Greenspeed OzHPV Challenge 2001

View the Results (in Excel format)

recumbent bike picture We have confirmation that Greenspeed will again be our major sponsor.

MR Components is also a minor sponsor and after their success at the recent World championsips it should be great watching the: MR Components Shopping Race and the MR Components Criterium (races same as last year, to be confirmed).

Please join us in thanking all our sponsors for their great support!

Keep 2 days of competition with options for some sort of mass ride in the afternoon on one of the days.

Accommodation

Werribee South Caravan Parks – considered to be closest budget Accommodation.

Event times

Saturday

8am registration
9am go to whoa
10am time trial
11am road race
12pm lunch/200m sprint
2pm dual slalom
3pm off road

Sunday

8am registration
9am drag race
10.30am criterium
12.30pm lunch/shopping race
Presentations after events
finish

Check out some of the suggestions for the Challenge.

Suggestions for the 2001 Challenge

There has been several comments made about possible improvements for next years Challenge, both from within and from outside of the organising committee so we thought we’d list the below for your to view and maybe add your comments. As the saying goes ’you can’t please all the people all the time’ but this may help us improve the event. Please send replies for inclusion to Timothy Smith, tstrike@ihpva.org, 143 Upper George St, Devonport, Tasmania. Ph 0364234559 (please identify if you want it included here)

Tony Jack

I was attempting to address what I thought was the aim of the challenge – to test both practicality and performance of the machines. I think I got a bit carried away with my first post :–( Some tweaking of the events would solve most of the problems. I still believe none of the events tested braking to any significant degree. The crit should test this (maybe the shopping race did too – I didn’t compete though) but I don’t think the course layout had that effect –gravel and rain meant that I for one wouldn’t brake hard into the corners, and the rear brake trikes could get away with oversteer (!= braking). IMO a practical vehicle must be able to stop! You can argue the nicities of load carrying etc, but braking is one of the most important aspects of staying alive on the road. The lack of braking alone makes Scott’s trike the most thoughouly impractical vehicle at the challenge.
WRT the political aim of encouraging people to ride HPVs Shepparton was a complete failure, although the weather was a major contributing factor.I believe we would stand a much better chance of attracting attention if we held the event in a capital city, always assuming we did a good job of it. We could get some media coverage if we were lucky and hence VFM for sponsors. We would get far more curious people attending (nobody is going to come 200km from Melbourne out of curiosity), and hopefully a few upright club riders competing. The idea that a country town would "get behind" the event didn’t seem to eventuate at all. If it’s in Shepparton next year let’s at least take it to the mall on Sunday. I don’t mean this as an attack on the organisers. It’s not like upright bike races get much coverage or interest either, and I know a huge effort was made. But if we’re going to stand a chance we need to be easily accessible to both the public and the media who are concentrated in our large cities, and on top of that we need to be lucky – perfect weather and not much other news.
Just been checking out the results page on the web site. While it is clear that the Men’s and Women’s open categories are separate, should we have a true open category? It seems odd that we have a situation where Emma, who beat most of the men at the Challenge, is not acknowledged for the fact in the results. Similarly could a junior take out the open category under the present rules? I can see that changing this would create its own problems. You either make the Men’s open into a full open, in which case the men are disadvantaged, or you have an additional true open category which would almost inevitably be won by the men’s open champion – you could even have the situation where the true open was won by the second place getter in the men’s open, which would be a bit odd. And we already have enough categories as it is. Hmmm, my musings have brought me round to supporting the status quo...

Struan Little

The cabins in the caravan park, convient during periods of dampness, were set apart from the proletariat (campers) ;)

Chris

I’ve been thinking about the slalom that was held at Shepperton. All the witches hats were arranged in a straight line. That makes it dead easy for a two wheeled bike since it’s road footprint is – guess what – a straight line. But I don’t think that says a great deal about the relative cornering ability of a trike and a bike. Later races showed that a trike can beat the bike in cornering in many cases.
So I suggest that in future the Slalom should not place the witches hats in a dead straight line so as to more realisticly reflect the relative cornering ability of bikes and trikes. Perhaps arrange the hats in pairs like in a ski slalom and have them either more randomly placed, or at least at some more severe angles so that the bikes actually have to do some cornering to complete the course.
Re Slalom – You say that the bikes are better off on turns regardless, but the most severe turn of all – U turn, favoured the trikes. I think the most realistic turn is 90 degrees since that is what mostly happens on the street. I’d like to see the competition with mostly 90 degree turns and enough distance between the cones that the "footprint" loses its importance – it might be a bit more of a challenge for the bikes. Yes the U turn did even things up more, but not in a manner that compares apples with apples.

