Vote NO on chip timing
Wanna mix it up a little here: A couple mn guys are trying to introduce chip timing to our cyclocross races. They’re also pushing Pre-Reg. $25 pre, $30 day-of. $30 is INSANE. I just cant see it. I’d like ask everyone: How much are you paying to race? Are your racing going Pre-Reg? Chip timing is stupid. For cross. Hell, its stupid for road racing (it counter-acts the notion of team work). Keep that shit in triathlons. It makes sense there. Here are my problems with that stuff:-chip timing. Isn’t cyclocross 1hr+1 lap (or 30 min, 45 min). Whats a chip gonna do, tell me I went more or less? Seriously… -Pre-reg. I have a huge chip on my shoulder about pre-reg. I get it when there are field limits, but I still dont like it. I’m one of those guys who wont know he’s racing until he’s in the car driving there, what with the kids, the family… So I get a financial kick in the shins since I cant pre-reg. SO I dont like it. But cross races dont have the same field limits, do they? And MN has a fraction of the participants showing than Seattle/Portland does. Its not even an issue here. $30 for a cross race? Why? Anyways… Thoughts? FPA
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
I’m all for pre-reg and chip timing, if only because it makes life easier for the promoter and officials, and provides accurate results (which are sorely lacking).
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Being a promoter myself (once a promoter, always a promoter), I get that-but not here.
Ok, pre-reg makes life “easier” for promoters, but I would argue, not by much. At least not the day of a race. You might be able to plan your race better knowing how many are coming, and race numbers are easier to hand out. But..I’m willing to bet time saved for the promoter cause of pre-reg is equal to or less that time spent during or setting up pre-reg, actual registration, the time spent still checking liability forms, taking cash, handing out numbers, etc….
So, pre-reg is fine. And again, $30?
Ask any of the older dues, and Cross was much more relaxed. Now, (and I happen to think this is good), you got all these racers (myself included) who take it seriously. But up go the entry fees, cause there’s money to be made. I think thats a crock of shit. It helps only those who are charging. Certainly not the local scene.
And chip timing? Hows that easier for cross? I think it complicates things unneccessarily. Seriously, chip timing does nothing for cross.
FPA
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
I like the option of the pre reg due to the fact that our race day lines are huge! There are days in Portland where over 1000 racers line up! I don`t think I would want to deal with the chip timing and our race officials have always done a great job!
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:15 am
Fpa, I’m gonna have to agree with you on all of the above. Pre-reg-we just don’t have the numbers showing up at races to make it a huge time saver. Your either gonna make $ or lose $ putting on a race. Pre-reg only gives you an idea of how many racers you have coming for sure and it will save you probably 2 mins of standing in line. The chip timing doesn’t seem needed for a cross race either. I officiated a few crits this year and learned how to place racers as they finished. I think that scoring a cross race would probably be easier than any other type of racing. I’ll have to ask Bruce or someone.
All that being said, Synergy is the team I ride for on the mtb and road so I hope everyone comes out and does the race. I guess $30 doesn’t make my jaw drop cause all summer I’ve been paying $35 to do mtb races where the fields are all huge and the price could, and in my opinion, should be dropped.
cj
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I am not sure you’re taking a kick in the shins on pre-reg. For the race I promoted this year we gave a discount for pre-reg for $25, day of was $30. If we would not have done pre-reg the fee would have been $30. The big pain on race day is entering all the data in a spread sheet for the officials, you have to enter in all this junk from the waiver form and bib number and keep it all straight, takes alot of time and is big pain. With pre-reg you can download all that info from their site and makes race day tons easier. So much easier it is worth losing 5 bucks on each registration. I like pre-reg…
I appreciate the promoter of the $30 race wants a more festive atmosphere, but I am more against paying $5 for a beer and brat I don’t want. Sure sell them at the race, but don’t force people to buy them.
Also the chip timing for $7 a rider. Again I appreciate the promoter wanting to do something new and help the officials, but I am not interested in my lap times, the scoring has always seemed accurate for races, and the results are usually out the next day. I would rather keep my $7. At the promoter meeting last spring a couple people were pushing chip timing, but they were also looking to start a business providing the service. For 100 racers that’s $700 for chip timing. To hire the local finish line camera outfit is 1/3 the price if you feel the need to verify results.
For the road race I promoted this year our biggest expenses were 1. Police support (approx $3000) 2. Payout money (approx $1200) 3. 6 Officials (can’t remember), our fee was 30 bucks and we about broke even. Cross races don’t need police, the payouts aren’t that high, and they usually have 2 or 3 officials…So why $30.
My vote would be keep the chip, beer, and brat, and keep the fee at $20.
Kurt
(4 point MN Cyclocross Cup winner)
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:00 pm
My vote would be keep the chip, beer, and brat, and keep the fee at $20.
Agreed
Big cross races like natz and 1,000 registrants need a way to handle reg, and pre-reg makes sense and it allows them to do call-ups that way and limit field sizes.
MN doesn’t have big field sizes and don’t get me started on chip-timing…I don’t care what my split times are, or if I get 22nd place
October 4th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I agree with FPA 100% on all points. Can’t think of a single possible benifit to chip timing in a cyclocross race.
October 5th, 2008 at 2:04 am
Did anyone in MN see a need for pre-reg today?
check out the massive line for signups
http://jaredroy.blogspot.com/2008/10/pre-reg-for-cyclocoss.html#links
October 6th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I’m with FPA.
One more point. I have double flatted twice last year in my chosen race. Re-geared up and done the next race. That makes for a $$$ race day if the fees go up.
If anything, I would be interested in an ‘option’ for a season long number (pre-pin at home).
Chequmegan is a chip race. Not the start, just mid and end. So when you are 80 rows back you start at the same ‘time’ as those in the front line. Why not add another sensor at the start.
And while I am venting – what’s up with numbers on the right side for a cyclocross . There has to be a place for the officials to set up someplace on the left side of the course!