EFTA Forum

icycle · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 35

Hi all,

First, let me introduce myself. I'm a new promoter from Rutland, MA in the center of Massachusetts. Been riding MTB for 20 years, done a bit of racing, involved with a local club called Team Bums: http://teambums.com/ including hosting time trials in our annual spring & fall TT series. I'm also involved in Scouting with my son. This all resulted in a "perfect storm" of conditions that led to the creation of the Treasure Valley Rally.

We've got this huge (1600 acre) Treasure Valley scout reservation in town which is seeing declining camp attendance numbers in recent years. This race is an attempt to increase awareness of the area and scouting, give some much needed funds to the local scouting council, get a bunch of Scouts from New England outside on race day either helping or riding the shorter courses, and finally get Massachusetts an EFTA race (NECS no less!).

I'll keep this thread going with updates on the course, the event happenings, and more. In the meantime, please visit my BikeReg page: http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=6081 and sign up for this one. I'm working closely with some veteran EFTA promoters to make sure this is a success out of the gate.

Thanks,
Brett

icycle · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 35

Here's an article about TVR from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette last Sunday:

http://www.telegram.com/article/20080413/COLUMN31/47359254/

...and we have our first sponsor:

Salmon Family of Services http://www.salmonfamily.com/

icycle · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 35

Giving you all an update on the latest TVR buzz. A group of us went out and rode the proposed loop last weekend, noting areas for potential change. We're going to be doing a lot of cleanup work from the fall/winter as well as cutting some new trail sections to enhance the already fun loop.

In addition, after the cleanup is done, we're going to run a time trial there as part of the Team Bums spring TT series. The dates are posted in the calendar on http://teambums.com/ -- it's the Rutland course. So for all you riders and racers that want to get an early preride in, you're welcome to come out Tuesday evenings June 10, 17, and 24. Keep in mind that part of the reason for running the TT there is to get a feel for course times and flow at race pace. Results from the TT may change the course and/or lap counts, so it isn't all set in stone yet.

More info to come. In the meantime, get yourself registered and support the first race in central New England in a couple years at least. (When and where was the last NECS race in MA?)

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=6081

davmaz · Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 212

As an EFTA E-Board member and Racer Advocate I am in total awe as in "Awesome" as to the effort your group has put into promoting the TVR.

The last NECS race in Mass. was the North Shore Classic in 2006.

Keep up the great promoting and informing, Dave Maz

icycle · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 35

We've been working hard on the trails and have most of the 9 mi course in race ready shape. This weekend we're finishing the work just in time for the weekly time trial series starting here a week from today on the following evenings:

* Tuesday June 10
* Tuesday June 17
* Tuesday June 24

All time trial riders are asked to start their run between 4:45 and 6:30pm to be sure we can get everyone out of the woods before dark. So if you can make it out on a weekday evening, you get a sneak peek at the race course plus a good fitness challenge. The time trial results may cause modifications to the lap count and/or course, so be warned it isn't final yet.

Directions are on http://teambums.com/tvr/ and the TT start will be arrowed from the TVSR entrance. TVSR visitors are required to check in at the Magee Visitors Center, it'll be on the entrance road down the hill on your way to the starting line.

This weekend I'll post some photos of some of the race course.

Also, we got our second sponsor, Cove Insurance! And we have a Scout Pack lined up to provide the BBQ at the event. Remember that all preregistered racers get a free meal ticket!

Thanks for your interest,
Brett

icycle · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 35

Six weeks until the first running of the Treasure Valley Rally!! Get registered and streamline your race day experience plus get a free meal out of it. The course is in great shape and got all positive reviews after the time trial series.

Due to the lap times turned in on the time trial, I am going to REDUCE the LAP COUNTS for some classes. The fastest lap time recorded at the TT was 56:xx minutes by an EFTA Elite racer. At least Expert women and maybe even Expert men will do two laps. Elite men will most likely do 3 laps and Elite women I'm not sure about yet. I will finalize the lap counts in the next couple weeks, but nothing wrong with taking a vote on race day either.

We got a few more sponsors since the last posting, here's the full list:

Blackstone Valley Human Performance http://www.bvhponline.com/
Cove Insurance (Uxbridge, MA)
Salmon Family of Services http://www.salmonfamily.com/
UniBank http://www.unibank.com/
United Tool (Millbury, MA)

Soon I'll post the prize structure so winners can know what to expect. Everyone can expect a great course, lots of challenge, swooping downhills, water crossings, lots of singletrack--all classic New England true mountain biking.

Register today at http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=6081

See you there,
Brett

icycle · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 35

We're winding down before the first Treasure Valley Rally on Aug 24. The website http://www.teambums.com/tvr/ is updated with better directions, campgrounds and other local necessities, and all the info and links in one place.

As far as prizes are concerned, I'm going to keep it simple this year and do cash awards. Elites will receive 100/75/50, other classes will receive less. Total prize pool determined by how many classes are filled.

This weekend we're going to do final course prep trimming back all summer growth and making sure the course is in great shape. Next Saturday it will be marked. I really wish we could offer pre-riding, but besides the time trials that we had in the spring where we opened up the course to the public, we can't bring people in except on race day because it's private property and Scout camps are in session.

Here's an update on who will be helping out on race day:

-Team Bums mountain bike club volunteers

-Oakham Fire Dep't/EMT volunteers (with ambulance and gator ATV rescue vehicle on site)

-Rutland Fire Dep't/EMT volunteers

-Rutland Community Emergengy Response Team (CERT) volunteers

-Rutland Cub Scout Pack 306 putting on the barbeque

-Boy Scout volunteers and their parents/leaders

-Marlborough, MA Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) store (http://www.ems.com/) tent/promotions/minor bike work

-certified lifeguard on the beach monitoring swimmers/families

Should be a great time. This course will challenge you! Register today at http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=6081

thanks,
Brett

icycle · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 35

The race flyer was updated recently too, it has all the lap counts & classes listed (to match the BikeReg page):

http://www.teambums.com/tvr/TVR_Flyer.pdf

Have a look, it's nice!

;-)

icycle · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 35

Forgot to post this link to the latest article in the Sunday August 3 edition of the Worcester Telegram:

http://www.telegram.com/article/20080803/COLUMN31/808030543/1009/SPORTS

There's a description of the course in there, but the directions listed there are old, use the new ones on the website http://teambums.com/tvr/