Cycling Southland Combined Club Meeting - 1 October 2012
Present: Maree Wilkins, Bruce Jones, Dave Simpson, Fergus Canny, Tony Ineson, Sier Vermunt, Craig Sadlier, Graeme Irvine, Julie Irvine, Sonia Barton, Alister Burnett, Laurie Tall, Cathy Jordan, Eva McMurdo, Stephanie McKenzie, Cam Karwowski, Karl Watson, Matt Dodds, Neil Familton, Jen Muhl, Marie Muhl, Paul Sexton, Lindsay Jordan, Roger Nicholas, Erin Criglington, Mark Day, Nicola Stevens, Nick Jeffrey, Dale Tye, Grant Toomey, Scott Milne, Wally Kopae, Sam Kopae, Dave Beadle, Brett Roulston
Apologies: Waine Harding, Jo Stephens
Opening
Nick outlined the aim for our club meetings from here on, as we look to make them a regular thing on the monthly calendar.
Meeting rules: Happy faces, inside voices, solutions not problems. But let’s not be afraid to discuss the issues ... and solve them.
How will this work?
Each month Nick will give a short overview of current activity and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. We will then have open discussion as required before splitting off in to Senior and Junior division if necessary.
What’s been happening?
Junior Worlds: Great success across the board! Final report pending but a huge showcase of the sport and of our organisation with many on-going opportunities to capture.
Secondary School Team Sprint Competition: 17 teams from all around the region. Fantastic event we want to grow in the future – huge potential!
Roller Racing: School and pub competitions – great way to get out into the community, advertise the fun you can have and information about what the club can offer.
What’s coming up?
Yunca Tour of Southland: Record field – 180+, over 30 Aussies, Friday to Sunday
Remember London Dinner: Medical team fundraiser, tickets on sale. Medical team offer so much, let’s support and give something back.
Junior Track Carnival: Tuesday / Wednesday next week. Decision to make it purely junior event. Know that open riders miss out but this was necessary as large junior numbers for Yunca Tour dictate juniors only.
PowerNet Tour of Southland: Up to 23 Teams, same course as 2011 revised, Final year of PowerNet sponsorship.
Event Calendar: Posted through to April 2013. Track Nationals (Elites/U19’s Jan 31 – Feb 3 and Age Groups and Omniums Feb 27-March 2). Club Road Nationals (Queenstown April 18-21)
Stadium Rebuild – July 2013 – Courts will be back in the middle of the velodrome for the 2013 winter.
Project 1000 - 1000 members for 2013, ideas to drive members, it’s about all of us helping in this area!
Future Focuses - BikeNZ Membership Model and Constitution – changed afoot with information to be distributed once confirmed.
Road Racing, Developing skills / Introduction to Road, Novice / D Grades, Recreational Programmes, Wensley’s Cycles Wednesday Worlds,
Club Structure Review – how do we manage our three distinct areas of operation - Events v Facility Management v Club-based activity – appropraiately.
DOWNLOAD NICK'S STATE OF CYCLING SOUTHLAND NATION
Open Discussion
Timing of monthly meeting:
Every agrees Monday’s are a good fit around all the other sessions.
6.30pm Monday meetings are better for the sprinters (although Mondays are their only session of the week at the moment - a 6.30pm meeting still means they have to adjust their session time)
One idea is to have a meeting earlier and provide dinner – Could be a fundraiser for the Junior Club? Something to think about in the future.
Introductory Riding / Racing:
Was generally agreed that C Grade is too hard and daunting for beginners and we need to work on a clearer and more achievable pathway for beginner riders so they are LEARNING and enjoying and will therefore stick with it. Graeme and Julie take huge bunches out on Saturday and Sunday – but they don’t go to the race because the racing doesn’t cater for them and it is too daunting. There are many people with bikes in their sheds who are inspired by the Tour etc but aren’t able to slot in anywhere at racing – need to cater for these folk & provide a starting point.
However, while we need to do better at looking after beginners / introductory level, we also need to make sure we are looking after middle tier riders and also the elites. Finding the balance is the challenge!
Ideas:
Handicap races: Many in the room agreed that handicap races are important and give everyone a chance, while also involving a teaching element (i.e lapping), and gradually honing speed. Agreed we need to incorporate more handicaps into the programme.
Idea for road races – “all comers” grade or “new comers” grade – start and stay together for first 30kms then do whatever you like.
Could set a slower C Grade group off before the rest of the bunch
Maree W mentioned that in ChCh a few years ago at races there would be two higher grades, a handicap race and a social / introductory race….which was a combination of those who don’t want to race and those who do want to race but are just starting out / learning. Catered for everyone.
Cam suggested integrating Sunday bunch rides together – starting out together and some teaching involved, then different bunches can spilt off. Graeme suggested that Sunday bunch rides could all start from the velodrome, different bunches riding different speeds – 25kms/hr, 30km/hr etc so you can slot in where you would like to, everyone in the bunch can then help each other and split off where necessary.
Grade guidelines – there needs to be some guidelines (i.e win twice or three times in a 5 week period, and go up etc). Feeder Grades /introductory grades don’t work if there are people who are not putting themselves up.
More team racing – particularly with Nationals coming up. We need to practice racing in a team!
Fun events to try and mix the whole group up – e.g split into teams / pairs, head round the block in opposite directions, then meet up and then both have to get back to the start together.
Club rides – getting together and going for a ride, cup of tea, learning about riding, Juniors and Seniors together.
Allocating club members to Houses (like school)
Heels on Wheels / Frocks on Bikes – not in lycra! Social rides. Good way to cater for everyone in the organisation.
“Chalk and talk” road tactics / induction process – you have to go to a workshop before you race. Educating across the membership. Have to pitch it appropriately. Ever evolving process. Information evenings. Performance Development Workshops on road tactics. We need to have an across the board consensus so everyone is doing the same thing – write a set of guidelines “Best practice”. Welcome booklet.
Wednesday Worlds – from when it starts this month, we will have a D Grade and a Social Grade (with elements of learning: senior or more experienced riders riding with them and teaching). This will help feed riders into racing and hopefully next year they will be ready for some Saturday racing next year. Discussion to be had with Julie and Graeme before doing 2013 Road Calendar to fit in social grade.
Summary Questions: How do we resource all of this? How do we structure this?
Nick – need to make list of the roles that need filling and allocate people to them.
“Making it an easy sport to get started in and hooked on for life”
Let’s get started!!!
Next Meeting:
Monday 5th November, 6.30pm