What happened to the PPA Sportifs?

[Sbloomer]

What happened to the Pedal Power Sportifs?

 

It seems they are no longer being done.  One was "postponed" last year but never happened and then there is nothing on this year's calendar.

 

Too little interest from the cycling community?  Too expensive?

 

 

[Wannabe]

What happened to the Pedal Power Sportifs?

 

It seems they are no longer being done.  One was "postponed" last year but never happened and then there is nothing on this year's calendar.

 

Too little interest from the cycling community?  Too expensive? Nail, Hammer, Head.

[Bankie99]

There was 2 Sportif's in December and both were pretty well supported and with the busy race schedule over Jan/Feb/March i dont see any point in them putting on a Sportif for the next 2 - 3 months.

 

I am pretty sure that they will start with Sportif's again from April when fun rides season comes to an abrupt end after Fun ride World Champs aka the Argus.

[Skubarra]

Reading into the CEO's comments on the letter I'm sure the sportifs are gone

 

 It is quite interesting to see that we are retaining a greater percentage of members in Gauteng than in our home province, the Western Cape. Where we have events, we are seeing a decline in membership and where we don’t have a presence, we are seeing our membership holding steady. It seems like cyclists are still riding, but doing less “racing”, which seems to be supported by the decline in event participation across the country. Are cyclists looking to the PPA for its advocacy work around road safety and infrastructure, rather than just organising events?
 
The PPA has always been good at organising events and will continue to do so, albeit focusing on quality rather than loads of events, just for the sake of filling gaps in the calendar. With the DC coming back next year, it will require a lot of forward planning and time to focus on presenting the same, top-class event, that riders have come to expect.

 

With PPA taking over the organising of the SCT & DC from the Cycle Tour trust I think their appetite for the Sportifs are less, also afaik the sportif's never attracted real sponsors which would put a burden on the PPA even if the numbers were ok.

 

If you rode in A - C bunch, even D&E  and are not too hung up on water tables & medals consider supporting the WP Cycling league races coming up after the CTCT , they are great fun.

[Mamil]

I can just about hold on in F. Would I die at WP event?

 

Reading into the CEO's comments on the letter I'm sure the sportifs are gone

 

It is quite interesting to see that we are retaining a greater percentage of members in Gauteng than in our home province, the Western Cape. Where we have events, we are seeing a decline in membership and where we don’t have a presence, we are seeing our membership holding steady. It seems like cyclists are still riding, but doing less “racing”, which seems to be supported by the decline in event participation across the country. Are cyclists looking to the PPA for its advocacy work around road safety and infrastructure, rather than just organising events?

The PPA has always been good at organising events and will continue to do so, albeit focusing on quality rather than loads of events, just for the sake of filling gaps in the calendar. With the DC coming back next year, it will require a lot of forward planning and time to focus on presenting the same, top-class event, that riders have come to expect.

 

With PPA taking over the organising of the SCT & DC from the Cycle Tour trust I think their appetite for the Sportifs are less, also afaik the sportif's never attracted real sponsors which would put a burden on the PPA even if the numbers were ok.

 

If you rode in A - C bunch, even D&E and are not too hung up on water tables & medals consider supporting the WP Cycling league races coming up after the CTCT , they are great fun.

[Skubarra]

I can just about hold on in F. Would I die at WP event?

 

 

You might very well be able to hold on to Cat 3. If you are worried that you are too slow I suggest try one of the circuit events first, it's usually a number of laps around a circuit of a few kilometers. Usually there aren't big climbs. If you find you can't hold on it's only a few minutes back to your car as opposed to a 80km solo TT.

[Karman de Lange]

Cost Break even  was about 400 riders i believe, most events made a loss as far i heard, so not continuing..

 

[Mamil]

Cool. When do they begin?

 

You might very well be able to hold on to Cat 3. If you are worried that you are too slow I suggest try one of the circuit events first, it's usually a number of laps around a circuit of a few kilometers. Usually there aren't big climbs. If you find you can't hold on it's only a few minutes back to your car as opposed to a 80km solo TT.

[thisismyotherbike]

I can just about hold on in F. Would I die at WP event?

 

 

If you can hold on in F you will have a ball in Cat 3, promise.

 

I did two WP winter league races and thoroughly enjoyed them.  Yes the routes are repetitive but the racing was great.  Also very cheap.  Will try to do more this year.

