Molly Cameron
Randy you put on good events. I think you should include little bits of
info, like the spotted owl situation on your race flyers. (people love
that kinda stuff, "did you know the spotted owls are killing our
season!" they'll talk about it on rides and it creates interest in your
events! (that may have been a bad example but, it will help you to
dispel myths about why there are NO mtn races in the early summer.)
Mountain racing in particular lacks the glamor of road and cross and,
thus lacks the allure. We have got to figure out how to make it more
attractive.
You should know I'm not being specifically critical to your events, just
racing events in general. I'm guilty of it, at our last cross race, I
underadvertised, underprepared and did NOT have the prizes that I posted
I would have. People were PISSED I did not have the ribbbons and swag I
printed I would provide. (they would not have cared had I NOT posted it)
It was a mistake I'll not repeat and gave me great insight into what
more serious (read: dedicated) race promoters have to do to effectively
put on a killer event.
Mike Murray once said something to me about not having a "core group" of
racers being the main problem with women's racing. The same is applied
to ALL mountain and track racing. (not just women's racing) If there is
not a core group of a few people going to ALL the races there are less
chances that new people are going to tag along.
I also think the fact that mountain biking is just fracking hard. (the
hardest type of racing in my book.) It is a challenge just to stay on
your bike at some courses. It is so damn hard that we train all winter,
get stomped in the wet, miserable spring, get poor results and then
rationalise that spending the $50 to go race Willamette pass, for
example (the fun but, far away, and expensive, I'll have to get a day
off of work early) is not worth it. It is so hard that is turns people
away and it is easier to go do funner (less tiring, less expensive)
stuff in the summer.
Actually I think Willamette pass is one of the funnest races.
Well, back to the point, I'm not totally happy with the "new" Oregon
mountain bike racing website. I NEVER reference it. I still just use the
OBRA calendar and click directly on the race links from there.
Candi, correct me if I'm wrong but, OBRA will allocate the funds to have
a nicer website built and maintained. I think we should do it, make it
very, very similar to the current OBRA site in style and content. But
for the mountain bikers.
Randy Dreiling wrote:
I agree with Brian and he also in the end noted some
promoters do get the word out...I think the issue is
lumping Mt Bike races in general together is not good.
I also race and I know I do my best to get flyers out
and post reminders in advance on OBRA, but I have had
a hard time finding info on other events too.
Randy
--- Brian Ellin <brian-@gmail.com> wrote:
As a MTB racer, I feel i should speak up here.
Last year I lost interest in MTB racing as the
season progressed. Why?
Mainly because I felt that the promoters had also
lost interest. I want to
be excited to show up and race. I don't want to
have to scour the web for
information about the race or watch the OBRA list
the Friday before for
directions, all to show up and race against the 5
people who did the same.
An example:
http://www.oregonvelo.com/mtbseries/outback/
What is the course like? Who is sponsoring it? How
long are the laps?
Last year's results? Are we all starting at 1pm?
Prizes? Raffle? Why
should I travel and pay $32 to do a race I know
nothing about? What if i'm
not an internet person?
Compare the MTB race flyers and websites to
something like the cross
crusade's and then look at the turnout. Where is
the effort?
I should note that there were many well promoted and
well executed MTB races
this year. Good job to all the racers and
promoters! I'll be out there
again in 2006, and am trying hard to get my friends
excited about racing
MTB.
Thanks for listening,
Brian Ellin
Veloshop
211 SW 9th ave.
Portland 97205
503.335.Velo
http://www.veloshop.org