Rudolf Werner

Could I suggest that the slalom be timed for each participant and that the elimination is based on time rather than the luck of the draw partner. There were some very fast competitors eliminated very early in the piece just because of the person against which they were racing. Similarly using time as the judgement will provide relative placings for trikes with trikes and bikes with bikes.
I would like to see a ski type slalom set up or even a kyak type one where you have to go back and up into the "gates".
Just a thought on behalf of the non winning participants in the HPV Challenge. I looked at the results page and besides not having a clue why I actually got a few points in a couple of events, was struck by the large blocks of emptiness next to many of the participants names. Maybe I am a bit thick but when I looked at my name it looks as if I only started in two events when I know I not only started but also finished in every event except the cross country. Fellow participants, this does not look good for the nieces and nephews and grandchildren. I like to be recognised that at least I was there and participated. Could all you genetically enhanced super riders and scorers please find room in your competitive hearts to give mere mortals like myself, one lousy point for starting and participating in each event. In years to come when the experience fades to a memory and HPVs are the dominant form of transport in the developed world, my great, great relatives can gaze at the history pages of the Ozhpv Challenge, see my 7 points for 7 events, smile coyley in the knowledge that they were not related to a winner, but state proudly "at least he was there."

Andrew Maticka

Some effort was made to ensure a fair pair up in the twin drag in the later stages, however I think a bit more effort could have gone into establishing a proper draw for the elimination events (particularly for the slalom), like in tennis. I noticed that some of the better riders moved up and down the lines to position themselves against weaker riders.
Rather than timing every event for draw placement in that event, perhaps the draws and starting places (for the mass starts) could be based on the time trial ?
Also you could have a runners up draw for all those eliminated in the first round so everyone gets at least two races. Every one that progresses to the second round in either draw gets one point, third round two points and so on. You could also have a runners up race in the criterium for scavenger points !
I’d would be happy to prepare some blank draw sheets to assist the organisers in the next classic.
Another idea is to mark the witches hat positions with chalk to ensure that they put back in the same place. I assure you that some riders were riding a curved foot print!
I liked the format with one day of speed events followed by a day of tight track events. I still think that speed is an important aspect of practicality and should have a big weighting. Will braking tests or load carrying test add to the popularity of the challenge ? I think braking is already included in a number of events and load carrying in the shopping race. I also think that the event was missing a hill climb race.

Jeremy Lawrence

Book DECA early, advertise with DECA for other groups to share course to lower costs (as we did on Sunday)
Go to Shepparton on the Saturday before, with lots of bikes and posters, and go to the mall to advertise the event. We won’t need to go to Shep otherwise, as we already know the course.
Get our sponsors names in the newspaper. We got on the front page of the Shep paper, but now blurb for the sponsors.
Get on TV (apparently WIN called my work on Friday 10th, I was on the train up there) Bad luck for us.
Purchase a megaphone or walkie talkies?
Move the twin slalom closer to the buildings – line up chairs either side? We will have lots of spectators and better weather, of course.
big coroflute posters for our sponsors?
Increase number of non–OzHPV Challenge competitors (eg from Shepparton) to 10+
Increase number of spectators from Shepparton to 20+
Develop promotional partnerships with Victorian Bicycle Coalition http://home.vicnet.net.au/~vbc/ and Bicycle Victoria.www.bv.com.au These will need several months of warning to get in newsletters, on websites.
Schools within 2 hours drive of Shep, which enter the school HPV races.
Ben Goodal suggested moving the Challenge further away (in time) from the big school HPV races – need to get dates for 2001.
Does anyone have a list of large active Bicycle User Groups (BUGS) that are worth contacting?

Andrew Maticka

I think increased participation is critical. The event needs to be bigger !!
Some suggestion to promote the event:– Publicity at the local bike shops in Melbourne, brochures, posters Advertisements in Bicycle Victoria blurbs Bike clubs. Stalls or displays at events, eg round the bay in day promoting the challenge.
I also thought the shopping race could be a little more sophisticated. More shopping like items, eg sacks of potatoes, cartons of eggs etc.

