SA Champs - Ladies Vets and Men 50+

[bubblesm]

So now that most riders had a chance to compete in what was supposed to be the most prestigous event of the year, the Ladies Vets and 50+ men still had no chance to compete or prove themself. What do we do next, surely this cannot just be left alone? It is not only about the fact that we would like to compete for the SA National title, but also the money that came out of the athletes' pockets to attend this event.

 

Any ideas or suggestions?

[Big J-WP]

Just wait the SH!T is going to hit the fan tomorrow night on Supercycling thats for sure.

 

This is totally Bull and the cyclists that could not compete need to be compensated with the total value that was spend over the week in PE. Race fees accomodation and time of work that they had to take. Never mind the months of training that took place.

 

The organisers had a chance to move the event in the last days of preperation or a day before (not sure) and they refused so they are totally in the wrong and need to prove them selves and pay up. It was not the traffic departments fault or whoever they want to pass the buck to.

Edited February 7, 2011 by Big J-WP

[gummibear]

I would see a good civil lawyer and have a chat to him and see where to go from there.Maybe you and some fellow racers can take it on in a group claim.

[splat]

It's unacceptable!

 

Yet it seems that no one person/body is responsible or can he held directly accountable.

[SwissVan]

It's unacceptable!

 

Yet it seems that no one person/body is responsible or can he held directly accountable.

 

What was the reason for this debacle, I dont recall there being a huricane, cyclone, earthquake or simlar act of God in the that region recently?

[Tankman]

Just wait the SH!T is going to hit the fan tomorrow night on Supercycling thats for sure.

 

Please man, those softies on Supercyling does not have Ruda Landman skills, they will pussyfoot around all the difficult questions and have us see all the "positives"

[Big G]

I did not go and ride but what i have heard is just not acceptable by any means.

C S A needs to be accountable and step up to the plate. We pay our license and

entry fees and because we are the older generation are laughed off. When it comes

to the S A National events we should be accommodated as well as any of the other competitive

groups. If they cannot handle the amount of entries then i suggest that they move the Ladies and

50 + and up to another date. Maybe the Masters event that takes place in Parys(just a suggestion),

but it would make sence to not try and cram everything into one weekend and have the problem of tryig

to close off roads in a city for almost an entire week. Yes if you held S A's a weekend apart it

would mean some families would need to travel twice or just put in for a weeks leave. Then C S A would

complain about the logistics for them as far as officials are concerned. The same would apply or they

would need to make provision for that. Afterall we pay all the necessary fees to be able to race!!!!!!

Edited February 7, 2011 by Big G

[Mellow]

I would see a good civil lawyer and have a chat to him and see where to go from there.Maybe you and some fellow racers can take it on in a group claim.

yes, civil claim i would say. get a lekka group together. alot of the 50+'s has got some cash and good lawyers. just to get a list of them all.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

What actually happened, did they forget about the Ladies vets and 50+ men, run out of time, decided it was too dangerous........surely you were given a reason as to why your event did not take place.?

[sptlsb1]

At the end in the ladies Vets category, it's about only 4 people participating in the road race, so, is it worthwile to have the race?

 

Why not work on a point system based on certain races? This, as per your time results, you are allocated a seeding point. At the end of the year, according to this, get a invitation and ensuring that more than 4 cyclist will compete.

 

Will make it a fair race and more cyclist in the age category will participate.

Edited February 7, 2011 by sptlsb1

[Puxi]

I can tell you what will happen on Supercycling....

 

CSA will blame everyone else they can and the supercycling team will just take it as that!

 

CSA should take responsibilty it is no-one else's fault but there's. It is there event, not PE's. Yes PE may of let them down a bit but they should of ensure all was in place for the event.

 

Shane who is from PE and help CSA warned them that THEIR route would not work as it was in the CBD and was closing off a whole neighbourhood, but they said it was fine and they CSA would organise everything with the city and traffic police....it did not happen so who did they blame CSA.

 

The CSA CEO was not even in PE and flew in because of the crisis....for $$$$ sacks he should be there it is there event!!!!!

[bubblesm]

The event was cancelled because there were too many incidents with cyclists and cars involved, and too many close calls. Apparently metro was supposed to close the road, which they did for two laps on Friday morning when the Vet men raced, and then stopped doing.

 

We were 13 people in the 30 - 39 group that would have raced, not only four. Seeing that we aren't part of any teams, I don't like the idea of using a points system in races, since then you are relying on the Vets ladies ability to stick on the men's wheels, instead of testing ladies against ladies in the same age category. How is it that because we are not pro elites who race for a living, but rather give up 90% of our free time outside of our jobs to work hard on a passion that we all love, we are now considered "not important enough" to have our own race at an SA Champs level? I don't think that is fair? Or are us old timers (of which some only blossomed into racing from the older age of 30) cannot have a platform to be competitive as well?

 

Can I ask that the Vets ladies and 50+ who read this please message me privately - we can see if we can get something done as a group?

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The event was cancelled because there were too many incidents with cyclists and cars involved, and too many close calls. Apparently metro was supposed to close the road, which they did for two laps on Friday morning when the Vet men raced, and then stopped doing.

 

We were 13 people in the 30 - 39 group that would have raced, not only four.

