Entries Close for Scott 24 Hour

From what I heard, Mont weren’t the ones playing hardball over sponsorship dollars. I am reliably informed that CORC/APIS dramatically (and I mean dramatically!) increased the sponsorship ask (and as cash) for Mont to continue as naming rights sponsor (not very loyal to a long term sponsor IMHO but there you go). Scott came to the party to some extent, but club members may never really know what Scott actually paid for rights to each event. I wonder if Toyota will now skip past Scott as major sponsor for next year and pony up a fist full of dollars for what is just another 24hr event on a calendar year full of well run events.

Do one, do another, do both or do neither – I don’t care who the money goes to, I just want a well run event on good tracks, whether it’s a club, privateer or a combination of efforts makes no difference, they are all putting on events for riders and good on them all.

The relentless push to keep growing the event has not worked and it would seem a significant number riders have voted with their feet in favour of a number of different events (including the Mont). I hope the club is taking notes.

Calm down people, there are enough fluro lycra pants for everyone

I saw something on Sunrise the other morning that made me laugh. In an interview with Craig Lownes (sp?) regarding the upcoming Bathurst 1000 Craig pointed out that the race was definitely a widely recognised international sporting event, I think his words were something like … its recognised internationally as one of Australia’s top sporting events – along with the (some event I cant remember), the Australian Open and the Mont 24 Hour mountain bike race… I nearly spat coffee all over my paper! Looks like Mont’s early investment in the event just keeps on paying off.

Having ridden every Mont/Scott 24 hour except the very first, I’d have to say that it’s a well run affair and a joy to compete in, that said I could easily name two dozen riding buddies who think that its got too big for its own good and that it isn’t what it used to be – they’re not riding this year (any many of these guys have ridden it every year since it started). Some of them are going to ride the Mont at Majura Pines, some have decided to ride the Mitta-Mt Beauty later in October as a different type of endurance event and some are looking elsewhere at the big choice in 12/24 hour format races on offer.

Kramer, I think you and the CORC committee need to focus on why people aren’t signing up to the Scott 24 not what their other options might be – another race a week after yours is simply providing an option for riders –they’ll choose one over the other on the basis of what’s on offer – you guys cant really do squat about what Dave White’s offering, but you’ve got complete control over what you offer at the Scott.

And I don’t buy you’re re-investment argument as a motivator for choosing a race given that there’s a fairly substantial proportion of entrants to the Scott that come from out of town – I just don’t see guys from Victoria, NSW or Queensland being motivated by the fact that local Canberra riders will reap the benefits of the event.

Anyway, that my 2 cents worth.

The CORC (Scott) 24 hour has always been an event where the punters and casual riders can race alongside (very briefly) the nations best riders. Mont’s event only has teams of 4 & 6 people so obviously they are aiming squarely for the mountain bike enthusiast money spot. They have no school teams, whereas the Scott 24 hour has the full range from solo through to school & corporate teams of 10.

I would have no problem with Mont hosting another 24 hour event in Canberra if it were not so close to the Scott 24 Hour – more so if profits were to go back into mountain biking rather than private pockets. The Mont event is definitely taking away entries from the Scott, even your own comment shows this: “serious riders are probably doing both anyway..I would if I was fitter”.

Kramer, I am not anti-CORC, I just find it a bit amusing that the 24 hr Championships and CORC’s fundraising efforts wouldn’t be where it is today without the efforts of Dave and Co early on so to have an issue with him setting up anew event is a bit rich. I see this as a great opportunity for CORC to get on board the Mont as well (i’m sure Dave could do with a hand and you guys ahve all the experience) and possibly run them as 2 separate events ‘co-snactioned’ CORC events in the future…the ‘premuim’ 24 hr championships aimed at the pro teams and solo/duo/trio/4s serious riders and the ‘other’ event aimed at those who want the challenge but aren’t hard core eg the more social 4s/6s and corporate teams eg 10s. I think the event was too big last year with too big a disparity in skill and fitness between the elite and the ‘social’. I think this will be exacerbated on the Stromlo climb loop so my team and I chose to go to the low key Mont. I think you will find that the serious riders are probably doing both anyway..I would if I was fitter. In summary, I think this is a great opportunity for a win win all round. CORC gets revenue from 2 events, Canberra gets 2 world class 24 hr tracks maintained (so the easter solo can run at either in rotation?)the premium 24 championship event covers off the pros etc and the other event keeps Mont involved and allows for the less competitive and maybe the schools to participate in a less technical course.

Also, Gnt and Rara, best of luck! The smallest team I have ever done it was as a four and that was challenging enough!

Also, cranky, I am from Bathurst and know what government support can do for motorsports. Bathurst City Council spends millions on maintaining the track and facilities etc because of the revenue it brings to the town. They also corporatised the event quite a few years ago and sold the concessions to the highest bidders, national firms not local ones, which hurt local traders but the council still got their cut.. I still think there has to be an opportunity to build a multi motorsport facility in the Fairbairn Pines area to satisfy all parties.

