Yes, but athletes without an annual license can race on a ONE-DAY LICENSE for any class - all the way up to the Open Class (no restrictions).

When we started the US OPEN in 2003 one of the primary goals was to give everyone a chance to qualify and race in the main Open Class DH. Over the years it’s become a right of passage for expert riders to make it through qualifying and race alongside the pros. With that said, here is some further guidance for deciding what category to sign up for: 

Open Class - Fast amateurs and Cat 1 racers that want to see how they stack up, all current pro racers, former pro racers that may no longer maintain a license

Amateur Classes - Cat 1 racers that have recently moved up and/or have not been on Cat podiums, Cat ⅔ racers and intermediate to expert athletes that may not have any racing experience (although you can also jump straight to Open Class)

PLEASE NOTE - Race directors reserve the right to move an athlete to a different category if they clearly signed up wrong (i.e. a Pro in the Amateur Class) or if they pose a risk to themselves and others (i.e. a Cat 3 athlete in the Open Class)

NEXT GEN categories are for athletes 14yrs-old and under. We created the USO NEXT GEN Downhill Race to give intermediate to expert youth athletes a dedicated race experience, separate from the adult athletes.  We are committed to youth development on the gravity side of mountain biking and the NEXT GEN Downhill Race and Dual Slalom categories at the US OPEN Race Festival provide an opportunity for youth athletes to claim a US OPEN accolade. Please go to our athlete registration page to see more details and individual categories.

PLEASE NOTE - We also host various “Next Gen Fun Races'' and “Next Gen Youth MTB Tour” stops throughout the year. We hold these events for fun and there are no points or correlation to the main USO NEXT GEN Downhill Race and Dual Slalom categories at the US OPEN Race Festival in Killington, VT. 

#NextGenMTB

This competition is by invitation only. CLICK HERE for more info on USO Best Whip

Registrations are non-refundable but can be transferred.