The Munga Postponed - World’s toughest race faces a tough challenge

[Tumbleweed]

What question would you guys want to have an answer for ?

The intent is not to pull Alex over the coals, he is a very nice and ethical individual with only good intentions.

The aim of the interview is to get a clearer view from Alex regarding the future of the Munga.

So what would you guys want to know ?

 

His endeavours over the years must have had many setbacks in the planning stages. How does this compare to those? How does he deal with the pitfalls? At what stage, if ever, does he give in? 

Edited October 16, 2014 by Tumbleweed

[MuddyMike]

The interview on Supercycling was a load of nonsense. 140 confirmed entries and he believed that there would be a late influx of SA pros as they tend to enter at the last minute. Really?? then he says the backer pulled out because they didn't share the same vision for the Munga? Really?? Might be a great endurance athlete and a guy full of integrity but not having your backer buy into the same vision for the event? If that's the truth Alex should stick to riding......

[SwissVan]

True. But with no chance of prize money, and questionable bragging rights, where's the motivation for non elite and non Pros to shell out $5k?

 

Edit - BTW, all of my events are non-stop, so that aspect doesn't really change much for me

 

Perhaps a good question for Earpie to ask Alex would be:

 

Why is the entry fee Dollar based and so high for locals, what type of participants are they targeting and expecting to enter at that price?

 

I can tell you that from my experience living in switz not many people would BE ABLE to enter at that price (keep in mind overseas competitors would have to pay for flights and accomodation in peak season).

[MuddyMike]

Oh yes and Alex said the prize money fund as proposed was not negotiable to any new corporate sponsor, so it seems like a take the Munga as originally proposed or leave it.

[walkerr]

It's clear the event interest is potentially there - otherwise we'd have taken our pizza and popcorn to another Hub thread. The Q is, can you fix the model for the event to an extent where that interest will turn into entries. Or does doing that completely break the concept of the event. I think we'll see the answer to that in 2015.

[SwissVan]

Another potential question:

 

How many entries (@ current price $10k) are required for the event to be held?

I.e. if they get a low amount of entries will it still go ahead or do they have to have "x" entries first?

[jcza]

Seems like there are plenty teams with R50k spare for a race entry as the Epic sells out in minutes every year. However, at R110k organisers are taking the piss.

 

Drop the price and limit the numbers to create the demand then you can increase the price.

 

Sadly at R110k this race will never see me.

[Wyatt Earp]

Seems like there are plenty teams with R50k spare for a race entry as the Epic sells out in minutes every year. However, at R110k organisers are taking the piss.

 

Drop the price and limit the numbers to create the demand then you can increase the price.

 

Sadly at R110k this race will never see me.

It's R 50 k for 8 days of "catered" riding versus R 50 k for "one sitting"

Epic is also achievable to most who train a little.

The Munga won't be finished by all and sundry .

[jcza]

It's R 50 k for 8 days of "catered" riding versus R 50 k for "one sitting"

Epic is also achievable to most who train a little.

The Munga won't be finished by all and sundry .

 

Even more reason why R110k is taking the piss. So instead of a "catered" event you will get a couple of water points.

 

The training and endurance required has nothing to do with the entry fee.

[Wyatt Earp]

Even more reason why R110k is taking the piss. So instead of a "catered" event you will get a couple of water points.

 

The training and endurance required has nothing to do with the entry fee.

Exactly and not sure where you made that correlation.

[jcza]

Exactly and not sure where you made that correlation.

 

Wyatt Earp, on 16 Oct 2014 - 09:49 AM, said:

.............

 

The Munga won't be finished by all and sundry .

[Shebeen]

my question.

 

Did the concept of a massive 'hybrid' - pro/am event work out as expected?

 

the big marketing side is the PRO with the huge money,

is the AM needed for the entries.

 

It's a big experiment indeed, could they have maybe gone for a smaller trial run or do they need to have the first as a massive event?

[walkerr]

Another Q:

 

Of the entries received, how many were women?

 

And, if that number was zero or low, was a mistake made in halving the target market before the event even started by not offering separate male and female prize pools?

 

Around 1000 riders started LEL in 2013, I think 8% of those were women. But of the 200 that dropped out, none of them were women. So although women endurance athletes may be fewer than men, they are arguably tougher.

 

Edit: oops 'halving' is clearly wrong, reducing the target market would be truer

Edited October 16, 2014 by walkerr

[LongDonkey]

I get the aspect of bragging rights. That is seen in how the Epic has progressed, both in stature and the obligatory entry fee rocketing each year. It is also clear that the average Epic Rider is just doing it to say he did it. Joe Shmo has 0.002% chance of winning, unless they are a Pro with plenty of training opportunities.

 

The Munga is a new race, unproven in logistics, sponsorship, routes, profile, fun, challenge, stature, entries, HUB support  , etc etc. The prize money is currently disproportionate. The entry fee as well. 

 

As has been mentioned in the thread earlier, the average Hubbers get the challenge aspect etc, i just don't get the manner in which the race has been promoted in a "blazing glory" manner into the MTB race program, or how the business model will work in the long run.

 

I would love to do the race, but there are other races that i can compete in for a lot less of the cost and still have a similar experience. As for the bragging rights, to my mind a lot of "bragging rights" are just an ego trip. It all depends on how you want to boast. 

 

Edit : minor details and format

Edited October 16, 2014 by Too tall

[Eldron]

R55K is crazy - I will never do the Epic again. That kind of money is definitely a "once in a life time" thing.

 

R55K buys a LOT of other races! On more than one continent!

 

R110K is just silly. Far to far out of the "normal" range.

 

The Epic built a reputation then upped the price - that works. You can't ask R110K for something that doesn't have cult status (yet).

[Trackz]

I wouldn't waste any questions on the economics, guarantees, etc. It's inconvenient and embarrassing enough to the Munga  team as it is and they have disclosed what they wanted to in their press release. Asking questions about the obvious will make your interview like Radio Jakaranda, they just repeat what's already in the public domain.

 

I spoke to Alex in the week after the launch and I was honest to say I'd love to take on the challenge but I can't justify nor afford the entry fee. I think their are many others like me, we'd love to give it a bash and have no interest in the prize money. If they charged a R10k entry fee just for bragging rights & the right to ride the route, they'll attract a significant volume of riders, the winners can take my R10k with pleasure. I just want the bragging rights to be able to say I've completed the Munga. Make it like Freedom, Munga provides 2 Cokes & a slice of cheese at 500km at the Gariep Spaza, other than that you're on your own, if you bail call your mom, if your bike breaks, call a buddy or weld the frame, etc.

 

My Q: Will they consider something like the above?

 

My parting message to Alex: Ignore the critics, we all hope he can make the Munga work and help establish SA as the MTB epicentre of the world! :-)