Munga MTB TwentyTwentyTwo

[SSCC]

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

I see 145x R28 900 = R4.2m entry fees revenue. Surely there is space in the budget for prizemoney? I really wonder if the demand is neverending for a sufferfest like this, although the cap is 150 they came very close to it here.

Prize money always came from a title sponsor which they lost. It does not really make sense for the organizers to dip into their cash reserves to come up with prize money. My guess is they lose less than a handful of entires with no prize purse. It really has almost zero effect on the numbers.  

[binxc]

26 minutes ago, SSCC said:

Prize money always came from a title sponsor which they lost. It does not really make sense for the organizers to dip into their cash reserves to come up with prize money. My guess is they lose less than a handful of entires with no prize purse. It really has almost zero effect on the numbers.  

Zero effect on numbers but disappointing for a dot-watcher hoping this would eventually get the international athletes racing here, given the race's initial ambitions. It's going to be tough to attract big names with the combination of high entry fees and no carrot, in an increasingly congested ultra endurance events market. The Rhino Run proved they are willing to come out for a Bragging Rights Challenge. But time marches on and sponsors just get harder to find; perhaps the Munga has reached its final form. Some incentive like credit for the next year's Munga branded events would be nice for the podium places though.

[SSCC]

28 minutes ago, binxc said:

It's going to be tough to attract big names with the combination of high entry fees and no carrot, in an increasingly congested ultra endurance events market. The Rhino Run proved they are willing to come out for a Bragging Rights Challenge.

Some incentive like credit for the next year's Munga branded events would be nice for the podium places though.

Good point about incentives. They really should offer free / discounted entry to the podium finishers for the next year.

We already know that internationals like Lachlan Morton, Lael Wilcox, Sofiane, Abdullah, Marco etc will race for no prize money. They don't need a carrot so why would a race organizer offer one?

[blondeonabike]

Hats off to anyone who has done and is going to attempt this event. Not for me!   I'll be dot watching for sure! 

[gemmerbal]

3 hours ago, Ozzie NL said:

Give that man a Bells..... you go mabooi... you only live once >>> make it count

Thanks dude! 

[Vetseun]

12 hours ago, blondeonabike said:

Hats off to anyone who has done and is going to attempt this event. Not for me!   I'll be dot watching for sure! 

Blondie that is why I have a crush on you. You are so humble.  This lady just gave the Freedom Challenge a hiding. She is a faaaaarking legend.

[Shebeen]

18 hours ago, SSCC said:

Prize money always came from a title sponsor which they lost. It does not really make sense for the organizers to dip into their cash reserves to come up with prize money. My guess is they lose less than a handful of entires with no prize purse. It really has almost zero effect on the numbers.  

ok. so by that logic if you have a sponsor for ambulances and they pull out, you no longer offer ambulances service or work it out within your budget? 

I don't win prize money often, the sort of races if i do end up on a podium it's a lucky draw type thanks, but this is supposed to be the TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH. It was built on the premise of a million (yes)dollars to the winners in 2014. 

 

sure that didn't work out, but the winners for the first race still had a massive purse (i think R200k to first over line in all three categories). While you think no prizemoney doesn't affect the entry numbers, the few people capable of winning it will think more than twice now before entering. This will reduce the prestige of the race big time IMHO.

 

 

 

[blondeonabike]

6 hours ago, Vetseun said:

Blondie that is why I have a crush on you. You are so humble.  This lady just gave the Freedom Challenge a hiding. She is a faaaaarking legend.

Thanks Vettie. It was really hard. Enough said! 

Are you keen fir another Munga?

[binxc]

18 hours ago, SSCC said:

Good point about incentives. They really should offer free / discounted entry to the podium finishers for the next year.

We already know that internationals like Lachlan Morton, Lael Wilcox, Sofiane, Abdullah, Marco etc will race for no prize money. They don't need a carrot so why would a race organizer offer one?

