EWS Reveals New Entry System for 2016

Nov 27, 2015
by UCI Mountain Bike World Series  
Josh Carlson was flying this weekend for the first time this season he put together the kind of ride many people knew he is capable of running at the front all day.

With record levels of interest in the series and last year’s events selling out in under a minute, next season’s rounds will be entered via a lottery system. Instead of logging on at a prescribed time, racers will have 24 hours to sign up for a ticket which will then be drawn at random after entries close, ensuring no-one is disadvantaged by slow internet speeds or time differences.

Entries for all eight rounds will open for 24 hours on enduroworldseries.com during January 25/26 where riders can sign up to be issued with a ticket. After entries close tickets will be picked at random to fill the races and successful applicants will be emailed a private link they can then use to enter. Only one ticket will be issued per rider.

Ticket applications will only include basic rider details, but there is an option to fill in more information if the rider thinks they should be considered for a wild card place. Organisers for each of the eight races will be allowed to pick 30 Wild Card entries for their event, this means any local heroes or up and coming racers can be guaranteed a spot. The Enduro World Series also has 30 wild card places to allocate across the season.

The lottery system only applies to riders who are not on the reserved entry list. Racers on the reserved entry list will be personally invited to enter the series and have five days (18-22 January) to enter. The criteria for the reserved entry list remains unchanged from 2015, aside from the addition of the top two men and women from some newly selected national series as well as an increase to the top five men and women from selected international race series.

Jared Graves was very open that the tight tracks here in Whistler don t suit him too well That doesn t mean he was hanging around though as Cedric found out on stage one.

Chris Ball, Managing Director of the Enduro World Series, said: “I think the new lottery system is going to make entering the series next year a lot less stressful and a lot more fair. Last year’s events all sold out in under a minute and a lot of people who were trying to enter were left frustrated - internet speed played a large part in who was able to secure an entry and multiple users all trying to secure one place for a friend also seriously stressed the system and left others at a disadvantage."

This new system sees us align with a lot of other large sporting events such as marathons who use lotteries as a way of levelling the playing field. Expanding the number of wild cards available will also mean any up and coming racers and local riders who really deserve a spot won’t miss out. We’ll never be able to accommodate everybody who wants to race but at least now we believe the system is as fair as it could be.”


MENTIONS: @EnduroWorldSeries



Posted In:
Press Releases


Author Info:
ucimtb-worldseries avatar

Member since Apr 2, 2014
250 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

40 Comments
  • 35 0
 Ah. I was hoping it would be decided by a series of cage fighting where riders could use fanny packs and 27.5 inner tubes as weapons.
  • 8 0
 The real spirit of enduro
  • 20 2
 This was clearly a lesser of two evils choice. I wonder if its time the EWS changes its platform a little. Wonder if they can allow different enduro series events from around the world count for points towards the EWS. Then make actual EWS events fewer but only pick the top locations from around the world to have them at. The riders invited to these more special events would just be the top riders from around the world in those different Enduro series'... It would also probably allow for more Enduro series' to start popping up in different countries, they wouldn't have to worry as much about competing against the top dog, the EWS. I'm just spitballing here... This could be a terrible idea as well, I don't know... Lol
  • 2 1
 Not really a terrible idea at all. Kind of similar in spirit to Champions League football I guess. This would be interesting and would almost make the EWS a quasi-world Champs vibe, with top competitors from regional series competing at international venues. Problem would be standardizing the events so the point system was equitable. I like it though. Good idea!
  • 1 3
 I think the only way to standardize the events would be to have every event and its courses looked over by the EWS before and make sure they meet the requirements to ensure all courses are as similar as possible.

Obviously you can't get it to 100% but I mean you can get it close
  • 2 1
 It would be great too. Countries and regions get behind "there own" when they compete on a large scale. May create more engagement on a fan level, and then viewership during televised/steamed events. It would be rad.
  • 2 1
 Most likely the way it will head in the future. Similar to the WC, a national series that qualifies riders to compete at the international level. Think if you race the national series you desserve a spot on the ews.
  • 2 1
 Would be a much easier deal for the EWS to sell to a network if there is only a few large events. Sports networks love to be able to show random sporting events when they have no live stuff to show.
  • 2 1
 I don't think that's cool. That's just like any pro sports, really far away from us normalos. The fact that anyone could go and race against the top dogs was/Is actually something awesome and unique about enduro.
If you have to qualify at other races first that basically shuts the door for anyone who's not a pro.

Now I am for sure not fast enough to get anywhere near the top however I am very tempted to take part in the lottery for one of the us rounds just for the experience...
  • 2 0
 Yeah but with the lottery you still run the chance of not making it in at all. I understand what you are getting at though.
  • 8 0
 Looks like now the Enduro race start from the inscription...If this apply for all the categories many people will be out, hope that a better system appears soon.
  • 2 0
 hang on, cant i just make loads of different entries from different accounts, email adresses, computers, ip addresses? what if two people have the same name and actually do live pretty close to each other. surely they cant rule them out as being the same person
  • 3 0
 Must be gutting for racers which are non factory and not on reserve list to be building support to enter EWS season/races to see now it's a lottery.
  • 1 0
 How someone will be invited to race on february 18 to race in Argentina or Chile one month later? How to plan vacations? Most of the south american riders have full time jobs. EWS organization please consider these deadlines...
  • 1 0
 *Most Riders not just South American ones...
  • 1 0
 The real solution is requiring the local organizers to run multiple stages concurrently. Think shotgun start in golf. The ability to start two stages at the same time would double the number of available entries. The other option is to go to a qualifying run format. Think a single stage for all non protected riders the day before. A certain number of spots per class could be reserved, think 2 or 3. This would allow for fast locals or those that think they are fast enough to show up and earn a spot.
  • 5 5
 Solution:
If you're going to make the effort to sign up for every event and actually go to every event then you should get a spot. If you're only going to rock up for one or two races then leave the spots for the more serious guys!
  • 19 4
 What if I can only make it to the North American stops because of my budget? I wouldn't say that makes me less serious than anyone else, I'm stil going to show up and ride my ass off and try to do well. But financially as an 18 year old I can't swing all stops this year. Where does your idea leave me though?
  • 4 13
flag chyu (Nov 28, 2015 at 2:51) (Below Threshold)
 Stick to education and join the working class.
  • 3 2
 That means that it is all about the racing though. I'd say the majority of privateers that compete in the EWS do it for the experience. Don't get me wrong we give it a fair slog but I think you are missing the point.
  • 5 0
 I thought the whole point was making it available for the less serious guys? Sounds like all of the competitive national racers from around the world will be able to get a spot no matter what.
  • 3 0
 @Chyu - must include a smiley, sarcasm simply cannot enter them internetz
  • 1 0
 Well that's a fairpoint. Its hard to justify my stance when I look past the end of my nose and consider places that cant get decent internet at all. Have to admit I like brockfisher's idea
  • 1 0
 from what i remember and last checked most of the entry had all ready sold out so how can thay now say thay are changing the entry laws to next years ews series
  • 1 1
 how bout using local enduro race as qualifier for local spots...Just a thought
  • 9 10
 Oh so enduro is now the lottery
  • 3 3
 Leadville Enduro series
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.040915
Mobile Version of Website