[NCNCA] Women's Races

Wed Apr 30 18:01:01 PDT 2008

Hi, 

I'm a 2nd year racer, Cat 4 woman, and try to be very
involved in the cycling community. I just learned of
this particular email list today since a couple people
forwarded this thread to me.

I greatly appreciate that the option to race at Cat's
Hill has been brought back for the W4 women. I may
register just to support that decision, even though I
do not plan to race. However, I will add my opinion
that I do not enjoy racing in mixed fields and will
only add mixed-field races to my schedule if I have a
big gap and nothing to fill it. 

The reason I don't enjoy mixed fields is that I
struggle to stay in the pack fitness-wise. I can
usually hang in a W4-only crit, but when faster
categories are included, it's all I can do to hang on,
let alone participate in the tactics. Since this is my
2nd season, I feel like I've improved greatly on race
awareness, skills and tactics, and would like the
opportunity to try some things where I am competitive.
Clinging desperately to the back of a whipping tail
does not provide me with an opportunity to hone my
racing skills or assist my team mates. My feelings
about mixed fields have absolutely nothing to do with
prizes and picking separately. I don't care if I ever
win any money/merchandise/t-shirts racing. I do it
because I love it and want to learn to be better!

In any case, I agree that staggering starts can be a
good compromise, and I hope that promoters will
consider that when combining W3/W4 or W4/W35+/W45+.
I've participated in 2 races where starts were
staggered and it worked well both times.

Sarah Clatterbuck
Team Velo Girls

--- Kelly Snow <ksnow1 at ix.netcom.com> wrote:

> So far, this statement "Do the promoters a favor and
> pre-register. "  has been made several times. If
> members of this list want to promote that sentiment,
> I'd recommend a different communication channel.
> Half the people you are trying to reach to probably
> aren't on this list. Most Cat 4 women are new to the
> sport, new to anything related to cycling
> organizations and events; They aren't aware of this
> email list. 
> 
> Dare I mention, getting people to pre-reg by simply
> telling them to do so ass-backwards without
> incentive to change existing behavior. It is not
> clear to racers, especially new ones, what the
> benefit of pre-registration is. From your average
> Cat 4's (or any women's field) point of view, the
> races don't sell out so why bother? It's worth $5 in
> late fee to have the flexibility of deciding last
> minute. It's pretty easy to configure
> sportbaseonline and others to add a $20 late fee if
> they don't pre-reg. Or do what sea otter does and
> don't offer same  day reg. It seems this is a much
> easier strategy than trying to get every newbie to
> understand pre-registration makes a promoters life
> easier, and therefore saves women's cycling for
> years to come. C'mon. You know how the world works -
> "what's in it for me, today?"
> 
> I'm sorry there isn't more participation - it's
> makes us all better competitors to have bigger
> fields and more races to choose from. It's only
> after a year of racing that I tuned in to these
> issues as they are not really obvious. I'm hearing a
> call for someone to step up - and i'm not convinced
> a women's event for women by women for one day is
> solving the issue. It's a step to be sure. 
> 
> I'd love to help solve this problem constructively.
> Feel free to contact me for that purpose. 
> 
> Kelly Snow
> Dolce Vita Cycling, Board Member
> Cat 4 (and probably will be for life)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Stephen Langone
> <Stephen.Langone at flextronics.com>
> >Sent: Apr 30, 2008 7:41 PM
> >To: Eric Smith <redbike at earthlink.net>, Daniele
> Rossdeutscher <daniele at glotrans.com>,
> ncnca at ncnca.org
> >Subject: Re: [NCNCA] Women's Races
> >
> >Is there a book out there like Race Promotion 101?
> >Everyone needs to understand and consider the
> implications with running
> >such an event(Financial, Legal, Logistical, etc. ).
>   
> >The crux of the issue is getting the fields to
> fill.   Do the promoters
> >a favor and pre-register.   Lessen the burden on
> them and help support
> >the growth of "our" sport.
> >
> >my .02cents
> >
> > 
> >Steve
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From:
>
ncnca-bounces+stephen.langone=flextronics.com at ncnca.org
>
>[mailto:ncnca-bounces+stephen.langone=flextronics.com at ncnca.org]
> On
> >Behalf Of Eric Smith
> >Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 4:20 PM
> >To: 'Daniele Rossdeutscher'; ncnca at ncnca.org
> >Subject: Re: [NCNCA] Women's Races
> >
> >Daniele,
> >
> >Why not promote a women's only race on a Saturday
> where there are no
> >other races. Make it a short day and have limited
> purses or go heavy on
> >merchandise. Would be fairly inexpensive to run and
> would hopefully draw
> >some new women to the race. If it catches on, a
> series would be the next
> >step.
> >
> >Eric 
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: ncnca-bounces+redbike=earthlink.net at ncnca.org
>
>[mailto:ncnca-bounces+redbike=earthlink.net at ncnca.org]
> On Behalf Of
> >Daniele Rossdeutscher
> >Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 3:53 PM
> >To: ncnca at ncnca.org
> >Subject: [NCNCA] Women's Races
> >
> >As a cat 4 (52-year-old) woman in her 2nd year of
> racing, I would like
> >to send a request to race promoters: please hold
> separate races for
> >women in all categories: W1/2, W3, W4 and masters
> (45+); Don't bother
> >with masters
> >35+ as many of the strongest women are over 35.
> >
> >Sure, the number of racers may be low but if you
> hold the races, they
> >will come; it may take a few years but women's
> cycling will grow and
> >prosper. If you don't hold the races, the door
> remains shut. If there
> >are no masters categories and I have to race with
> W3s, I am very likely
> >to stay home.
> >
> >If prize money is an issue, then offer fewer
> prizes; we do not race
> >because of prizes. 
> >
> >Daniele Rossdeutscher
> >Left Coast Racing Team
> >
> >
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