2014 Cape Town Enduro Races

[Headshot]

The fact that the venue was announced late (to make sure nobody practiced the route) was perfect. It did not stop 120 people from rocking up. Mayhem - you now say that was why you didn't race - last week it was another reason.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Oh and to know a week in advance is plenty time.

 

Most people don't even know on a Monday where they are riding next Sunday...so thats no excuse.

 

LOL. It are for me. I need to plan at least 2 weeks in advance. General location would have been fine.

[Karate Monkey]

true, KM - but in my mind there wouldn't have been any harm in releasing info that the venue was in the S West region. That would have given a WIDE range of trails, but at the same time ruled out places like Stellies, Contermans and so on. Just so that people get a general idea of where they're going, and how long they're going to be out for.

 

Plus - the trails themselves (the route) needn't have been released. There are still lots of trails at Jonkers. Any amount of them could have been used.

 

But yeah - I accept your point re the venue itself. There are chances it could be blown out. BUT - it's still a public trail, accessible to the public all through the year. Would the 120 plus people who took the time out to ride the enduro have really made that much of a difference, given that probably only 30 of them at a push could have ridden them during the week - and that isn't anywhere near what the trails have on a normal week...

 

back to the point that it should be blind. You get people who will go out there everyday and go ride every single trail in there to make sure they know exactly where every turn is. Would you be happy if a slower rider is now suddenly faster than you because he went to learn the trail a week in advance? I bet not. Thats not how enduro should be. The better rider should have the advantage, not the rider that cheats.

[Trillian]

If I had known where we were supposed to go I could have pulled in. would have had my bike fixed for the day.

 

Dude. The venue was revealed on Monday the 17th. You were specifically invited by Duane - you said you couldn't make it because of your wife's work commitments, leaving you holding the baby. Literally. In addition, regrettable though the existence of the Free State may be, it cannot be blamed on the organisers of WP Gravity Enduro. The event there is not part of the WP series.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

The fact that the venue was announced late (to make sure nobody practiced the route) was perfect. It did not stop 120 people from rocking up. Mayhem - you now say that was why you didn't race - last week it was another reason.

 

Hmm... last week I said it was because the venue was announced late, so I ran out of time to confirm with my wife (who needs to know beforehand to structure her photography sessions) and as I didn't put my money down before the venue was confirmed, and budget was tight, it wasn't possible for me to go.

 

My bike wasn't an issue - sorted a replacement lower linkage on Friday and would have had that fitted saturday instead of doing it slowly.

 

SO no, Tim - not different reasons. All one in the same...

[Capricorn]

Enduro should be "blind" for everyone. You will always have a small hand of people that knows a trail or 2 but releasing the venue long before the time does damage to the sport.

 

1. People know where they are riding so they don't come.

2. People practice the trails before hand and practically destroy the trail the week before the event.

3. Enduro started out as riders riding an unknown track 15 years ago, it should stay like that. You need to have a different set of skills to be able to be fast when you don't know whats coming up.

 

Thats the idea behind Enduro....

 

the mere fact ppl cant plan because of other commitments doesn't mean their schedules will suddenly jump wide open just because they know where the track is. Reality is, with so many riders using so few trails, it will never be blind to the vast majority any way.

Also with enduro, they cut new track so as to force the 'blind ' approach. I dont think new track was cut specifically for the event this past weekend, so.....

So given these facts, can we change the approach to something more reasonable?

[Karate Monkey]

the mere fact ppl cant plan because of other commitments doesn't mean their schedules will suddenly jump wide open just because they know where the track is. Reality is, with so many riders using so few trails, it will never be blind to the vast majority any way.

Also with enduro, they cut new track so as to force the 'blind ' approach. I dont think new track was cut specifically for the event this past weekend, so.....

So given these facts, can we change the approach to something more reasonable?

 

New track was cut to force it to be blind.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

back to the point that it should be blind. You get people who will go out there everyday and go ride every single trail in there to make sure they know exactly where every turn is. Would you be happy if a slower rider is now suddenly faster than you because he went to learn the trail a week in advance? I bet not. Thats not how enduro should be. The better rider should have the advantage, not the rider that cheats.

True. Very true...

Dude. The venue was revealed on Monday the 17th. You were specifically invited by Duane - you said you couldn't make it because of your wife's work commitments, leaving you holding the baby. Literally. In addition, regrettable though the existence of the Free State may be, it cannot be blamed on the organisers of WP Gravity Enduro. The event there is not part of the WP series.

