Wisport Announcements
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5/30/2008 WiSport and Citizens' Racing Needs Your Help!
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As you probably noticed, the WiSport Handbook was really late this year. Putting the Handbook together is a very big job. I got off to a late start, and it became just unmanageable, even with the help I had from Andy Tautges who contacted the majority of sponsors this year. Andy now lives in California, but WiSport still means enough to him that he was willing to help out! We now need someone who is actively enjoying the benefits of WiSport to step forward and take on the task of the Handbook. In fact, WiSport needs a number of talented people who can help the organization improve services to members, events, and sponsors. Please read the job descriptions below to see if there is some way you can help. I think there are many WiSporters who would enjoy doing one of these jobs, and, possibly gain some valuable experience yourself. Other ideas about ways to help are welcome, too. With the help of members, WiSport can grow, and continue for another 20 years or more. The blunt truth, though, is that a lot of help is going to be needed to keep this good thing going. If you can’t help due to other responsibilities, maybe you know someone who can. Please don’t volunteer out of a sense of obligation unless you can commit to completing the responsibilities you take on! If all you can do right now is to train, be a member, and participate in races, then definitely keep doing that. Maybe when the kids are older, when you’re not traveling for work, or volunteering for another cause, that may be when you can do more for WiSport. The biggest need is for one or more people to take on the following jobs: - Sponsor Relations: Contact current and potential sponsors with regard to Handbook advertisements. Follow through to obtain or help create print ready ad copy artwork, etc. Determine how WiSport can provide additional advertisement value to sponsors, and make advertisement with WiSport an even greater value. With a dedicated Handbook “staff”, the Handbook can grow into an income producing publication with some compensation for being responsible for its growth. Note that low cost color printing is now available with our current printer, Waupaca Publishing.
- Handbook Production Manager: Collect print ready ad copy as it comes in from events, and advertisers. Determine additional material that can be added to the handbook for added interest (e.g. articles and up to date descriptive information about WiSport.)
- Prize management / logistics: Plan the distribution and transportation of prizes to events for WiSport only door prizes. Work with WiSport event coverage volunteers to transport prizes for door prize raffles. The trick is to work with members and plan ways to transfer the prizes by car so they don’t have to be shipped by UPS, etc. You also need to pick up or otherwise get the prizes from the sponsors who supply them.
Ideally, one person would do all three of these jobs. Most of the work is done from November to April, so your warm weather riding time does not need not suffer. The Sponsor Relations job requires some continuity and takes some time to learn. So, please have a multiple year commitment in mind. Here's the thing. Without someone to take over these jobs, there will be no 2009 WiSport Road Racers Handbook, and few, if any sponsors or after race door prizes. So, you say you could live without the Handbook and prizes? Well, we don’t absolutely need a printed race schedule book in order to have a series of bike races, but the Handbook is a great promotional tool, and it helps to support membership level, and race turnout. It is an important part of how WiSport works, and I think we should try to save it. I would continue to handle the sponsors and the Handbook myself if I could, but I really just can not do it anymore. Also, without the time required to do this, I can do other things for WiSport that I think I would be better at doing. If you would like to help, but your other commitments prevent you from taking on the Handbook job, here is a list of jobs that I think would also be a huge help, would require less of a commitment, and I would hope that many members would find to be fun and rewarding. - Interview sponsors and write articles about the "Sponsor of the Month" for the website. The format is up to you, but would probably be similar to the way local companies are highlighted in the business section of local newspapers. Adding value to sponsorship in this way would be a huge help to WiSport. (Limited commitment required)
- Event coverage Coordinator: A WiSport representative should be present at every event. The event Coverage manager will work with WiSport Race Officials to make sure every race and tour is covered. I did a terrible job of this in 2007, so we have to do better. (1 year commitment requested)
- WiSport Race Officials (or “event coverage volunteers”): As a race official, you would arrive at an event by the start of registration, and make contact with the race director. Then, set up to register WiSport members and hand out WiSport Handbooks. (You would still have time to participate in the race yourself, and WiSport will pay your pre-registration entry fee.) That may be all that is required, but in many cases the job would include helping with rule enforcement decisions and prize drawings. Requires a knowledge of WiSport rules. Volunteers are needed for the Tour Series too. (Limited commitment required)
- Race Report contributors: For every race, the website should feature a brief report on the race and how it unfolded. Put your interest and talent in sports reporting to work to help those who couldn’t attend find out how things worked out. (Limited commitment required)
