Notes from the 5 March 2008 Women’s Forum, with a few additional comments given by email added
Things we can do to make a difference
- Use professional event organisers to run events
- Develop a course as a funnel to events
- Have a go on your huffy events
- Easier race courses for entry level
- Offer a mix of mixed and women’s only races
- Educate on how to race
- Offer more C, D, E grade racing especially at club level
- Develop a buddy system for new comers
- Consider rotating volunteers
- Do a come and try day including: Food; Practical skills including how to ride, race and basic maintenance; Goodies bag including basic information on riding; Stalls; Lead on events; Exhibition race; Participation race; Offer discounted race licence
- Publish race reports
- Improve CWA website content
- Run an event after the tri season ends to capture that market (End May)
- Find out what other states are doing
- Offer bike maintenance sessions
- Coffee Crits
- Offer Women’s clinics in regional areas
Things we like about road racing in WA
- The women’s Tour de Zig Zag that was held a couple of years ago
- Cyclosportif because it’s a mix of abilities and sexes and has a group/team environment
- Raffles, that way anyone has the opportunity to ‘win’
- Race reports as they help you get the feel of racing without necessarily racing
Things we don’t like about road racing in WA
- No one to organize women’s racing
- Poor recognition of women in race presentations
- All women race together which is hard/ discouraging for the non elite
- No in-between races
- Race organisers don’t provide enough information about the race such as course maps
- Old boys club
- Difficult to do a ‘Personal Best’ in road races
- Women’s racing can be unfriendly
- Lack of safe ad non-competitive environments to have a go
- Do clubs actually want more women racing?
What we’ve already tried
- Tour de Zig Zag- women’s focused race that fell over due to lack of volunteers
Who ?
- CWA: leader, facilitator, supporter
- Clubs: Especially ATTA and NDCC who already endeavour to promote/encourage women's cycling
- Individuals: willing to volunteer
- Sponsors
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1 comment:
Thank you chicks cycling WA for trying to pick up the pieces and get cycling in WA for chicks happening. It is a very tough subject and I think there are a number of problems that seem to keep arising. I must admit I am one of those people that would love to be elite but just are not 'one of them' due to work and life commitments but would love to race more still (at a lower level).
I would like to get back into women's racing if some changes were to happen. I haven't raced recently because of injury however I have been getting back into it lately. I must admit that I have been considering triathlons and time trials more as those events provide the opportunity to race against myself whilst still giving that buzz from pushing myself and not the disappointment from being spat out or from going home with no race(due to lack of numbers etc).
I did go to one of the women's meetings that was a year or so ago and thought things may happen however for some reason they didn't. I tried to support crit series that had a women's section however that seemed to lack interest and fell through. So it does seem to be a combination of things (both lack of support from women racers and organisational support) and there obviously is no hard and fast answer.
I think organisations such as ATTA and some triathlon clubs seem to have found the right mix and I think they should be praised for the way they organise events. I have only competed in two triathlons however I can see why more and more women seem to be taking up the sport because there is definitely a positive atmosphere and a great attitude radiating from the events. I have also been involved and watched some adventure races and they too have a great 'have a go' type approach/feel.
I think the two-wheeled approach sounds great and maybe that will be what gets things off the ground and will keep the bike staying upright!
MT
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