Mabra Road 2023

[John Dove]

Constructive question, what is the outlook of Mabra Road Racing in 2023? 

J Dizzle

[Donald Brew]

Ha! It seems like people have abandoned road to race on rocks and dirt everywhere else! 🤷🏽‍♂️ The BAR is gone. The championship races are gone, unless you live in VA. If every event could be like Backyard Boogie, I’d say things were looking up, but…

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 10:13 AM, John Dove <johnp...@gmail.com> wrote:

Constructive question, what is the outlook of Mabra Road Racing in 2023? 

J Dizzle

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MABRA-USCF" group.
To post to this group, send email to mabra...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to mabra-uscf-...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/mabra-uscf?hl=en
For general MABRA information, go to http://www.mabra.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MABRA-USCF" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mabra-uscf+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CAG6s4H2_MSqUDn7doxg6xgq3a4EYdcji7rPCzY201mWREt%3DVpQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Chelsea Hayman]

Lemme know if there's any way that our team can help build the stoke for MABRA Road Season 2023. I am the Baltimore Bicycle Works Racing Road Captain so I am happy to help with getting things going. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/E511A231-2841-486D-87A1-2D1F9287642C%40gmail.com.

[Donald Brew]

Priority #1. Make sure Flower Mart comes back!!! Sooo much fun!!! 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 12:58 PM, Chelsea Hayman <chelsea....@gmail.com> wrote:



[Pete Van Riper]

Gravel and CX races are less expensive.  One suggestion to offset the cost of road races is a collective pool, or cost sharing, or whatever term applies.  From my perspective, the burden should not be on a single team.  

Pete Van Riper, Route 1 Velo 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 2:45 PM, Donald Brew <djbr...@gmail.com> wrote:

Priority #1. Make sure Flower Mart comes back!!! Sooo much fun!!! 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/887FB3A4-55F7-48C8-9D0B-D18EF5684A07%40gmail.com.

[Cheryl Osborne]

MABRA may have to step in and promote road events.  It honestly seems like MABRA leadership has just stepped back and let road due this slow and painful death. 

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/887FB3A4-55F7-48C8-9D0B-D18EF5684A07%40gmail.com

.

[Cheryl Osborne]

'Die'  not 'due'

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/910444352.534095.1661023719306%40mail.yahoo.com

.

[Pete Van Riper]

Kudos to those who stepped up and kept Poolsville going .  No did the same for the Coppi.  Maybe I’ll stir up some anger, but why do we have a structure where a team can cancel without the opportunity for other teams to step in, or have cancellations go through MABRA to allow a collective effort to keep the classics going.  

Yes I know I know I don’t have the full picture, so let’s share the full picture 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 3:28 PM, 'Cheryl Osborne' via MABRA-USCF <mabra...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

MABRA may have to step in and promote road events.  It honestly seems like MABRA leadership has just stepped back and let road due this slow and painful death. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/910444352.534095.1661023719306%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Lisa Martin]

also Flowermart was on the same day as another road race or crit in Chesapeake VA or somewhere in VA which I think is unfortunate not blaming anyone but since not every weekend is filled we should avoid having any events conflict.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/2BC3AB2D-6E47-4184-886C-EA267705A6A1%40gmail.com.

--

Cell phone: (202) 329-1925
Work phone: (202) 942-2271
Home phone: (301) 927-6654

[Chris Merriam]

How would MABRA promote races?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/151127401.535642.1661024136837%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Pete Van Riper]

Let’s sit down and exchange ideas.  My starting point is that we are MABRA.  We are a collective organization.  The sum of us should be able to put aside tribalism and create a calendar that we can all manage.  

For those of you who know me and are familiar with my efforts to keep Greenbelt going know that this is exactly what I started when I reached out to MABRA for Greenbelt course marshal volunteers. A few of you all

Stepped up.  A great start 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 4:07 PM, Chris Merriam <cmer...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CAG12-d-fSbiNqWDT26sEKedxpL%3DWBXTWno2OsGc5-VpQyDt_Pw%40mail.gmail.com.

