New PPA Mtb event at Paul Cluver Estate in Grabouw

[Gideondv]

PM sent - what a load of bullsh1t

Please share!?

[JGR]

Please share!?

I responded to StevieL's available entry and managed to arrange entry. This was Monday morning. I spoke with Shana (person in the email). She said no but I can speak to Gary. I emailed Gary and received no response (surprise) so I followed up with a call to Gary and specifically said I have an entry for someone that cannot race. He said no ways they are allowing subs and he was to busy to respond to emails. I now subsequently, after telling StevieL I couldn't take entry, that they are indeed allowed subs (selectively). This is seperate to a seeding issue they have no resolved. They should work in government ... honestly

[Gideondv]

 

I responded to StevieL's available entry and managed to arrange entry. This was Monday morning. I spoke with Shana (person in the email). She said no but I can speak to Gary. I emailed Gary and received no response (surprise) so I followed up with a call to Gary and specifically said I have an entry for someone that cannot race. He said no ways they are allowing subs and he was to busy to respond to emails. I now subsequently, after telling StevieL I couldn't take entry, that they are indeed allowed subs (selectively). This is seperate to a seeding issue they have no resolved. They should work in government ... honestly

Not cool. Yes, Gary is not big on replying emails.

Dealing with the PPA reminds me of going to the traffic department.... You ALWAYS walk out of there furious.

[JGR]

Not cool. Yes, Gary is not big on replying emails.

Dealing with the PPA reminds me of going to the traffic department.... You ALWAYS walk out of there furious.

So here is the latest ..... I spoke with Gary this morning and according to him there are no subs, and people under that impression are going to be disappointed. He said they are struggling to cope with the entries let alone subs. If you managed to get one well done! This sucks but I guess off to Piketberg on Sat then

[Hellwarp]

So here is the latest ..... I spoke with Gary this morning and according to him there are no subs, and people under that impression are going to be disappointed. He said they are struggling to cope with the entries let alone subs. If you managed to get one well done! This sucks but I guess off to Piketberg on Sat then

You won't be disappointed, special routes they've built there over the past year.

[JGR]

You won't be dissapointed, special routes they've built there over the past year.

Im sure the routes are amazing, but that not what I was saying

[Shebeen]

don't want to hijack this thread, but since the event is full (beyond full) I don't really see any harm.

 

If you HAVE to go to grabouw on sunday to go buy pies at Peregrine and want to race your bike beforehand to earn them. Then this is a very good alternative

plus foot orienteering with lots of course options for the WAGS to treasure hunt in the meantime.

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/142854-event-klipdrift-grabouw-mountain-bike-orienteering/page__hl__orienteering

[Donovan Le Cok]

Hmmm I think a fast start will be in order on Sunday to get away from the crowds.

 

It could be an interesting day...

[kandui]

Here is the latest from the route. The guys marking the route are adamant that we don't need to extend the batch times to 8 minutes. They say there is enough jeep track/farm road before the single track starts and riders should be able to sort themselves out by then. I'll take their word for it and I will read this thread with interest on Monday.

 

As for the substitution issues I am reading about. i was told from the outset that there would be no substitutions. The PPA office has been flooded with requests for additional entries by everyone and their dog. Anyone with some sort of link to someone with connections to PPA or a sponsor has been trying to secure entries for friends and colleagues.

If you look at the average attendance over all the PPA mtb events on the calendar, there was no way this amount of entries could have been anticipated for Sunday.

I was kept up to speed with the entries received from the day that entries opened and over the first 2 weeks, there was plenty of room for everyone to get a ticket. We were looking at maybe getting 400 riders in total at close of entries.

I am not excusing the miscommunication about substitutions and I have asked the PPA office to get back to me about JGR's issue, but if you leave it late to enter, of course you stand a good chance of being disappointed in some way or other.

When are PPA mtb events ever sold out before registration closes? I think this a first, but now we know better.

I'll tell you now that the 2015 event will generate even more interest.We have some cool ideas for the second edition.

Should I get the Mtb portfolio re-assigned to me after next week's PPA AGM, my door stands open as usual.

[lerouc]

Stupid funriders takes up all the entries!!

 

For those of you who did get an entry, come 2 hours before the start, because the guy that starts in Z will be there before you to take up your parking too!

 

And if you were serious about your cycling you would have entered earlier like me the funrider that stole your ticket and your parking!