- WiSport News Journalist: If your talent is more along the lines of journalism, help out by writing up stories of general interest about WiSport. Photojournalism would be a plus! The home page of the website needs to be updated more often so people will go there to see what's up. (Limited commitment required)
- Graphics artist: Work with the Handbook manager to help improve the printed handbook, create or update ads for sponsors, and races and the website with your aesthetic skills. This is a big need. (Limited commitment required)
- Professionals willing to offer accounting, legal, and insurance advice would be invaluable to the club. (No commitment required)
- A person is needed to print out and mail race results to members that do not have access to the Internet. You would go to a special page on the WiSport website where you can print address labels, and a compact form of the results for mailing. You just do this from your own computer and printer. You would be reimbursed for postage, paper, etc. According to the poll question on the application form, there are at least a dozen people who would really enjoy this kind of service. (Limited commitment required)
If you have any questions, please call or email me (Ken Thomson). One more thing, I kind of like being the WiSport Director, it's great being involved with WiSport, but obviously, I won't be doing this forever. I can tell you that it is a bit of work, and it tends to cut into training time, but it is very rewarding at a personal level. If you would like to talk about taking the Director position (either now, or in a few years), please get in touch. Maybe you have some ideas about a new direction, or a new way of organizing the workload. As long as the membership and WiSport events are well served, I would be glad to talk about a transition. I'm sure the Board would approve a candidate who will work to sustain WiSport and citizens' racing. Many thanks!
2008 WiSport Director
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Ken Thomson
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4/20/2008 Greetings Fellow Wisporters
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As another season starts, your training begins to peak, your bike is tuned, your checkbook is out and you're looking for your Wisport handbook to start entering the races.
What the heck, you say to yourself, it's spring, the book should be here. It's here every spring, why is it late?
This is my opportunity to let you in on a big secret, running Wisport is hard. You cannot imagine the amount of phone calls, letters, copy preparation, proofing and time that goes into that booklet.
Rounding up sponsors and race directors, getting drawing prizes, coordinating races, and weekends, arranging for timing, pursuing new and more sanctioned events, maintaining a web site and statistics has become more than one or two people can handle.
Our club is financially secure. It is settled into the Midwest's bike racing landscape like no other citizen's group in the USA. Membership grows, events grow and opportunities for enjoying bicycling grows.
But I am telling you, there is a cloud on the horizon. This is a citizen's club run by an unpaid Director with no paid staff. For this club to continue, we need you, the members to step up and help.
We need some folks that can invest more than the entry fee into this club. We need those folks that can commit to spending some hours helping Ken with the incredible amount of time it takes.
For several years Gwen and I helped Dar & Family run Wisport. We offered to help after a year-end party when he said he was getting burned out with the amount of time needed and would look for someone else to take over.
For the two years that Gwen & I ran it, we literally spent the equivalent of a ½ time job running it. During the off season, it was closer to full time trying to get the booklet out. There is also an incredible amount of self-imposed pressure keeping the club up to expectations.
Luckily for us we found someone emminently qualified to take over. Ken has done a fantastic job with Wisport. He has grown it and taken it to new heights, but to continue he and Wisport need your time.
Ken will shortly be putting up a call for volunteers with some specific jobs to be done. Take a look at those jobs and get involved. Most of the big jobs can be done over the winter, some of the jobs will be working with a team, some perhaps alone. In any case, Wisport needs your help---Volunteer now to keep this club as you want to see it.
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Gale Dushack
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3/20/2008 2008 Season News
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The Annual Awards Party was again a great success and a lot of fun for all who were able to attend. Congratulations to Joan Carlson for winning the final drawing for the Cycle Ventures trip to Italy! There were also many door prizes in addition to the Year End drawings and fine weather for the before lunch ride. That was last October, and we have had some difficult riding weather since then. Wisconsin weather is beginning to improve (never mind the 4 to 7 inches of snow in the forecast for March 21!).
But, meanwhile, a lucky group of Wisport members are enjoying better weather for spring training among friends in Italy. Here are some links to information about the trip:
Cycle Ventures Tour Personnel
Cycling Itinerary
Itinerary for Companions (non cycling activities)
Each rider is fitted with a Wilier carbon fiber bike. There is a full itinerary for non riding companions, and immersion in the Italian bike racing culture. Participants travel together from the Midwest as a group, so they can relax about finding their way to the proper train platform, etc.