[dc.w...@cox.net]

Are there enough regional RR events for juniors? They are the future of the sport. I hate to see young talent not get the recognition and development they need to take it to the next level or, worse yet, lose interest in competitive cycling.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/E511A231-2841-486D-87A1-2D1F9287642C%40gmail.com.

 

[Pete Van Riper]

Excellent point concerning the juniors.  We need some common denominator standards for race fields.  Representation is needed for  juniors, masters, women…ect…

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 4:15 PM, dc.w...@cox.net wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/1207754274.1676158.1661026552248%40myemail.cox.net.

[Kyle Helson]

While we are talking about juniors road racing, while not all the events are "MABRA", I do want to remind everyone that all of the collegiate races run by the ACCC are open to high school aged juniors, even if there are no non-collegiate or junior specific fields. 

If you have any questions about this, feel free to email me off this chain.

-Kyle Helson

ACCC Conference Director 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/360F1CE0-6953-46FF-92E8-6D3C3A385982%40gmail.com.

[Joseph Jefferson]

More events like Flowermart and Backyard Boogie! The key is more “events”!  Collaborations between clubs might work best!  Hoping for better things in 2023!

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 8:35 PM, Pete Van Riper <peteva...@gmail.com> wrote:

Gravel and CX races are less expensive.  One suggestion to offset the cost of road races is a collective pool, or cost sharing, or whatever term applies.  From my perspective, the burden should not be on a single team.  

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/C618F408-F7D2-4B52-ADBA-5765F62DEBCD%40gmail.com.

[Joshua Greenfeld]

Flowermart 100% is coming back. We are looking to make the course a hair longer if all goes well. We are limited on our date by the larger Flowermart event the community puts on (it’s a local flower festival) which allows us to piggy back off their road closures. Otherwise the event is not possible for us to produce due to costs and permitting. Our event is always the Sunday of the larger Flowermart weekend 

As to promotions maybe MABRA could have a budget for targeted advertising promotions on Facebook, IG, etc. they are quite affordable and produce pretty good results. Just a thought

Loved the TTT at church creek today btw. Thanks, Alex! BBWRacing will be back next time  

Josh Greenfeld (he/him)

BBW Racing 

President 

443.929.6150

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 4:28 PM, Kyle Helson <kyle....@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CADyhDovvE%3DZEuTaTr9Cw-x9MBAbm8GxoaBWVck_av2gS8xzWPQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Chris Merriam]

Not sure that tribalism is the problem. Road events are hard put on; difficult to locate courses, expensive to promote, and (as noted) competing with other fun ways to compete on bikes. This is a problem that has been percolating for at least 20 years in this area. MABRA *is* simply a collection of clubs,some of whom put on events based on whether the time and expense is worth it to the club; I'm still not clear on what MABRA leadership is supposed to do to supplement the number of events or replace those that go away.

Separate issue, but we have an exceptional crop of young riders coming up through MABRA right now. There are also unprecedented numbers of young people involved in competitive cycling in the region through the USAC clubs with youth programs, NICA leagues in VA, MD and now Delaware, ACCC (as mentioned) and a bunch of other ways that kids can get involved in the sport. It's helpful not to assume that access to road racing is the key component to developing national and international caliber riders, or to getting young folks in the sport.

Not really much help for J.Dove--sorry my friend.

Chris

[alexhar...@gmail.com]

I just wanted to chime in and thank everyone for all the love for the Flower Mart Crit. It really goes a long way for us, especially in the face of repeat comments from certain corners like "road and crits are dead, why bother ¯\_(ツ)_/¯". Assuming Flower Mart takes place the first weekend of May, our race date is likely 5/7/23.

I am all for more collaboration, because this race is a heavy lift for sure. We also have benefitted from the Maryland Sports Commission's Youth and Amateur Sports Grant and Michael Erin Busch Fund. If you are putting on a race in Maryland, I STRONGLY urge you to apply for a grant; the grant window closes end of the year from what I last heard. MSC has been very supportive of FMC and, because of the Maryland Cycling Classic, they want to develop Maryland's reputation as a destination for cycling. So, it's worth taking advantage of that as a resource.

