Time Trail Series

[Paul]

SORBA-CSRA is thinking about sponsoring a time trail series this Spring. This is only in the initial planning stages. We are doing this to have more mountain bike events in the area. Because there are a lot of local people training for the Baker’s Dozen, we could have the time trail series in March. We could have different categories, give prizes to the lower categories and cash to the upper categories………or give cash to all categories. We could charge somewhere around $5 or $10 per rider and payback 90% to the top 3 or 4 places. We are thinking about using the Canal Singletrack for the first event. If we get a good turnout & everybody has fun, then we could have another series at another trail.

What I want to know is what do you think? What kind of format do you want? Do you want prizes or cash? How much do you want to pay? Run the series for 1 day, 1 lap or over 2 days for fastest lap each day. What do you want?

[seenvic]

How much does the insurance cost? I would think that the entry could be the cost of insurance per rider plus $5.

A series implies more than one event. Prizes could be based on individual events, or over the whole series. Whatever the prizes are (cash or swag), I would want to see SORBA-CSRA make a small profit for putting on the event. I think SORBA-CSRA should make about 10-20% of the proceeds. The money would go back into the trails as all of SORBA's money does in one way or another.

Strictly from personal view, I have never entered events for a prize. I'd be just as likely to enter a TT series knowing my moeny was going to a good cause and the only thing I was gonna get was a person to tell me when to go, a timed lap, a bunch of other people's timed laps to gage my time by, and a good group of folks to hang out with for an evening. Conversely, I would NOT enter this TT series if I thought the only thing my entry fee was going to was a prize for someone that really isn't that fast on a bike (in the big scheme of things - go to a real expert class race and you'll what I mean). I would rather see the money go to SORBA-CSRA and in turn be spent on the trails and or the equipment we use to maintain them.

I understand the Canal wants MTB events and will gladly make it easy for us to host them. But, what about the USFS, and SC Parks. How many hoops do we have to jump through with them?

From my experience at doing things like this....it is best to have a small committee made up of the people that will actually be doing the legwork. Let them decide exactly what, when and how it will work, then tell the masses what those decisions are.

I like the idea. I look forward to seeing it come together.

[terryg]

I too would be interested and like seenvic really don't care too much about the prize money, just a chance to have fun, meet other riders, and gauge myself against everybody. Definitely would need a 50+ class so I could have a chance!

I would think if its a series (several events over a few weeks), then something small for each event and then the last event naming the series winners with prizes/cash.