[Icycling]

Reading into the CEO's comments on the letter I'm sure the sportifs are gone

 

 It is quite interesting to see that we are retaining a greater percentage of members in Gauteng than in our home province, the Western Cape. Where we have events, we are seeing a decline in membership and where we don’t have a presence, we are seeing our membership holding steady. It seems like cyclists are still riding, but doing less “racing”, which seems to be supported by the decline in event participation across the country. Are cyclists looking to the PPA for its advocacy work around road safety and infrastructure, rather than just organising events?

 

The PPA has always been good at organising events and will continue to do so, albeit focusing on quality rather than loads of events, just for the sake of filling gaps in the calendar. With the DC coming back next year, it will require a lot of forward planning and time to focus on presenting the same, top-class event, that riders have come to expect.

 

With PPA taking over the organising of the SCT & DC from the Cycle Tour trust I think their appetite for the Sportifs are less, also afaik the sportif's never attracted real sponsors which would put a burden on the PPA even if the numbers were ok.

 

If you rode in A - C bunch, even D&E  and are not too hung up on water tables & medals consider supporting the WP Cycling league races coming up after the CTCT , they are great fun.

I don't know if I haven ever seen such a false sentiment in a statement before.

 

Consistence is what makes people go to events - not to mention the statement that the last few were quite well supported. If one year events are happening the next year they are not people lose interest. Double blow is no Road funride ( I have yet to understand the name change to sportif) in the southern sub.

 

I am a firm a believer with the reduced number of road funride in the season has had an impact on the Cape Town cycle entries - no supersize that the Cycle tour entries are also then dropping.

 

With regard to the Cycle tour I been informed by a reliable source that the average age have gone up by 10 years in the last 10 years. Ten years ago the average age was 37 and its 47. Is it co-incidence that the last Giro del Capo also happened 10 years ago - all was this what attracted a younger cyclists to participant in the sport?

Edited January 15, 2020 by Icycling

[Karman de Lange]

Cool. When do they begin?

 

 

State secret

 

Subscribe to there newsletter, best place to get updates.  I'm trying to find a list .. hopefully someone else have something?

[milky4130]

Cool. When do they begin?

 

 

Filter on Road Races in the Western Cape, the events here have not be loaded on the WPCycling Website but this is pretty much it. Entries usually open 1-2 weeks before the event is scheduled to happen.

https://community.bikehub.co.za/events/upcoming/

[milky4130]

State secret

 

Subscribe to there newsletter, best place to get updates.  I'm trying to find a list .. hopefully someone else have something?

No its not a secret, to me it feels like you are being negative (this post and over in the sportif #7 thread) if I'm reading it wrong then I apologize. The events are listed in the calendar on the bikehub. WP Cycling is run by volunteers, give them a break too. First event is months away, I'm sure they'll update site in the coming weeks and send out a newsletter too.

[Karman de Lange]

No its not a secret, to me it feels like you are being negative (this post and over in the sportif #7 thread) if I'm reading it wrong then I apologize. The events are listed in the calendar on the bikehub. WP Cycling is run by volunteers, give them a break too. First event is months away, I'm sure they'll update site in the coming weeks and send out a newsletter too.

 

No, not negative at all ..  its just REALLY difficult to find any info from their website.  The newsletters are very good and all info is on there, so not sure why they don't maybe have the newsletters published on site or just share it onto there social media accounts.   

 

 

Regarding volunteering:  We had saying at NSRI , only part of volunteering is joining, then its job and you do as your told.  But then again, there you could not stuff around, lives depended on it.

[milky4130]

No, not negative at all ..  its just REALLY difficult to find any info from their website.  The newsletters are very good and all info is on there, so not sure why they don't maybe have the newsletters published on site or just share it onto there social media accounts.   

 

 

Regarding volunteering:  We had saying at NSRI , only part of volunteering is joining, then its job and you do as your told.  But then again, there you could not stuff around, lives depended on it.

ok cool, understood that it can be a bit daunting for newcomers to the road league, we that have been doing it for +5 years know the drill already and that is why i requested all events be listed here and so will attract more riders.

[Mamil]

And you enter on the wp website?

 

Oh and timing chips? Which ones are used?

 

Filter on Road Races in the Western Cape, the events here have not be loaded on the WPCycling Website but this is pretty much it. Entries usually open 1-2 weeks before the event is scheduled to happen.

https://community.bikehub.co.za/events/upcoming/

Edited January 16, 2020 by Mamil