2022 Virgin Active Ride Joburg

[Frosty]

Another alternative, based on discussions I've had with Gauteng Cycling is to buy a timing system and "rent it" to the races until it's paid for. Then it belongs to the cyclists, and race entries can be reduced. It wasn't my idea, but a conversation I had with a few people. Obviously the people doing the timing need to be paid, just like the Officials get paid, and certain marshals, and traffic officials, bike marshals, etc.

The only problem would be to ensure it's kept up to date, and maintained. 

BTW, CyclingSA were, at a point in time, looking to buy a timing system that works on overhead cameras. It wasn't expensive, relatively speaking, but nothing came of that.

[TheoG]

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[edgarblount]

39 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

Not anymore, that stopped when 94.7 dropped Racetec

 

37 minutes ago, Spinnekop said:

I think there are only a handful (2-3) races in Gauteng that still uses Racetech?
I race Rooiwal in the North of Pretoria once a year to keep up the seeding should I win the lotto and wish to go ride the August in March.

You telling me I cried like a little girl up Jan Smuts for nothing?? My sole reason for riding 94.7 is to get some sorta seeding for CTCT, Ag nee man mense, what is wrong with road racing in this country?

Yes, I should've looked on the CTCT site what qualifies as seeding races. Ah well, still enjoyed the race and got the kilometers in the legs.

 

[Ads]

1 hour ago, Frosty said:

You can only consolidate to 3 numbers (UCI rules); two numbers on your shirt and the frame number.

Allmost all or all the pros had 4 numbers. 2 on the bike 2 on the jersey. Should the race referees interfere or not? 

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, Ads said:

Allmost all or all the pros had 4 numbers. 2 on the bike 2 on the jersey. Should the race referees interfere or not? 

The frame number they issued matched the bib number, but wasn’t a timing board. No chip, no time, no result, meant they also had to ride with the timing board.

The problem came when we (my club) organised our race using the same timing boards. We asked if it was okay to have a different frame number to the bib number. The answer was yes.

Last year 947 handed out the board and bib number, which matched, so no need for a 4th paperweight. A year goes by and seeding changes (or messed up) and now people don’t have the matching numbers.

To answer your question: It made the officials job harder trying to match/identify riders, hence the additional frame number. A permanent number for the year would eliminate this problem, but an organization stuck in the last century won’t allow it. Sock height and bike weight are more important.

Pay for the first number, then swap it out for a new one when changing categories otherwise keep it for the time one is in the same category.
 

Fun riders don’t need to change it; they can keep it for life. Yesterday I rode with bib number 25xxx in a group that had 11xxx with timing board number 10xxx; made no difference to anyone.

[NicholasT]

2 hours ago, edgarblount said:

 

You telling me I cried like a little girl up Jan Smuts for nothing?? My sole reason for riding 94.7 is to get some sorta seeding for CTCT, Ag nee man mense, what is wrong with road racing in this country?

Yes, I should've looked on the CTCT site what qualifies as seeding races. Ah well, still enjoyed the race and got the kilometers in the legs.

 

The Fast One at the end of January also counts for CTCT seeding. 

[Pawul]

2 points

1. I saw a few parking guards hang on to cars as they were still driving, holding on to the window or roof. One guard tried to get a small picanto car to drive up a steep sidewalk, so desperate to grab a tip.

2. I wonder if race organsisers read these posts and comments to reflect, reply and improve.

What is the rule with regards to E-bikes in a race such as 947? Did they enter as an E-bike and their results will always reflect as such not to mess up seedings for the rest. I saw many old toppies crusing past at insane speeds uphill. 

947 messed up my seeding horribly. was given 08am start time but with solid history of +31kmh  races. Was a hustle to navigate through the waves.

[Ian-Kilwa]

Yip a total mess: 94.7 just don’t learn 

[Werner3662]

2 hours ago, NicholasT said:

The Fast One at the end of January also counts for CTCT seeding. 

We also drove From the flat Free State only to realize the 947 is not a seedling event anymore for CTCT.

Suffered up the hills all alone due to bad seeding. 

Rediculous to think you are sitting with about 6 to 8 different seeding boards chips between all the companies for road and mtb, I do not mind buying them, but please have a central database for seeding. 

Remarks about seeding… Sentiment is uniform. CSA need to find a solution.

[Ads]

11 hours ago, Frosty said:

The frame number they issued matched the bib number, but wasn’t a timing board. No chip, no time, no result, meant they also had to ride with the timing board.

The problem came when we (my club) organised our race using the same timing boards. We asked if it was okay to have a different frame number to the bib number. The answer was yes.

Last year 947 handed out the board and bib number, which matched, so no need for a 4th paperweight. A year goes by and seeding changes (or messed up) and now people don’t have the matching numbers.

To answer your question: It made the officials job harder trying to match/identify riders, hence the additional frame number. A permanent number for the year would eliminate this problem, but an organization stuck in the last century won’t allow it. Sock height and bike weight are more important.

Pay for the first number, then swap it out for a new one when changing categories otherwise keep it for the time one is in the same category.
 

Fun riders don’t need to change it; they can keep it for life. Yesterday I rode with bib number 25xxx in a group that had 11xxx with timing board number 10xxx; made no difference to anyone.

Yes I agree with "stuck in the 20th Century". My daughter was in the u/23 Elite bunch, frame and bib number 725 x 2 but no timing board on which was my fault. I thought why would she need two frame numbers and left last year's board at home. She could not ride last year due to exams, so this year was here first. Because of my logic she has no results. At this stage I am not the most likable person on earth but thanks to Strava she has the proof of riding.

[Jase619]

13 hours ago, NicholasT said:

The Fast One at the end of January also counts for CTCT seeding. 

And a leka race at that! Always one to look forward too.

[edgarblount]

13 hours ago, NicholasT said:

The Fast One at the end of January also counts for CTCT seeding. 

Ah fenks. Didn't see it on the CTCT site as a seeded race but will go and ride it anyhow.

[Jase619]

16 hours ago, Spinnekop said:

They should be forced [for the lack of a better word] to sell their "seeding data" to the ORGANISER.  The organiser pays them for the services which includes the RESULTS.
The results then gets sent to "The Central Cycling Database" by the ORGANISER.  Timing Co. can still make their pound of flesh.

But......looking at the dwindling numbers in road racing in SA..........
I doubt if we will see anything happen soon.  I think it is a dying sport in SA.
Very sad state of affairs........

Careful, another South African has recently claimed something is "dying", didn't turn out to well for her. . . . .

[Jase619]

2 minutes ago, edgarblount said:

Ah fenks. Didn't see it on the CTCT site as a seeded race but will go and ride it anyhow.

It goes on Racetec, so while it may not show as an "official" seeding event, it still will count towards seeding.

[TheoG]

Did anyone manage to find some photos?  I know for a fact I was snapped a number of times and had the number stuck where they wanted it, and yet the site find zero results .... ☹️🙈

It was my first road race ever and would like to have some nice picthas 🤪

[Frosty]

8 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Did anyone manage to find some photos?  I know for a fact I was snapped a number of times and had the number stuck where they wanted it, and yet the site find zero results .... ☹️🙈

It was my first road race ever and would like to have some nice picthas 🤪

ActionPhoto - https://www.actionphotosa.com/find_photos.php

It will take a while to get everyone's photos up; usually about a week.