I and the folks at Ridge Racing have 4 road events that we are looking to put on next year:
- The Whale of a Crit in Silverdale, probably on July 27
- The Kirkland Twilight Crit, a new event that Dave Visintainer and I have been working on since this August. Look for a big money crit in downtown Kirkland on August 2
- The Blackberry Crit in Bremerton, the race that started it all for Ridge Racing, this edition will be the 4th one. Look for another $5000 Pro 1-2 men's purse
- The Winslow Criterium on Bainbridge Island, another new race for Ridge Racing. Some business owners on the Island approached me last year about this event but it did not come to fruition in 2007. The same businessmen plus a few more approached me again for 2008 and I am cautiously optimistic that it will actually happen in 2008 the day after Blackberry. That's right, a 2 day Labor Day Weekend Race Series with some good money both days.
So, what else should be discussed at the meeting? Chime in, you know that I have my opinion, what are yours?
Some things I think that should be discussed: prize money-entry fee ratio for sure; the crazed enforcement of riders wearing all 87 WSBA numbers at races. That's all I have for now.
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22 comments:
Kirkland! What's your course idea? Can't wait.
Oh - and 30+ masters racing! Seriously - you're turning down money if you're a promotor and you cut out 30-35 from masters races.
Yeah, 30-32 then 33-36, 37-41 42-49
50-56 and 56 plus, and two races in each category, one if you're born Jan to June another for July to December.
Oh and, a special prize for Flavio because he was born on Feb 29th! Actually Flavio should get free entry in every race next year because he has a birthday!
Seriously, too. I think the wearing 925 numbers could be a contentious issue. (did I spell that right?)
I also think there will be a need for people to step up and take on some of the roles Dave Douglas has done in the past.
Not only will have you to wear all 87 WSBA numbers, but as a promoter you'll get to deal with TWO rental numbers per rider. Be careful, or they'll think up a way to require rental frame numbers too....
Kirkland, as in right-in-the-smack-of-it DOWNTOWN KIRKLAND!
Multiple numbers....ugh.
On the masters thing, and I am sure I will get some flak from this, but you will never, ever see me put on a 30 plus race. Vet racing, as it used to be called, was always 35+. Only recently have they gone to 30+. I think it's ridiculous. I have said it before, this is bike racing, not age group running races where everyone that finishes gets a medal.
Maybe I need to resurrect my fake ID then. P12 races are too late in the day most of the time and results in blowing the weekend for the family. If I could get a race in at 9am, and be home by noon I’d get to do a LOT more races.
USCF is 30+. I don’t get why we can’t follow along. I’m pretty sure the intent is not about age, but about time commitments.
I think everyone SHOULD get a medal. :)
Screw the results. Masters should never have any money in any race. You want to race for cash - race your category.
It should just be a matter of convenience to race at an earlier time so you can get back to your kids/wife/job.
I thought the reasons to have a hobby were to get away from your wife and kids.....
You might be able to pull off being a junior, try racing with them.
Or get older, like the rest of us did who wanted to race masters.
Seriously though, the proliferation of categories that has taken place in the past 10-15 years puts a strain on an already limited time window that promoters have to stage races. This is especially the case with crits where you can't run multiple categories at the same time.
Given a choice as far as what I think is best for the sport, I would rather put on a junior race than a masters race. Juniors are the future of the sport, not Masters. The trouble is, with everyone wanting their own category, then you have to make the distances ridiculously short. Having a 30min Junior 16-17 race does not do much for the development of juniors.
While you're creating extra race categories, give the cat 3 women their own event. They're all scared to race with Andrew's female cat 1-2 teammates because they know they can never win, place, or show (oh, maybe that's a bad metaphor--no insult intended). And everybody wants to be "competitive."
You need to start a website on how to organize races. You have mastered the arts of:
1. Getting Sponsors
2. Turning a profit
3. Providing large prize purses
4. Flicking 30+ Masters who need to
sack up or go buy a recumbant with
a flower bedsheet wrapped around
it and a helmet mirror
5. Shown USA Cycling how to save
cycling in the States by
promoting junior racing
Joe's Silverdale Crit payed 6 deep for Women 1/2/3. 5 racers showed up for a 50 minute more-or-less time trial.
Better option would be to offer Tricia, Suz, Kele, etc triple prize money for placing in a Mens 3 race or something - it would make for some interesting womens fields which are WAY lopsided these days.