Cheers,

Alex

[Donald Brew]

Just make sure you call “dibs” Joshua!!! 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 5:05 PM, alexhar...@gmail.com <alexhar...@gmail.com> wrote:

I just wanted to chime in and thank everyone for all the love for the Flower Mart Crit. It really goes a long way for us, especially in the face of repeat comments from certain corners like "road and crits are dead, why bother ¯\_(ツ)_/¯". Assuming Flower Mart takes place the first weekend of May, our race date is likely 5/7/23.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/ba3e6129-d3dc-474b-83ec-2397f4a10400n%40googlegroups.com.

[Chelsea Hayman]

I think someone in this group recommended some type of strategy meeting of sorts, which I am game for! Happy to help organize that, whatever that looks like. Church Creek TTT was a blast today. Had several teammates compete. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/42A3829A-25AB-4911-A4F3-E9C14D7384B5%40gmail.com.

--

Chelsea Hayman

Road Captain

Baltimore Bicycle Works Racing (BBWR) 

https://baltimorebicycleworksracing.com

301-524-1953

Road Races and Rides

[Pete Van Riper]

Maybe tribalism is not the best term. 

So skip that and how about we identify know venues such as Poolsville, Coppi, and new untapped courses like Harwood and Polling House Rd. Then drum up interested teams to share the heavy lifting. 

MABRA, as an administrative wing, is a central office to coordinate our efforts.  

And I don’t mean to poo poo on a prior suggestion, but targeted advertising has not moved the needle for past registration for Hyattsville CX or Greenbelt.  

I see the the MABRA “office” that includes elected officials, as a facilitator and an arbitrator.  

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 5:05 PM, alexhar...@gmail.com <alexhar...@gmail.com> wrote:

I just wanted to chime in and thank everyone for all the love for the Flower Mart Crit. It really goes a long way for us, especially in the face of repeat comments from certain corners like "road and crits are dead, why bother ¯\_(ツ)_/¯". Assuming Flower Mart takes place the first weekend of May, our race date is likely 5/7/23.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/ba3e6129-d3dc-474b-83ec-2397f4a10400n%40googlegroups.com.

[chris mcgill]

J Dove you should definitely still buy a new road bike.  

---

From: mabra...@googlegroups.com <mabra...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of John Dove <johnp...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2022 10:13 AM
To: mabra...@googlegroups.com <mabra...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [MABRA-USCF] Mabra Road 2023

 

Constructive question, what is the outlook of Mabra Road Racing in 2023? 

J Dizzle

--

[Alex Forte Howell]

My 2 cents: We should try to have a MABRA Event/Race Director’s meeting this winter to continue this conversation and discuss scheduling, promotion, planning, beginner race clinics, etc.

I agree that the MABRA Board should support RDs with events, but teams/clubs are ultimately responsible for their event planning, preparation, and promotion. 

IMO road events as a whole need to start looking at how they incorporate equity, diversity, and inclusion into their planning. This is something that other disciplines of cycling are doing well and it shows. 

Doing this may mean thinking outside the box, changing up some of the “old” ways, and maybe even sacrificing aspects of events to incorporate new concepts. This is something I have seen as being a roadblock for certain races in our area. 

As for promotion: That word is thrown around often and not always used correctly. Properly promoting an event makes a HUGE difference, but it takes time and effort. It would be worthwhile to look at what some of the more successful events in and around our region do to bring in participants and learn from them. 

Overall, I think this is a good discussion and should continue into 2023. 

Alex Forte Howell

(She/Her/Hers)
Dirty Kitten Productions/CFH Adventures & Events, LLC Owner; Dirty Kitten Racing Team Manager; Bike Doctor Frederick Store Manager; MABRA Board Vice-President & Women’s Committee Chair

(Sent from my iPhone)

On Aug 20, 2022, at 17:25, Pete Van Riper <peteva...@gmail.com> wrote:

Maybe tribalism is not the best term. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/F9AD3BBA-C72A-4A10-8741-B6072FF9F4ED%40gmail.com.

