Information for the riders of New Zealand NEWSLETTER 1 – 26 March 2013
Welcome to the first of the newsletters that will be issued in the lead up to the 2013 UCI BMX World Championships.
My name is Sue Walker and I have been appointed as your Team Manager for New Zealand for the 2013 UCI BMX World Championships to be held in Auckland.
NZL Team Manager
Most BMXers know me, but just in case, I have been attached to the Central Region and the Rotorua BMX Club for a number of years. I assist in the staging area at Central Region meetings and also at the BMX NZ major meetings. I have been the New Zealand Team Manager for the last 9 BMX World Championships.
Many of you will be hoping to enter the Auckland World Championships, but of course won’t know in you have qualified for sure until after the National Championships in Cambridge.
It seems likely that many people will be entering, so it’s important that everyone knows what will be happening at the event and how the New Zealand team will be managed.
I expect the New Zealand team will be very large - some hundreds of entries, so it is vital that everyone takes the time to read newsletters such as this and the ones that follow.
To a large extent everyone will need to be independent and to know what will be expected on race day.
Entries:
These will be completed through your club. The entry form will be available around the time of the Nationals and will be emailed out to the BMX NZ database. If you are not on the database or do not receive the email entry form, can I suggest you ensure your club knows this and can print off the details for you.
The entry fee for the World Championships is $150.00 and the jerseys are likely to be $100.00 each – both entry and jersey money is to be paid at the time of entry.
Close off of entries will be 20 April 2013 – 3 weeks after Nationals.
Qualified and Non Qualified Entries:
New Zealand as the host nation can enter 32 riders in each class (16 for Masters), plus the riders that won a World plate in 2012, meaning that in some classes we can enter up to 34 riders.
A listing of the qualified riders will be issued shortly after the Nationals in Cambridge, however I suspect most of you will know your positions after the Nationals has finished and will be ready to enter for the World Championships.
Jerseys and now Race PANTS too:
Sample Jerseys will be available at Nationals to try on for sizing.
It is our plan to have the jerseys to riders 10 days before the World Championships.
Remember if you would like to ‘trade’ a jersey with a rider from another country, to order 2 with your entry.
BikeNZ have designed race pants to compliment the jerseys, designs will be available soon.
Team Management:
I will have a team of 5 assistants at the World Championships, as we get closer to the event, we will let you know who these people are and introduce them to you through a newsletter.
As we are expecting many hundred entries, riders will not be able to be provided with one on one help, it is for this reason that parents need to ensure the riders know exactly what to do and be in the right place at the right time.
Registration
This is completed by the Team Manager only, on Sunday 21 July.
Each of the riders will receive a race pack including; number plate, side plates, bike barcode and wrist bands.
I will arrange for a large room in which we can all meet and I can hand out the packs to riders. Details to follow...
Please remember that none of the items provided to you can be altered in anyway and if you happen to loose your barcodes or wristband, a replacement may not be available, so please be very careful with your items.
Pit Area and Staging Area access
New Zealand is able to have 6 accredited persons in these areas, which will be myself and the Assistant Team Managers.
Parent access is not available and all doors are covered by security. Please do not try to access these areas or be disappointed when your entry is declined, this is normal at World Championships.
You need to trust the Team Managers who will do their utmost to ensure all riders will be on the gate for each of their races. No Challenge Class riders have missed their races at previous Worlds.
Parents and supporters will be able to watch the racing from the public seating in the arena- access to restricted areas of the facility will not be possible. Ticketing prices and process will be sent to everyone as soon as possible.
Punctures and Minor Bike repairs
New Zealand will appoint a team mechanic who will have access to the pit and staging areas.
The Mechanic will fix punctures and minor repairs but do not expect them to change gearing etc – this is what your practice sessions are for. If there is a serious mechanical, we will contact the parent / guardian and make every effort to put the rider on the gate for their race.
Event Schedule
The event schedule has been published and is available on both the UCI website (www.uci.ch) & the world championships website (www.bmxworldsnewzealand.com). It is essential that you know when you or your rider will be competing and that you are in the right place at the right time.
Please note that the challenge days will be run in two sessions- so you need to know what sessions you are needed for. Pits access will not be possible until just before the practice time for your session that you or your riders are competing in.
Practice Sessions
The times will be displayed once the entries from all countries are confirmed. Going from previous worlds, our time will probably be the last session each day.
All riders must have their correct number plates and side plates on for these sessions.
The pits area is off-limits to all non-riders in these practice sessions also, unless accredited. Riders will need to have their wrist band and bike barcode (with the same number on) for them to enter and depart from the pits area.
Parents please ensure your rider has a named bag with ALL items the rider will require –especially water and food.
Communication
A Face book page is planned for NZ riders to receive and share information pre- worlds and during Worlds.
SMS contact will also be set up closer to the Worlds for quick information to be given.
Please ensure your contact mobile phone number is provided when you enter- if you don’t give us that, you may miss important information. It is up to you to ensure that the team management is able to send you important information.
If you would like to make contact with me, please email me on.... bmxworlds.newzealand@gmail.com
Looking forward to seeing you all trackside at Cambridge
Sue Walker