They don't need a carrot indeed but clearly something is lacking in the Munga currently to lure them in - it isn't a true unsupported race so it isn't by far considered the "toughest race on earth" and isn't challenging enough? Is it the time of year when a lot of these challengers are in rest season? Or is the high entry fee a deterrent (although the total costs of a self-supported race can easily exceed the entry of the Munga even though those events very often have nominal small entry fees)? Is the marketing just not that great? 

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

sure that didn't work out, but the winners for the first race still had a massive purse (i think R200k to first over line in all three categories). While you think no prizemoney doesn't affect the entry numbers, the few people capable of winning it will think more than twice now before entering. This will reduce the prestige of the race big time IMHO.

 

Think you hit the nail on the head there - the Munga will continue but instead of Lael vs Benky vs Sofiane, we are going to get an assortment of extremely tough and fit but otherwise unknown individuals. It will still be a worthwhile event for the entrants, and the bragging rights of crossing the line (especially under 72 hours) will always be respected and admired, but far from what the original marketing pointed at for this race. 

[SSCC]

5 hours ago, Shebeen said:

ok. so by that logic if you have a sponsor for ambulances and they pull out, you no longer offer ambulances service or work it out within your budget? 

 While you think no prizemoney doesn't affect the entry numbers, the few people capable of winning it will think more than twice now before entering. This will reduce the prestige of the race big time IMHO.

Ambulance, food, beds are all essential services paid for by the race organizers from the entry fees. They are not sponsored. Prize money was sponsored. 

Some people that don't do these events don't seem to understand that almost no one is doing it for the prize money. Dot watchers and forum members seem fixated on the money but it's pretty much irrelevant. None of the big self supported or supported ultras have prize money. Silk road, Atlas, FC, Tour Divide, RAAM, RAA, PBP, CTR....zero prize money. And yes some of the "free" events will cost you more to do than the Munga. So if you link prize money to prestige you really don't understand these types of races or the people that do them. 

[gemmerbal]

2 hours ago, SSCC said:

Ambulance, food, beds are all essential services paid for by the race organizers from the entry fees. They are not sponsored. Prize money was sponsored. 

Some people that don't do these events don't seem to understand that almost no one is doing it for the prize money. Dot watchers and forum members seem fixated on the money but it's pretty much irrelevant. None of the big self supported or supported ultras have prize money. Silk road, Atlas, FC, Tour Divide, RAAM, RAA, PBP, CTR....zero prize money. And yes some of the "free" events will cost you more to do than the Munga. So if you link prize money to prestige you really don't understand these types of races or the people that do them. 

Couldn't agree more. 

[Shebeen]

19 hours ago, SSCC said:

Ambulance, food, beds are all essential services paid for by the race organizers from the entry fees. They are not sponsored. Prize money was sponsored. 

Some people that don't do these events don't seem to understand that almost no one is doing it for the prize money. Dot watchers and forum members seem fixated on the money but it's pretty much irrelevant. None of the big self supported or supported ultras have prize money. Silk road, Atlas, FC, Tour Divide, RAAM, RAA, PBP, CTR....zero prize money. And yes some of the "free" events will cost you more to do than the Munga. So if you link prize money to prestige you really don't understand these types of races or the people that do them. 

cool. Sorry for touching you on your studio. Apologies for not understanding these sort of races you talk about.

I am very keen to see your reasoning behind saying that a "free" race can cost you more than the Munga. Feel free to back that up with your own or other's real life experience.

 

It looks like not many of the podium/prize winners from last year are returning to race. Maybe just a co-incidence. Benky sure isn't there, although he did just finish one of those "free" races.

https://www.news24.com/life/cycling/the-munga-is-sas-toughest-race-and-the-winner-gets-r220k-20211213-2

[dave303e]

Honestly - it is a free market, they can charge whatever they want. You can also not enter if you don't want to. 

I have been bugged by this whole thing for many years. I am slowly coming to terms with it.

Doesn't mean it is a bad event. Just means it may not be the right event for you.

For a lot the distance alone is the major challenge and it is convenient, gives good bragging rights locally and it is a known entity. Lets be real prize money is only really relevant to people who are probably getting sponsored entries anyway.

