Snocross
Encyclopedia
Racing
A sport race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time...
specialized high performance snowmobiles on natural or artificially-made tracks consisting of tight turns, banked corners, steep jumps and obstacles. Riders race at speed of up to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour). Jumps are up to 30 feet (9 meters) tall, so riders travel up to 130 feet (40 meters) before they touch the ground. According to the World Snowmobile Association which governs snocross, watercross, and hillcross racing, snocross is the most popular form of snowmobile racing.
Snocross was derived from the sport of motocross
Motocross
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...
. The name is a portmanteau of the words "snowmobile" and "motocross". The sport uses a snowmobile instead of a motorcycle, and a snow/ice surface instead of dirt. The snow/ice surface which is either natural or man-made. Tracks are generally located in higher latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
since temperatures below freezing are required to maintain the frozen track surface. Motorcycle riders in motocross
Motocross
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...
and supercross
Supercross
Supercross is a motorcycle racing sport involving off-road motorcycles on an artificially-made dirt tracks consisting of steep jumps and obstacles. Professional supercross contest races are held almost exclusively within professional baseball and football stadiums.-History:Supercross was derived...
frequently compete in snocross in the winter.
Snocross became an event at the X Games
X Games
The X Games is a commercial annual sports event, controlled and arranged by US sports broadcaster ESPN, which focuses on action sports. The inaugural X Games was held in the summer of 1995 in Rhode Island....
in 1998. X Games is a popular gathering place for some snow-related sports in the United States. The course at the first snocross event at the X Games resembled a motocross
Motocross
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...
course; it was significantly longer than courses are now. It had deeper holes and higher jumps that are now filled in with snow.
Equipment
The snowmobiles vary significantly depending on their class. Drivers are typically required to wear a helmetHelmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
, gloves, goggles
Goggles
Goggles or safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the area surrounding the eye in order to prevent particulates, water or chemicals from striking the eyes. They are used in chemistry laboratories and in woodworking. They are often used in snow sports as well,...
/eye protection, leather boots, shin guards, elbow pads, neck braces, knee guards, and upper body protection. Hearing protection is often required in non-stock classes. Sanctioning bodies require helmets and suits to have a significant bright orange section.
Event
Races start with the drivers forming a line abreast at the start line. The event begins with either a drop of a green flag by the starter or by the starter turning on a light. Like other sports derived from cross country runningCross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, the winner is often the rider who has the best holeshot
Holeshot
The holeshot is a term used primarily in motorcycle racing for the rider who is the first one through the first turn. In some cases a holeshot award will be given, which is a prize separate from winning the race...
. The event may be stopped for a dangerous condition. The snowmobiles are lined up for the restart by their position in the race, with the drivers involved in the stoppage starting in the rear. The winner of the event is the rider who finishes first in the feature event. Events attract over 10,000 spectators.
Typically, a snocross event consists of a set number of qualifying races, heat races, and semi-finals, all leading up to the finals race for each contest cycle category. The final races is called the "Main Event".
Major events
- Snowcross World Cup Finals at Lugnet Riksskid Stadium in FalunFalunFalun is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 36,447 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Dalarna County...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... - Northeast Snowcross Challenge at Malone Fairgrounds in MaloneMalone (town), New YorkMalone is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 14,545 at the 2010 census.The Town of Malone contains a village called Malone, which is the county seat. The town is an interior town, centrally located in the county....
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States, on the first weekend in January - World Championship Snowmobile DerbyWorld Championship Snowmobile DerbyThe World Championship Snowmobile Derby is the World championship snowmobile race. It is held at the Eagle River Derby Track along U.S. Route 45 in Eagle River, Wisconsin on the third weekend in January. Eagle River is known as the "Snowmobile Capital of the World" because it hosts the Derby...
at Eagle River, WisconsinEagle River, WisconsinEagle River is a city in Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,443 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Vilas County. The city is known for being a popular "Northwoods" vacation town...
, United States on the third weekend in January. The snocross event complements the circle track championship event. - X GamesX GamesThe X Games is a commercial annual sports event, controlled and arranged by US sports broadcaster ESPN, which focuses on action sports. The inaugural X Games was held in the summer of 1995 in Rhode Island....
at Aspen, ColoradoAspen, ColoradoThe City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
, United States
United States
The United States has a national sanctioning body called International Series of Champions (ISOC). It replaced the World PowerSports Association. The body sanctions nine points paying national races in 2009-2010, including one event in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It hosts several non-points events, including an invitational ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Winter X Games
X Games
The X Games is a commercial annual sports event, controlled and arranged by US sports broadcaster ESPN, which focuses on action sports. The inaugural X Games was held in the summer of 1995 in Rhode Island....
event in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
. It also hosts state and regional series in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Events are televised on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
.
Rock Maple Racing sanctions 14 events in the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. Mountain West Racing sanctions on eight events in northern Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
states. There is a snocross track in Wauconda, Illinois. It is home to the Winter Thunder Challenge snocross club, an ISOC affiliate, and they have to make snow to make up for the lack of snowfall.
Canada
The Canadian Snowcross Racing Association (CSRA) hosts 5 national points paying events. It hosts five regional races, and several non-points in the United States in combination with the World PowerSports Association.The Ultimate Canadian Motorsports Association (UCMA) previously known as the North West Racing Association (NWRA) hosts 8 to 10 events in Central and Western Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, with races held in the provinces of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and North West Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Europe
The sport is popular in the Nordic countries, but its popularity is raising in former Sovjet as well as Iceland and in the Alps. There has been several manufacturers in earlier years, but Lynx -a subdivision of the Canadian company Bombardier, is the only producer left besides the big four; Yamaha, Polaris, Arctic Cat and Ski-Doo.Racing is competed in several classes, but the most competitive ones are the ProStock and the ProOpen. Both are for maximum of 600 cm³ and for adults of at least 16 years old. Winners of the Norwegian championship 2008 is Johan Ivvar Gaup and Jostei Biti (ProStock & Pro Open)
Video games
- Polaris SnoCrossPolaris SnoCrossPolaris SnoCross is a snocross snowmobile racing game for the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Game Boy Color and later PC . It was released in 2000. It has some of the most famous snocrossers in the world....
- N64, PSone - Ski-doo Snowmobile Challenge - Xbox 360, PS3
- Ski-doo X-team Racing - PC
- Sno-Cross Extreme - PC
- X Games SnocrossX Games SnoCrossX Games SnoCross is a SnoCross game from ESPN and 2XL Games that was released on January 18, 2010. SnoCross was the first game demoed on the Apple iPad on stage January 27, 2010 by Scott Forstall.-External links:* *...
- iPhone/iPod Touch - X Games Snocross Game for iPhone/iPod Touch on the Appstore
External links
- The International Series of Champions (United States, Canada)
- Canadian Snowcross Racing Association (Canada)
- Ultimate Canadian Motorsports Association (Canada)
- United States Cross Country Snowmobile Racing Association (United States)
- Rock Maple Racing (United States)
- Winter Thunder Challenge (United States)
- X Games Snocross Game for iPhone/iPod Touch on the Appstore