The Super Cross Cup--MAC Series Races #11 and #12

Promoter's Website: 

Registration: 

November 19th and 20th, top-notch cyclocross will touch down and burn up picturesque Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, NY, for the Super Cross Cup Cyclocross Races.

Cyclocross, for the uninitiated, is bike racing. A zany offshoot of what you may think a traditional bike race looks like. It's kind of a steeplechase on two wheels, where road racing bicycles with knobby tires are the ride of choice and racers have to get off their bike and run in the middle of the race. The courses are designed not only to break legs and burn lungs, but also test the racers' ability to think and turn and decide when it's faster to run rather than ride. Smart course design is supposed to force riders to go fast in sections, slow in sections, and negiotiate difficult terrain. It's crazy and fascinating to watch, and since the riders are doing multiple circuits of short courses in races lasting less than an hour, it's easy to watch a race from start to finish and, because of the layout, watch most of the race from a single vantage point. As bike racing goes, this is one of the most spectator-friendly disciplines; it's easy to get close to the racers on the course, and it's easy to chat them up both before and after the race.

Last year, a staircase was part of the course. Most riders ran. A few rode. If you've never seen anyone ride up a set of stairs, this alone will make the experience worthwhile.

The Super Cross Cup entails two days of racing, with categories from beginner to pro, and races for young and old. The races make up the final two events of the Mid-Atlantic Cyclocross Cup series, which means that not only will top regional racers be toeing the line, but so, too, will national-class racers as well as a few overseas professionals all chasing individual glory, series points, team cup standing, and cash prizes.

The race weekend comprises also comprises two rounds of the Mid Atlantic Cyclocross Cup Series aka MAC series. This is a season-long (September to December) race series that brings out the best racers in the northeast as they race for pride, for results, for cash prizes. Over $8,000 is on the line across all races, and that includes juniors, masters, and collegiate categories.

Not insignificantly, the Whitmore's race is following a trend in cyclocross to award equal prize money to the elite men's and women's fields. Elite are elite regardless of sex. As for the rest of the day, there will be raffles for cool stuff and plenty of wicked prizes throughout the day. Cross is fun and the rewards are fun, too.

The racing begins Saturday November 19th at 9am and runs through 4:30pm. Sunday's race program runs on the same schedule, but utilizes a different course. There will be an announcer, music, and plenty of food and drink. One of the expected food vendors is the New York City-based Wafels&Dinges.

Race Site
http://www.hamptonvelo.com/

Kissena Cycling Club website
with race info:
http://www.kissena.info

Race Registration page:
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=14481

take a look at last year's images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/groovylab/collections/72157625346857445/

Eisenhower Park
http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Parks/wheretogo/active/eisenhower...