[Gideondv]

Here is the latest from the route. The guys marking the route are adamant that we don't need to extend the batch times to 8 minutes. They say there is enough jeep track/farm road before the single track starts and riders should be able to sort themselves out by then. I'll take their word for it and I will read this thread with interest on Monday. This might be a crucial mistake...

 

If you look at the average attendance over all the PPA mtb events on the calendar, there was no way this amount of entries could have been anticipated for Sunday. Not all of those events are W2W seeding events are they?

 

I am not excusing the miscommunication about substitutions and I have asked the PPA office to get back to me about JGR's issue, That issue is just plain not cool. but if you leave it late to enter, of course you stand a good chance of being disappointed in some way or other. True, but a lot of people keep an eye on the weather report. Replacing a drivetrain/ brake pads etc. gets super expensive.

When are PPA mtb events ever sold out before registration closes? I think this a first, but now we know better.

I'll tell you now that the 2015 event will generate even more interest.We have some cool ideas for the second edition. Good to hear

Should I get the Mtb portfolio re-assigned to me after next week's PPA AGM, my door stands open as usual.

[Donovan Le Cok]

And if you were serious about your cycling you would have entered earlier like me the funrider that stole your ticket and your parking!

 

HaaaaHAA!!

[Donovan Le Cok]

Here is the latest from the route. The guys marking the route are adamant that we don't need to extend the batch times to 8 minutes. They say there is enough jeep track/farm road before the single track starts and riders should be able to sort themselves out by then. I'll take their word for it and I will read this thread with interest on Monday.

 

As for the substitution issues I am reading about. i was told from the outset that there would be no substitutions. The PPA office has been flooded with requests for additional entries by everyone and their dog. Anyone with some sort of link to someone with connections to PPA or a sponsor has been trying to secure entries for friends and colleagues.

If you look at the average attendance over all the PPA mtb events on the calendar, there was no way this amount of entries could have been anticipated for Sunday.

I was kept up to speed with the entries received from the day that entries opened and over the first 2 weeks, there was plenty of room for everyone to get a ticket. We were looking at maybe getting 400 riders in total at close of entries.

I am not excusing the miscommunication about substitutions and I have asked the PPA office to get back to me about JGR's issue, but if you leave it late to enter, of course you stand a good chance of being disappointed in some way or other.

When are PPA mtb events ever sold out before registration closes? I think this a first, but now we know better.

I'll tell you now that the 2015 event will generate even more interest.We have some cool ideas for the second edition.

Should I get the Mtb portfolio re-assigned to me after next week's PPA AGM, my door stands open as usual.

 

As I have said on thehub and other forums before. I would hate to be an event organizer, cyclists, especially mountain bikers must be the most difficult bunch of people to please. Thank you to those people who give up their time to make these events possible.

 

No matter what happens on Sunday I promise I wont complain about traffic in the single track. I sure there will be plenty posts like that though.

[Skubarra]

 

Not sure why you are so hard on the organisers, they had no way of predicting that the event would sell out. You took a risk by waiting till the last minute and lost out, same happened with me with the Darling mtb race earlier this year so I feel your pain but no use taking out your frustrations on the organisers. If W2W seeding was that important to you you should not have waited until the last minute...

[Gideondv]

Not sure why you are so hard on the organisers, they had no way of predicting that the event would sell out. You took a risk by waiting till the last minute and lost out, same happened with me with the Darling mtb race earlier this year so I feel your pain but no use taking out your frustrations on the organisers. If W2W seeding was that important to you you should not have waited until the last minute...

My dilemma was actually that I was going to enter the event long ago, but then my girlfriend told me that we might go away that weekend with her parents (Dads B-day), so I had to wait. In non of the emails I received from PPA was it ever mentioned that there is a max number of entries. I also only renewed my PPA membership specifically to get timed at this event for W2W, so yes I am upset.

[Shebeen]

True, but a lot of people keep an eye on the weather report. Replacing a drivetrain/ brake pads etc. gets super expensive.

That attitude is what makes it so damn impossible to organise events without sleepless nights wondering about your entry numbers. Too few and you end up paying for people to race, too many and you can't cope with the late surge in numbers.

 

It's a very typical slaapstad rock up at last minute attitude, if you can't commit early on then tough tekkies. I for one am happy to see organisers not bow to pressure here. Would be so easy to just extend entry numbers, but they want to preserve the experience for those who took the plunge head on and supported them from the get go.

 

viva.