[Donald Brew]

Honest question, what would an equitable, inclusive and diverse event look like in the MABRA road/crit space? 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 6:02 PM, Alex Forte Howell <alexc...@gmail.com> wrote:

My 2 cents: We should try to have a MABRA Event/Race Director’s meeting this winter to continue this conversation and discuss scheduling, promotion, planning, beginner race clinics, etc.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/8473AF4E-7704-4FAE-99D3-9913E7060E9D%40gmail.com.

[Alex Forte Howell]

That’s the million dollar question, I guess. But events like Greenbelt and Flowermart (along with some others) have done a good job as they are talking to people and 

finding ways to include all types of riders so maybe it’s more about having the conversation, listening to ideas, and being open to change. 

Alex Forte Howell

(She/Her/Hers)
Dirty Kitten Productions/CFH Adventures & Events, LLC Owner; Dirty Kitten Racing Team Manager; Bike Doctor Frederick Store Manager; MABRA Board Vice-President & Women’s Committee Chair

(Sent from my iPhone)

On Aug 20, 2022, at 18:56, Donald Brew <djbr...@gmail.com> wrote:

Honest question, what would an equitable, inclusive and diverse event look like in the MABRA road/crit space? 

[Alex Forte Howell]

Add Backyard Boogie to that list too

Alex Forte Howell

(She/Her/Hers)
Dirty Kitten Productions/CFH Adventures & Events, LLC Owner; Dirty Kitten Racing Team Manager; Bike Doctor Frederick Store Manager; MABRA Board Vice-President & Women’s Committee Chair

(Sent from my iPhone)

On Aug 20, 2022, at 19:03, Alex Forte Howell <alexc...@gmail.com> wrote:

That’s the million dollar question, I guess. But events like Greenbelt and Flowermart (along with some others) have done a good job as they are talking to people and 

[Shawn Litster]

Chiming in from Pittsburgh….

We have a local Tuesday and Wednesday night crit series (Aka, oval) that is USAC sanctioned and held through the Allegheny Cycling Association (I currently serve as VP). This year we saw an increase in participation in our women’s race. One possible contributing factor may have been the weeknight women’s race clinic that was held at the beginning of season. We also have a clinic event for all novice racers. Clinics may be one way to leverage the broad increased participation in cycling during the pandemic in getting people past the barrier to racing.

On a personal note, I’m really hopeful for the return of a healthy MABRA road series including the Giro and Page County. Our local race community in Pittsburgh has historically relied on those races for good competition in well organized events within a reasonable driving distance. Happy to help advertise out this way.

Cheers,

Shawn

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2022, at 7:03 PM, Alex Forte Howell <alexc...@gmail.com> wrote:

That’s the million dollar question, I guess. But events like Greenbelt and Flowermart (along with some others) have done a good job as they are talking to people and 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/0AE9C025-2F5C-4F3C-AE6A-81B859127E5A%40gmail.com.

[Cheryl Osborne]

MABRA would be the promoter versus a team or in conjunction with a team. Most teams are not in the financial position to risk a loss.  Artemis had to stop the Bunny Hop because we were constantly ending up in the red. We just couldn't find it in our hearts to raise the entry to the point we wouldn't lose money.   The loss of races also affects MABRA coffers. So there's some incentive for MABRA to step in. 

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

On Sat, Aug 20, 2022 at 7:03 PM, Alex Forte Howell

<alexc...@gmail.com> wrote:

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/0AE9C025-2F5C-4F3C-AE6A-81B859127E5A%40gmail.com

.

[Rob Kelly]

All:

I'm really glad someone started this thread and that it has continued  in a positive trend. As one of the former principals behind the Road Cup I see what has happened over the last 3 years as very disappointing. In my last year of involvement (and I'm doing this from memory so I apologize if I'm slightly off in numbers) we had 26 road starts for men's 1/2/3s, and of those 5 were TTs. Numbers tapered off from there with other categories; but even masters 65+ had about 8 starts by themselves. Gravel had yet to become a thing in MABRA but I think we had just had our first Dirty Kitten. This year was an improvement over last year; but so much more needs to be done for us to return to being the vibrant community that drew in riders from PA, southern Virginia and beyond.  

