Downhill
Riders get two chances to complete an downhill course in the fastest time. If you fall, you can remount where you fell or farther back. There are separate courses for beginner, advanced, and elite. There will be individual starts - 1 minute between competitors.
Limited dismounts are allowed, as is walking sections as necessary. The Elite Downhill course is 1 mi with a loss of ~470 ft. The Advanced Downhill course is about .7 mi with a loss of ~360 ft.
Elite Downhill --- Elite Downhill start is a 20 min walk from South Pond (you passed the start during the Cross Country race). First rider starts at noon. The course is generally fast - a little rough from erosion this past winter but no serious technical challenges except maybe a couple big roots. There is a single turn on the downhill course (will be marked) but keep left. Finish is at the gravel road. After finishing, you'll ride west (right from the trail) to all uphill courses or to return to Central Park.
Advanced Downhill --- Advanced Downhill start is next to South Pond, turn right at the T just inside the woods instead of turning left as in the Cross Country race. First rider starts at noon. The first half of the course is shared with the Beginner Downhill and is pretty smooth with some fun switchbacks. You'll cross the rocky creek bed (pretty ridable considering all the rocks), ride a very slight rise, then continue down, taking a left where the trail turns around a bend. There is a tight switch back just after this turn, then some fast straight downhill, keep left at the next junction, and continue down the rocky trail - though it's not too rocky if you can keep the smooth line. The finish is near the kiosk, which also happens to be the Elite Uphill start. You'll walk back up the rocky section **after** all downhill riders have finished - the Advanced Uphill starts at the first junction on the way back up. If you're returning to Central Park or riding the Beginner Uphill, keep right (what you rode down), and the Beginner Uphill starts at the next junction. To return to Central Park, go left for the main parking/criterium, or right (again, what you just rode down) to South Pond.
Beginner Downhill --- Beginner Downhill will start after all Advanced Downhill riders finish. The beginner Downhill finishes at the rocky creek crossing described under Advanced Downhill. It's a little steep towards the end, but the rest of the course is pretty smooth with some big switchbacks for a good challenge. To avoid too many folks accumulating on the trail, we will run the Beginner Uphill at the same time as downhill, so when you finish, you'll continue past the rocky creek bed a short distance (100 meters?) to the uphill start or to return to the main Central Park parking lot.
Limited dismounts are allowed, as is walking sections as necessary. The Elite Downhill course is 1 mi with a loss of ~470 ft. The Advanced Downhill course is about .7 mi with a loss of ~360 ft.
Elite Downhill --- Elite Downhill start is a 20 min walk from South Pond (you passed the start during the Cross Country race). First rider starts at noon. The course is generally fast - a little rough from erosion this past winter but no serious technical challenges except maybe a couple big roots. There is a single turn on the downhill course (will be marked) but keep left. Finish is at the gravel road. After finishing, you'll ride west (right from the trail) to all uphill courses or to return to Central Park.
Advanced Downhill --- Advanced Downhill start is next to South Pond, turn right at the T just inside the woods instead of turning left as in the Cross Country race. First rider starts at noon. The first half of the course is shared with the Beginner Downhill and is pretty smooth with some fun switchbacks. You'll cross the rocky creek bed (pretty ridable considering all the rocks), ride a very slight rise, then continue down, taking a left where the trail turns around a bend. There is a tight switch back just after this turn, then some fast straight downhill, keep left at the next junction, and continue down the rocky trail - though it's not too rocky if you can keep the smooth line. The finish is near the kiosk, which also happens to be the Elite Uphill start. You'll walk back up the rocky section **after** all downhill riders have finished - the Advanced Uphill starts at the first junction on the way back up. If you're returning to Central Park or riding the Beginner Uphill, keep right (what you rode down), and the Beginner Uphill starts at the next junction. To return to Central Park, go left for the main parking/criterium, or right (again, what you just rode down) to South Pond.
Beginner Downhill --- Beginner Downhill will start after all Advanced Downhill riders finish. The beginner Downhill finishes at the rocky creek crossing described under Advanced Downhill. It's a little steep towards the end, but the rest of the course is pretty smooth with some big switchbacks for a good challenge. To avoid too many folks accumulating on the trail, we will run the Beginner Uphill at the same time as downhill, so when you finish, you'll continue past the rocky creek bed a short distance (100 meters?) to the uphill start or to return to the main Central Park parking lot.