I second that!... :smow:
2014 XCM Series
- Thread starter Cúl-Báire
- Start date
akashra
Eats Squid
alchemist
Manly Warringah MTB Club
The rambling style seems familiar.Always amusing to see anonymous* accounts with one post to their name come up with this kind of stuff
Bright XCM
Well, I am one of the weekend warriors that was keen to follow the series as much as possible. If you look at the results for the XCM, I came 12th in the veterans full marathon (which is also last place for the finishers in that age category by more than half an hour!).
Despite coming last in my field, it was a rip snorter of a course! When I read that it was going to be a roadies marathon, I had mixed feelings.. Being the heaviest rider at the race (I'm 6'4" and 115kg!). I was thinking that this might not be a bad thing as the more single track there is, the more my energy gets burnt up and once my candles are all burnt out, I'm just a big dribbling mess! But, you don't travel over 5 hours to go and do lots of fire trails, you want to be there for single track! And I'm happy to say that when I eventually got to do a course reccy (I arrived on Fri arvo, but the course was not totally marked out as it was also used for the XCO and crossed the DH course), I was crapping my pants! It had everything, big climbs, lots of single track, lots of technical bits that I had never experienced before, but would need my wits in order to ride them well. 3 loops of total pleasure and pain!
Things weren't perfect, the guy I travelled down with won the masters.... He gets a shiny gold medal (which in truth is only gold in colour!), whereas at most races, he is likely to be going off with a prize that is a little bit more useful than a medal OR cash.. Doesn't bother me as I know I'm there for the experience and not troubling the leaders in my category! The race maybe could have started an hour or so earlier which would mean that we weren't riding thru the hottest part of the day, and maybe we could have got home an hour or two earlier (didn't get home to close to 10pm!) But overall, it was a great race, and I just hope that one day I will be under 100kg to give it a better crack!
I'm really disappointed at the cancelling of the Mogo race (the Silverback). I had paid my entry fees and to all you silly buggers who didn't, you have no idea of what an amazing course you have missed out on. Paul Morgan had created the best track in the country, and I know that I would have been a total dribbling mess by the time I finished that event. I really hope that the venue will be able to run a race down there sooner rather than later as once everyone gets to experience it, you will realise that that this is where mountain bikers go to when they die and go to heaven!!
In terms of all the criticism going on... Make sure everyone keeps it constructive and works out how we can ALL work together to make the sport better in the future. Yep, I reckon the series was badly promoted (so let's work together to get that fixed for future events), yep, I reckon they left the run too late to let riders know where and the logistics of how they would race.. and yep, the series was put together with races being so close together that only the most understanding of partners (husbands, wives, girlfriends etc) would give their partners leave to do the whole series. I'm hopeful that the series organisers have heard that info and will take it on board for next year, and I also hope that the relationship with sponsors and the like hasn't been badly burnt so we can improve on things going forward.
Oh and by the way, if the event organisers came across a lung out on the track when they were cleaning up at the end, if they can send it to my place... I'm still shattered today and have to back up for Capital Punishment today!!!
Well, I am one of the weekend warriors that was keen to follow the series as much as possible. If you look at the results for the XCM, I came 12th in the veterans full marathon (which is also last place for the finishers in that age category by more than half an hour!).
Despite coming last in my field, it was a rip snorter of a course! When I read that it was going to be a roadies marathon, I had mixed feelings.. Being the heaviest rider at the race (I'm 6'4" and 115kg!). I was thinking that this might not be a bad thing as the more single track there is, the more my energy gets burnt up and once my candles are all burnt out, I'm just a big dribbling mess! But, you don't travel over 5 hours to go and do lots of fire trails, you want to be there for single track! And I'm happy to say that when I eventually got to do a course reccy (I arrived on Fri arvo, but the course was not totally marked out as it was also used for the XCO and crossed the DH course), I was crapping my pants! It had everything, big climbs, lots of single track, lots of technical bits that I had never experienced before, but would need my wits in order to ride them well. 3 loops of total pleasure and pain!
Things weren't perfect, the guy I travelled down with won the masters.... He gets a shiny gold medal (which in truth is only gold in colour!), whereas at most races, he is likely to be going off with a prize that is a little bit more useful than a medal OR cash.. Doesn't bother me as I know I'm there for the experience and not troubling the leaders in my category! The race maybe could have started an hour or so earlier which would mean that we weren't riding thru the hottest part of the day, and maybe we could have got home an hour or two earlier (didn't get home to close to 10pm!) But overall, it was a great race, and I just hope that one day I will be under 100kg to give it a better crack!
I'm really disappointed at the cancelling of the Mogo race (the Silverback). I had paid my entry fees and to all you silly buggers who didn't, you have no idea of what an amazing course you have missed out on. Paul Morgan had created the best track in the country, and I know that I would have been a total dribbling mess by the time I finished that event. I really hope that the venue will be able to run a race down there sooner rather than later as once everyone gets to experience it, you will realise that that this is where mountain bikers go to when they die and go to heaven!!
