouse – Prime Steakhouse is a contemporary version of a classic American steakhouse. Whether it’s a romantic table for two or a special event for a large group, we’ll provide you an amazing dining experience. Prime is dedicated to serving only the highest quality steaks available. Check them out after racing for their happy hour specials!

La Isla– Come visit the island and sit on our patio in the sunshine. Grab a cool, tropical drink with your friends and family.  Enjoy Washington’s only Puerto Rican Restaurant and Rum Bar.

24 Jun 2015

MGP, THIS WEEK!!!

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The Marymoor Grand Prix is the fastest race on two wheels every summer, and it is this Friday and Saturday! Whether you’re a spectator or an athlete gearing up for competition, we thought it would be wise to run through all you can expect from the action-packed weekend of racing. And our thanks to RideITLikeUstoleIT!!! for their excellent promotional MGP video! Go check out his other fantastic videos over on Vimeo.

Registration Live – Get signed up

If you’re an athlete hoping to sign-up for the race, there is only one piece of advice we have for you: DON’T WAIT FOR THE DAY OF THE RACE TO REGISTER! It’s a good idea to learn from the past, and if the past tells us anything about the GP, it’s that the fields fill fast. In the past several years, we reached capacity in at least one of the fields before racing started. You MUST pre-reg if you want to race UCI. Online reg closes Wednesday 10pm, there is a last chance pre-reg Thursday from 4-7 at the velodrome.

Head here to sign-up now.

And you should know to check the Marymoor Grand Prix homepage. Just click the awesome flier below to check out the website. 

And here’s a link to the Updated Schedule!

July 24th and 25th, mark the calendars and get ready for the fun! The past years of the Marymoor Grand Prix have been a huge success. The event has become and remains the cornerstone of international and national class competition in the Northwest, bringing some of track’s finest competitors to Redmond, Washington. So far, the event has drawn monumental crowds to watch US, Canadian and New Zealand Olympians, track junkies, sprinting specialists, record setters and Marymoor’s fastest in a wide variety of events.  

With that out of the way, what else do you need to know about the racing? Oh nothing, except that World Champion Track Cyclist Sarah Hammer will be racing this year at the MGP! A 2012 Olympic Silver Medalist with the US Women’s Pursuit team, a multiple World’s Champion and a world record holder, Sarah is certainly a fast addition to the track this summer. Her impressive resume promises to heat things up around the velodrome this summer.

22 Jun 2015

Friday, Friday, gotta go racin Friday!

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My apologies, but I think it’s been long enough since we’ve had the great pleasure of watching one of our generations finest artistic contributions. So in the spirit of FNR, good luck getting that auto-tuned and adorable little ear worm out of your head for the next 24 hours! You’re welcome!!! (Scroll to bottom for video, that’s where it shows up in the full story)

One HECK of a Friday Night!

This Friday is basically one in a million – so much packed in to one evening, we just had to write about it! The excitement Friday Night Racing is alive and well, but this week we are running our absolute top-hit race formats as well as inviting even more racers into the evening program. We’re bringing back wine to the beverage garden, we got Spicy Papaya showing up, the excitement of our best races going on… if you’re a fan of the track, you owe it to yourself to clear out your evening and visit the track this Friday!

Let’s sweeten the deal a bit – Cascade Bicycle Club members get in free with proof of membership! Not good enough? Let’s make it even BETTER! We’re raffling a pair of STP tickets! This sold-out event is a big time ride around here, and we got two tickets some lucky spectators this Friday. Still not convinced? Fine, we’ll throw in two pairs of tickets to the Seattle Night Ride. Ok, now you have to come.

And we got your hunger and thirst covered – we even got O.S. Winery back on track to serve up fantastic wine alongside of our delicious beer and cider. Spicy Papaya is going to be around to treat your taste buds to some wonderful heat. Really, you got nothing to lose coming out on a Friday!

The Main Event – A Look at the Races

This week, athletes in our Cat 1/2 Men, Cat 3 Men, and Cat 1/2/3 Women will choose to either compete in the Madison or the Keirin, depending on their racing style and preference. Let’s take a closer look.

Madisons – The first even of interest is the Madison, run with the 1/2/3 Men and Women on the track. Omnium points will be awarded to each rider for their own category based on their finishing place in each race. We’ll be running three Madisons Friday night, so there will be plenty of this ride on display. What makes this race so special? All the hand holding of course!

Madison riders compete in teams of two, with one rider resting while the other one is in the action. To switch out, the riders hold hands, exchange momentum and effectively “tag in” the other rider. It’s a really fun race to see and a very different format then we ride on a regular basis!

Keirins – The Keirins are the Championship of Speed! Our Keirins this week will be run with 1/2/3 Men and Women and include heats, reps, semis and finals. (For you non-racing jargon peeps out there, the “reps” are for those that don’t qualify from their heats so they get another ride, and the semi determines the final group). Riders in the finals will get TRIPLE the omnium points for their category based on their finishing places in the race. This makes the point potential as even as possible between riding in the Madison or the Keirein. So pick your poison athletes!

