Stretch Posted October 24, 2013 Share Sponsorships won't happen dude. It's a fringe element of a fringe sport. There's nothing in it for a sponsor. No disrespect..cos I know you have poured blood sweat and tears into the discipline...but thinking like that you have failed before you have even started. Now, I may be naive as I am a spectator only and not at all involved in the discipline, but I am quite closely linked to mtbing in general..and I now want to see junior development across all disciplines of MTB. My take on the matter is that instead of DH guys approaching for the sole purpose of DH only, maybe we can look at collaborating with XC/Trail events. For example, if we speak to th guys at karkloof and look at including a DH to the weekends events etc - or even some basic cross sponsorship with the major event organisers. They re all good passionate blokes. My second point is in reply to kath. I hear what you say about jumps etc, and its the kind of thing a non downhiller like myself does not think of. That said, do we need to have all that in the beginning when we are trying to raise awareness. Why not just build some rad technical track through the forests for the juniors to have a blast and get a feel for technical and fast. With increased interest and the resultant increased potential sponsorship, then we can start on jumps etc...again...maybe I am being naive, but I am just thinking out aloud. and remember...I am talking under 10, under 12, under 15 and maybe under 18 level here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean32 Posted October 24, 2013 Share It's a trap. Step away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted October 24, 2013 Share I think so...but I think we also need more junior specific dh/enduro events as there is in XC. Just not sure how to sponsor it...and that is why I was throwing some of the ideas out there with the pump track etc. I think it would be worthwhile to get some of the bigger race organisers involved who have some contacts with sponsors..even if the prizes are small but funky for a youngster... At one of the KZN races there was a Sprog class. ggza and Airborne rode with their kids as well as a few others. All it takes is a little patience from the rest of the field to give them a chance to get down first. They were even included in the prize giving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Omega Man Posted October 24, 2013 Share No disrespect..cos I know you have poured blood sweat and tears into the discipline...but thinking like that you have failed before you have even started. Now, I may be naive as I am a spectator only and not at all involved in the sport, but I am quite closely linked to mtbing in general..and I now want to see junior development across all disciplines of MTB. No offence taken. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I was talking about World Cup Level. Probly talking out of context. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR ◣◢ Posted October 24, 2013 Share 100% with you on that. I have been out of it for 13yrs and i must say i was stupid to leave it. And when Dudes like this makes comment like that it gets my blood boiling. Like saying Usain Bolt runs for fun. Rant off sorry. I feel the same way you do. Stopped racing DH in 2002 and Im kicking myself for doing it. Only getting back into it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathF Posted October 24, 2013 Share My second point is in reply to kath. I hear what you say about jumps etc, and its the kind of thing a non downhiller like myself does not think of. That said, do we need to have all that in the beginning when we are trying to raise awareness. Why not just build some rad technical track through the forests for the juniors to have a blast and get a feel for technical and fast. With increased interest and the resultant increased potential sponsorship, then we can start on jumps etc...again...maybe I am being naive, but I am just thinking out aloud. and remember...I am talking under 10, under 12, under 15 and maybe under 18 level here No I totally, agree, however you do need both. To be perfectly honest, the Cascades trails are rad, technical and steep; they are a total blast for anyone and I think a good amount of Juniors are riding them. If you ride the Enduro event this weekend, those trails are on our doorstep and will do exactly what you described "have a blast and get a feel for technical and fast". The Karkloof trails are literally littered with that kind of trail too - Dragon's Back, Jewitt's Jive, Rene's Rumble, goodness there are tons - but it's a mission for little people to get to. Every single time I rode a provincial race this year, we were sharing the event with the XC provincials crew. There was one little blonde girl who must have been 9 or 10 that I saw at every race, and she would go straight from her XC race to the pump track, hitting the pump track in her lycra with joy smashed all over her face along with mud and chocolate and all things a 10 year old should be digging on! That little girl needs the opportunity to be able to jump small tables, then bigger tables, then gaps: if she can't easily pop on her bike and start rolling tables, then getting air, then getting really comfy in the air - regularly - then I don't really see how she is supposed to smash road gaps and massive doubles in a few years time if she decides to try DH. Anyways, in an ideal world we would have that. For now though, me and my 11 year old neighbour will carry on building our mini-ramps and baby doubles across the way before the municipality catches us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted October 24, 2013 Share Going back to what was mentioned earlier regarding the progression void in the middle. That is something that is lacking IMO. The step up from trail riding to full on big boy DH is huge. Not saying that there aren't tamer tracks, but rather a lack of skills training facilities. Sure the tamer tracks are good riding for us noobs but a shorter jump line would be far more beneficial. Nothing more than a handful of smaller tables and gap jumps with a nice roll in to get the feeling of being in the air. couple that with an airbag and you could be well on your way ti riding the bigger stuff. Would make the transition from for example Comley's/Rico's to Cascades a lot easier. Would be great to couple this with the KZN Cycling Academy's Development program. They