In terms of all the criticism going on... Make sure everyone keeps it constructive and works out how we can ALL work together to make the sport better in the future. Yep, I reckon the series was badly promoted (so let's work together to get that fixed for future events), yep, I reckon they left the run too late to let riders know where and the logistics of how they would race.. and yep, the series was put together with races being so close together that only the most understanding of partners (husbands, wives, girlfriends etc) would give their partners leave to do the whole series. I'm hopeful that the series organisers have heard that info and will take it on board for next year, and I also hope that the relationship with sponsors and the like hasn't been badly burnt so we can improve on things going forward.
Oh and by the way, if the event organisers came across a lung out on the track when they were cleaning up at the end, if they can send it to my place... I'm still shattered today and have to back up for Capital Punishment today!!!
Grant I don't think anyone really has an issue with the venues. I've done Angry doctor twice so I know how good the riding is in that area. I think most peoples beef with this series is as you have identified at the end of your post. However it is important to note that there is discontent amongst some MTBA members as to how MTBA run the sport
Rightly or wrongly many people will see this as MTBA stuffing up what was a good series even though as has been pointed out it was actually CA who have done the disservice here. I don't understand however how CA were able to tack on a marathon series after being contracted to run the national series thereby having a situation where some events are MTBA events and some are CA.
My prediction is that the xcm series will struggle unless it can begin to demonstrate the professionalism of private promoter events and history tells us that the punters are unforgiving when an event isn't run well ( see angry doctor brownie points burner amongst others )
The punters will most likely vote with their feet and back the maverick series and that series will expand in 2015
Rightly or wrongly many people will see this as MTBA stuffing up what was a good series even though as has been pointed out it was actually CA who have done the disservice here. I don't understand however how CA were able to tack on a marathon series after being contracted to run the national series thereby having a situation where some events are MTBA events and some are CA.
My prediction is that the xcm series will struggle unless it can begin to demonstrate the professionalism of private promoter events and history tells us that the punters are unforgiving when an event isn't run well ( see angry doctor brownie points burner amongst others )
The punters will most likely vote with their feet and back the maverick series and that series will expand in 2015
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akashra
Eats Squid
CA are entitled to run whatever events or races they want outside any agreement - one of these events is the World Cup in Cairns. They made a commercial decision under the impression they could overall do a better job for mountain biking as a whole by incorporating these additional events under the same promotion umbrella. Taking on the National Series was a perfect way for them to put forward the proposal to get the rights to that event, and the 2017 World Champs - you might recall that the previously final round of the XCM series is in conjunction with the World Cup. If tomorrow they turn around and decide they also want to start running Mountain Bike Orienteering events, that's their business.
"They made a commercial decision...........
Who is the They? You give the impression that CA made this decision - the decision was made BY both CA and MTBA - both agreed that CA and its plan would do a better job. Not the impression oh did I save half truth?
Perhaps you could tell us why CA terminated the agreement?
Heck takes a long time to get a response when a difficult question is asked eh?
Who is the They? You give the impression that CA made this decision - the decision was made BY both CA and MTBA - both agreed that CA and its plan would do a better job. Not the impression oh did I save half truth?
Perhaps you could tell us why CA terminated the agreement?
Heck takes a long time to get a response when a difficult question is asked eh?
Running EVents
Yes anyone can run a MTB event - provided they do not use any IP that is registered to CA or MTBA or any other mtb event organiser who objects and takes action.
Running events is a tough task - ask any promoter or club event organiser.
Making money from the National Series, World Cups/Champs etc is a myth.
Check out the ability of MTBA to get sponsorship?
Perhaps transparency on sponsorship to MTBA could be discussed?
Yes anyone can run a MTB event - provided they do not use any IP that is registered to CA or MTBA or any other mtb event organiser who objects and takes action.
Running events is a tough task - ask any promoter or club event organiser.
Making money from the National Series, World Cups/Champs etc is a myth.
The XCM series has Real Insurance as a sponsor.
Check out the ability of MTBA to get sponsorship?
Perhaps transparency on sponsorship to MTBA could be discussed?
[QUOTEspudatum Rightly or wrongly many people will see this as MTBA stuffing up what was a good series even though as has been pointed out it was actually CA who have done the disservice here. I don't understand however how CA were able to tack on a marathon series after being contracted to run the national series thereby having a situation where some events are MTBA events and some are CA.[/QUOTE]
The impression that CA have done the disservice is perhaps based upon the lack of full disclosure, from some here.
Scenario - perhaps the contract referred to by Akashra included the rights to the Marathon National Championships and in effect gave the rights to the addition of other events by CA as MTBA had agreed not to be an event provider in this agreement?
And Akashra pretends to know all, yet omits this.
And as a result of this CA planned a Marathon series and obtained sponsorship for said series. Real Insurance sees the benefit of going National instead of a state series or whatever?
Ask yourself have MTBA ever run a successful marathon series?
Ask your self why CA pulled out from the agreement? Then ask yourself what MTBA's response was to CA? The nitty gritty of the response NOT what has been told publicly as the PR that make MTBA saints.
All documents of this are available to any MTBA member. Although MTBA has made it impossible to exercise these legal membership rights.
The impression that CA have done the disservice is perhaps based upon the lack of full disclosure, from some here.