Setting this ride apart is the use of a motorcycle to pace the group around the track for 3 and 1/2 laps. The moto alows our competitors to be shot out at 30 mph with maximum reserved energy. This sets up for a all-out, top-speed finish. The final 600m of this race is something to behold!

Cat 4 Men – We’ll be inviting our Cat 4 riders to compete this Friday as well. The top 20 riders in the Season Omnium will be automatically invited to compete, based on omnium points following competition this Wednesday. Already know you can’t make it out? Let our race director know either by email or at racing Wednesday so we can invite the next rider up.

See you at the track!

 

19 Jun 2015

The MVA Guide to Spectating Friday Night

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It’s nearly SUMMER!! With the USGA US Open in town, the Mariners playing below average baseball, and the Seahawks’ mini camp wrapping up, there is certainly lots to see in the Pacific Northwest. So what’s so great about coming to the track on a Friday night? Why should you spend $5 on admission? Besides the fastest racing around? Well… let’s take a look!

The Food (and beer (and wine (and cider!!)))

$5 gets you in the door on a Friday Night to see all the great racing, but what would great racing be without some good refreshments? The Velodrome provides access to some fantastic food and beverage to keep your evening enjoyable and well stocked. From Spicy Papaya to our newest beverage sponsor Locust Cider, you can’t go wrong visiting the Velodrome on a Friday night. Let’s take a look at all the great goodies on offer.
 
Food Trucks – Spicy Papaya and Kirkland Tacos
 
We rotate between our excellent food trucks on a weekly basis to keep things interesting! The fantastic food on offer is some of the best you can find out the side window of a moving vehicle. Count on either of our sponsors being there for every Friday night!
 
 
Beverage Sponsors – Mac & Jack’s Brewery, OS Winery and Locust Cider
 
The beverage garden also serves as an excellent location to spectate racing throughout the evening, especially if you enjoy hanging with the athletes after the last race of the night. Besides, the people that hang out there have a bit of a noisy and rambunctious reputation to maintain, so join in on the fun!
 

A look at the basic race types

The average night at the Velodrome can get a bit confusing. That’s before you even consider that each race usually has a different set of rules! Let’s take a quick look at the most commonly used race formats at the Velodrome!
Quick Note: Most of our race formats can be setup as “Unknown”, meaning the number of laps is unknown to riders and spectators at the start of the race. This is an interesting variety on the standard race that certainly rewards a bit of luck and chance over pure strategy. We often give spectators who win our raffle the power to determine the number of laps on these races, and in general these variants are quite enjoyable!

Position Races – Where you finish is how you place!

THE Scratch Race – This is the grandaddy of all race types – old fashioned, simple, well loved. All riders start from the rail and race for a set number of laps. A bell rings with one lap to go, after which the first rider across the line wins. The race is run from a “scratch” starting point, and no one is handicapped with a longer distance start position. Besides the simple race tactics, this is the most common race on the track by far and also provides TONS of opportunity for variety and tactics. 
 
Keirin – The championship of speed, this one is! The Keirin is a 5 lap race with 6-8 riders starting from a standing start. The riders draft behind a motor-pacer for the first 3.5 laps with the motorcycle gradually accelerating up to 30 mph before it departs from the track. As the race starts, racers will jockey for position behind the moto, which can lead to some very interesting “drama”! Once the motor pulls off, with 1 and a half laps to go, it is an all-out sprint for the finish line, and boy is it high speed or what! The event is a popular para-mutual gambling event in Japan, much like horse or greyhound racing found in the USA.  
 

Points Races – Tally up points to determine the winner! Riders with the most win, and ties are broken by the final sprint.

Points Race – A points race is a mixture of sprinting and fast endurance racing. A predetermined number of sprints occur at set intervals. For example, a 6×5 points race will have 6 sprints every 5 laps. A bell rings with one lap to go before each sprint. Points are awarded to the top 4 riders across the line for each sprint (5,3,2,1). Riders are awarded 20 points if they lap the field – or conversely have 20 points subtracted if they lose a lap to the main field. 
 
Point-a-Lap – A Point-a-Lap is a mass start race run over a set distance with all riders starting from the rail. After a neutral lap, the first rider across the line earns a point, and that’s it! (So it doesn’t pay to be drafting) Final sprint awards 3,2,1 points to the first 3 riders. 
 
Tempo – a tempo is run just like a Point-a-Lap, but with 2 and 1 points going to the first and second riders across the line each lap. The final lap is also worth 2 and 1 points (no bonus for the last sprint).
 
Snowball – A Snowball is a mass start race run over a set distance. The first rider across the line at the end of the first lap earns one points. The first rider across the line at the end of the second lap earns 2 points, etc., with the number of points for the first rider across the line for each lap “snowballing” until the end of the race. Points are only awarded to the first rider to cross the line.
 
Madison – The Madison is a high speed, two person points race relay. One partner from each team starts the race from the rail while the “resting” partner pedals slowly along the top of the track. Partners exchange positions by pulling even with each other and then relaying or “slinging” the incoming partner into the race. Like a points race, sprints occurs at pre-determined intervals (typically every 8-10 laps) during the race. Unlike the Points Race, the Madison scores teams on laps taken over points earned.
 