The biggest concerns in 2018 were money, volunteers, and finding courses. From this thread that seems to remain the case. One thing I really struggled with when I was involved was identifying points of contact and new clubs. Even when I could find them, getting them involved in the community was difficult. Do we, as a community, even know all the different clubs that claim to be within MABRA (we previously had this list that I drew from USAC)? Identifying and encouraging them to get involved in the community may be a huge assistance and source of money and volunteers. 

As to courses, the one thing I really regret not being successful in doing is restarting a Tradezone or Quicksilver style Spring series. For those not familiar, those were non-technical brits/circuit races run in industrial parks in March/early April. They were inexpensive races to enter, with very limited expectations on what the experience was going to be like. The goal was to refresh skills for experienced riders at the outset of the season, and provide new riders that picked up the sport recently or who were generally curious, an opportunity to race without dropping $50 for an entry and likely getting blown off the back after the first corner. 

Also, who is currently on the MABRA Board? It would be interesting to see recent meeting minutes since the last one on the MABRA site is from 2019.

Regards,

Rob

[Patrick Hogan]

I would say the biggest issue a promoter faces is cost. Obviously I don't know any of the circumstances of why Coppi was cancelled however when they cancelled it was with 2 weeks left to go. At that time they only had 45 people signed up. When doing a true RR you generally need Police Officer support to shut down major intersections etc. Police can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 dollars depending on how many Police are required and the duration of the event. Now throw in permitting fees, moto fees, USA cycling fees (The promoter must pay $4.85 for every unique rider. This is why registration fees have gone up to cover that cost) etc. fees blah blah a Promoter could realistically pay anywhere from $6,000 to $10,000 to put on a true RR event. If an organizer is afraid they could be in the RED and can't recoup the cost then I can't blame them for pulling the plug early. Who can risk losing thousands?? This is why you see more office park crits as the costs are cheaper and often you can cut out Police all together. Then you actually need enough people in your club to be motivated to help you pull off the race with support which can make or break your race logistically. 

 Another issue is we loveeee to wait and sign up for the event until 2 to 3 days out. I do this, most people do this. It's also costly because "I plan to sign up" isn't an official sign up and the organizer now just has to pray you will within 3 days out. The support needs to be on all sides. If we want races to be around, support needs to be shown off the bat. For bigger clubs that could just mean grouping your money together and then having one point of contact on the team sign all of your team members up at once. When people scour the registration list they will be more willing to sign up early if they know those fields will have actual people racing in them.

Timing is also a thing. Have you noticed early season races have the best attendance? Everyone is itching to get out. By mid May interest starts to level off and registration signup for a particular event slows.  Is it because #crossiscoming in  4 months  that you no longer care about road races?? Where does the bulk of MABRA go by mid May????? 

TEAM BIKE DOCTOR is committed to MABRA and will be pushing forward in 2023 to bring more events to the region. I have heard the words "road is dead '' so much the last 2 years. I call BS...I went to plenty of races in PA this year because MABRA was so quiet and I was in fields of 95+. Road is not dead it just needs to be fed.

Patrick Hogan

TEAM BIKE DOCTOR

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/5fa7ba03-aeef-4cba-b3e8-44e47192f3d4n%40googlegroups.com.

[Scot Jaworski]

Even as a non promoter, totally agree with Patrick. Why wait until 3 days out? Just sign up early and help the promoters. Not that hard. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CAL8GFbEPwZ28_HDO2c4tDo3J5LB0n1PVk_CzHqr-AdiMq8Pu6Q%40mail.gmail.com.

[WILLIAM CUSMANO]

Exactly. I haven’t raced in a while for … all of the reasons one stops racing, but, when I was, knowing the financial pressures on clubs, I would sign up (early) for races if there was any chance I’d race it. A few DNS’s here and there was a small price. If you’re 23 and living out of your car, that’s one thing, but most MABRA racers are older and established enough and well-heeled enough to support the sport over saving the entry fee. Entry fees are still lower or at least compare well to local 5k runs or heaven knows triathlons. 

If the folks who could well afford it supported early and often, so that the club is assured it won’t lose thousands of dollars it doesn’t have, it becomes not a big deal for the 23 y/o to wait. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 22, 2022, at 10:29 AM, Scot Jaworski <jawor...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CAHW1cdB9y6rgOu2sVukc4WBd7cYCsCAKa-EHorEFtrrMyEHMMw%40mail.gmail.com.

