Category Enforcement Trial - Next Steps [February 2022]

FutureWorks
1

Hey everyone!

Firstly a massive thank you to all of you who have been taking part in our Category Enforcement Test Events and for providing us with great feedback as to how your race went for you and all your thoughts on the model that we have been using.

In terms on our short term road map for where we are currently:

  • February 21-27: Zwift-led Category Enforcement Test Events
  • February 28-March 6: First wave of Community-led Category Enforcement Test Events
  • March 7-13: Second Wave of Community-led Category Enforcement Test Events
  • March 14-20: Review of feedback from both Zwift-led and Community-led events

There have been a couple of issues raised during the test events that we have already run, the main being Zwifters who are extremely light and their VO2 measures taking them into a category above where we feel they should sit. As such we are implementing this measure once the test events have concluded.

A: (4w/kg OR 5.4w/kg MAP) AND 250w CP
B: (3.2w/kg OR 4.1w/gk MAP) AND 200w CP
C: (2.5w/kg OR 3.9w/kg MAP) AND 150w CP

Womenā€™s Only

A > 3.7w/kg CP or >= 5w/kg MAP
B > 3.2 w/kg CP or >= 4.2 w/kg MAP
C > 2.5 w/kg CP or >= 3.5 w/kg MAP

We feel (with thanks to James E and other members of the racing community) that this will promote a fair racing experience across all weight ranges. However, if we feel that this isnā€™t working we will make subsequent changes to continue to improve the level of fairness.

To those of you that race in Womenā€™s only categories, I promise that we havenā€™t forgotten about you. We wanted events with a larger level of participation first before we introduce category enforcement in the Womenā€™s only races too.

Over the coming days, Iā€™ll be approaching a number of race organisers to ask them if they would like Category Enforcement implemented on some or all of their race events. Iā€™m also happy to take messages from other organisers who would like to be included but would like to see attendance regularly the 100+ mark.

All Iā€™d ask if that you ask those who take part in the races to complete the feedback form to let us know how they got on!: https://zwift.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2cyVfBvwVROH1Ea

For other Event organisers who run races that donā€™t meet this threshold, we wonā€™t be able to use your events, but once this feature is live you will absolutely be able to use it in your events.

Thanks for all your help and support as we continue to strive to make Zwift Racing a fair and more fun environment for all.

James

2

Good stuff James! Looking forward to more test events!

As for the survey, it is configured so you can only take it once. So I am unable to provide any further feedback on future races.

Iā€™m also wondering if you would consider an immediate on-screen survey similar to the pace partner survey for these races until March 20th (shameless plug to finally remove the pace partner survey, I skip it every time now). I think you will get better participation and we can fill it out more than once. Obviously you canā€™t ask all the same questions, so it will need to be specific and targeted. The longer form survey can still exist, maybe even mention it post ride during a shorter on-screen survey.

10 Likes
3

Excellent news, James - you werenā€™t joking when you said the rollout would be quick.

ā€œZoonā€ will have to be retired as a disparaging term!

6 Likes
4

Can you add it to the anti-sandbagging events?

Like the lunch time crits etc?

2 Likes
5

Brilliant news folks, this is really encouraging.

6

That damn Pace Partner survey!

4 Likes
7

Weā€™re not planning on doing that just yet, and playing around with a couple of ideas of what we might do with them.

8

Great stuff, cheers. :+1:

9

Woop woop!

Great job moving so fast.

10

3 posts were merged into an existing topic: Category Enforcement Test Events - 21-28 Feb 2022

11

A post was merged into an existing topic: Category Enforcement Test Events - 21-28 Feb 2022

12

Firstly, brilliant, brilliant news here. Thanks James - this is a great next step. Secondlyā€¦

Totally agree with this; Iā€™m a bit concerned about the quality of data youā€™ll get back from that survey. If you try and use the existing survey with no way to say which race it relates to, how will you know how things like terrain and distance impact feedback?

Thirdly, brilliant brilliant news. Wanted to make sure I end this post on a high. :wink:

14

Looks like some good changes. May I ask how MAP is calculated?

15

Please see the other threads (or ask James who will tell you to look at the other cat test threads)

16

Ok thanks

17

Look at the other cat test threads

9 Likes
18

@Oliver_ZRace_Central Iā€™m being facetious, DM me if you want a bit more insight, as I tried to keep it quite simple in the OP on ā€˜How is my category calculatedā€™

19

Thanks @James_Zwift, would the enforcement be switched on for the selected events ONLY within these periods (and then switched off after), or would they be switched on at this point with no defined end date?

I have a 4-week series starting from the 7th of March with a mix of points, climbs and no-draft (effectively an ITT) that Iā€™d be interested in using this for, but probably only if it was for the full 4 weeks.

1 Like
20

James

Please could you let me know how to post a Private Message to you as, like Oliver, I would also like to ask you the same question on Map. I, of course, also have just a tiny few short thoughts myself I would like to run through youā€¦

Promise my post to you will be much much shorter than normal and you will be in bed by 12 midnight !!

1 Like
21

click on his name/picture and then ā€œmessageā€

image

1 Like