30+ Masters races are stupid. They are. It should be 40+. That being said I'll be a hypocrite this year and dabble in the Masters this coming year.
What we really need in the state of Washington are new road courses. Over on the East side of the state there are amazing road course. The probelm is that everyone on the West side has pretty much proven that they will not drive for a good road course (Mick and Martha excluded from this statement).
I could name a bunch of good courses east of the Cascades...that no one will race on. It's too bad. SRV tried in vain with Rosalia and very few people showed. A fantastic course that very few came to do.
gotta report from the mtg?
Tentative Calendar for '08:
February
23 Ohop (Eatonville)
24 Frostbite TT (Lowell/Snohomish)
March
1 Mason Lake 1
2 Ice Breaker TT (Black Diamond)
8 Mason Lake 2
9 Sequim 1
15 Mason Lake 3
16 Market Street Road Race (Ravensdale)
22 Independence Valley Road Race (Rochester)
29 Sequim 2
29 North Shore Road Race
30 Snohomish Road Race (a new one)
April
2 Frozen Flatlands Omnium (Spokane)
2 Rainier Roubaix
3 Frozen Flatlands Omnium
3 Carnation TT 1
12 Tahuya-Seabeck-Tahuya Road Race
13 Brad Lewis Criterium (Seattle)
18 Tour of Walla Walla
19 Tour of Walla Walla
20 Tour of Walla Walla
26 Green Valley TT (Black Diamond)
27 Vance Creek Road Race (Elma)
May
3 Volunteer Park Criterium
4 Longbranch Road Race (senior RR championship)
10 Silver Lake Time Trial (Maple Falls)
10 Ravensdale Road Race
11 North Shore Road Race (maybe juniors/masters RR championship)
17 Wenatchee Omnium (omnium championship)
18 Wenatchee Omnium
31 Mutual of Enumclaw Omnium
June
1 Mutual of Enumclaw Omnium
7 Ballard Criterium
7 Carnation TT 2
8 Longbranch Road Race (maybe juniors/masters RR championship)
14 Methow Valley Tour
14 Denny Creek Hillclimb TT
14 Marymoor Little 100
15 Methow Valley Tour
15 Seward Park
21 Winthrop TT
22 Boston Harbor Circuit Race (state circuit race championship)
28 Capital Criterium (Olympia) (maybe senior crit championship)
29 Des Moines Criterium (masters crit championship)
July
4 Joe Matava Criterium (Burien)
12 Redmond Derby Days
13 Carnation TT 3
19 Lake Washington Velo 1
20 State Team Time Trial Championship (Elma)
26 Lake Washington Velo 2
27 Whale of a Criterium (Silverdale)
August
2 Lake Washington Velo 3
3 State Time Trial Championship (Tenino)
3 Cougar Mountain TT
9 Kirkland Criterium
10 Gear Push TT (Black Diamond)
16 Sedro Woolley Omnium
17 Sedro Woolley Omnium
23 State Hillclimb Championship
24 Seward Park & WSBA BBQ
31 Blackberry Criterium (Bremerton)
September
1 Winslow Criterium
6 Fremont Criterium
7 Mt. Baker Hillclimb
Nice typing there, Andrew! :) And you neglected to report that discussion this year got derailed not by masters age categories but by the quantity and placement of riders' numbers. Or that we desperately need an equipment manager or no one is going to be able to get to or borrow the WSBA equipment....
Sorry - credit to Stoked for the schedule, which I got from Kavesh.
Douglas was talking transponders for WSBA in '08? Who needs numbers?
Looks like a busy race schedule for '08. I wasn't able to attend, but I understand from Mr. Douglas that the Masters/Juniors State Champ. RR is mine, all mine. Same course in Longbranch - June 8th! Thanks to those in attendance who showed me their confidence & support.
And Mr. Pnwbuckeye - I'll be working on all-cash sponsorship for the Master's races (for both primes & overall). Yes only for the Master's races. Juniors, there aren't enough of them, and they already get a break on their entry fee - maybe I can score a few cool prizes, we'll see.
All Juniors races will be early. Women's races will be at the 11ish time slot fitted in behind the Men's C & D races.
No planned seperate combined 1/2/3 race this year - unless the over-Juniors under-Masters crowd really petitions me early.
I will require that your WSBA number be tatooed on the outside of your right calf & earlobe.
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