Triple Crown - touring and racing

[dream4est]

Sweet welcome to the party JayP!!!!! The triple crown is getting bigger and bigger. A current record holder in one of the events is in!

That makes 5 interested in the triple this year, as I saw member Wyatt72 mention his triple aspirations in another thread here:
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=11159.0

So now we have:

Tanner M
Robert O
Jay P
Wyatt
Mark C.

So far the most attempts in a single season is three. I am hoping there are a few more out there too. Denberg?

[aarond]

Well, I was going to, but I can't make the grand depart for the tdr, so I may not do it at all, since an ITT wouldn't count for the triple.  I know that initially both you and Scott m were of the opinion that simply doing all 3 in a season was acceptable for the triple crown.  At some point you both seem to have changed your minds and decided that grand depart for all 3 were necessary.  I don't really see the advantage to be gained by missing the mass start.  For my own selfish reasons, this rule seems a bit arbitrary and anathema to the general ethic of bike packing. 

[dream4est]

I think anyone who pulls off the triple in one season (and say one event was an ITT) should still get credit. Its super hard to pull off all three in one season even if one event was not the actual race start.

Lets say someone cant make the start of the TD but starts a few days later. I think that would be acceptable. Now lets say someone does the TD after the CTR. I would say thats much easier and not really a triple.


edit- Since this whole triple crown thing is evolving, and there really is no one "manager" of the concept, I think that the will of the bikepack crowd should decide this one. Lets see what everyone thinks, not just Scott or I. Even an asterisk concept could work here too.

[Rorr]

IMO to keep it fair and equal For those who are racing I  think everybody should do the same thing, 3 races 3 grand departures. If you do the 3 races in a season whenever it's convenient it makes it easier and should get an asterisk.

[ScottM]

Yeah, I think it is up to the community to see where this goes and how racing the triple crown should be defined/accepted.  Heck, people are free to express their opinion that an invitational, entry-fee, semi-supported race on snow be included (no disrespect to ITI intended -- I give it full badass points and it has been going on for a lot longer than any of the dirt races, it just isn't very comparable or compatible, IMO).

The concept of touring the three over a lifetime is well defined, of course.

Seems like the goal for anyone racing all 3 in a season should be to hit the grand departs, if at all possible, but the limited seasons for all three events are such that you can't gain all that much by picking your own start dates.  

As I wrote on the current triple crown page, I'm happy to include "ITT" triple crown finishes (perhaps with asterisk rather than a separate section).  To me, at least in my current thinking, they would be akin to ITT finishes in any of the individual events -- highly respectable and worthy of documenting.  But the gold standard or highest goal would be to hit all the grand departs.  Other thoughts?

[aarond]

I guess an  asterisk makes sense and is fair, but then there should also be an asterisk for people that ride the opposite direction on the course.  They will experience different weather and a different course.

[dream4est]

I agree with Scott. Asterik notated finish record if one triples outside the 3 grand departs in a season.

[ScottM]

I guess an  asterisk makes sense and is fair, but then there should also be an asterisk for people that ride the opposite direction on the course.  They will experience different weather and a different course.

Yep, that seems fair.

[dream4est]

Tanner M
Robert O
Jay P
Wyatt
Mark C.
Aaron D- ITT

Wow. There were only five starters in the first 750 and three in the 2nd. The Crown is now legit and a true event in bikepack racing.

[Gimmearaise]

These three routes are all fine, worthy objectives.

However, any crown that lacks some version of the ITI is missing its most prized jewel.

Awesome. I cant imagine how hard a 1000 mile race is on snow, so I agree. How can we add the ITI???

[THE LONG RANGER]

Awesome. I cant imagine how hard a 1000 mile race is on snow, so I agree. How can we add the ITI???

(without embarrassingly myself due to lack of knowledge) Replace it with an event that's free to do, and not invite-only. Along the lines of Mike C's own unsupported effort along the same route. If you're counting the ITI now, it's def. the major outlier in many, many ways.

[Eszter]

You could race the Triple Crown, frugally, for the cost of the entry fee for the ITI.

Self-supported, not part of the current race, I could get behind the idea of adding it. But not in its current form.

[Gimmearaise]

Good point, that trail may be too difficult to ride without checkpoints at least to most of us. How expensive is it???

[Eszter]

$1,400 entry fee to go to Nome. I think you get four drops, two on the way to McGrath, then two beyond.

Getting to McGrath without drops doesn't seem like it would be terrible. There are a handful of lodges that sell deliciousness to anyone who comes by. It would be a stretch from Skwetna to Nicholai, but not impossible. From there, you can mail food to the villages along the route.

I think more than anything, the organizers and the people who put the trail in over Rainy Pass probably wouldn't be too stoked on a group of people showing up and "racing" the route underground. Especially if there was a Grand Depart for a "free" ITI. Call it poaching, call it bad form. I wouldn't feel right about doing it.

Not that I have any intention of riding my bike in -25 degree again.

[Eszter]

+$750 deposit that they keep if you ask for help from any of the Iditarod sled dog race checkpoints or volunteers.

[Rorr]

Plus you have to do a qualifying race. I did Jay's fat pursuit and loved it and  thinking about the ITI for 2016 but the cost is crazy. I kinda hope Jay may put on a multi day event.

[Gimmearaise]

yikes, that is steep. I know that he plans on making a multi day race so that, ITI and another winter race may make the (supported) winter crown? Only time will tell how it all goes down....

[ScottM]

Tanner M
Robert O
Jay P
Wyatt
Mark C.
Aaron D- ITT

We also have Jason Hanson here in AZ going for the triple.  Mark, I have an additional challenge on the 750 tailored for Mr. Schilling that might be of interest to you.  I'll post about it on the AZTR thread soon.

[mtbcast]

The list is growing!

[Norb]

Let's see........I'm planning for the AZTR this year.  I've got a 2011 TD finish and a 2014 CTR finish under my belt, and I started each race at the grand depart.

So, I could be a Triple Crown finisher, but not a Triple Crown Challenger with all events in the same year, right?  But first I've got to get to the start, suffer for many days, and overcome my fear of Xerophobia and everything in between before I can even think of the Triple Crown again. 

Many kudos to those that have completed this triple sufferfest in a single year or multiple years.  It's really mind blowing and the level of commitment, physical and mental toughness required is off the charts.