Im looking to see more turnout out on the other end of things, as
example volunteering for races, helping out organizers, etc. Really us
race organizers don't have many people to turn too for help. There are
some creative ways of getting community support and helpers that way.
However, its nearlly impossible for organizers to pay people to help.
So what's the incentive then for most people?....i think it would be to
be part of a race and to be able to watch the racing, among others
Not only turnout for helping/volunteering, but more race organizers are
needed to run/put on the races. There really are not that many when you
look down the list of races and their race organizers. There are a lot
of races not that many race organizers. There is definitely a pattern
and repetition. This overall could turn to a major problem in future.
And maybe some new, energetic race organizers could find us some new
road/criterium courses to try out?...any ideas? Some people have ideas
for some big impact events? Contact me, i'll look into it.
In the future, i'd like to see another big impact bike race event happen
in Portland. We have the AVC and some of the others, like Cascade
Cycling Classic(Bend, OR). However, a new cool race course(s) in
possibly the portland area would be a new turn.
So if you have liked racing this past year(s) at the OBRA events, try
this weekend and give back something or if you can race, race or help,
then help. And no this race is not canceled, bad rumor. Was stated only
to "scare" people into helping me out....
Thanks
Jim Anderson
Eugene Celebration Bike Race Director.
Mike Murray wrote:
The AVC scheduling depends more on what races are happening nationally and
internationally rather than locally. For this reason the AVC will not be
moving to the end of August. I expect, in fact, that it will move to the
prior week, i.e. the last week in July, for 2001 since this will coincide
with the Junior Worlds at T-Town and there will be a whole week that the
T-Town people will not be able to ride there. We will try to entice them to
come here.
Personally I like to see the State Championships occur as late as possible
because participation at the track seems to fall off after the
championships. This year the turn out, although in part due to the weather,
showed us that it was too late to get the largest possible field. It will
move to earlier next year. Maybe we should combine it with the Regional
Qualifiers to boost attendance at that poorly attended event. The Regionals
should go to Alpenrose next year, although the vagaries of the USCF make
what will happen with the Regionals always questionable. The other problems
with combining the 2 events would be that the Regionals will probably need
to be USCF sanctioned and , obviously, they will need to be very early in
the year, prior to Natz.
Like Candi pointed out; at the beginning of the year there were many people
that complained that the cycling season starts and ends too early in the
year. There is also much complaining about the lack of road events outside
of the Portland area. It is now time for those people to put up or shut up.
Race organizers will put on races at the time of year and the location that
works best for them. Part of that decision making has to do with how many
riders they expect to get. The Banana Belt races would never occur that
early in the year if they didn't draw huge fields. If you want to see more
races later in the season then ride the Eugene Celebration and skip the
Banana Belt.
Mike Murray
-----Original Message-----
From: Provencher, Darell [mailto:darell.pr-@nike.com]
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 5:01 PM
To: 'ob-@topica.com'
Cc: 'dare-@uswest.net'
Subject: FW: [OBRA Chat] Late season racing and Midvalley Racing
I usually try to stay out of these discussions, but here goes....
I've raced in Oregon for 19 years. During that period I've seen a
TREMENDOUS improvement in race scheduling and overall organization. We
really owe all of this to less than a dozen people in this state that keep
bike racing alive. I don't have much input for the Eugene Celebration. It
has an established tradition and no doubt a following from dedicated
roadies. If for some reason the promoter can't get enough volunteers, then
he/she should cancel it for that season. I've never raced it, because I hang
up my road and track racing shoes usually by the end of August. So here's
my comments regarding track racing for 2000.
This year's Sr Track Championships must have been the latest ever in my
recollection of 19 years of racing. For many racers, Sept signals the
beginning of a new school year, moving, etc. Most trackies I know are burnt
out by the last week of August. Combine that with lousy weather, and voila
-- lower participation.
Whether some trackies like it or not, we should make the AVC the last big
track event of the season. Hold it in mid to late August. Oregon Sr Track
and Junior championships should be held no closer than 2-3 weeks before the
AVC, keeping in mind dates for Regionals, Sr Natls, and Masters Natls.
State Masters Track should take second (or even third) priority on the
schedule to Senior (and Jrs) State Track. Our future still lies with youth,
not with us old farts. I would rather see State Sr Track at the end of
May/beginning of June than in September. Enough already of punishing our
bodies more than we should. What happened this year was an anomaly. But
let's not let it happen again next year. Thanks.
-- Darell
-----Original Message-----
From: Candi Murray [mailto:ob-@teleport.com]
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 4:31 PM
To: ob-@topica.com
Subject: [OBRA Chat] Late season racing and Midvalley Racing
Two points that we need to discuss
1. Early in the year there was much discussion that the year started too
early and didn't go long enough. This weekend we had the state track
championships and barely had enough people to hold the event. We ended up
cancelling the Cat 4 Women, Cat 4/5 Men and Sr Women Points Races because
we could no get a minimun field of 5. This next weekend is the last road
events of the year. Is this the time for those early season opponents to
put up or shut ut?
2. Jim Anderson, from Portland is putting on the Eugene celebration. THIS
EVENT WILL HAPPEN, TO THE CONTRARY OF SOME RUMORS. but the disturbing
thing is that he has solicited this group for helpers to put on the event
and has gotten 5 people from a list of over 700. If we want events to
continue, and there are not many in the Eugene area, we have to support
them. If you aren't racing this weekend, then can't you lend a couple of
hours to help ensure that this event is safe and smoothe? Put up or shut
again?
Candi
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