Categories

Categories

The California Enduro Series will award points and keep standings for the following rider categories based on age (as of the end of the year, AKA “Racing Age”) and proficiency:

Pro Categories Expert Categories Sport Categories Beginner Categories
Pro Men
Pro Women
Junior Pro Men U21
Master Pro Men 40+
Master Pro Women 35+
Expert Men 50+
Expert Men 40-49
Expert Men 30-39
Expert Men 18-29
Expert Boys U18
Expert Women
Expert Women 35+
Sport Men 50+
Sport Men 40-49
Sport Men 30-39
Sport Men 18-29
Sport Boys 16-17
Sport Boys 12-15
Sport Women
Sport Women 35+
Beginner Men
Beginner Women

Category Descriptions

Racers can use the following category descriptions as a guide for determining the appropriate category for a racer.  Racers should use this guide along with their best judgment when determining in which category they should compete.

Pro – Pro riders are the elite athletes of our sport.  They are extremely competent at jumping, drops, cornering and technical rock or trail features. A pro rider can ride any trail in any condition at race speed without hesitation.  They have a résumé with top 5 podium finishes from other races.

Open – This is a semi-Pro category for elite riders racing beyond the Expert level, but not racing professionally.

Expert – Expert riders are comfortable with most obstacles they encounter on a trail.  They are comfortable with steep and loose terrain and technical rock gardens.  They are able to ride most trail features without hesitation, but occasionally take an alternate line around large trail features.  They are able to complete a 20+ mile trail ride and race competitively several times a year.

Sport – Sport riders can ride technical terrain, smaller jumps and drops, and are comfortable at cornering.  A sport rider can complete most trails without stopping to walk a section but will often take an alternate line around larger jumps or drops on a trail.  They may or may not have raced in the past.

Beginner – Beginner racers are experienced mountain bikers who are happier traveling down a trail at slower speeds, but still desire to compete against other racers at their skill level.  They are not comfortable on jumps or drops and are working on the fundamentals of cornering.  A beginner can ride most trails and will not hesitate to walk technical sections that they feel are above their riding ability.

Age Group Determination

A racer’s age group is determined by looking at the racer’s age as of December 31 of the current race year.  For example, if a racer’s birthday is November 7 and they are 17 years old at the start of current race season, they will be considered 18 for the entire current season.  As another example, if a racer’s birthday is July 18 and they are 39 at the start of the current season, they are considered 40 years old for the entire season.

Self Seeding

Racers are the best judge of their own abilities.  Racers should strive to be competitive in the category they choose to compete in.  In the spirit of competition and fair play the Race Organizers strongly encourage riders to compete in the to the next category if that would have placed in the top 5 of the next level of category.

Category Changes

A racer may change from one category to another category during a single calendar year at their discretion.  Series points earned in one category will not transfer to another category.

A racer that competes in more than one category during a season may only qualify for overall titles in a single category.  Unless otherwise communicated to California Enduro, this will be taken to be the most competitive category competed in by the racer.