| Subject: UK race series |
Author:
Chris and Jo
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Date Posted: 08:53:45 07/21/02 Sun
Hi,
The reason I have been quiet is that I am still working hard trying to wrap up the Aviemore event.The event has once again left us financially, mentally and physically down.The main reason for this is people dropping out of the event last minute leaving only me with the responsibility this is what happens to the "people in the know" at the end of the day its them that's left with all the problems.I have also been quiet because I do not have anything positive to add at the moment I tried to set up the BGSA but there are still only four members Pete Eliot, John Bates, Dan Bates and myself.
To be able to organise races you need to charge a small entry fee for fuel for the van and possible use of hill climb courses who charge £200 a day. If I were to organise this and not enough people turned up it would be me who pays.
To make a race as safe as possible someone needs to pay for the bales and netting get them there, set up the course and take it down, you need to have third party liability insurance, these were the main reasons for the BGSA membership.
Ultimately we feel responsible for the safety of the other riders and not just myself, we would not like to have a repeat of Chalky's accident having to wait 1 1/2 hours for an ambulance feeling helpless whilst he was in so much pain for so long. We then travelled 100 miles each night after work to visit him in hospital,even though chalky is a good mate, we would have done this for anybody because we feel responsible.
I have been importing parts into the country to make sure people have the right parts to race with, its certainly not been for financial gain I just needed to cover my costs but its not even worth doing that.
I have known Ding for many years. I started racing at Gurston as did so many others and Gurston is a good beginners hill and Ding is committed to teaching beginners, but does not want to expand (as I understand it) and with having the experiences I have had now I do not blame him.
I have also had to deal with the politics of the IGSA which completely destroyed my faith in the organisation as a board member.
On the POSITIVE side I have managed to put on the biggest gravity sports event in the UK twice, which have both been televised for channel 4, introduced gravity biking to this country, encouraged more people into streetluge (only to scrape them up and send them to hospital!), shared my riding experience and offer advice, we have a van,trailer some netting and posts, and radios.
Admittedly the web site is poor at the moment but I need to find the time.
It was good to receive all the thanks for the Aviemore event because that is all I get out of it, I don't even get to ride the road as much as everybody else.
It would be nice to just turn up to races that other people have organised (and a lot cheaper) and then maybe I could compete internationally.
I know some people out there are committed to the sport but from experience I know that in most cases the commitment fades. I don't blame anybody for this everyone has busy lives and other commitments.However our lives have been taken over by Streetluge, particularly the organisation of Aviemore to the point where it isn't any fun.
I would like to see what commitment people have to offer and if they are willing to back it up so that the sports and BGSA can go into the future.
I am sorry to moan so much but I was pushed!
I am sure by now you will be sorry you asked, but I have struggled long and hard for this sport and I feel entitled to moan!
Chris & Jo
Chris Beard
00 44 (0)151 353 1246
07977 975 112
www.Gravitysports.co.uk
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