Dirty Kitten Winter Training Series 4.0

Hosted by Dirty Kitten Productions

A fun, friendly diy/virtual training series that provides motivation and competition during the winter for anyone and everyone interested. Ride ANY bike, ANY where, ANY time!

DATES: January 1 - March 10, 2024

ENTRY: Starting at $35 (full series); $25 Junior rider entry (under 18)

There will be registration fee increases on December 4th ($40), December 18th ($45), and January 1st ($50)

REGISTRATION: www.BikeReg.com/dirty-kitten-winter-training-series

Registration will close on January 28, 2024 @ 11:59pm

CATEGORIES: The DKWTS competition is made up of 3 “Tours” (main challenges). Each Tour consists of 3 “Stages” (weeks) plus a “Bonus” stage at the end for a total of 10 weeks. 

• Supreme Purritos: Super Hard Core Riders (12+ hours/week avg)

• Full Purritos: Semi Hard Core Riders (8-12 hours/week avg)

• Basic Purritos: Moderately Hard Core Riders (5-8 hours/week avg)

• Mini Purritos: Somewhat Hard Core Riders (less than 5 hours/week avg)

• Party Purritos: Just Chillin’ Riders (whatever)

FIELDS: Juniors (under 18), Open (all ages), Masters (40+)

*Separate gender & additional age group fields will be created on the leaderboard website based on registration data.

TOUR CHALLENGES: Each Tour Challenge is based on a rider’s progress for the duration of the 3-week period. For example, total ride time will accumulate for the duration of the “Resolution Kitten Tour” and points will be awarded at the conclusion of the Tour based on rider placement.

1. Resolution Kitten (Time Challenge): January 1 - January 21, 2024

• Stage 1 (1/1 - 1/7)

• Stage 2 (1/8 - 1/14)

• Stage 3 (1/15 - 1/21)

2. Adventure Kitten (Distance Challenge): January 22 - February 11, 2024

• Stage 1 (1/22 - 1/28)

• Stage 2 (1/29 - 2/4)

• Stage 3 (2/5 - 2/11)

3. Kitten Crusher (Elevation Challenge): February 12 - March 3, 2024

• Stage 1 (2/12 - 2/18)

• Stage 2 (2/19 - 2/25)

• Stage 3 (2/26 - 3/3)

4. Bonus Challenge (TBA): March 4 - March 10, 2024

STAGE CHALLENGES: Stage Challenges are weekly challenges that give riders the opportunity to earn points. Some stages are competitive (i.e. Longest ride of the week) and points will be awarded to the Top 5-10 in each category and field. Other stages are non-competitive (i.e. Do a ride on 5 different days this week) and points will be awarded to all that complete the challenge. NOTE: In the interest of fairness, some of the competitive challenges will have separate scoring for virtual and outdoor rides. Some examples include:

• Longest single ride (time & distance)

• Most elevation/climbing in a single ride

• Ride a given time/distance/elevation on 5 different days

• Do a ride that meets a time/distance/elevation goal

BONUS & POP-UP CHALLENGES: Bonus & “Pop-Up” Challenges will be announced throughout the competition as fun ways to earn additional points and interact with other competitors. Bonus Challenges will be announced at the beginning of each stage. “Pop-Up” Challenges are surprise challenges announced during a stage. Some example are:

• DKWTS Zwift Meet-Up Rides 

• Real Life/Outdoor Rides

• Strava Segment Challenges

• Social Media Challenges 

• Cross-Training Activities

• Photo Challenges 

SCORING: Points scale breakdown is TBA and will be available on the leaderboard website 

• Time (Tour 1), Distance (Tour 2), Elevation (Tour 3)

• Series Overall Winners 

• Overall Team Points

PRIZES: TBA (provided by our beloved and generous event sponsors & partners)

Each year, we partner with some of our favorite events to provide FREE event entry giveaways throughout the series! Stay tuned for more information about our event partners and how to win free entries! 

RULES & OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:

#1. Have Fun, Be Safe, Don’t be a Jerk!

#2. This is supposed to be a FUN winter training series (i.e. friendly competition)

#3. Any 2-wheeled, non-motorized bicycle may be used (UPDATE: pedal assist e-bikes are allowed but leaderboard metric adjustments will be made to compensate for time, distance, and elevation advantages)

#4. All participants are required to sign an online waiver when registering for the event

#5. Participants must register for and use Strava (free accounts will work)

#6. Participants must authorize the Dirty Kitten Winter Training Series app to sync their Strava data

#7. Rides should be uploaded and made visible (not private) on Strava within 24-hours of the start of the ride. Exceptions will be made for extenuating circumstances.

#8. NO duplicated ride data (i.e. uploading the same ride twice from both Zwift & Garmin)

#9. Ride data accumulation will be restricted based on the average time listed for each category. This will be based on a rolling weekly average during the first 2 weeks of the Stage (i.e. a rider in the Full Purrito could ride 12 hours one week and 8 the next to achieve an average of 10 hours). Full details and additional information will be available on the leaderboard website.

#10. Participants may request a category “upgrade” or “downgrade” at any point during the series as long as the request has merit. Event Directors may involuntarily “upgrade” a participant whose weekly ride time average exceeds the restricted amount for their assigned category. 

#11. Event Directors reserve the right to penalize or disqualify anyone who may be taking advantage of the system (i.e. cheating) or displaying inappropriate conduct toward other participants in the series. We are dedicated to providing fun, safe, and inclusive events for ALL riders. We will NOT tolerate any hateful, disrespectful, or inappropriate language/actions at our events. 

#12. A 24 to 48-hour “protest period” will follow leaderboard updates after each Stage & Tour

#13. Additional bonus points will be awarded throughout the series

#14. Awards and prizes will be determined at the end of the series

#15. Sorry, no registration refunds or transfers

Participation in this virtual series is AT YOUR OWN RISK. By signing the online waiver, participants agree to follow the appropriate “rules of the road” (or trail) wherever they ride, as well as adhere to proper state/regional/municipal bike usage and safety guidelines. Dirty Kitten Productions, Dirty Kitten Gravel, Dirty Kitten Racing, the Event Directors, BikeReg, Strava, Zwift, and all event partners/sponsors are released of any liability during the entirety of the series. 

SPONSORS/PARTNERS: Entourage Talent Associates, Cutaway, HandUp Gloves, Wolf Tooth Components, Chamois Buttr, HiFi Wheels, Bike Doctor Frederick, Kuat, Hammer Nutrition, Exploding Kittens, Cobalt Bikes

MERCHANDISE: Dirty Kitten apparel & merchandise is available for order (based on availability) >>> HERE

DONATIONS: Please consider donating to our “Basecamp Frederick Community” fund. Learn more about Basecamp Frederick HERE.

NOTES: Information and updates will be sent out each week via email, as well as posted on the Dirty Kitten Gravel and Dirty Kitten Productionssocial media pages (FB & IG). To stay involved, join our Ride Dirty Community Group on FB and our Dirty Kitten Discord. Subscribe to our Dirty Kitten YouTube Channel for weekly live updates and DKWTS Q&A sessions.

CONTACTS: Alex & Chris Howell (Dirty Kitten Productions) dkwts@dirtykittengravel.com