[Frank Cundiff]

Asking racers to register earlier and earlier is simply shifting the financial burden to a broader audience and doesn’t actually fix the problem. I hate to say it but it’s a non-starter. Racers are going to be racers. They’ve been waiting until the days before reg closes to register since we put on Hampton Roads and Franklin Omnium. You need to make the decision earlier on whether to host an event or not based on participation then close reg earlier imo. Worried about finishing in the red? Pool resources with another club. 

At the end of the day we need to figure out how to retain racers, bc more racers equals more racer days equals larger demand for races and we honestly do a shit job of this across all the LA’s. It’s not a MABRA specific issue. But the cumbersomeness that comes with getting a license, planning a season, and trying to find races are all barriers. 

- USAC needs to simplify the license process (I’ve been racing for 11 years and walking my SO through getting license for the first time last year had me lost)

- Publish the LA calendar before the end of the prior year, even if a draft. Most athletes are planning calendars in November/ December. A calendar at the end of January is worthless. 

-clubs need to do more. Educating, mentoring, and racing. There were a number of notable clubs missing from the Backyard Boogie a couple weekends ago and that was one of the funnest events I’ve done in MABRA. 

-MABRA needs to do more than “update the Facebook page. Sorry, but nobody uses Facebook anymore. Sorry boomers 😉

-Targeted ads to cyclists and actually marketing our sport. 

-being friendly and inclusive in general

-All the other thing that I could ramble on about…

I know I’m not an actual MABRA member anymore, but spend about half my time in MABRA and actually did more MABRA events this year than I did when I actually lived there last year. If MABRA is actually resource stretched then imo it’s a MABRA problem bc its the 2nd or 3rd largest LA in the wealthiest region in the country and lots of other regions are doing better than us when it comes to number of racer days, in my purely anecdotal opinion. 

-Frank

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/51E75E66-A7CE-4DBB-B96D-82DD06595AF7%40aol.com.

[jwc...@aol.com]

PLEASE USAC MAKE THE LICENSE PROCESS MORE USER FRIENDLY !

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CAON68B60%2BqqPUsRo7crhpyK0uOei108m1Gqrkcz45qVsc2jM%3DA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Alex Forte Howell]

Since someone asked…The current 2022 MABRA Board Members: 

- Glenn Stevens (President)

- Alex Forte (VP & Women’s Rep)

- Zachary Quinn (Treasurer)

- Drew Wilson (Secretary)

- Edwin Sloman (Rider’s Rep)

- Mita Vogel (Junior Rep)

There is an annual MABRA meeting every year (usually in Jan or Feb) open to all team/club representatives and members. Due to COVID, we’ve had to host this meeting via Zoom for the last 2 years. We hope to bring back in-person meetings soon. Anyone who is a current MABRA member is welcome to attend. Meeting info is sent out via email and social media.

The Board has regular meetings/calls as well as monthly LA meetings with USAC. Minutes can be shared with any club who is interested. I’m not sure what is going on with the website, but I agree that it needs to be updated.

General MABRA info, Bylaws, Officer & Committee responsibilities, and a calendar of events can be found on the website: http://mabra.org

Yes, the MABRA Board is responsible for some of the duties that have been mentioned, but 6 unpaid volunteers can’t do everything on their own. We need teams, clubs, and members to contribute (as many do and have). COVID has thrown a wrench in things for our region and across the country over the last few years, but we can turn that around if we work together.

I appreciate this discussion and all the ideas/topics mentioned. Taking notes…

Alex 

Alex Forte Howell

(She/Her/Hers)
Dirty Kitten Productions/CFH Adventures & Events, LLC Owner; Dirty Kitten Racing Team Manager; Bike Doctor Frederick Store Manager; MABRA Board Vice-President & Women’s Committee Chair

(Sent from my iPhone)

On Aug 22, 2022, at 14:02, jwcvelo via MABRA-USCF <mabra...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/1571473330.746490.1661191339452%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Sunny(Bike Doctor)]

Can we increase the MABRA fee/ institute Club fees and pay the board members, so we can get a better product/bike racing experience (just curious)? Anyone has any insights on how OBRA does it? 

