Client: Scranton Tomorrow

Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania

Scope of Work: Full Production, Media Management, Social Media Management, Logistics and Operations, Commentating, Graphic Design, Presentation

Electric City Classic Criterium

10x Turn criterium in Downtown, Scranton

PA State Championships, 2022

Course Design: Kacey Lloyd

We were given the task of creating a criterium course in a six-block radius of downtown. After a number of iterations, midnight rides, and mapping, the course utilizes the wide boulevards of the venue for double-back sections. We like to keep courses about 25' - 30' wide, so creating two-way traffic worked well. The final circuit is 1.1 miles per lap, 7x left, 3x right, and a deceptively challenging uphill drag to the finish. Riders initially thought it would be too technical, but once they ride it, they describe it as "flowy"  with smooth transitions and excellent visibility through turns.

Riders, spectators, and staff also note our approach to course safety. We fence the entire 1.1-mile course on both sides to prevent spectators from wandering into the course. Branding is placed for both aesthetic and practical reasons. Hard branding is placed on the exit of corners to prevent handlebars from catching the fence, or the possibility of soft branding being blown by the wind into the apex. These safety protocols allow us to have fewer course marshalls. Our course staff follows the procedures of the Reading Radsport Festival and Red Hook Criterium whereby the course is divided into quadrants, and each quadrant has a leader. Each leader has volunteers that report to them directly for any issues. Each leader is in radio contact with an overall Event Control Operator, who is the liaison to the Race Director and local Police, and EMT.

Hill Climb Tournament

We come from a track background and we use that here on the Hill Climb Tournament, leveraging the rules of a Keirin tournament. This is similar to the Red Bull Bay Climb (for which Gabe is the commentator) which means athletes are familiar with the idea, even if they are not from the track.

This event does not require the same infrastructure as the criterium because of the slower speeds. The hill and curb create their own bleachers, and the canopy of the trees offers shade from the sun.

We chose this course because it is 187m, has three steps because of cross-streets, is not a major road in town, and features 27% gradients at the end. Elite riders complete the course in just over 20-seconds making it entertaining for all spectators.