[Event] Chris Willemse Cycles Durbie Dash

[nazmo]

I quite enjoyed the race. The event felt more substantial than others I did this year thus far. I only started riding this year, so I do appreciate my first medal of each race, so thats the only bit im miffed at.

[Skubarra]

R4500 for Wine to Whales, R25K for Epic, both fully booked  and the oaks moan about R200.

 

Sidmouth, if you get charged R200 for something worth R100, you will feel a bit cheated even if you can afford it

[Skubarra]

This was a Fund Raiser, to create opportunities for kids less fortunate than ourselves, and  for Baby Nicela ( Kfm project of Ryan O Connor ).

 

 

Fondriest - my gripe on this - why was this never advertised as such. All I saw was a fancy new website with a lot of CWC, big prizes and double the entry fee, not mention of the Fund Raiser. All people saw was that they are now paying R200 for something that was a R100 a year ago without explanation

 

I am sure if an effort was made to emphasize it in the advertising you would have had a lot less  complaints.

 

I compared the numbers on racetec with last year, for the road race the number of entrants are only slightly down - so not quite the the disaster some of us(including me) predicted, so maybe their pricing model is sound... 

 

A further comment on the road race - not sure if it was for the other bunches as well, but for A bunch at least we did not encounter any short distance riders on the way back on Adderley which made for much safer riding than in the past. Well done to the organizers on that.

 

On medals if that fullsuss stats are right (and I am part of the 85% don't care brigade) - those not liking medals might be in the minority but they sure are the most vocal 

[renburg]

Baba Nicela en ouers is wie die medaljes verdien! 

[Nickster]

Racetec is owned by PPA so if you want to see results on racetec you have to be a PPA member.

 

Don't ask me why. I don't understand it but it is on the racetec and PPA sites.

 

Maybe PPA membership help pats the racetec database and hosting?

It just makes no sense, I never have been a PPA member and I got times for the argus road/mtb and die burger

[usxorf]

 

For most events on the PPA calendar, PPA (and not the event organiser) pays for the event to be timed. When PPA pays for timing, only PPA members will receive a result/time. Should the organiser, however, pay for timing (eg for bigger events like Die Burger Fietstoer or the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour), then all participants receive results, irrespective of whether they are PPA members or not.

[Aaron_B]

Would be nice if the times of MA-MC are amended by RaceTec.

[Ryan100]

This was a Fund Raiser, to create opportunities for kids less fortunate than ourselves, and  for Baby Nicela ( Kfm project of Ryan O Connor ).

 

The MTB group that went off in the wrong way: All riders had a neutral zone car ( Subaru ) to escort them through the suburb. Riders were briefed. As they set off, a PPA marshal ( not our marshall ) on a motorbike  took off left, whereas the Subaru turned right ( correctly ). The front riders, even after being briefed, blindly followed the motorbike, and not the car. The car had to turn around, after he saw that nobody was following, and chased after them. The PPA marshall, realising his mistake, took them via another route, onto Clara Anna Fonteyn, where the race actually started ( neutral zone till this point, and again riders were brief via a PA system ).

 

As far as waterpoints are concerned: 5 Waterpoints on 54 km ( distance was actually 57 km, and had to be changed a day before due Wheat still on the land in certain parts ). Most riders should easily cover double that distance between waterpoints, with 2 bottle cages, but only rides with one bottle cage in Summer conditions. A distance and climbing of this nature, only has 3 waterpoints generally. The waterpoint, not having water, but just juice, was not run by the school or the parents, with only kids supporting and cheering riders. Stock was not fetched by responsible persons, the day before, including 8 x 20 liter plastic drums. We will follow this up with the company, and no point in bad mouthing and mentioning names on this forum. The other waterpoints were run by parents with no problems.

 

Medals: According to a survey on FullSuss, only 15 % of riders want a medal. Most end up being thrown away or end up in a drawer. According to the same survey, riders prefer something useful, like a bottle opener - keyring, tyre levers, ect.

 

Joel Stransky support all fund raisers and happen to fly down for commentating on Newlands. He was invited and agreed to ride. I want to put it on record that NOT A SINGLE CENT was spend on Joel Stransky and that Supersport picked up the bill. Nor was any money spend on Corne Krige for riding, and also no money spend on Ashleigh-Moolman Paso, who also rode.

 

There was unfortunately 1 serious medical emergency, to which 4 doctors responded to, and the rider was case vac out of a very difficult area, and is fortunately OK.

 

We will have a debrief meeting next week, and acknowledge the criticism and will learn from this. 

 

 

My 5c. Maybe you can use it of loose it

 

I thought the start of the 58km MTB race was poor. I think if the school was in charge of it not PPA it would have been more festive and could easily been better organised. not having cable ties for the the boards is not a good idea!! I thought the school water points where great. You need to look into the waterless waterpoint. sure we could carry more water, but once a water point is promised we plan according to that. I think that was a mistake, but is a critical issue. There where two points on the MTB race that i considered potentially dangerous and a warning board would have been a good idea. That was going down the wheat field after crossing magaliesberg road after hoogebraal. There was a big drop and a nasty lip, could have gone wrong for some. Then somewhere along the river there was a donga. I am sure in a group that would have been a bit scary.