Agree with Hogan, road racing (even prior to COVID) really unofficially ended after ToWC weekend. Schools are on summer holidays, and folks are traveling for 4th July after that. So begs the question why we continue to schedule July/Aug road racing and expect a good turnout (crits excluded). A shorter more focused MABRA scheduled will be helpful, along with each club hosting a race (notable thanks to DVR & GII for stepping it up) 

MAR - JUNE - road/gravel  

AUG - NOV - gravel / MTB / Cross 

Gravel is here is to stay, MTB races matter! 

Peace & bike grease... 

[Iain Banks]

There was once a ruling that to be a MABRA club you had to promote a race....is that still a requirement? 

Although I am sure that many "clubs" are no longer members of MABRA or USAC what with the growth of the 1-15 member teams we have seen in the past decade. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/44eeeccc-1d58-40d1-a30e-06cb253fa72dn%40googlegroups.com.

[Laura Gabanski]

Executive Director and Webmaster are paid positions in OBRA. Board of Directors are not paid. Other positions such as Equipment Manager and Membership Coordinator may be paid positions. I believe OBRA is still not affiliated with USA Cycling. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 22, 2022, at 12:32 PM, 'Iain Banks' via MABRA-USCF <mabra...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

There was once a ruling that to be a MABRA club you had to promote a race....is that still a requirement? 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/685072966.768856.1661196723939%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Chris Merriam]

Iain--Member clubs that contribute to promoting a race are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/685072966.768856.1661196723939%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Alex Forte Howell]

ARTICLE II MEMBERS (Section 2.01)

Who Shall Be Members: 

Membership is open to

• USA Cycling ("USAC") member clubs,

• Bicycle racing clubs that are not affiliated with USAC, and

• Other organizations involved in promoting bicycle racing or that desire to

promote the various purposes of the Corporation.

There shall be two (2) classes of members, Class A and Class B.

• Class A members shall be USAC member clubs and bicycle racing clubs not affiliated with USAC that have substantially contributed to promoting at least one bicycle event within two (2) calendar years provided that the event meets such requirements as are determined by majority vote of the Board of Directors. Each Class A member is entitled to one vote on all matters brought before the membership.

• Class B members shall be USAC member clubs and bicycle racing clubs not affiliated with USAC that have not promoted a bicycle event within two (2) calendar years. Class B members may also be other organizations involved in promoting bicycle events that meet such requirements as are determined by majority vote of the Board of Directors. Each Class B member is entitled to one vote on the election of the Board of Directors. Each Class B member is entitled to attend all corporate meetings and discuss any issue brought before the Corporation.

• No member of the Corporation shall be entitled to a vote, regardless of class, if a majority of the Board of Directors determines the member not to be in good standing.

MABRA Bylaws: 

http://mabra.org/uploads/3/0/6/4/3064835/bylaws_fnl.pdf

Alex Forte Howell

(She/Her/Hers)
Dirty Kitten Productions/CFH Adventures & Events, LLC Owner; Dirty Kitten Racing Team Manager; Bike Doctor Frederick Store Manager; MABRA Board Vice-President & Women’s Committee Chair

(Sent from my iPhone)

On Aug 22, 2022, at 16:19, Chris Merriam <cmer...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CAG12-d-UqJGeoOSG_kPCUU1_kCqp3p2vjqg5EcPWQQD9YG6hAQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Joseph Jefferson]

Fixed operational cost make the promotion of actual road race and center city criteriums a huge challenge!  It would also “appear” that there is a limited number of athletes who are traveling to road events that are promoted outside of a specific geographic area or during a specific time of the season!  There also seems to be more races (in total) than there are athletes to participate in!  Is it actually possible to have the various regions (PA, NY, NJ and Southern VA) communicate and coordinate in an effort to decrease the overlapping of events on any given weekend!  Collaboration between clubs might also help the cause in terms of race promotions but true road races may continue to go by the wayside unless we can think of a way to motivate athletes to pre-register well in advance of the deadline!

