ROAG!!! At last something good is happening.

[Madala]

Hi

 

I just received the latest Newsletter from Sani2C and am pleased to see that at last something is being done about seeding for mountain bike events (and a whole lot more). Take a look at the ROAG website. www.roag.co.za

 

ROAG stands for Race Organisers Admin Group and they have taken the initiative and set up what appears to be an independant group to take care of race admin covering entries/results/seeding etc. Great news and something that has been sorely lacking for a long time. In my view this is exactly what CSA should have been providing since the imposition of their chaotic "Licensing System" four or five years ago.

 

You can also join the "ROAG club" for free and will then be eligible to apply for a license through them.

 

Each year CSA have told us that if we do not have a license then you will not be seeded. Truth is I have had a license every year since the start and have yet to see an event seeded by CSA or inded any sort of seeding index system in place. Lots of promises but zero action.

 

Well done to the driving force behind this initiative and lets just hope that the "authorities" don't find a way to kill it.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

[wannabearacer]

great news thanks for the info!!!!

[nathrix]

 

Will be even beter if ROAG could use https when a person register on the site.

[Roux 1]

Great initiative joint yesterday

 

>>>>>>>>

[Slave]

Is ROAG just another bunch of Rogues?

[splat]

What do they actually use for the seeding for Sani?

Do they go and look at my winning time results?

[BrettAS]

From what i have heard, this is more than just a seeding website. they plan on making this information available to all events that need data, not just mountain biking. might stop all the hassles we have with results. look at the latest fiasco with Barberton.

[TimW]

Hi all ... I am one of the people involved.

 

Firstly, no we are not rogues (well, I believe we are not), but more importantly ... seeding is done on recent (currently the past year) mountain biking results and in time as we build our data base of race results will become more accurate and more representative.

 

Everybody involved is a mountain biker with a passion for the sport. Most of us are race organisers (hence R(ace) O(rganisers) A(dmin) G(roup)) representing Eston, Karkloof, Hill 2 Hill and Berg and Bush as well as about 10 other races in KZN. We got together originally with a plan to make our lives easier by sharing information and creating an accurate data base of riders to do away with the need for riders to repeatedly fill in entry details (how many times have you filled in your Medical Aid and number, and contact details, and emergency contact details etc etc etc). Once we have it and it is verified the data is secure and, most importantly, accurate, so a balding 60-year-old man is not going to win the prize for the sub-junior girls division because he filled in the incorrect bate of birth and sex (it has happened, repeatedly).

 

If the race you enter is linked to ROAG you simply enter your number and all your details are available to that race organiser. Nobody else has access to your details, other than race organisers of event you have entered.

 

Any other questions, I will try and monitor the forum and answer.

 

The club is simply a way of allowing those riders who do not believe in joining a club to get a CSA licence. Everything to do with ROAG (registering and joining the club) is free, however you still have to pay any applicable CSA fees if you want to join them.

  

 

 

[splat]

Hi TimW

 

Thanks for telling us about ROAG.

 

Having done no mtb races, will you use road results to calculate my seeding?

 

Thanks,

Splat

[TimW]

As things stand at the moment, for mountain biking events probably not. It is soooo difficult to equate road performance with real cycl ... I mean mountain biking. The skills for road (being able to follow a white line) and mountain biking (really being able to ride a bicycle) are so different.

 

Seriously (and before all the roadies attack me) there is a meeting tomorrow and that issue is on the agenda.

 

In time we are hoping to be able to include a road seeding into the system as well as involving other sports (road running, canoeing, multisports etc etc). If the system works as we envisage then there is no reason why it cannot become workable for a host of other sports.

 

 

[splat]

It is soooo difficult to equate road performance with real cycl ... I mean mountain biking.

The skills for road (being able to follow a white line) and mountain biking (really being able to ride a bicycle) are so different.

 

 

I agree with that, hence the question.

I dont see a straight forward way of equating my Argus time to a 3 day mtb race seeding.

 

It will be interesting to see what you decide.

 

Good luck

[shrubber]

Joined the ROAG club last week and bought my CSA licence through them. Extremely hassle-free with good e-mail comunication......what a pleasure for those of us in the sticks.

 

Just waiting for the kit to be made available! Make it good guys.....