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Ken Thomson
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08/21/2007 2008 Wisport Spring Training Trip
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The Wisport Spring Training trip will innaugurate Wisport's twentieth year. Members will again travel as a group to the Perla Hotel, and ride routes on the Adriatic coast of Italy.
WISPORT 20th Anniversary Celebration of Cycling
March 19-28, 2008
Save!!
Early bird $500 deposit by Sept. 30 * secures your spot. Limited to 20 participants each from Minneapolis and Madison.
Includes:
Carbon fiber Wilier custom fitted bike
Training program-pace line and time trail
VIP access to Professional cycling Coppi-Bartali Race Week
Rub elbows with such professional teams as Barloworld and Cofidis.
Top flight spring training
Complete companion program. Art, museums, culture, guides for the non biker
* Special WISPORT member price $2397 with air $2797.
www.cyclecvi.com
Madison, Wisconsin USA 53704
800/546.8520 or 608/244.2432
Designer Globe Trotting
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Karl Gutknecht
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07/17/2007 Center Line Rule Enforcement
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I would like to thank the members who have contributed to the Forum discussion about the centerline rule. This issue has been the most discussed topic among Wisport board members as well as in discussions with event leaders. The recent tragedy in an Illinois racing event brought this issue to an even higher level.
Wisport and events in the Series have limited resources with which to enforce safety rules, and we have deliberated on the exact provisions of the centerline rule.
For the balance of 2007, we will be prohibiting crossing the center line, except for minor infractions which do not result in advancement of position, and where a rider is across the line only briefly. Whether a minor crossing of the line constitutes a violation will be at the discretion of the event officials and Wisport. When possible, violations will be documented by digital photography. Enforcement may be done from vehicles on the course, or from stationary vantage points. A Report of a violation received from multiple riders will be evaluated by race officials and may result in penalties. Penalties for violation of safety rules may consist of disqualification or time penalties to be decided by race and/or Wisport officials.
One particular violation which may be result in numerous penalties, is the crossing of the line by a large number of riders due to a crosswind from the right. If this occurs, officials may disqualify ALL violators that can be identified. You should not depend on strength in numbers. If a cross wind causes you to move left to draft other riders, keep it on the right side of the road. When the end of the eschelon is at the centerline, work with other riders to form a new eschelon on the right edge of the road and start rotating through. Then, when wind conditions change due a turn or sheltered area, you can move forward to join the riders ahead.
Please help Wisport and the events to make our races safer without sacrificing the spirit of camaraderie that our organization is known for. I am speaking as someone who has violated this rule at times myself (not anymore!), and I think we all realize the critical importance of achieving the greatest safety possible. If you are DQ'd, (or if I am) let's try to keep it in the best sportsmanship. A couple of more things: Let's try to keep the right lane rotating with the left side of the right lane for riders moving ahead. Purposely blocking the right lane to the advantage of teammates or friends up ahead is not permitted. You cannot take advantage of the rule for the purpose of team tactics. This would be an automatic DQ.
Also, let's keep the need for DQ's to a minimum since we all know the suffering on the bike we endure. It is a huge disappointment to devote months to training, encounter expenses, drive several hours to a race, then receive a disqualification. Those riders who have accepted disqualifications so far this season in a good natured, sportsman like manner deserve our respect.
Please continue to keep the Forum discussion on safety rules active. We need to improve our rules and their enforcement without diminishing the friendly competition that we are known for.
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Ken
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06/27/2007 Team Time Trial Series Scoring II
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After reviewing feedback about the plans for changing the way Wisport scores Team Time Trials, there seems to be a consensus that we need to change the Wisport team points earned by teams in the TTT events. In fact this will be applied to the Firehouse 50/33 road races also.
In arriving at team scores, the total points of the top five team members in all time trial options will be awarded to each Wisport team. In other words, the top 5 age group scores for Big Ring Flyers in individual, 2 person, and 4 person races will constitute the team score. The same applies to the team Tour score.
To clarify this further, we will not be taking the total of five riders in the individual, five from the 2 person, and 5 from the 4 person. This would allow a larger team an overwhelming advantage, andthe possibility to score 750 team age group points in one event. And at Grand view, a team could theoretically score 1250 age group team points in one morning. The maximum will now be 500 points for the time trials and the road races.
