Hare scramble
Encyclopedia
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
. The overall winner is awarded to the contestant who maintains the highest speed throughout the event.
Course
Hare scrambles are conducted on closed course tracks which can vary from 2.5 to 40+ miles (8 to 64+km) in length. The terrain chosen for these events is wooded and fairly rugged in order to test the riders' skills and endurance. The majority of the course consists of a wooded, single and double width trail, with occasional pasture and sand crossings. An event may incorporate a short portion of a pre-existing motocrossMotocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
track. The natural terrain tests the riders' abilities to navigate through obstacles such as creek beds, logs, hills, mud, rocks and ruts
Rut (roads)
A rut is a depression or groove worn into a road or path by the travel of wheels or skis. Ruts can be formed by wear, as from studded snow tires common in cold climate areas, or they can form through the deformation of the asphalt concrete pavement or subbase material...
.
By Riders' Skills
The competitors are typically categorized by their relative skill levels and the size of their motorcycle's engine. For example, many hare scrambles categorize rider ability by having three rider skill categories. These categories are typically denoted by the letters A, B, and C. The "A" class would be for the riders with the highest skill level. The "C" class would be for the riders with the lowest level of skill and is usually populated by riders who are in their first couple of years of competition or by riders who infrequently compete. There is usually a point system that regulates the progression of a rider's progress from the entry level class (the C class) on up to the top class (generally the A class). Generally, a very high level of skill is needed to progress through the various skill categories. Many riders never progress out of the C category of competition, and very few riders have the skill and determination to progress to the A category.By engine size
The categories based on engine size frequently use the following thresholds of engine capacity: 0-50cc, 66-85cc, 85-100cc, 124cc-200cc, 201-250cc, and larger than 250cc. Accordingly, a beginning rider on a 200cc motorcycle would likely compete in the 200C class, which denotes both the capacity of his or her motorcycle and the relative skill level of the competitor.The winner of each class is typically determined by who completes the most laps within a predetermined period of time. The most common time period for a hare scramble competition is 1, 2 or 3 hours. But do not be confused. A GNCC
Grand National Cross Country
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series is America's premieroff-road racing series. Founded in 1979, the 13-round championship isproduced exclusively by Racer Productions. Cross country racing is oneof the most physically demanding sports in the world...
is not a Hare Scramble. The GNCC
Grand National Cross Country
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series is America's premieroff-road racing series. Founded in 1979, the 13-round championship isproduced exclusively by Racer Productions. Cross country racing is oneof the most physically demanding sports in the world...
is wide open. Courses are laid out to allow ATVs to run the same course. A Hare Scramble runs at a slower rate and is much tighter requiring a different set of skills. Some trails are cut so handlebars will not fit between trees ~ 30". Racing through tight trails requires a whole other set of skills that are developed over time.