Elimination Race – Riders are removed from the race, either for crossing the line last (bad!) or first (good job!)

Win-n-Out – A type of race that is a massed start race over a set distance, commonly 12 laps. A bell rings with 5 laps to go in the race. The first rider across the line on the next lap takes 1st place. The first place rider in the next lap takes 2nd, etc. This is a difficult race, if you spend all your effort and come up short, you must summon another all out sprint the next lap and so on to fill the places.
 
Belgian Win-n-Out – Similar to the Win-n-Out, this is another mass start race run over a set distance(12 laps). A bell rings with 5 to go in the race. The first rider across the line on the next lap takes fifth place. The first rider in the next lap takes third place, etc. It ends up with the final lap for the first rider to cross taking the win with the second rider earning 6th place. Being greedy my not pay! A bit of a gamble to wait for the win and not get it.
 
Miss-n-Out – This is another mass start race with all riders starting from the rail. After a neutral lap, the last wheel to cross the finish line is pulled from the race and eliminated. This is repeated until there are usually 3 to 5 riders remaining. This leaves two laps remaining, with the last lap an all out sprint for the finish line!
 

The REAL Fan-Favorite…

Marymoor Crawl (The Original Longest Lap!) – An event typically open to all racers on that evening. It is a timed track stand (balancing) contest rolled into a chariot race. Riders stage in turn 4 of the Velodrome and roll off once the race is on. They may not cross the start line until an unknown timed bell is rung, indicating a 1 lap sprint. During the time prior to the bell, riders may not roll backwards per Sprint Rules; may not touch another rider; may not touch the rail; must stay on the track surface; may not put a foot down on the track surface. And no squirt guns, dirty jokes and other pranks are allowed. This is the ULTIMATE fan event – you’d not think it was so fun to watch our athletes practically stand still, but the event always draws a great crowd reaction!

And Kiddie Kilo!

This is the hidden gem of track racing in the PNW. On the first and third Fridays of every month, the MVA invites 2 to 12 year old riders to take a trip (partially) around the track of champions! Registration is free – just bring the bike/push-bike/tricyle and a helment and sign-up for the fun! Photo opportunities galore!!

A guide-book to cheering

Finally, we move from how to enjoy the Velodrome to how to give back to the racers! Cheering and supporting our athletes is a huge part of what makes the Velodrome a special place to race. But the track is often a confusing place for new spectators, and getting used to the etiquette of the track can be a steep learning curve. I’m here to save you the pain and get you started on your track (hah!) to being a pro spectator!
 
Where to sit?
 
Let’s be real – the beverage garden is probably the prime spot on the track for viewing the action. First of all, the finish line is close so many riders will be going by you in a sprint. Second, you’re surrounded by people who have “imbibed” in the nectar that is our beverage sponsors, so it’s sure to be exciting. Thirdly, you’re probably going to get in a post-race conversation with the athletes if you stick around long enough. This spot is AWESOME for enjoying the racing! Just go inside of the orange fencing and take a seat in the grand stands.
 
But what if that’s not your cup of tea (or wine)? I see tons of families bringing in their lawn chairs and posting up in the corners for a good view of the racing. Why is the corner the place to be? You’re elevated, so you get the best possible view of the track. Also, you get to participate in the ever-running “Who is the rowdiest corner” competition! If your corner cheers the loudest, Bilko (the awesome announcer) is SURE to give you a shout-out. It’s really that easy to be famous for a night. What corner should you sit in though?
  1. For the noisy crowd, you definitely want to be in corner 1, near the announcer stand and the entrance. This group is prone to giving out lots of support for the riders as they go by.
  2. Want to be cool but not “too cool”? Look no further than corner 2. The second corner is still in the action but has a bit more peace and quiet.
  3. Want to be a social recluse with no connection to the outside world? Corner 3 is waiting for it’s first spectator since 1998! … If it’s worth anything, there are some really cool osprey perched up above in the lights over there.
  4. Want to look the part of smart and sophisticated but still enjoying the track? Corner 4 has a great view of the finishing straight and also can get a good view of the sprints as they form in the final turn, so that’s cool. You’ll still be a bit on an island, but that may not be a bad thing! Get close enough and you might even feel like you’re part of the beverage garden.

Ok, but that’s not even all of the spots you can sit. What about the good ‘ole, standard variety grand stands? These are a GREAT spot if you are new to track racing, as you get the best seat for hearing the announcer and viewing the exciting finishes. With the excellent ramblings of your local announcer (explaining the race formats and giving you updates on the point totals/position/exciting race info), the sound of the music bumping, and the perfect view to the finish line, there’s really not much you can say is wrong with the grandstands along the front.
 
Heck, if you feel like getting away from it all, sit on the grandstands on the back side of the track. It’s nice and secluded there! We’ll all think you’re a little weird, but that’s ok. Just cheer really loud and we’ll forgive you.
 
So with that… see you at the track!
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