Are declining numbers at "big time" 24 Hour races a growing trend?
Some numbers to look at. These are the number of Male solo riders from a few GG and 24HoA events.
24 Hours of Temecula
2003: 10 Solos
2004: 9 Solos
2005: 7 Solos
2006: 4 Solos
24 Hours of Snowshoe/Big Bear
2002: 25 Solos
2003: 15 Solos
2004: 22 Solos
2005: 15 Solos (Big Bear)
24 Hours of Moab
2001: 28 Solos
2002: 50 Solos
2003: 41 Solos
2004: 53 Solos
2005: 58 Solos
24HoA Hurkey Creek
2003: 19 Solos
2004 #2: 19 Solos
2005 #1 19 solos
2005 #2 19 Solos
2006 #1 18 Solos
24HoA Leguna Seca
2003: 40
2004: 35
2005: 49 (inlcuding National Champ. riders)
2006: 25 Solos
I don't know if any of this means anything, the question was brought up on MTBR (of course) and so I thought I'd look at some numbers to see if these big races are actually declining in numbers. What is interesting, is that the events of 2006, so far, are the ones that have had a drop off in attendance. There is not enough data to really come to any real conclusion, but given the general mood among solo racers I wonder if these big money events are falling out of favor?
Add to this that events like the KTR, TI, Dirty Kanza, and several "small scale" 12/24s are seeing numbers jump in attendance. The KTR went from 15 starters to 56 starters from 2005 to 2006. I think TI went from 50 to about 65.
Anway, just some food for thought...