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2023 Race #1 – Aloha at Troy
January 29 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Save the Date for the first race of the 2023 Texas Interscholastic Mt. Bike League season at the Sacket Family Ranch in Troy, Texas!
Before the Race
Register in PitZone
The race registration deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Tuesday prior to race. Late registration will be open on the Saturday of the race weekend, between 9:00 a.m.-2 p.m. A $25 late fee will be assessed and the rider will go to the back of the call-ups regardless of series standings.
Fun Lap
We are excited to introduce the fun lap this season for athletes that want to participate in the race weekend but are not interested in competing. Athletes cannot participate in both the Fun Lap and their race category.
The Fun Lap will be run like any other category with race plates, sweeps and starting times. However, the focus will be on fun and there will be no scoring or posted placements.
To sign up for the Fun Lap, athletes must first register for the race in Pit Zone, and then complete the Fun Lap registration from.
Fill out the Venue Waiver
The league will be using a digital waiver again this year that race attendees will be required to sign once and will cover all venues throughout the 2023 season. Everyone who enters the venue is required to complete the waiver even those who are not competing.
Race Plates
Coaches will pick up all race plates at the first race. Riders will receive one plate to be used for all 2023 season races. Plates have chips on the back and require care to avoid damage. New this season: each athlete will also get a back number to adhere to their jersey. There is a $10 fee to replace lost, stolen or forgotten plates. If you need a replacement, go to the registration tent.
To be on the course at any time during race weekend, riders (Students and Coaches) must be fully practice ready in Pit Zone and have their number plates on their bike.
NO UNREGISTERED PARENTS OR SIBLINGS ALLOWED ON COURSE (GRiT ride participants should sign a waiver at the GRiT tent)
RACE PLATE NUMBERS
North Conference: Odd
South Conference: Even
Race-weekend Schedule
Friday
noon – Venue Gate open for staff and course setup volunteers only.
2-10 p.m. Venue Gate Hours
Saturday
8:00 a.m. Venue Gates Open
8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Team packet pick-up at the registration tent. Send one coach per team to get athlete race number plates, coach plates, and feed zone lanyards.
8:30 a.m. Volunteer Shifts Begin
9:15 a.m. Coaches Only Pre-ride
10:00 a.m. *Course Open for Scheduled Pre-Rides
*Pre ride times for each team will be pre-scheduled by the league. All racers should pre-ride the course during their appointed time. Riders must adhere to all course restrictions and follow the directions of staff on the course.
3:00 p.m. NICA GRiT Ride @ NICA GRiT Tent
4:30-6:00 p.m. Pre-ride open to any team
10:00 p.m. Venue Gates Close. NO ENTRY AFTER 10 p.m. No exceptions
Saturday Coach Trainings
- There were no results found for "Troy".
Sunday
7:00 a.m. Venue Gates Open
7:30 a.m. *Course Open to for Pre-Ride
8:00 a.m. Course Marshal Meeting, Volunteer Shifts Begin
8:15 a.m. Head Coaches Meeting @ Registration Tent
This meeting is mandatory. If a team does not have a coach represented, a penalty may be assessed.
8:30 a.m. Pre-Ride Closed, Race Sweep Meeting
9:00 a.m. Racing Begins – Race-day updates will be communicated through the League channel 6(6) on your radios.
Updated 1/26
3:30 p.m. Podiums following infield cleanup.
Team Snap
TeamSnap has replaced GroupMe as our League chat app. With the League subscription, all teams have access to a team app as well. All teams, coaches and athletes with completed registrations prior to the end of 2022 have been added to TeamSnap. Check your email for a TeamSnap invitation and download the app. If you have questions, reach out to mike@texasmtb.org.
Venue Details
Venue Waiver
The league will be using a digital waiver again this year that race attendees will be required to sign once and will cover all venues throughout the 2023 season.
Venue Gate Hours
Friday 2-10:00 p.m. (unless signed up to volunteer)
Saturday 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sunday gate opens at 7:00 a.m.
NO ENTRY AFTER 10 p.m. No exceptions
Fees – CASH ONLY
$15.00 per person if arriving Friday or Saturday.
$10.00 for Sunday only.
Children under 6 free.
Camping:
Included in the $15.00 fee. No RV hookups available – generators must be turned off by 10 p.m.. No reservations required or available. Contact txsacket@gmail.com for more info.
Hotels:
Multiple hotel options in nearby Temple, TX
Venue Map
Venue Rules
- No dogs (No Exceptions – you will be asked to leave the venue immediately).
- No open fires – fires in fire rings only.
- No drones.
- All bodies of water are off limits. No swimming, wading, or fishing.
Volunteers
Have questions? Reach out the volunteer coordinator: kim@texasmtb.org
Sign Up
It takes ~120 volunteers to put on each race. Getting involved with the race is a rewarding experience and a great way to be part of the action!
Saturday and Sunday positions are available.
Volunteer Positions
You don’t need to be a mountain bike expert to be a great volunteer! Volunteers can help set up the course, work road and course crossings, keep an eye on students on the course (course marshals), assist with scoring and so much more.
Volunteer Home Teams
Each venue is assigned a group of home teams. We would love to see volunteers from every team helping at each race, but we recognize that the weekends can be busy for everyone involved and travel times vary. Home teams are assigned based on proximity to the venue. We expect home teams to make a concerted effort to get as many volunteers from their team as possible for that race weekend.