 

As for the accident as I understand it the medic was there pretty quick, it was in an difficult spot and I am pretty sure an unexpected spot for an accident. That said, it would be worth thinking about having a medic stationed at the conties single track and somewhere around hoogies (if possible).

 

I really dont need a medal, use that money for good, seriously guys!!

 

Last point, Durbanville has awesome trails we are so, lucky. i really enjoyed the ride overall. I would relook at the price of entry and try re align it with "normal entry" fees.

[Guest DieBees]

I feel sorry for this (or any) race organizer. If I got all this flack after trying my best I would surely not try again. People are bloody ungrateful, if you don't like the price, don't pay it. no one can get it 100% right! I would like to say that if YOU can do it better maybe give it a shot. How do you satisfy people if they have a faceless voice on the internet? I don't think half of the complaints would have been addressed in person. 

I am also not happy with everything but I made the best of it. Damn cyclists are difficult to please!

[Guest Karma]

I feel sorry for this (or any) race organizer. If I got all this flack after trying my best I would surely not try again. People are bloody ungrateful, if you don't like the price, don't pay it. no one can get it 100% right! I would like to say that if YOU can do it better maybe give it a shot. How do you satisfy people if they have a faceless voice on the internet? I don't think half of the complaints would have been addressed in person. 

I am also not happy with everything but I made the best of it. Damn cyclists are difficult to please!

 

Why feel sorry for a race organizer who can't organize the event? 

The MTB group were led out on the Road route, the water-points were not where they were promised to be, now you tell us we are ungrateful?

[Wannabe]

I feel sorry for this (or any) race organizer. If I got all this flack after trying my best I would surely not try again. People are bloody ungrateful, if you don't like the price, don't pay it. no one can get it 100% right! I would like to say that if YOU can do it better maybe give it a shot. How do you satisfy people if they have a faceless voice on the internet? I don't think half of the complaints would have been addressed in person. 

I am also not happy with everything but I made the best of it. Damn cyclists are difficult to please!

 

 

 

 

 

I'm one of those, refuse to be exploited around every turn.

 

And it seems my decision not to ride was a good one, looks like they turned a race that was a brilliant ride with good organising, into a shambles.

 

What happened guys, "new guys" refuse to listen to the old hands that organised the race previously, or were they totaly excluded?

[_C50_]

Moan moan moan....

 

I didn't get a medal... my medal collection will never be the same again. Shame.

 

I can't ride a 54km mtb funride without 20 water points along the way.

The PPA marshall cost me a top 5 finish. How am I going to impress my mates at the next coffee ride?

 

WTF?

 

I would actually like to moan about the wind, it sucked. Can't the organisers get that right even? My legs felt like stale bread. The A-B bunch didn't wait for me after I got dropped in the gutter. I'm going to have to mail the organisers about that too. Oh wait, i'm actually just pretty k@k.

 

On Sunday I rode 70km's in the Bottelary Hills and nobody put a water table out for me. Never going back there again!

[Guest DieBees]

Why feel sorry for a race organizer who can't organize the event? 

The MTB group were led out on the Road route, the water-points were not where they were promised to be, now you tell us we are ungrateful?

Maybe you should take up road then?   Im obviously P@#%ng you off, but hey, ease up! Luckily there was waterpoints... Send them your details then you can help them do it better next year... They can obviously learn from you.

[Nil]

If i look at the amount of criticism of this race versus the previous races, then i would say that this race was not a success.

However, i feel that the amount of criticism would have been far less if the entry fee was more affordable.

No water at water points, cyclists riding in wrong directions, safety boards not in place, medals not give at the end. and this is just some of the issues.

If i were the organizers, then i would seriously consider at reducing the entry fees for next year to a more affordable level, and jack up the organisation skills.

Good luck.

[renburg]

Why feel sorry for a race organizer who can't organize the event? 

The MTB group were led out on the Road route, the water-points were not where they were promised to be, now you tell us we are ungrateful?

In the first post CWC mentioned specifically and I quote: "Lead Vehicles for both events are supplied by Subaru (Cape Town), with their rally proven reliability and technology."  Which vehicle did the cyclist follow?

[Skubarra]

In the first post CWC mentioned specifically and I quote: "Lead Vehicles for both events are supplied by Subaru (Cape Town), with their rally proven reliability and technology."  Which vehicle did the cyclist follow?

 

Surely you can't blame riders for following a PPA marshal on a motorbike at the start of the race. Will you ignore a marshal unless he is on a vehicle specified on a website? Are you assuming that all entrants studied this thread in detail before entering?

 

Sounds like an honest mix-up to me that could have happened anywhere, a bit insulting of you to blame the riders tbh...