THE GRAND FINALE
And we’re here…the GRAND FINALE! One more week of practice, the event weekend of all event weekends — TREK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP — and our End-Of-Year PARTY! There are LOTS of things going on during this last bit of the season, so make sure to read all the details here so you don’t miss anything!
Coach Lucas: Mid-stride, so the pedals aren't level...but fingers covering the brakes, eyes up, and ready to ride with a ginormous smile!
overview of the remainder of the season
Practices: We’re in our final week of practices! Tuesday/Thursday @ 5:30-7:30. Don’t forget your bike light!
Event Weekend: State Championship @ Trek Trails Oct. 21-22 — If you’ve been on the fence about racing all season, this is truly the event weekend of all event weekends! More details below!
End of Year Party! Save the date to party with your fellow MTBers on Thursday, Nov. 2!
EVENT WEEKEND: STATE CHAMPIONSHIP @ TREK TRAILS IN WATERLOO!! *OCT. 21-22*
Yes, this event is called a state championship, but it is fully inclusive of all registered WI NICA athletes, even if it’s your first race of the season! LOTS TO KNOW, so please READ CAREFULLY! Recall, you can pre-ride the course on Saturday (10/21) at no cost! If you decide to race, you can register as late as 1 hour prior to your staging time on Sunday! As always, check out the Event Guide for lots of info, as well as our racing FAQs! The Event Guide is a LIVE file that is **updated often** approaching event weekends. Please read it before this event for the most current information.
The address for this event is 97 Canal Rd. But in case GPS doesn’t get you there, this should help:
DIRECTIONS
From Madison, travel east on I-94 toward Milwaukee
Take Exit 250 for Hwy 73 North toward Marshall
Follow Hwy 73 north approx. 8 miles until you reach a “T” intersection in Marshall
Turn RIGHT onto Hwy 19
Stay on Hwy 19 for ~2 miles to Cherry Rd
Turn LEFT onto Cherry Ln
Continue on Cherry Ln for 1.3 miles (use caution crossing RR tracks)
Turn RIGHT onto Canal Rd
After a half mile, turn RIGHT onto the gravel road
LOGISTICS
Pre-Registration closes @ 11:59pm on Tuesday 10/17; log into Pit Zone to register. You may also register on Saturday or Sunday on-site at Trek (up to an hour before your staging time), but there is an additional $15 late registration fee, and you will be lined up at the back of your category.
Large crowds (thousands!) are expected! Please be prepared and ALLOW EXTRA TIME!
Once on-site parking is full, traffic will be directed to Trek Headquarters (3 minutes away). People (and bikes) will be shuttled between the trails and HQ. Shuttles will run every 10-15 minutes, but ****PLEASE ALLOW AN EXTRA 30-45 MINUTES IN YOUR DAY TO BE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET WHERE YOU NEED TO BE****
Handicap accessible parking will be available on-site. Requests for UTV rides to the infield are available from this parking area.
DO NOT bike between Trek HQ and the event venue!
Riding at Trek is open ONLY to fully registered student-athletes, coaches and staff.
THEME — We’ll be celebrating our SUPER athletes and coaches with an all-out SUPER HERO theme!! (Just make sure your garb is safe for riding…capes & spokes don’t mix!)
FRIDAY
FUNK (the trail we will use for warm-ups) will be open for a TEAM ADVENTURE RIDE on Friday evening 6pm - 8pm! Registration is required and so are bright bike lights. (We have some lights to lend). Camping is open on Friday at no additional cost for those participating in this Adventure! Important: athletes cannot show up on their own for this ride....it is a team-led activity. All other trails and the Pump Track are closed. ***COACHES & ATHLETES: It’s essential that you indicate your availability to attend this event in TeamSnap!! This is important, so we can make sure we have enough coaches for athletes who’d like to ride!
SATURDAY
Coaches and student athletes may ride the marked race course, FUNK and the Pump Track. Athletes must be accompanied by a coach from their team while on the race course and in FUNK. Riders can be independent on the Pump Track, as it will be monitored. All other trails are closed.
ALL REGISTERED NICA ATHLETES AND COACHES can pre-ride the course on Saturday - whether you plan to race or not! Just make sure you grab your race plate (or coach plate) from us (even for the pre-ride).