Troy
Heart of Texas
Steiner
North Austin
Vista Ridge
College Station
4R
Amarillo
NTX
South Metro
RPR
Boerne
Two10
Alamo Heights
Lopez Middle School
Westlake
St Stephens
Lake Travis
Laredo
Bridgeport
South Metro
Mineral Wells
Jesuit
Enchanted RPR!
Bulldogs
Austin High
Camacho
East Texas (Course Marshal)
Warda
Hays
San Marcos
West Houston
Houston Redbirds
Highland Park (Course Marshals)
Additional Race Details
Season Scoring
Call-ups:
Call-ups for the State Championship race are determine by each athlete’s top three finishes – the lowest score of the four previous races is dropped. North and South conference riders will be combined for each category and will go head-to-head to determine the State Champion. Categories with more than 50 racers will be split into two starting groups.
5-race Series:
Due to weather related cancellations, Texas shifted to a 5-race series. The series winner for each conference will be determined by the best 4 out of 5 races. The overall series champion in each field and conference will be decided based on the total of series points accumulated (Best 4 of 5 results and inclusive of bonus points for completing 5 races). In other words, the lowest score is dropped. A missed race would be the lowest score dropped.
State Championship Points:
There will be no bonus points for the State Championship race. However, at the State Championship race, both conferences will be combined. Podiums will be awarded for the top 10 athletes in each category and will determine the athletes named as State Champions.
Points Bonus for Competing in All Races:
Student-athletes who complete 5 races races series shall be awarded an additional 25 Season Bonus Points after the final race of the season.
Team Scoring:
A team’s overall placement is based on team point totals from the best four team finishes in a five-race series (lowest score is dropped). Overall conference winners will be determined based on series points for each conference. State champion teams will be determined by the winners of the State Championship race.
Middle School Scoring:
Individual series awards will be given for middle-school students. Middle-school team awards will not be tracked or awarded.
Rules Update for 2023
Based on feedback from the Leader Summit, the Rules Committee has reviewed and amended a few rules to better accommodate our teams. Those amendments are summarized below. Please review the full 2023 NICA Handbook for more detailed information, including the Texas specific amendments. It is the responsibility of all teams and athletes to be familiar with the rules.
Composite Team Limits
Section 6.6.C.1 Amendment – Composite Team Limitations: High school Composite Teams are limited to a maximum of 20 student athletes.
The limit for composite teams has been raised from 11 to 20. When a team reaches 20 riders, the League Director will work with the Head Coach and Team Director to determine the best course of action for the team and the League.
State Championship Qualification Criteria
Athletes must participate in one regular season race (race 1-5) to be eligible to compete in the State Championships.
Call-ups
Call ups for the first race will be based upon the last season point totals. 6th graders will be random for the first race. JV2 category call-ups will be random for the first race. New riders to the League will be assigned a random call-up behind all returning riders. Subsequent race call ups will be based on the student athlete’s overall points. This will be applied to both middle school and high school categories. Freshman riders will automatically be placed in JV2 but can petition for a higher category placement.
Race Duration Guidelines
Middle School
45 minutes
JV Girls and Boys
75-100 minutes
Varsity Girls and Boys
90-120 minutes
Student athletes are expected to be able to safely complete the course within the designated time limit. Athletes may be asked to withdraw and exit the course after cut-off time limits have been reached. Racers who do not make the time limit cut-off will still be scored and ranked.
League and race officials reserve the right to determine these time limits and alter them at any time. Time limits may be imposed or altered for reasons that include, but are not limited to, safety, heat, cold, rain, and muddy conditions.
Chip Timing
All riders will receive a permanent number plate with a chip timing transponder on the backside. Riders use the same plate for the entire race series. Please remove this number plate before transporting bikes to prevent loss.
Replacement number plates will be available at the registration tent for $10.00.
Category Placement Petitions
Race categories have been evaluated and assigned in Pit Zone. If you would like to petition to change an athlete’s category, you must complete the form two weeks prior to any race for consideration.
No race day petitions will be accepted
Weather Policy
The League’s primary considerations in assessing inclement weather plans are the safety of riders, staff and spectators, as well as the potential for damage to the venue and trails. Decisions regarding canceling, postponing or altering race start times, lap lengths, number of laps, etc. will be made jointly by league staff and the land manager. If inclement weather is predicted, we will make a decision about weather related cancellations by Thursday at 5:00 p.m. For more details about our inclement weather thresholds and cancellations, see the Weather Policy.
NICA Handbook: Rules and Guidelines
All participants are required to read, understand and abide by all league policies, rules and protocols while attending any league event.
The handbook details important rules that should be followed at all races as well as any associated penalties or disciplinary actions that can be assessed against riders or teams for violations of the rules.
READ THE 2023 TEXAS SPECIFIC APPENDIX
LEAGUE RULES COMMITTEE PETITION FORM (Form will be available soon – Do not use this from for category placement petitions)
Safety Reporting and Insurance Coverage
Safety Reporting
Incident reports are mandatory whenever a student-athlete or coach is injured during a NICA activity. These incident reports are submitted by each team’s Designated Reporter or an independent rider’s parent. For more information on safety reporting please see our brochure here.
Insurance Coverage
NICA insurance coverage is for registered student-athletes and registered coaches injured while participating in the sanctioned pre-ride and race events. For more information on NICA Insurance Coverage, please see our FAQ here.