2015 Probikx/Champbikx National Series

[adminfromhell]

http://www.bmxaustralia.com.au/News/NewsDetails/TabId/2290/ArtMID/5347/ArticleID/313/2015-BMX-Australia-National-Series-host-clubs-announced.aspx

Thoughts??

[alterego]

Seems like a lot of travel.

Rounds 1 &2: Nerang BMX Club, QLD – January 2 & 3, 2015 (C1)
Rounds 3 & 4: Shepparton BMX Club, VIC – February 7 & 8, 2015 (C1)
Rounds 5 & 6: Westside BMX Club, WA – February 28 & March 1, 2015 (C1)
Rounds 7 & 8: Cairns BMX Club, QLD – April 4 & 5, 2015 (C1)
Round 9: Brisbane SX Track, QLD – April 30, 2015 (CC)

The technical guide for the 2015 National Series will be released in the coming months, however, a rider’s overall series placing will be determined by the rider’s best seven results from the series. Riders must compete in at least seven rounds of the overall series to be eligible for the end of series awards.

Check out the UCI Regulations for UCI Track Certificate through the link below. UCI says C1 classifications only require a minimum 2.5m hill and there's no requirement for asphalt turns. Some clubs have been told 5m start hill and asphalt turns.

http://www.uci.ch/Modules/BUILTIN/getObject.asp?MenuId=&ObjTypeCode=FILE&type=FILE&id=Nzk2MDk&LangId=1

[Big Block]

It was my understanding that this series was costing BMXA a quite considerable amount of money to run(not profitable), now if that is the case why on earth would they expand it??
Or is this the return on all our membership fees?

[race69]

as i have said in the past cheque book racing.
is this fair for the riders??

[bert_halts]

I know these are run on weekends, but there has to be some travel time either side... so what about school for the kids?  Not a priority??

[Big Block]

I hear you on this one, but I guess the riders can choose to go or not, or should it be the parents of riders can choose not to take their kids....yeah right!!
I personally would far prefer to see the Aussies run during the school holidays, and yes I know some states have slightly different timings for them, but surely we can align somehow?

My son who is in year 10 is thinking of not riding from next year as he wants to concentrate more on his school work, I know at his age I would never have been bothered!

[GT Interceptor]

I know these are run on weekends, but there has to be some travel time either side... so what about school for the kids?  Not a priority??

Nationals are two weeks outside of most school holidays so why would the time taken from school to race the National Series bother them?!?!?!?

Nationals is treading dangerously close to Naplan dates too. If they overlapped my sons school would not let him race Nationals.

[alterego]

Race69 is right it's cheque book racing, those with the money will run the series.

I ran some numbers to run the whole series, if my son and I flew to all rounds except Shepparton where we coud drive, I'm looking at $4k in flights. Throw in around another $3-4K  for accomodation remembering you need to be at the Nationals for a week. My accomodation figures are based on approx $150 a night, around $600 per event, and $1K for the Nationals. Add in car hire for the fly away rounds, entries and food, I can't see much change from $10K.

As for the timing of the Nationals, NOT the National SERIES, I can see that BMXA are trying to minimise costs for riders. In that I mean that if an event is held outside school holidays, the cost of flights and accomodation are reduced. Have a look at flights in and outside peak dates and you'll see what I mean. Accomodation is the same.