Minutes of Meeting of the BC Cyclo-Cross Commission
Ibis Hotel, Rugby East, 12 July 2008
Present: Ian Poole (Chairman); Martin Eadon, Ben Eedy, Chris Gooch, Pete Hargroves, Pete Mooney, Liz Slater (Commission members); Brian Furness (BC Cyclo-Cross Co-ordinator).
Note: the Commission meeting was preceded by a morning workshop with representatives of West Midlands, East Midlands and Lincolnshire.
Apologies for Absence
Received from Kelvin Hoy, Barry Broadbent.
Minutes Of Previous Meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting held on 2nd April 2008 had been circulated and, on clarification of a query from Chris Gooch regarding risk assessment, were agreed as a true record.
Matters Arising
Commissaire activity. It was noted that, with the exception of from East Midlands, no further information on regional commissaire activity had been received since the last meeting. Information on active commissaries in other regions was required.
Pit Etiquette Guidelines. Ian Poole would forward final wording shortly.
Sponsorship. It was reported that the Communications Department was close to completing guidelines for event organisers.
Regulations. Regulation 9.4 had been amended to reflect the requirement for gridding.
National Trophy Prize Lists. These had been reviewed with the overall prize list removed. The prize lists for individual events was unchanged, but would be re-assessed prior to the first round depending upon entries.
Finance and Administration
A balance sheet was not circulated, as there had been little activity since the previous meeting. The reduced advertising in the handbook was noted, and it was indicated that the publication may not be sustainable on the current basis in future years.
National Programme Update
2008-2009 National Trophy Series. It was reported that work had begun on the series programme, and organisers had been asked to update their details and course maps. Issues relating to individual events were then discussed, viz:
Abergavenny. Organiser had suggested extending the course to incorporate part of the underutilised central car park area, although the feeling of the Commission was that this change was not needed. Ian Poole to liaise to ensure a swift resolution.
Bicton Arena. Pete Hargroves suggested that if the course was the same as that used in the South of England Championship then the lap could be too long. Brian Furness to check.
Mallory Park. The course to be used was still dependant on availability of the road circuit. Pete Mooney to check and revise course map as appropriate.
No issues raised regarding events at Ipswich, Rutland Water and Derby.
2009 National Championships. Martin Eadon reported on course inspection by the Championship working party. He noted that the pit area had been relocated to allow for a double pit formation, with an adjacent area for water supply/jetwash. He had recommended that a water bowser be located here to overcome the problem of long distance to the nearest supply. He had also suggested that a parallel course be constructed on those parts of the course susceptible to waterlogging, to be used on the second day if needed.
Inter Area Championships. The venue had been finalised at Husbands Bosworth Airfield near Lutterworth, promoted jointly by Rugby Velo and Welland Valley. Pete Mooney outlined the level of support which would be required to cover the event.
National/Major Events 2009-10 and Beyond. It was agreed that the timeframe for planning future events needed to be extended, as in recent years it had proved difficult to finalise the national series programme by the mid-December UCI calendar deadline. The uncertainty over whether Birmingham/West Midlands CXL would be prepared to continue to promote the National Championships in alternate years was also a key factor. Possible future venues for a National Championship were also discussed, and it was noted that some otherwise suitable promoters would have problems with the two day schedule.
The proposed Major Event Organisers’ Workshop/Seminar had been deferred pending clarification of the necessary content of such a meeting, but the longer term planning of future events could be a cornerstone of such a meeting.
International Competition Update
Programme and Personnel. The programme outlined at the previous Commission meeting was re-affirmed. Martin Eadon agreed to pursue arrangements for the training weekend, while Pete Hargroves would address team management issues. The need to find additional mechanics to support the international programme was raised, and one potential candidate was identified.
Commissaire & Officials' Training
Chris Gooch and Ian Poole were due to meet Volunteer Support Officer Rob Jefferies and representatives of other disciplines on 5 August to discuss training issues and a proposed common approach between disciplines. Following that morning’s meeting with Midlands regional cyclo-cross representatives, the need for regional training in Lincolnshire and West Midlands had been identified.
Action Plan 2008-09: Items not covered above
Risk Assessment: Chris Gooch asked for examples of completed versions of the existing generic form to be forwarded to him.
Officials: Brian Furness to check on availability of Jim Court for possible judging courses.
Annual Conference: This had been discussed at the morning’s meeting, and the general feeling was that the old “confrontational” format was largely redundant, as residual “voting issues” were largely handled by the Commission structure. The number of proposals in recent years had been negligible, and had mostly been resolved without the need for a vote. It was suggested that a format that included one or two presentations on key issues, with opportunities for interaction between all, would provide the basis of a better way forward.
Any Other Business
None raised.
Date(s) of Next Meeting
To be advised.