Scenario - perhaps the contract referred to by Akashra included the rights to the Marathon National Championships and in effect gave the rights to the addition of other events by CA as MTBA had agreed not to be an event provider in this agreement?
And Akashra pretends to know all, yet omits this.
And as a result of this CA planned a Marathon series and obtained sponsorship for said series. Real Insurance sees the benefit of going National instead of a state series or whatever?
Ask yourself have MTBA ever run a successful marathon series?
Ask your self why CA pulled out from the agreement? Then ask yourself what MTBA's response was to CA? The nitty gritty of the response NOT what has been told publicly as the PR that make MTBA saints.
All documents of this are available to any MTBA member. Although MTBA has made it impossible to exercise these legal membership rights.
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akashra
Eats Squid
Anyone can run a series and call it a 'National' series, but it doesn't mean it's going to be recognised for the purposes of team selection or any other matters that might relate to, say, MTBA, CA, or anyone else. People often confuse the term "National series" to imply it means only the peak body can run such a titled event. While it may not be endorsed, noone can stop them. It's up to the riders to determine which ones get accepted and people participate in, ultimately. I'm not suggesting that it would be encouraged - but there's little anyone could do to stop them.
Honestly, Ross (seriously, we're not stupid and you're not as anonymous as you think, these posts originate from RooPC (27-32-XXX-XXX.tpgi.com.au (27.32.XXX.XXX))) - I'm not playing your game. I've been nice about this but it's just becoming ridiculous. You were involved in the drawing up of the contract - and were on the committee during that process long before I came on to it, so you know very well what is and was included in the agreement. Stop toying around on a public forum pretending you don't, trying to attack MTBA at the same time. Why would I need to point out the things you're trying to attack me/others over when it's implied and noone asked?
It's worth noting this is the same person who turned up to the National Championships on the weekend wearing staff clothing who was there under NO official capacity and no longer has any affiliation with MTBA beyond being a member, yet offered no correction when people approached him assuming he spoke for the organisation based on what was worn.
This myth you're repeating over and over that CA pulled out of the agreement - you're either misinformed or just trying to spread misinformation.
We're done here.
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You continue to not answer or correct miss information you post.
Below is a classic example or a load of total crap - as you well know - it is a crying shame that truth is sacrificed at your convenience.
It is great to see that the freedoms in Australia are able to be restricted by yourself.
Below is a classic example or a load of total crap - as you well know - it is a crying shame that truth is sacrificed at your convenience.
It is great to see that the freedoms in Australia are able to be restricted by yourself.
akashra
Eats Squid
Perhaps, but the perception that MTBA are somehow responsible for any failings of the RealInsurance XCM series need to be adjusted, because it's not MTBAs series! My main concern is that we keep getting slammed by RB (and MTBA) members because people like him are going around telling people everything that's gone wrong is our fault. If you want actual credible answers about the XCM series, then I'd suggest they need to come from CA... preferably a staff member willing to be identified by name. At best I can only give solid answers about Bright, since I was chief comm for the marathon and XC events.
Pastavore
Eats Squid
Yep, I get that, but there has to be a better way of doing it than this. It doesn't come across well.
I think when you look at the way the "2014 MTB season" has been promoted on the MTBA website its very hard to decipher who is responsible for the events. For Joe Blow (not the track pump} it would be reasonable to assume that going by the wording of the website and the fact that this information appears on the MTBA website that MTBA are responsible of the events listed. It does not appear that whoever created the content on that page has made much effort on MTBA's behalf to distance itself from the XCM series. That fact that the "season logo" which appears prominently on the mtba website and season page feature the MTBA logo certainly only adds to the confusion. As a result whilst I understand that it was CA's series it would appear that MTBA wanted to be affiliated with the series at least and deliberately or accidentally aided in creating the idea that MTBA were responsible for the series. I maybe interpreting it wrong but this is the page i'm talking about.
http://www.mtba.asn.au/abouthttp://mtb.subaru.com.au
Agree
Thanks you, my apologies and agreement.
My whole point is that Facts and truth are not available from this forum re MTBA.
Few on Rotor care or understand, people believe what they want to believe and when fed rubbish have little choice but to accept it.
Impossible to PM as it appears the trolls have already taken that path.
As Akashra was present in Bright - perhaps he could elaborate on matters that were of racing importance that were not up to scratch and how he resolved them? It appears that he has publicly stated that he is responsible?
Thanks you, my apologies and agreement.
My whole point is that Facts and truth are not available from this forum re MTBA.
Few on Rotor care or understand, people believe what they want to believe and when fed rubbish have little choice but to accept it.
Impossible to PM as it appears the trolls have already taken that path.
As Akashra was present in Bright - perhaps he could elaborate on matters that were of racing importance that were not up to scratch and how he resolved them? It appears that he has publicly stated that he is responsible?
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JD26
Likes Dirt
I'll be going up.
I raced the XCM champs there in 2011. It was super tough. In the top 3 toughest courses I have ever done.
If they use the same course, which was 27km (3 laps) then it will be a good test.
It took in over 2000vm for that length.
The singletrack was pretty awesome, except you may be too fatigued to appreciate it!