{"id":2373,"date":"2025-02-12T12:15:27","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T12:15:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/irishxcnps.ie\/?page_id=2373"},"modified":"2026-02-07T23:04:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T23:04:25","slug":"rider-categories-2025","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/irishxcnps.ie\/?page_id=2373","title":{"rendered":"Rider Categories 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

2026 NPS categories:<\/span><\/h3>\n

Open<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Category<\/strong><\/td>\nAge<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nDuration (approx.)<\/strong><\/td>\nComment<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior 1<\/td>\n18+<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1:15-1:30 hrs<\/td>\nThe highest-level race category<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior 2<\/td>\n17+<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1:15 hrs<\/td>\nThe 2nd highest-level race category<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior 3<\/td>\n17+<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1:00 hrs<\/td>\nThe 3rd highest-level race category<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior 4<\/td>\n17+<\/td>\n<\/td>\n50 mins<\/td>\nIntroductory\/beginner race category, no league points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Junior*<\/span><\/td>\n16-17<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1:00 hrs<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

* <\/span>Junior men have a choice of competing in a separate Junior category (ex. second year Junior riders or strong riders coming from another cycling discipline), Senior 3 or Senior 4 Men.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Women<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Category<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nDuration (approx.)<\/strong><\/td>\nComment<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior 1 Women<\/td>\n17+<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1:15 hrs<\/td>\nThe highest-level Women\u2019s race category<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior 2 Women<\/td>\n17+<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1:10 hrs<\/td>\nThe 2nd highest-level Women\u2019s race category<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior 3 Women<\/td>\n17+<\/td>\n<\/td>\n50 mins<\/td>\nIntroductory\/beginner Women’s race category<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

* <\/span>Junior women have a choice of competing in Senior 2 or Senior 3.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Senior beginners (S3 women \u2013 S4 men)<\/strong>
\nThe sport will only grow when we attract new people to give cross-country racing a \u2018go\u2019.
\nAs per 2019 both the Senior 4 men and Senior 3 women have a reduced entry fee as per a proposal passed at the 2017 Cycling Ireland Off-road Commission AGM.
\nAs per 2019 the Senior 3 women\u2019s race will share the Under 14s course as per a proposal passed at the 2017 Cycling Ireland Off-road Commission AGM.
\nBoth the Senior 4 men and Senior 3 women\u2019s races should last less than 60 minutes.<\/p>\n

Youth<\/h3>\n

Note on Youth age-categories: To determine the correct race category, the age is taken as of the 1st January 2025.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Category<\/strong><\/td>\nAge<\/strong><\/td>\nDuration (approx.)<\/strong><\/td>\nComment<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Under 16<\/td>\n14-15<\/td>\n50 min<\/td>\nYouth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 14 or 15 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Under 14<\/td>\n12-13<\/td>\n30 min<\/td>\nYouth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 12 or 13 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Under 12<\/td>\n10-11<\/td>\n15-20 min<\/td>\nYouth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 10 or 11 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Under 10<\/td>\n8-9<\/td>\n10 min<\/td>\nYouth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 8 or 9 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Under 8<\/td>\n<8<\/td>\n5 min<\/td>\nYouth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 6 or 7 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Year of birth by category (for 2026)
\n<\/span>Seniors \u2013 those born 2007 or earlier
\nJuniors \u2013 those born 2008 or 2009
\nUnder 16s \u2013 those born 2010 or 2011
\nUnder 14s \u2013 those born 2012 or 2013
\nUnder 12s \u2013 those born 2014 or 2015
\nUnder 10s \u2013 those born 2016 or 2017
\nUnder 8s \u2013 those born 2018, 2019, 2020 etc.<\/p>\n

National Championship Categories<\/span><\/h3>\n

The categories for the XC National Championship differ from the categories above in that they are based on age-group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Under 14 Boys, Under 14 Girls<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Under 16 Boys, Under 16 Girls<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Junior Men (17-18)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Junior Women (17-18) * depending on numbers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Women<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Masters Women (40+)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
M30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
M40<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
M50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
M60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Year of birth by category (for 2025)<\/span>
\n1987-2007 Senior
\n1977-1986 M40
\n1967-1976 M50
\n1943-1966 M60<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2026 NPS categories: Open Category Age Duration (approx.) Comment Senior 1 18+ 1:15-1:30 hrs The highest-level race category Senior 2 17+ 1:15 hrs The 2nd highest-level race category Senior 3 17+ 1:00 hrs The 3rd highest-level race category Senior 4 17+ 50 mins Introductory\/beginner race category, no league points Junior* 16-17 1:00 hrs * Junior… <\/p>\n

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