OBRA does not choose age categories to be offered at a race. OBRA did encourage going to a 40+ for master's racing. Ultimately, it is the choice of the promoter to decide what categories to offer. As a promoter I can tell you with certainty that the choice is always determined by what will attract the greatest number of particpants with the fewest number of pelotons on the road. Think highest possible revenue with the lowest cost and effort. More pelotons equals more officials and volunteers. Also, the course itself can limit how many pelotone are possible given the time needed to complete a race.

The age brackets offered by Mike should provide the information to promoters on what categories to offer. As always, the peloton will decide by participation the correct categories to offer.

Good racing,
Nathan

-------------- Original message --------------
From: "thomas morgan"

I'll start by admitting I'm in the 35-39 group so I do have a bias when it comes to this topic, and I was disappointed last year when I no longer had the option of racing masters. But what baffles me is that the 35-39 age group is the largest age demographic and the 30-34 group is the second largest. I appears OBRA is ignoring their largest demographics to cater to smaller groups. From a marketing stand point this doesn't make a lot of sense, and I 'mcurious as to why OBRA has chosen to move to 40+ and 50+ races. Also, and I have no numbers to support this only my own observations, it appears the cat 3 fields and are often very large, while the master field is noticeably smaller. It would seem lowering the masters age limit may help to even out field sizes. Anyway that's my two cents, I'll be out there racing either way.

From: "Mike Murray"
Reply-To: mike.murray@obra.org
To:
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Masters 35 Plus?
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 19:08:01 -0800
>There are often references to the mythic 18 yo bike racer. Frankly there
>are not many of them. Most are slower category. From the end of this year
>the age distribution of road members was:
>
>
>20to24 133
>25to29 264
>30to34 398
>35to39 466
>40to44 371
>45to49 266
>50to54 148
>55to59 74
>60to64 34
>65+ 24
>
>Here are the mean ages by road category:
>
>1 33
>2 36
>3 38
>4 36
>5 36
>
>Overall the mean OBRA membership age is 37. 35+ is most of us.
>
>Mike Murray
>-----Original Message-----
>From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
>Behalf Of Edward Kendrick Sr
>Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 06:48 AM
>To: obra@list.obra.org
>Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Masters 35 Plus?
>
>
>Yes. It would be nice to have the 35+ category.
>
>Most of the riders, who act their age, choose to ride cat 4 or 5. This is
>awkward, when there are 18 yr olds competing with you.
>
>Did you know that a big chunk of the Arctic shelf broke off today?
>
>Anyway, Feliz Ano Nuevo.
>
>
>----- Original Message ----
>From: Dave Campbell
>To: obra
>Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 1:08:39 AM
>Subject: [OBRA Chat] Masters 35 Plus?
>
>
>Just going to throw this totally self-interested bit out there...
>
>VERY few races last yr had a Masters 35 plus, with most going 40 plus
>Was this trend well-recieved by riders? I see that Cherry Pie (and my guess
>is most of the others that follow) is going Masters 40 plus and the promoter
>(who is well experienced!) assures me this is the way to go.
>
>For ME at this point, the 35 plus races are FUN (although due to triathlon,
>I personally only do a few and mainly for training) and I can actually race
>as opposed to the Cat1/2 race which I just try to survive and I would assume
>there are others that feel the same way...the question is ARE THERE ENOUGH
>like minded 35-39s like me?
>
>Anyone?
>
>Thanks,
>DC
>Dave Campbell
>adcampbell46@earthlink.net
>EarthLink Revolves Around You.
>
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