[NCNCA] Women's Races

[Sabine Dukes]

Man, as soon as you see Barry's name on an email, you know your inbox is gonna fill up!
 
Barry has a way of wording things than tend to cause a stir. He's certainly not the most diplomatic email writer (that award goes to Ron!), but he has listened and responded with offering the category and I thank him for that. Our team will have Cat 4s in that event (who pre-registered thankyouverymuch) and I am going to contact Barry right after this with some prizes for the 3/4 event. Thank you LGBRC for giving beginner women back their time slot in your fabulous race! (and thank you also for fielding such a fabulous women's team this year, they have been lighting it up and making the local racing super fun!)
 
If you want people who do not have to preregister to actually take the risk of pre-registering then you need to either have a significant late fee or do a pr campaign to coax people to preregister.
 
For Surf City I wanted preregistrants for the obvious reason, but cyclocross has a history of not pre-registering (just like women and road races). And a hefty late fee seemed a distasteful option. So, I spent a lot of time sending out annoying but cute (if I don't say so myself)reminders about the race and asking the community to do us a favor and to preregister. 
 
And guess what? They did! Response to each email was amazing. So, if something is really important to promotors, you might want to invest a little time in reaching out to your customers and letting them know how they can help. And remember, you draw more flies with honey....
 
And I agree with the others that a seperate 4 field will likely end up in a better draw of racers, especially with a course as selective as Cat's Hill. Perhaps the 3s an be scored seperately in the 1/2s instead. Just food for thought. As it stands, I am just thrilled that the slot for beginner women racers has returned to Cat's Hill.
 
Thanks everyone for your interest in women's racing!
 
Sabine
 
 
 
> Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:01:37 -0700> From: zronn at sbcglobal.net> To: ncnca at ncnca.org> Subject: Re: [NCNCA] Women's Races> > It's not just Cat's Hill.> At the EBC Criterium we are doing a 40% cash payback 10 deep for the Pro 1/2/3 Women and have no entries, none, zero, zip. What's up with that/> > We really wanted to support Women this year and offered 3 fields. We have a total of 10 Women registered.> > If you are going to be the loudest to complain, it's a good idea to show some love when your voice is acknowledged.> Right now, we are not seeing it and the Women's fields are hinting that they may be just a big waste of our schedule time.> We could have easily just run more masters 4s and 3s and made some bank, or gone home early.> > Ron> > > > ----- Original Message ----> From: "Gordon, Barry" <Bgordon at Structint.com>> To: NCNCA <ncnca at ncnca.org>> Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 8:59:27 AM> Subject: [NCNCA] Cat's Hill Women's Races> > NCNCA,> > Last year the LGBRC made the bad decision to replace the Women's 3/4> race with Master 45 race and the cycling community let us know in no> uncertain terms that we made a BIG mistake. Therefore, we reinstated> the women's 3/4 race plus increased the cash prize list for the women's> 1/2/3 race from $600/6 places to $1000/10 places in 2008. So what is> the response to our return to sanity? We currently have 11 women> pre-registered for each race. (As it stands now only one 1/2/3 woman> will place out of the money.)> > Lots of people last year complained about our dumb decision and we> listened to you. In return, we hope that the cycling community would> have a change of heart and would support our women's races this> Saturday.> > On-line registration: www.catshill.org> > Thank you for your consideration. > > Barry Gordon, President> Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club> Team Easton/SugarCRM/Specialized> A USA Cycling Club of the Year> www.lgbrc.org> 408-978-8200> bgordon at structint.com> > > > _______________________________________________> NCNCA discussion list> NCNCA at ncnca.org> http://lists.ncnca.org/mailman/listinfo/ncnca> > > > _______________________________________________> NCNCA discussion list> NCNCA at ncnca.org> http://lists.ncnca.org/mailman/listinfo/ncnca