PBP 2015 - what do I need to do in 2014 (qualifying)

rodgers73

I know I have to do the 200, 30, 400 and 600km rides in the year of the event itself but do I need to do anything next year to help me with the registration process?

I think I need to do a long ride that is recognised as a qualifying event to be able to pre-register. Is that right?

I'm starting to plan next years events and I want to be sure I'm not missing something off the calendar that I should be doing.

Simon-R7

I want to aim at PBP in 2015, as far as i know you have to do the rides you mention in 2015 by certain dates. No need to do any qualifying rides next year but I certainly need the practice

marcusjb

OK - there is no need to do anything next season for PBP.

However, it is not going to do any harm in terms of preparation and pre-registration.

They (ACP) will almost certainly run the same scheme in 2015 as they did in 2011 - basically those riders with the longer BRM brevets in 2014 will be able to pre-register early. So, if you ride a 1000km+ event in 2014, you'll be able to pre-register first, then 600km riders, 400km riders etc.

Pre-registration is just getting your name down early - you still then have to do your qualifying SR in 2015 as usual.

In 2011, the event did not sell out. Who knows what will happen in 2015 - they are looking at a capacity of between 6 and 6500 riders. Will it sell out? Who knows?

So, it will do you no harm at all to have a BRM 300 or longer in the 2014 season.

In terms of events, you MUST make sure they are BRM in order to be of any use to you in terms of pre-registration.

marcusjb

I've got a 1300 planned for next season, so that's me sorted - but my fiancée is aiming to ride PBP with me on our tandem, she's new to the distance game (done 200s but nothing longer), so we're also aiming to get a 3 and a 400 for her this coming season.

Takes a bit of stress away for sure. When I rode the last PBP, I was new to the distance game and didn't have anything for pre-qualification. The night before my first 600 was the night the registration opened (at midnight) - so frantic talking my better half through the registration process in the middle of the night all whilst not getting a good nights sleep before tackling a 600 for the first time. Not a great way to do it!

This is the latest info from ACP:

Dear All,

I would like to thank you one more time for another great BRM season. We are not yet at the end but the results are already very good. It will be the second or the third season for the number of homologations with more than 36000 homologated brevets outside France.

Of course, 2013 will stay forever as a sad year with the passing of Robert Lepertel, creator of the BRM outside France in 1976 and first president of the Randonneurs Mondiaux in 1983, a towering figure in the sport of randonneuring. For 2014, the Audax Club Parisien will create brevet cards dedicated to Bob.

It was also a sad year for some of our BRM organizers. The Audax Club Parisien thanks them all for all they have done to spread the randonneuring ethos.

2013 was also a great year with several new ACP representatives implementing BRM in their country. We were pleased to welcome in 2013 Belarus, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Colombia and some others are closed to join us soon.

We have now to work on our calendar for 2014. You have to know that we will use the BRM validated in 2014 for the preregistration for PBP 2015, as we did in 2011 (the longest you rode in 2014, the soonest you can preregister). However, there won’t be quotas per country, only a global number of entries. In 2011, we had many available places. It should be the same in 2015 but we have to prevent ourselves from a too large demand. There is no maximum decided yet but it could be from 6000 to 6500 riders, roughly 1000 more than the numbers of riders in 2011. About PBP, we are still uncertain for the date of the event in 2015. It will be held on August 16^th to 20^th or 23th to 27^th . A decision will be taken in January 2014.

Best regards,
Jean-Gualbert FABUREL
Audax Club Parisien

marcusjb

Finally - I highly recommend listening to this http://thebikeshow.net/going-the-distance/ - it'll whet one's appetite for longer distances for sure!

rodgers73

Cheers Marcus - I read the pre-qualifying stuff on the official site but was still a bit unsure. I'm guessing that with the recent upsurge in cycling enthusiasm over here that the quota for Brit riders might be booked out this next time around. Either that or they allocate more slots to this country.

I'll probably manage at least a 300 or 400 next year - in terms of official events that is. Lord knows what I'll do on my own initiative. I'll get a calendar of events together and make sure I fit in something suitable.

How was the online entry process? Easy enough to get that place? Or was it like trying to book Take That tickets?

rodgers73

Ah, just saw the email about the places for 2015

marcusjb

It was all easy enough - especially as it didn't sell out last time (there are many reasons for this I am sure - the economy was certainly one of them and the North American entries were considerably down etc.).

Country quotas have gone now - that's not so good for the UK (always had a big quota due to high finishing rates, massive BRM participation etc.), but better for people from nations without much previous randonneuring history.

None of it should really matter - and certainly, if you get a BRM 3 or 400, you'll be absolutely fine and won't have any stress with entering with the non-pre-registered rabble (as I was last time). If I were worried about it, I'd be pushing my better half to do a 600 next season - but I really do not think it will be that popular that only those with 600 and 1000+ rides in 2014 get in!

As well as enabling you to pre-register, there are many advantages to getting a 3 and a 400 under your belt anyway (in terms of getting more experience of looking after yourself on the road etc.).

I am sure they'll be something suitable for you - I don't know many of the northern rides, but there's a good series run out of Poynton, and also Pendleton (though the organiser of those REALLY likes hills!). The calendar isn't complete for next year yet, so they will be a few additions still.

It's a little bit of an in-between season - some people will take a little breather after an LEL year, and then psyche themselves up for a PBP year. There will be 2 1000km+ events in the UK next year - a Welsh 1000 and a Scottish 1300.

marcusjb

Partly as a response to this thread and others - here's my quick thoughts on what you do, or do not, have to do in 2014 for a ride on PBP 2015:

http://wp.me/pcAfK-rM

Hope it's useful for someone!

rodgers73

marcusjb wrote:

Partly as a response to this thread and others - here's my quick thoughts on what you do, or do not, have to do in 2014 for a ride on PBP 2015:

http://wp.me/pcAfK-rM

Hope it's useful for someone!

Thanks Marcus - a good read!

marcusjb

The key is not to stress out - some people do seem to be whipping up a frenzy that unless you ride a 1000km event next season, you won't get a place in PBP. Bollocks.

Unless there is a massive, massive growth in PBP interest, it shouldn't sell out - even for those without pre-registration.

I am not worried about it, I know my better half will get a place with a 300km next season, and I will, as every year, have a 1000km+ event under my belt as well.

A 3 or 400km in 2014 is good preparation anyway and will take away some of the unknowns as you enter the 2015 PBP season.

Edit - I am apparently not allowed to say that it's bollocks that you need to ride a 1000km+ event in 2014 - I shall say it's utter rubbish and nonsense instead, but I do prefer the word bollocks.