currently focusing on the road and XC side of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathF Posted October 24, 2013 Share Going back to what was mentioned earlier regarding the progression void in the middle. That is something that is lacking IMO. The step up from trail riding to full on big boy DH is huge. Not saying that there aren't tamer tracks, but rather a lack of skills training facilities. Sure the tamer tracks are good riding for us noobs but a shorter jump line would be far more beneficial. Nothing more than a handful of smaller tables and gap jumps with a nice roll in to get the feeling of being in the air. couple that with an airbag and you could be well on your way ti riding the bigger stuff. Would make the transition from for example Comley's/Rico's to Cascades a lot easier. Would be great to couple this with the KZN Cycling Academy's Development program. They currently focusing on the road and XC side of things. TOTES! Let's start Jump School. Since Hogwarts didn't work out for you, let me know how your Jedi quest is going and if it sucks you can just join jump school instead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed Posted October 24, 2013 Share Anyways, in an ideal world we would have that. For now though, me and my 11 year old neighbour will carry on building our mini-ramps and baby doubles across the way before the municipality catches us Your secret's safe with us… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted October 24, 2013 Share No I totally, agree, however you do need both. To be perfectly honest, the Cascades trails are rad, technical and steep; they are a total blast for anyone and I think a good amount of Juniors are riding them. If you ride the Enduro event this weekend, those trails are on our doorstep and will do exactly what you described "have a blast and get a feel for technical and fast". The Karkloof trails are literally littered with that kind of trail too - Dragon's Back, Jewitt's Jive, Rene's Rumble, goodness there are tons - but it's a mission for little people to get to. Every single time I rode a provincial race this year, we were sharing the event with the XC provincials crew. There was one little blonde girl who must have been 9 or 10 that I saw at every race, and she would go straight from her XC race to the pump track, hitting the pump track in her lycra with joy smashed all over her face along with mud and chocolate and all things a 10 year old should be digging on! That little girl needs the opportunity to be able to jump small tables, then bigger tables, then gaps: if she can't easily pop on her bike and start rolling tables, then getting air, then getting really comfy in the air - regularly - then I don't really see how she is supposed to smash road gaps and massive doubles in a few years time if she decides to try DH. Anyways, in an ideal world we would have that. For now though, me and my 11 year old neighbour will carry on building our mini-ramps and baby doubles across the way before the municipality catches us So much of goodness in your post! Would be great if there were one or two spots (maybe DBN and PMB) where we (the altitude challenged riders who need to master the art of jumping) could all get together to learn instead of having to DIY it on your own... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted October 24, 2013 Share TOTES! Let's start Jump School. Since Hogwarts didn't work out for you, let me know how your Jedi quest is going and if it sucks you can just join jump school instead Dialing Mr Hicks at the moment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stretch Posted October 24, 2013 Share TOTES! Let's start Jump School. Since Hogwarts didn't work out for you, let me know how your Jedi quest is going and if it sucks you can just join jump school instead Even a xc type oke like me would love that...cos I am the advert for white men cant jump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted October 24, 2013 Share Sponsorships won't happen dude. It's a fringe element of a fringe sport. There's nothing in it for a sponsor. There's ZERO local exposure for womens DH and They show a minute of the top 10 ladies at world cups on the internet 5 times a year on a Sunday afternoon. Plus it's a year on year deal so there's zero guarantee that Red bull will even show it the following year. Then add to that the fact that the sport translates TERRIBLY to TV. There's probably 5 girls and 30 guys on the DH circuit that make a semi decent living out of it. The rest hack from year to year trying desperately to piece a deal together for the following season. Even some of the top teams will only do the Euro rounds cos of the costs involved (Think Potties RRP team) Not trying to be a dick just pointing out the situation. Precisely my point. It's really ***, but that's the situation we have to fight ourselves out of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR ◣◢ Posted October 24, 2013 Share Dragon's Back, Jewitt's Jive, Rene's Rumble, goodness there are tons... That's what is making me consider moving to Curry's Post to milk cows on Samantha's farm and ride my bike. I love every single micron of dirt in Karkloof. Even that bugger of a climb up Lebanon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed Posted October 24, 2013 Share Dialing Mr Hicks at the moment! Could you send him my way too? Got three weeks of leave due starting tomorrow, and nothing to do except play with those mounds of dirt I got too lazy to do much about some time back… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed-Zulu Posted October 24, 2013 Share Even a xc type oke like me would love that...cos I am the advert for white men cant jumphahaha...you just jogged my memory of an epic fall I had in the green belts in and around Richards Bay, way back when before my Gary Fischer was stolen...came round a gentle left, noticed the BMX type jump some kids just built, 0.0001sec reflex and I hit that jump hard...0.00000001 seconds later realised that all that flying time will end badly in 2 seconds and it did...it was snot, mud, blood and my winded chest for the next 5 minutes but thankfully no spectators to cheer me on... Firts thing my neighbour said when I got home was, white men can't jump, like he knew exactly what transpired in front of the Natal robbins and a grey tree frog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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