[Biking-L] Fwd: [MWCCC] Call for Proposals - Fall 2010 Season

[Katsu Tanda]

Katsu Tanda

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Begin forwarded message:

*From:* Andrew Rizzo <andrew_rizzo at sbcglobal.net>
*Date:* March 31, 2010 11:21:16 PM EDT
*To:* <mwccc at googlegroups.com>
*Subject:* *[MWCCC] Call for Proposals - Fall 2010 Season*
*Reply-To:* <andrew_rizzo at sbcglobal.net>

MWCCC,

Below is the description of the proposal process for planning the fall
mountain bike season.  It is similar to the process used last year, but you
should still read all of this.  There has been an increasing trend of
appearing to not be aware of the information below; remember that if more
schools hope to host a race than we have available weekends, not following
instructions and requirements could be a deciding factor in the calendar.

Note that once the preliminary proposals are final, it is time to work on
the final proposals (you will not be prompted to do so.)  Instructions for
both parts are in this email.  The final proposals should only be expanding
on the preliminary proposals; if circumstances require a change you must
contact me first.

The conference will vote to approve the schedule again this year via e-mail
with each club getting one vote.  Once the proposals are in, I will work
with the promoters to propose a schedule.  Promoters can make comments to
the conference and propose alternatives if they feel it is not the best
schedule.  The exact dates of this will depend on how quickly it is possible
to work out a proposal.

There are a few points to make:

1. The preliminary bids are not just a step to fill out at the last minute
and forget.  The purpose is to allow host schools to possibly coordinate
(including share a weekend) and to pick weekends that are not being
requested by other schools.  In general, you improve your chances of getting
a race if there are fewer schools requesting the same weekend.  Also, in the
event that more schools request weekends than we have available (which
happens many years), I look more favorably on weekends split between two
nearby schools.  I know this is not always possible due to geography or
scheduling, and a split weekend is no guarantee of inclusion in the proposed
schedule, but it is one of many factors.

2. To encourage use of the preliminary bid proposals, this year you will
have to set up your account and post tentative information before the
process well before (next week, in fact.)  You can then go back and update
it later, but this gets something in for everyone to start looking at and
also allow time in case you have any technical problems to work through.

3. Another factor that will be looked at is participation in last year's
mountain bike season.  If you are going to ask that everyone travel to an
event hosted by your school, it is only fair to hope that you travel to the
events hosted by other schools.  This is not a measure of how many riders
you bring, but whether your school is present (and nobody expects a team to
be at every race.) Because many clubs have different groups for road and
mountain bike season, I will only be looking at participation in the prior
mountain bike season.  Again, this is no guarantee of getting a race (or not
getting one), but is one of many factors.

4. Because riders now need to work their way up through the categories, we
need to have more gravity events.  Ideally, every weekend should have at
least one (either slalom or downhill.)  Not offering a gravity event will
not exclude you from hosting an event, but it will be taken into account
when evaluating the proposals.  If your area lacks the elevation change to
have a true gravity event, use some imagination to come up with a course
that tests the same skills.

5. Promoters who are not students must outline how students will assist in
planning the event (not just helping race-day.) Promoting a race provides
important skills and experience to students.  This is not to say
non-students (e.g., coaches) should not be involved since they are often
responsible for long-running, consistently well-promoted events.  Student
participation will be another aspect considered.

Nationals is scheduled for October 14-17 in California.  I have set a
tentative regionals date to October 2-3 which does not leave as much time as
ideal to plan nationals travel, but provides a more reasonable schedule
length.  The season is tentatively scheduled to start August 28.

Valmiki will be following up shortly with instructions on the preliminary
bid process.

Let me know if you have any questions.

-Andrew





------------------------------------------------
Call for Preliminary Race Proposals:

Preliminary proposals will be accepted through April 16, 2010.  This step of
the process will be done using a web interface; initial information on your
bid must be posted by April 9 (even if the date is just a guess to be
changed by the 16th.) Instructions on accessing the website will be sent to
the list shortly.