11:30am - GRiT starts to gather! Get Cozy in Onsies!!
12pm GRiT Ride Starts!
2pm - 4pm - Rock Painting at the GRiT tent! Wear your onesie!
4:15pm - Come hear from the TTC Crew for a summary of all the stats for the 2023 season, meet trail stewards from around Wisconsin and celebrate the accomplishments of all our TTC Rock Stars this season!
5pm - RAFFLE DRAWING takes place at the start/finish area!! (GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!)
5:30pm - Adventure Games will be tons of fun! Meet at the start/finish line!
8pm - 9:15pm - COSTUME PARTY at the fire pit and The Lodge (WOOT!!)
SUNDAY
RACE DAY! Please reference the Driftless schedule here. Please note that this document will not be updated until we receive the official start list from the league sometime on Wednesday or Thursday (hence the grayed-out names until that time). Please also note that this is a *live document* such that if/when the league makes changes, this document will be revised accordingly.
Racing athletes and rovers are the only bikes allowed in the infield. Coach bikes are allowed at FUNK for warm-ups but not in the infield or around the course. Please plan for hiking, rather than biking, unless you are in the race. All other trails and the Pump Track are closed.
CLASS OF 2024 — Meet at the Red Barn at 3pm on Sunday at the Red Barn for a group senior picture!
SIGN UP!!!
VOLUNTEERS — Me? YES! That means YOU! (Parents, families and friends – no experience necessary!) The league needs help with set-up, tear-down, greeting, directing traffic, crossing guards, organizing athletes before their race, helping at the finish line and more. Questions? Contact Allison Carmody or just Sign Up to help! If you are not a registered coach/student-athlete, please click here to electronically sign a ONE TIME use waiver for Volunteers under the age of 18. Must be completed by Parent or Guardian. Click here to electronically sign a ONE TIME use waiver for Volunteers 18 and over (this is only if you are not a registered coach with NICA for 2023).
COACHES - the league especially needs your help with monitoring the Pump Track on Saturday – sign up to help; shifts are only 1 hour! Our Driftless Teams need your help with warm-ups, staging, etc — please SIGN UP HERE! (THANK YOU!!!!)
SNACKS! SIGN UP to contribute snacks for the last event weekend! Please note we have LOTS of snacks already! What we could truly use are fresh fruit/perishable items along with a few other things (see the list)! Thank you!!!
A Quick Note about Friday & Saturday night: Once NICA events end on Friday and Saturday, athletes are under the care of their parents/guardians. The infield and course are closed once NICA events end. All athletes, coaches, family and friends should be enjoying the company and activities of their teams, not wandering the venue. Please know the whereabouts of your athletes and others and ensure good decisions are being made. Thank you!
END OF YEAR PARTY!!
We’ll be at the Whyte Family hangar in Waunakee - located at 6010 Woodland Drive in Waunakee. Please plan to drop food off at the house, then park on Simon Crestway! Doors open at 5:30 PM, Potluck Buffet at 6:15 PM, and Program at 6:45PM. Don’t miss it! Our awesome MTB families never fail to disappoint with the camaraderie, laughs, good times and all the fantastic food! Please RSVP here. Please also sign up here to bring a dish to share. THANK YOU!
(Non-NICA) Invitation to check out a Bike Trials Competition in Baraboo
There will be a Bike Trials competition in Baraboo Wisconsin this October 28th and Trek has extended an official invitation to everyone in the Wisconsin NICA League!
They will have a MTB/Novice class which will consist of smaller obstacles that will all be rollable, and much lower than bottom bracket height. If you can roll up and down smaller rocks, and take slow turns, you have all the skills necessary to ride in this class! Even for people not looking to ride, we will have some of the best Trials riders in the country bringing their best skills! This invitation to NICA to come join us comes with FREE signup for any NICA member! NICA riders can sign up for FREE using promo code “NICA2023”. Come test your bike handling skills; any bike with flat pedals will do!
Where and when, you ask, is this bike trial competition awesomeness? S3709 Mountain Rd., Excelsior, WI 53913 – Saturday Oct. 28 @ 8am
Contact Freddy Astrada with questions - fefo_ies@hotmail.com - 954-815-1143
Register at https://www.bikereg.com/barabootrials