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 22, 2022, at 9:13 PM, 'Laura Gabanski' via MABRA-USCF <mabra...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Executive Director and Webmaster are paid positions in OBRA. Board of Directors are not paid. Other positions such as Equipment Manager and Membership Coordinator may be paid positions. I believe OBRA is still not affiliated with USA Cycling. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/78347F9A-CD16-4A67-9CAD-756E5C67A51A%40yahoo.com.

[Lisa Martin]

Having the season championship / points series encourages racers to attend races throughout the season too. That's been missing for the last couple of years (understandably) But I think that should be brought back. Also, if promoters give a warning about getting registered before canceling a race that would help too I would think.  

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CAON68B60%2BqqPUsRo7crhpyK0uOei108m1Gqrkcz45qVsc2jM%3DA%40mail.gmail.com.

--

Cell phone: (202) 329-1925
Work phone: (202) 942-2271
Home phone: (301) 927-6654

[dan.underwood.24]

Yes to what Joe says. But a key to that is having a calendar to share early on (as noted earlier like before the Holidays) with local regions so that coordination can occur.

From my 15+ years in the area, by and large the local cycling community doesn't travel well/much. There are a few, but its generally the same faces out of "state" that travel to race. In other areas, even on the East Coast, you have to travel 3-5 hrs a weekend just to race. Look at the attendance just trying to get something outside of the greater DMV for MABRA (see WV road events, and most anything outside of Metro riding or riding distance).

Another key is to have back to back events (Sat and Sun) or longer to try to make it worthwhile to travel, carpool, hotel etc. Not necessarily in same town, but at least the same direction if its outside the DMV. Make it an omnium... That's also incentive to local communities to get behind an event (heads in beds, meals etc.)

Dan Underwood

Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/BDCCB295-D969-40B4-9522-C7B36E6162EE%40yahoo.com.

[david webber]

Did someone mention the elephant in the room? Zwift. Last crit I did was 60+ Clarksburg race, enjoyed it. Since then all Zwift events.

Should MABRA be looking at a Zwift race series?

Of course Zwift isn't road racing but has ton of advantages for the time squeezed and gives people a taste. 

Advantages include ability to practice on courses, no travel, bigger fields, no drops, no pulling, and no crashes. And digital communities to socialize with.

Just a thought.

David

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/62F8BBD0-810D-4A85-88AF-CBEC5009BF6F%40gmail.com.

[Matt Siniscal]

Cheaper and easier to organize as well

Matt

On Aug 22, 2022, at 7:41 PM, david webber <drrw...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CAD1Yzc5F2PvZpgm-o8uuB%3DDNsmTYjeo9apA3VKCJk8ikUswp2g%40mail.gmail.com.

[Scot Jaworski]

I say this as a guy that spends a healthy amount of time on Zwift, but J Dove's original question was  "What is the outlook of Mabra Road Racing in 2023?", not virtual racing. I think Zwift is a terrific training tool and a legit racing platform in it's own right, but road racing is the concern that this thread is focused on...

[Scot Jaworski]

Sort of related to what Sunny was saying about seasons, what if we split the road season? It might interfere with cross, but I loved it when we did Ride Sally Ride in September. Maybe take a pause in July and early August, then have a few fall races?

[Alex Harisiadis]

I’ll co-sign RSR in September. Loved it last year at that time. 

Not to detract from the early season cx races, but I do think most people don’t really start racing cx until late Sept/early Oct. 

Alex Harisiadis

(240) 601-7378

Sent from my phone. Please excuse brevity and any spelling errors. 

On Aug 22, 2022, at 7:55 PM, Scot Jaworski <jawor...@gmail.com> wrote:



You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "MABRA-USCF" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/mabra-uscf/eXMzucu6Vco/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to mabra-uscf+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/CAHW1cdA0RL3vk741hrpN__YmA2jHw9WKZ4HNwoXE_EJDzf-NYA%40mail.gmail.com.

[jwc...@aol.com]

Does MABRA still reimburse for TT timers ?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mabra-uscf/BDCCB295-D969-40B4-9522-C7B36E6162EE%40yahoo.com.