..getting off soap box now…

Kieran

Sorry, I should have said the DH in the green van heading back to QBN along Hindmarsh from Woden up the hill. Keep left dickhead, simple really.

For what its worth, I reckon Kramer’s on the money. While I’m not entirely up to speed on the ins and outs of the local MTB scene (casual rider)I reckon anything that’ll return value to the local mtb community is the best outcome for all?
BTW sorry for maybe going off topic but the dickhead in the green van with the MTB on the back (and local bike shop sticker on the back window!)heading back to QBN early this arvo who sped up to abuse me for overtaking from the middle lane, keep left unless overtaking and you won’t have to put up with people cutting in front of you.

CORC currently has about 500 paid up memebers. How do the local motorsport clubs compare?

Also CORC is very lucky to have some members who are quite skilled at writing govt grant submissions.

The local mountain bike scene seems to be treated very generously by Govt grants, and all you can argue about is the competing benefits of these races.

Bear some thought for the motor sport enthusiasts who are denied assistance at every turn.

BTW – I have been riding out at Majura in the last couple of weeks, and haven’t noticed “the new trails David and his team are building at Majura”. All I have seen at Majura is the work CORC have been doing (or funding).

Kieran your comments have shown your ingnorance of the local mountain biking scene. Firstly, I have been involved with organised mountain biking in Canberra, CORC and the 24 hour since 2000. I worked on trail building & trail remediation for the 24 hour events with Dave White when he was the race director. I agree that Dave’s and Mont’s contributions to the race have been huge and without it the race may not be where it is today.

In the lead up to the 06 race Mont attempted to play hardball with CORC in regards to sponsorship dollars, but CORC called their bluff and ended up with a heaps better sponsorship deal with Scott (who is now the naming rights sponsor). “The 24 Hour” is the race hosted by CORC, Mont and now Scott are just the naming rights sponsor.

The point you seem to be missing is that The 24 Hour is the biggest fund raiser (by far) for CORC. Any drop in revenues from the race directly impacts the money CORC has available to fund mountain biking in Canberra, to name just a few things:
Trail building – such as professional work by Glen Jacobs at Mt Stromlo, and Darren’s work at Majura, feeding volunteer trail crews, trail building materials and tools.
Trails advocacy – applying for and winning govt grants to build new trails (like Stromlo Stage 1 & Stromlo Stage 2), negotiating land access for new areas, negotiating the construction of technical trail features & northshore structures on existing trail networks.
Junior development programs – like 10 free race entries for under 17’s, development squads hosted by professional coaches, hosting the ACT School champs with free entry, food & drinks for the kiddies.

As far as I am aware, the new Mont race is run by Longrides Racing AKA Dave White, and has no affiliation with any mountain biking club, and has no intention to donate profits to the local mountain biking community (although they name World Bicycle Relief as their “charity”). If Mont’s sole reason for sponsoring this race is “to get back into sponsoring mtb events” then why would they schedule a 24 hour race in Canberra a week after the CORC Scott 24 Hour? The way I see it Mont & the organisers are attempting to grab a piece of CORC’s pie, and hurting the CORC & Canberra mountain biking in the process.

If mountain bikers really knew the impact that the new Mont 24 hour race will have on Canberra mountain biking they wouldn’t be ditching the Scott race in favour of the Mont – which is what we have seen.

Sounds bizarre!
Drive home safely at the end – I hope you’ve got a lift organised.

Keep an eye on the highly competitive womens’ pairs category, where myself and occasional rioter Rara are going to romp home to take the glory of first place.

Anyone else we can look out for?

Your observation of a ‘rival’ race shows an ignorance of the local mountain biking scene. Dave White, the organiser of the rival ‘Mont’, has been heavily involved in endurance mountain biking and event organising for years. He has been heavily involved in the 24 mtn bike championshiops pretty well since it started as an unpaid volunteer. Mont a local Queanbeyan company came on board as a major sponsor from the first and has become synonomous with the 24 championships. The event grew rapidly until such time as it outgrew the volunteer organisation supporting it. 3 years ago, a local company APIS, run by a keen local mountain biker, Andrew Robertson, came on board to run the event more as a corporate event. This allowed the event to expand even further to the great event it is now. Running it as a corporate event meant corporate sponsorship. Scott won the bidding rights for the event naming rights. Simple function of $$$. The last 2 24hr events have been run incredibly successfully as a corporate event with APIS employee and local endurance mtn biker Tracey Angove the main organiser. This year is bigger and better than ever. The new ‘Mont’ does not detract from the status as the ‘SCott’ as the 24 hr titles. Mont wanted to get back into sponsoring mtb events, they approached David, he (again as a volunteer) agreed to organise an event, at a new location for a mtb endurance event based at Majura Winery. CORC is still running the 24hr championships sponsored by Scott and all local mtb bikers benefit from the excellent new trails at Stromlo and the ongoing development towards international events in 2008. They will also benefit from the new trails David and his team are building at Majura. The 2 events don’t detract from each other, they are just more of the same thing. Both will benefit the local mtb community. As a caveat, having ridden in the last 5 Mont/Scotts I found the event had got too big, and am riding in the Mont this year.

Kieran