 

Yeah. That is 100% true. Although a week's notice for me isn't enough for a ride happening on a weekend, when my OH needs to confirm a meeting.. Unfortunately late on Saturday, the client requested a postponement of the meeting. So yeah. I could have gone, but I also couldn't have. Irony of it all is that on Sunday, buying groceries, I got asked if I wasn't supposed to be riding the Enduro...

 

SMH.

 

EDIT: If the venue (or the general location ie: Somerset West) had been made public earlier than a week beforehand, I would have been able to get there as I could have told my OH that I'd be back by 1, or 2, before she scheduled the meeting.

 

But - that doesn't detract from the fact that the series is getting RAVE feedback and is growing from event to event. A really, really good thing.

 

I hope the (reported) timing issues are sorted out before the next one in Contermanskloof in April. That one I certainly WILL be coming to.

[Headshot]

The venue was always going to be around or within an hour or so from CT so the actual venue was not needed to plan. It takes the same time to drive to JH as it does Welvanpas. Eish.

[Headshot]

Cap and Mayhem didn't make it. Cap was that because there were no water points or because the venue was announced late. So many BS excuses wasting space on the Hub. If you didnt make it blame yourselves not the organisers. Guess you won't be at the next one either guys.

[Flowta]

True. Very true...

 

 

Yeah. That is 100% true. Although a week's notice for me isn't enough for a ride happening on a weekend, when my OH needs to confirm a meeting.. Unfortunately late on Saturday, the client requested a postponement of the meeting. So yeah. I could have gone, but I also couldn't have. Irony of it all is that on Sunday, buying groceries, I got asked if I wasn't supposed to be riding the Enduro...

 

SMH.

 

So you can't blame the organisers then?

[NicoBoshoff]

I totally get the blind approach, and fine, you convinced me. Just one thing though, are the KZN events then not Enduro? Because they give detailed info regarding trails etc beforehand. Same with the EWS. Is the EWS not enduro?

 

I was actually more bleak about other organisers' failure to commit to a hinted date and then when people started getting peeved with the failure to commit they take the attitude of "Well then go and do something else if you don't want to come ride".

 

Anyways, I confirm again, the event was well run. A few small glitches were present but they will sort themselves out with time.

[Flowta]

I totally get the blind approach, and fine, you convinced me. Just one thing though, are the KZN events then not Enduro? Because they give detailed info regarding trails etc beforehand. Same with the EWS. Is the EWS not enduro?

 

I was actually more bleak about other organisers' failure to commit to a hinted date and then when people started getting peeved with the failure to commit they take the attitude of "Well then go and do something else if you don't want to come ride".

 

Anyways, I confirm again, the event was well run. A few small glitches were present but they will sort themselves out with time.

 

And there were quite a few complaints about that last year.

[Karate Monkey]

I totally get the blind approach, and fine, you convinced me. Just one thing though, are the KZN events then not Enduro? Because they give detailed info regarding trails etc beforehand. Same with the EWS. Is the EWS not enduro?

 

I was actually more bleak about other organisers' failure to commit to a hinted date and then when people started getting peeved with the failure to commit they take the attitude of "Well then go and do something else if you don't want to come ride".

 

Anyways, I confirm again, the event was well run. A few small glitches were present but they will sort themselves out with time.

 

If you look at the history of Enduro you will see that it started out as being a "blind ride with some mates down a section on trail to see who is the fastest...AND HAVE A BLAST!!!"

 

And damn! did we have a blast yesterday???

[NicoBoshoff]

And just for the record, I don't care about not knowing the venue close to the date. BUT, organisers have to commit to a date. Then one can make arrangements.

 

I just tell my wife it's an enduro weekend, so sorry. It's my one selfish pleasure and it's not negotiable. But if organisers can't commit to dates then I'm making other plans and if they clash then I feel more than comfortable to blame organisers.

 

The Argus/2Oceans organisers don't tell people "Well we're keen to do it on X date, will keep you posted" and then go quiet.

[NicoBoshoff]

If you look at the history of Enduro you will see that it started out as being a "blind ride with some mates down a section on trail to see who is the fastest...AND HAVE A BLAST!!!"

 

And damn! did we have a blast yesterday???

 

My body feels blasted. Was good yes.