Erik Anderson
Hey Everyone,
I hope your training for the 2016 season is going well. While you have
been training my team has been working hard to bring together some great
events for you. A lot of planning goes into this effort and there are
always a few surprises that requires some fixing and adjusting. This year
is no different and its forcing us to take a closer look at the events we
offer along with the categories being offered. This hard conversation is
being driven by the costs of USA Cycling’s non-hired auto insurance policy
and the difficult steps to attain the insurance. As you know the WSBA has
spent the last year making their membership and organizers aware of this
issue through social media, website posting, and email communications.
They have been working closely with USA Cycling on the issue. The issue
is also being compounded by the fact that the Washington State Department
of Transportation (WADOT) has picked up on this and is requiring auto
insurance at bicycle races and triathlons in our region. This is a big
concern because WADOT’s Bicycle Racing Guidelines have been recognized as a
model to conduct bicycle races around the NW and nationally and other
jurisdictions will likely start requiring this insurance.
Organizers, WSBA members and volunteers are recognizing the problem and are
trying to find a cost effective solution that allows us to easily attain
non-hired auto insurance and continue organizing grassroots races. At the
current moment organizers are taking a hard look at their events to figure
out how to reduce the cost of this insurance. For example the non-hired
automotive insurance for the Mutual of Enumclaw Stage race is estimated to
cost $2,200 plus or minus 20%. This coverage only covers the Stag 3
caravan which is similar in size of caravan at Independence Valley Road
Race, Vance Creek Road Race, Olympic View Road Race, and the Capital Stage
Race. This is forcing me to look for short term and long term solutions.
Below is a list of things I’m doing to work through these challenge.
· I have asked the WSBA to take the lead role to identify solutions
that is made up of a group of individuals that don’t represent USA Cycling
in any other capacity. This will empower the group to objectively focus on
solutions that drives change at USA Cycling and or can openly identify,
analyze, and discuss alternative solutions.
· I have started looking for alternative solutions to mitigate this
issue in the future which include moving events away USA Cycling 2017.
· I’m in the process of reevaluating the cost of the USA Cycling
non-hired auto insurance and how it impacts my events. With the current
cost structure there will be reduction in the category offerings at
Independence Valley, Vance Creek, and Olympic View. The biggest impact
will be Master 35+ Cat 1/2/3, junior only categories, and combing of women
fields. The Capital Stage Race will change. The event will turn into the
Capital Crit on Saturday and the Capital Grand Fondo on Sunday.
· USA Cycling and I have discussed how this is impacting my events
and supporting grassroots racing.
I made a commitment to USA Cycling in December to permit my 2016 events
with them and I intend to keep that commitment. I’m still hopefully
optimistic that the new leadership at USA Cycling will change their
business model in 2017 so we can continue working together.
Regards,
Erik