<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div><br><br><div>Katsu Tanda</div><div><br></div>Sent from my iPhone</div><div><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> Andrew Rizzo <<a href="mailto:andrew_rizzo@sbcglobal.net">andrew_rizzo@sbcglobal.net</a>><br>
<b>Date:</b> March 31, 2010 11:21:16 PM EDT<br><b>To:</b> <<a href="mailto:mwccc@googlegroups.com">mwccc@googlegroups.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[MWCCC] Call for Proposals - Fall 2010 Season</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> <<a href="mailto:andrew_rizzo@sbcglobal.net">andrew_rizzo@sbcglobal.net</a>><br>
<br></div></blockquote><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>MWCCC,</span><br><span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>There are a few points to make:</span><br><span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>Valmiki will be following up shortly with instructions on the preliminary bid process.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Let me know if you have any questions.</span><br><span></span><br><span>-Andrew</span><br>
<span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>------------------------------------------------</span><br><span>Call for Preliminary Race Proposals:</span><br><span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>Proposals should include:</span><br><span></span><br><span>1. Date preference (indicating 1st choice, 2nd choice, etc. if more than one is included.)</span><br><span>2. E-mail contact information</span><br>
<span>3. Event descriptions</span><br><span>4. Whether or not you would want to be considered for hosting regionals (note date information below in the description of the formal proposal.)</span><br><span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br><span></span><br>
<span>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!</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>------------------------------------</span><br><span>Call for Formal Race Proposals:</span><br><span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>Proposals are to be submitted by e-mail to <a href="mailto:arizzo@usacycling.org">arizzo@usacycling.org</a> or US mail to:</span><br><span>Andrew Rizzo</span><br><span>4742 Winchester Ave</span><br>
<span>Lisle, IL 60532</span><br><span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>First consideration will be given to proposals which include all of the following:</span><br><span></span><br><span>1. Complete course descriptions, including maps.</span><br><span>2. Written permission from appropriate authorities.</span><br>
<span>3. Preliminary schedule for events.</span><br><span>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.)</span><br><span></span><br>
<span>Notes for promoters:</span><br><span></span><br><span>Proposals deficient in one or more categories will be considered; but when two proposals compete for a date, preference will go to complete proposals.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.)</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.)</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
<span></span><br><span>Regional Championship Proposals:</span><br><span></span><br><span>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.</span><br>
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