Looking specifically at Grand View, team points will be determined by five Wisport team members in the time trials, and five team members in the two road races.
I hope it will be agreed that this is equitable, and an improvement over previous scoring policy.
Thanks for the good ideas from the Board and especially from interested members.
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Ken
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06/17/2007 Team Time Trial Series Scoring
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With three time trial events offering team options this year, there has been some interest in updating the method used to score Wisport points for team time trials.
In the past, riders opting to do a 2 person TTT were given age group points starting after all the individual riders, and all 4 person team members were scored after everyone else. For example, if there are 2 Wisport age group J males doing an individual TT, the fastest 2 person team member in that age group would receive 48 age group points. The two individual riders would receive 50 and 49 points regardless of their time. The problem with this is that people interested in their age group points or their team's standings are discouraged from doing a Team TT. Also, Tour de Wisport points were not awarded to any riders, another disadvantage.
This year, for each TTT event, each team type (individual, 2 person, or 4 person) will be scored as a separate event. In each event, each rider will be scored as an individual based on his or her personal finishing time. Then, as usual, the person with the fastest time in his or her age group receives 50 age group points.
It will now be possible to do a team TT and still receive 50 points.
Riders will now receive Tour de Wisport points.
This change affects Wisport points scoring only, and has no bearing on how event awards are done. The three events affected by this change are Brice Prairie Time Trials, Firehouse 50 Time Trial, and the Badfish Flyin' Forty Time Trial.
More details:
Male, female, and Mixed teams will all be scored the same, but each rider on
a team will be scored within his or her regular age group.
A time trial team may be a mixture of members of any Wisport teams or unattached riders.
It is not necessary for all persons on a time trial team to be Wisport members.
A three person team will be scored as a four person team.
Additionally, riders who participate in all three team time trial events will be eligible to receive a prize. First place will be a set of Bontrager Race Lite wheels. Second place: a pair of Speedplay Pedals. There will also be a third prize. Prizes will be awarded using a combination of performance and chance. Prize winners will be selected from first, second, and third place finishers.
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Ken
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4/30/2007 Wisport Board of Directors
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The 2007 Board of Directors will consist of: Richard Alderman, Scott Brown, Butch Dushack, Steve Fouts, Jim Frame Bill Johnson, Darryl Mataya, Jim Menzel, Varick Olson, Richard Palmer, Ken Thomson, and Deb Vollrath. The board met and discussed several issues at Willard on 4/28/2007.
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Ken
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11/16/2006 Season's End Awards Banquet
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The Annual Awards Party was again a great success and a lot of fun for all who were able to attend. Congratulations to Marva Sahs for winning the final drawing for the Cycle Ventures trip to Italy!
We finished the year with membership at 280 up a bit from 271. This year, we had 3505 overall registrations in 29 sanctioned events. This is an increase from 3362 in 2005 and 3407 in 2004. Wisport is in good health at the ripe old age of 19, and still committed to the goal of maintaining a series of quality races for anyone who wants to race.
I have accepted the role of Wisport Director for 2007, and we have created three co-director positions which will be filled by Butch Dushack, Steve Fouts, and Bill Johnson. I will not be able to attend as many events as Butch and Dar have in previous years, but at least one of us will plan to be present at most of the events.
Please address any correspondence to me. My contact information is on the About Wisport page.
The tentative race calander for 2007 is now posted. This may help people who need to plan their summer vacations early, but please keep in mind that none of the events are confirmed at this time. I will post the changes as they are available, along with the latest revision date.
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Ken Thomson
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4/4/2006
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The Darwin Vollrath Memorial scholarship application is now available.
Download Here
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Deb
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12/1/2005
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More about the Dar Vollrath Memorial Scholarship Fund: Two scholarships will be awarded. One scholarship will go to a Greenwood High School Student, and another will go to either a student who is a Wisport member or a Wisport parent who has an upcoming graduate in 2006. The award will be based on grades, citizenship and participation in community events. The recipient will be chosen by Deb Vollrath and the boys based upon applications and reviews. Checks should be made out to the Dar Vollrath Memorial Fund, and mailed to Associated Bank. A $500 donation has been made by Wisport in honor of Dar's dedication to cycling and in particular, to Wisport
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Butch
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