 

So in other words, they told you it was a safety issue.?

 

I dont know if you pay an entrance fee or some other fee to ride at this kind of event, but if you did, you may be able to recover that money, after all they did not deliver on their side, if you dont pay any entrance fee, to be honest, I dont think there is much you can do except make as much noise as you feel comfortable with, its unlikely you could recover expenses, its a bit like going to the movies, paying for your ticket and as you sit down they say " Sorry, movie cancelled due to the projectors noxious fumes which could endanger your health" - they will refund your movie ticket, but not your travelling costs to get there.

[Big J-WP]

So in other words, they told you it was a safety issue.?

 

I dont know if you pay an entrance fee or some other fee to ride at this kind of event, but if you did, you may be able to recover that money, after all they did not deliver on their side, if you dont pay any entrance fee, to be honest, I dont think there is much you can do except make as much noise as you feel comfortable with, its unlikely you could recover expenses, its a bit like going to the movies, paying for your ticket and as you sit down they say " Sorry, movie cancelled due to the projectors noxious fumes which could endanger your health" - they will refund your movie ticket, but not your travelling costs to get there.

 

Its not like you have to take five days unpaid leave and pay for five days accomodation to go and watch a movie.

[Java001]

As PE cyclist, let me share a few facts, opinions and rumours with fellow hubbers – please note that I am not involved in ECC or with CSA.

Not many of us REALLY knew how and why East Cape Cycling ECC (incorporating Eastern Cape Cycling & Border Cycling) became the host of the SA’s. Rumour has it that they claimed to have been the first to have made a deposit of a few R million to CSA – a lot of the other provinces seem to think this never happened?

Government has never made big funding available for cycling, so most licensed riders know that CSA serve the political transformation agenda – it takes from cyclists to give to 20 million non-cyclists hoping that 200 will become cyclists.

I think this is called “taking cycling to the people” or is it “taking from cycling people”? Think also of the upcoming Cell C Tour that will ignore good cycling roads and do potholed township routes around PE.

 

The Eastern Cape as poorest province is the political home of the ruling party; add to this a few people involved with ECC and CSA that want to and have perhaps already laid their grubby paws on LOTTO developmunt funding ……………

 

ECC are hampered by a chronic lack of funds, resources and manpower. Club involvement of its approx 26 clubs is minimal and at a recent AGM almost no Clubs even attended. This is well known to CSA – the 2010 ECC President currently works for CSA?

 

As alluded to by an earlier post/thread, ECC and it’s 2011 President elect Shane Bradfield, DID NOT choose the SA route – ECC recommended to CSA the usual quite safe cycling routes on the outskirts of PE that is used for most local races as well as The Herald & Engen races e.g. Greenbushes, Seaview, Maitlands, van Stadens etc.

 

CSA decided that they needed to take cycling “to the people” so insisted on a route through Humewood/Central/Walmer/Summerstrand and this was later amended to Humewood/Central/ Walmer with the Summerstrand section being regarded as “dangerous”. Had CSA perhaps bothered to obtain input from local clubs and riders, they would have realised that neither the original nor the amended route was safe unless there was going to be 100% full road closure.

 

They would also have been told that full or even partial road closure at the Beachfront and suburbs would be almost impossible to achieve during weekdays (even if CSA were able to spend R 350 000 to R 1 mill to pay the Metro for full road closure). With most of the championships being held when people were at work, there would be few if any spectators along the route. Add to this that marshals consisted of untrained pdi’s with bibs and flags, who in a few instances were seen to fall asleep on the job, and things were always going to get messy.

 

CSA preach rider safety, because that is the politically correct thing to, but rider safety was NOT their main priority when the route was chosen; to justify the amended route they later issued a statement that read “The safety of cyclists is the one thing the board of Cycling South Africa (CSA) will never ever compromise on even if it means upsetting a lot cyclists and spectators”.

 

I saw most of the road events on the Thursday and Friday – NOT a single event could be regarded as safe, by even the wildest stretch of the imagination. That there were no fatalities was quite amazing.

 

Many competitors simply pulled off due to safety concerns and close calls with cars and taxis on the route. In order to avoid accidents many cyclists had to come to complete stops at many places on the route, which effectively ended their race as they were pulled off by the officials if their lap times were more than 10% in excess of the leading riders.

 

The agony and embarrassment ended on Saturday afternoon when all was done and dusted and many wildly irate competitors started their return journeys home.

 

A few hours later at 6.00 am on Sunday morning The Volkswagen Herald Cycle race started and when prize giving started at 1.00 pm, it was evident that this event had gone off with relatively few glitches. What was different ? With only a few changes, the organisers and race director were the same ECC people that were involved with the SA’s. Big difference was proper road closure where needed and although the routes all started and ended at the Beachfront, it utilised established routes in Walmer, Seaview, Greenbushes, Maitlands areas BECAUSE THE SAFETY AND NEEDS OF THE CYCLISTS motivated the choices, NOT some inappropriate and misguided CSA ideas.

[bubblesm]

Its not like you have to take five days unpaid leave and pay for five days accomodation to go and watch a movie.

 

Agreed, I had to do the same, as well as my husband who came to support me. You also don't have to fork out a huge amount for a TT bike when you go watch a movie...