Proposals should include:

1. Date preference (indicating 1st choice, 2nd choice, etc. if more than one
is included.)
2. E-mail contact information
3. Event descriptions
4. Whether or not you would want to be considered for hosting regionals
(note date information below in the description of the formal proposal.)

How much to include in (3) is at the discretion of the promoters.  At a
minimum, the types of events planned but can also include course
descriptions or any other information.  Any other pertinent information is
also welcome.  Events can include cross-country, short track, downhill,
"Collegiate Slalom", or other event you want to propose.  The "Collegiate
Slalom" is described in rule 7J2(g) and, as far as I can tell, is very
similar to a Dual Slalom but with differences so that all competitors are
ranked.

Proposals will be viewable by other promoters so they will be able to see
how many proposals request certain dates, what clubs are requesting races,
and what the nature of the events is.

Proposals can be changed as the process progresses by submitting a revised
proposal (taking into account what other clubs have proposed) and this can
be done as many times as necessary till this step of the process ends.  THIS
IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL!

------------------------------------
Call for Formal Race Proposals:

Written proposals, based on the information submitted during the preliminary
proposal process, will be then be accepted.  These proposals should not
change the information in the final preliminary version - the purpose of the
formal proposals is to provide further information for final consideration.
 Proposals should be RECEIVED by May 5, 2010.

Proposals are to be submitted by e-mail to arizzo at usacycling.org or US mail
to:
Andrew Rizzo
4742 Winchester Ave
Lisle, IL 60532

Proposals sent electronically should contain all that would be sent in the
mail.  Maps, permits, or any other non-electronic documents would need to be
scanned and included and everything should be contained in one document.

First consideration will be given to proposals which include all of the
following:

1. Complete course descriptions, including maps.
2. Written permission from appropriate authorities.
3. Preliminary schedule for events.
4. Contact information (e-mail and telephone) for the remainder of the
spring, the summer, as well as the fall (as much as is possible.)

Notes for promoters:

Proposals deficient in one or more categories will be considered; but when
two proposals compete for a date, preference will go to complete proposals.

When possible, indicate alternate dates that you might be able to also hold
your event. The season will tentatively start August 28 and events over
Labor Day weekend will be considered (though for two days of racing - not
three.)  With the initial bid, written permission will only be necessary for
the first choice (if an alternate date works better for the conference, the
promoter will be given an opportunity to obtain permission.)

The permission process takes time, but also is paramount in completing a
successful race.  The harder the promoter works now, the less he or she will
have to work later.  If you are unable to get written permission before the
proposals are due, an indication of where you are in the permitting process
and what you will need to complete it can be taken into account to partially
fulfill this requirement.  The more you show you know about what needs to be
done, the better positioned you will be.  (Some venues will not give written
permission without proof of insurance, and you cannot get the insurance
certificates without a race permit which you won't get without a final date
on the calendar...  I am aware of this; if this applies to you, include as
much information about what will need to be done - including maybe a copy of
the venue's form - and, if possible, written indication from the venue that
it is available on the date requested.)

For Saturday races, the MWCCC recommends a late morning or early afternoon
start, IF POSSIBLE. For Sunday, the MWCCC recommends an early to mid-morning
start, IF POSSIBLE. These times allow for race-day travel to save hotel
costs, and earlier Sunday departure to return to school. These times may be
altered for the Regional Championship.

It is imperative that the conference director be able to contact race
promoters in the weeks and months before the event.  If contact information
changes (including who to contact) after the proposal is submitted, you MUST
inform the conference director as soon as possible.

Regional Championship Proposals:

The tentative target date for the Regional Championship is the weekend of
October 2-3. Proposals for other dates will also be considered though
preference will be given to proposals for this weekend.  The conference
championship bid must include cross country and at least one gravity (slalom
or downhill) event, should include a short-track event, and may include a
second gravity event.  This is the midwest - the topography is not amenable
to gravity events so it will not be held against your proposal if there is
just one.

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