Organising a race
nolf
Posts: 1,287
Ok, I'm at York Uni. and every year between York and Lancaster University theres a competition called the Roses. This is a weekend (ish) of sporting events, with a win in an event earning points, and whichever University gets the most points wins the trophy and gets to keep it for a whole year (we won it this year 
)
Now as roadie captain @ York it has been suggested to me to include some kind of cycling race.
After a bit of looking around and entering some local events I was thinking of this (apologies to Clifton CC for blatantly stealing their courses!!!):
Saturday Morning: A 5 mile TT (acting as a prologue to those entering the RR later), which would be open to entrants of all abilities, with different categories (novice/women/more experienced racers). I'd be using a course our local club (clifton CC) uses as an introductory race course. It's short and fast with only a few turns.
Saturday Afternoon: Road Race. I'd aim to use a local hily 13 mile TT course, that has 2 climbs and a nice hilltop finish with a long climb leading up to it. 3 laps of this circuit (totalling about 40 miles). No handicap, winner would be first over the line.
Now all those entering the RR have to TT, but the TT would be a seperate event open to all.
Now I've got teams organised and both university clubs are up for it, the only problem is I have absolutely no idea how to make the event legeal. I'm aware you need some kind of police involvement to allow the marshalls to hold up traffic at junctions etc
So. I was wandering if anyone out there had organised a race before and could tell me how to go about it? Or how to go about finding out whats required of me to make the race legit. Also how many marshalls are needed, 1 per turn onto a different road or more, or less than that? Also do you need a lead out car for a race (all the races I've done on open roads seem to have them)?
Any help would be hugely appreciated, the event isn't until Next year, but I need to get approval from the Au's by mid October, so need to have everything sorted out by the start of term, to present them with the plan.
)Now as roadie captain @ York it has been suggested to me to include some kind of cycling race.
After a bit of looking around and entering some local events I was thinking of this (apologies to Clifton CC for blatantly stealing their courses!!!):
Saturday Morning: A 5 mile TT (acting as a prologue to those entering the RR later), which would be open to entrants of all abilities, with different categories (novice/women/more experienced racers). I'd be using a course our local club (clifton CC) uses as an introductory race course. It's short and fast with only a few turns.
Saturday Afternoon: Road Race. I'd aim to use a local hily 13 mile TT course, that has 2 climbs and a nice hilltop finish with a long climb leading up to it. 3 laps of this circuit (totalling about 40 miles). No handicap, winner would be first over the line.
Now all those entering the RR have to TT, but the TT would be a seperate event open to all.
Now I've got teams organised and both university clubs are up for it, the only problem is I have absolutely no idea how to make the event legeal. I'm aware you need some kind of police involvement to allow the marshalls to hold up traffic at junctions etc
So. I was wandering if anyone out there had organised a race before and could tell me how to go about it? Or how to go about finding out whats required of me to make the race legit. Also how many marshalls are needed, 1 per turn onto a different road or more, or less than that? Also do you need a lead out car for a race (all the races I've done on open roads seem to have them)?
Any help would be hugely appreciated, the event isn't until Next year, but I need to get approval from the Au's by mid October, so need to have everything sorted out by the start of term, to present them with the plan.
"I hold it true, what'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost;
Than never to have loved at all."
Alfred Tennyson
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost;
Than never to have loved at all."
Alfred Tennyson
0
Comments
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I would suggest as a first point talking to British Cycling. They could include it in their calendar at least, and would I guess be the organisation through which insurance be arranged, points would be allocated for the categories of cyclist and so on. Could also provide practical help like checklists, equipment like timing (or so I would guess)
Also see if you can find a local club in your area that has organised a race event, they could help, and maybe could help find sponsors to pay for things. Even mundane things like jackets/flags for marshals have to be paid for, and I would expect that police costs and so on would also need to be covered, and you will need bodies on the day itself.
May be a bit exclusive to have a TT and restrict racing to those who have done it, and seems like your trying to cover a lot of categories at once. On the basis of inexperience can I suggest that if this is the first event you have ever done, and the first of its kind between the Red and White roses, keeping it simple?
Maybe restrict categories for example, to a mens race for under 23's and seniors (taking place at once), and ditto for women.
Would you also have prize money?[/img][/url]'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....0 -
Is this a race just open to uni students or a standard RR that each uni will enter a team into but there will also be other cyclists entering as normal ?
I only ask as for a BC race obviously they'll all need to be licence or day licence holders which might make the field small. If it's the latter then get hold of the RR organisers pack from BC - they can email it you - tells you pretty much all you need to know. Just off the top of my head you'll need:L
- commissaire and assistant
- 1st aid and vehicle
- BC members driving lead car 1 and 2 - possibly also provide drivers and cars for commissaires if they don't use their own.
- Judges - possibly photo finish equipment if it's a bunch finish type course
- HQ and catering
- Marshalls - use a risk assessment done by whoever uses this course for road races.
- Your region will contact the police but the police may want to contact you direct.
- contact the highways authority to check there are no road works
It's not as bad as it sounds but depending on the course you can easily be looking at about 20 people helping you out on the day - depends on your personality but expect it to be quite stressful.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
Suggest you also have a word with Paul Jose, who has organised the University cycling RR champs several times previously, so will know about any specific needs for Uni entrants.
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/si ... sultspp=400 -
The race itself would just be open to uni students, it's just a race to take place between the students of York and Lancaster. So it would be a relatively small field of riders.
My intention wasn't to restrict the field, anyone who wants to race is welcome. Due to the smallish field of entrants, experience in pack riding wouldn't be a necessity. It was more the recognition that not everyone would wish to enter a road race, whereas a 5 mile TT is something that will appeal to everyone of all abilities.
I could incorporate it into a local event, but that would probably attract a higher category of entrants, which I would like, but which wouldn't appeal to everyone.
I probably would aim to not make it a BC event just to make entry free. Costs would be covered by our AU (ideally, otherwise we would take it out of club money and get them to re-imburse us later).
It's a shame that the costs are rising so rapidly
Worse comes to the worse I'll scrap the idea of a road race, make it a 13 mile undulating time trial, and put outmyown marshalls and avoidmaking the event official. We have few enough racers as it is.
I'd hate to be in a position where we had more officials than racers!"I hold it true, what'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost;
Than never to have loved at all."
Alfred Tennyson0 -
The few events I've done locally require either membership of an insurance providing body, like Cyling Ireland or the Triathlon body, or they charge extra for a day licence.
Make sure its covered, as in the worst case you could get sued, and I doubt the universities would cover that.'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....0 -
Can I suggest a contact with Pete Sutton the BC Yorkshire Events Adminstrator on yorks.dca@btopenworld.com BC Yorkshire are very supportive of new events including those promoted by Associations, in the past we have supported The World Firefighters and the Railway Championships. This is an area of Yorkshire that we are particularly active in having just promoted the National Road Race Championships using some of those roads. On the 27th July we also have there the Ryedale Rumble Sportive.
Regards
Bob Howden
Chairman
BC Yorkshire0 -
Thanks Bob H will be sending pete an e-mail presently. I've been without proper internet access for the past few days so have been unable to make much progress."I hold it true, what'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost;
Than never to have loved at all."
Alfred Tennyson0 -
Still waiting on a reply...?
BUSA road race guy was very helpful and gave me a cost estimate, plus some of what would be necessary. Would like an official response though."I hold it true, what'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost;
Than never to have loved at all."
Alfred Tennyson0