For the enthusiasts with limited budgets thankfully there are many many options. Again free market.

[gemmerbal]

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

cool. Sorry for touching you on your studio. Apologies for not understanding these sort of races you talk about.

I am very keen to see your reasoning behind saying that a "free" race can cost you more than the Munga. Feel free to back that up with your own or other's real life experience.

 

It looks like not many of the podium/prize winners from last year are returning to race. Maybe just a co-incidence. Benky sure isn't there, although he did just finish one of those "free" races.

https://www.news24.com/life/cycling/the-munga-is-sas-toughest-race-and-the-winner-gets-r220k-20211213-2

The point @SSCC is trying to make (I think) and thus the point I am agreeing with is that ±90% of the entrants are paying for the Munga experience, which is unique in its own way, just like the Epic/RAM/TD/SRM is unique in its own way at whatever their respective price points are. The topic of race entry fees has been exhausted on the other thread and it is unfortunate that this thread seems to be going in a similar direction in stead of discussing who's taking part, why are they taking part, what's their training been like, what are their target times, strategies, how much are they k@kking themselves in nervous anticipation etc etc etc.

The fact that theres no international superstars in the field, well thats for the Munga organisers to solve. The remaining ±90% of which I am 1, dont care either way. There's ±1100km between me and success and that's all I care about.

I can also point out that because I approached the organisers with my fundraising campaign with the SPCA, they offered me 25% discount on my entry fee which I am paying out of my own pocket. Even so, I saved up for 2 yrs to do this event. For me the Munga is the closest I will ever get to doing something like the Dakar which has been a lifelong ambition. You dont hear okes doing the Malle Moto complaining about the entry fees, they do it for the stories they can tell their buddies around a camp fire and for that prized medal at the end which they had to earn through blood, sweat and tears.

Sure, on paper Munga might not be the "Toughest Race on Earth", but its going to be the toughest thing I've ever taken on. And I can live with that every day of the week and thrice on Sundays.

Edited November 17, 2022 by gemmerbal

[ChrisF]

7 minutes ago, gemmerbal said:

The point @SSCC is trying to make (I think) and thus the point I am agreeing with is that ±90% of the entrants are paying for the Munga experience, which is unique in its own way, just like the Epic/RAM/TD/SRM is unique in its own way at whatever their respective price points are. The topic of race entry fees has been exhausted on the other thread and it is unfortunate that this thread seems to be going in a similar direction in stead of discussing who's taking part, why are they taking part, what's their training been like, what are their target times, strategies, how much are they k@kking themselves in nervous anticipation etc etc etc.

The fact that theres no international superstars in the field, well thats for the Munga organisers to solve. The remaining ±90% of which I am 1, dont care either way. There's ±1100km between me and success and that's all I care about.

I can also point out that because I approached the organisers with my fundraising campaign with the SPCA, they offered me 25% discount on my entry fee which I am paying out of my own pocket. Even so, I saved up for 2 yrs to do this event. For me the Munga is the closest I will ever get to doing something like the Dakar which has been a lifelong ambition. You dont hear okes doing the Malle Moto complaining about the entry fees, they do it for the stories they can tell their buddies around a camp fire and for that prized medal at the end which they had to earn through blood, sweat and tears.

Sure, on paper Munga might not be the "Toughest Race on Earth", but its going to be the toughest thing I've ever taken on. And I can live with that every day of the week and thrice on Sundays.

 

BEST wishes for your ride 👍

 

Riders like

@Benky make these endurance events look easy - RESPECT to them.

 

 

For mere mortals .... this must be such a mountain to climb.

 

Gemmerbal I hope you have a stunning event, worthy of your bucket list.

[gemmerbal]

Just now, ChrisF said:

 

BEST wishes for your ride 👍

 

Riders like

@Benky make these endurance events look easy - RESPECT to them.

 

 

For mere mortals .... this must be such a mountain to climb.

 

Gemmerbal I hope you have a stunning event, worthy of your bucket list.

Thanks @ChrisF, much appreciated. Agreed, Benkie and those guys are on the next level!