Ian Humphries

For this year, survey our sponsors to see if they felt they got satisfactory value for money – for example do they think they got a sale or several out of the Challenge? – ask the sponsors how they would like to be promoted – keep them happy! Even develop a sponsorship package. It was great to get the sponsorship this year, but it will need to be maintained.

Also, for next year

–loan a good looking HPV to each of the Shepp bike shops for display for a week or two before the meeting ?
–The media needs mobile phone numbers as contact points.
–Take the racing to the mall, wherever that was, on at least one day – organise a local club bikers vs HPV Challenge.

Having experienced the racing in Europe last year, where the emphasis was really ONLY on speed and had no practical tests at all, I think the ideal HPV racing falls somewhere between that and the "Challenge at Shepparton" though. IMHO, some of the "practical" events at Canberra metamorphosed into quite inappropriate or non–testing events at Shepparton. Witness the enduro which was nothing more than a fun ride over grass, bitumen, a muddy track and through a few muddy puddles – there were no rocks and no real "off–road" ! The 200m flying start sprint with the first timing gate 50metres from a corner? I’m so glad, actually EXTREMELY glad that we didn’t bust a gut to get our fully faired 2 wheeler down there to find a 200m course with a corner so late in the run–up. It also makes it impossible to compare any previous years efforts!
I’d really like to see some seeding of competitors in the dual slalom and drag races too!
I was also a bit disappointed that there were no new designs there in general, no–one had built any new "fast" machines, or even tinkered with old designs. The HPV development seemed stagnant. Not much innovation evident at all. At least Paul Sims’ leaning 3 wheeler was on display but it wasn’t raced or "tested" in any of the events. There was I think also only one other entrant with a home brewed machine, other than myself, and the 2 pedal prix trikes. Why aren’t more coming? There were lots of trikes. However Peter Holloway of Cycle Science was not there, nor was Wayne Kotzur of Canberra able to attend, due to a commitment in Sydney. Michael Rogan of MR Swift trikes was only able to come along on Sunday. The importer of the BikeE wasn’t there either. Nor were Hotmover trikes, but apparently they don’t even show up to HPV events in Queensland (where the importer of the trikes lives).
The dual slalom idea is a pretty good one though as far making it more interesting to watch. Ideally maybe a timed run could decide the placings and then some sort of match racing could be held ..... The Challenge definately needs some events to be seeded eg drag races, but I have suggested that before – starting, ahem, about 3 or 4 years ago.....
The shopping event was also previously held as a one on one / dual rider event and that was quite exciting too. The "dual/duel" events are certain candidates for racing in the mall along with the criterium.
Ok I’m going to step back for a minute and take a breath.... ....In my humble opinion I think we should not lose sight of the fact that HPVs are serious vehicles! Nor that the Challenge as OzHPV’s major event should attempt to be an event with "serious" events within it. Although HPVs are serious vehicles with a multitude of uses can we please keep the Challenge a relatively simple and serious test of rider AND machine and not make the events too silly or complex? I feel some events were heading in that direction at Shepparton already :–( I think OzHPV wants _simple_ but real world type tests of manouvering, speed, handling, carrying ability etc etc. What would most spectators think of an event held on a kids learn to cycle path for example? I feel HPVs are treated as strange silly things and curiosities enough already :–( FWIW Practical tests have been one of the problem areas for other HPV organsiations around the world, so much "fevered discussion" about them in fact that most HPV clubs do not run them anymore. The "practical" type tests should I believe simulate the real world of traffic and handling the vehicle etc etc. WRT the crit, I’ll say again bluntly that (even though I enjoyed the event as a participant !) I think the stipulation for a criterium should be that it _always_ be held on a course _free_ of mud, potholes and gravel. A criterium is not an enduro. It should IMHO test handling , cornering and acceleration AND speed.

Steve Nurse

Was reflecting today that the criterium final was probably the most exciting cycle racing I’ve ever seen and the only pity was that more people from Shepparton didn’t come out to see it.

Timothy Smith

I didn’t end up attending the Challenge this year but have heard from a few others things so will put them here along with my own. I could imagine there’s inaccuracies in the following because of this but thought it worth including anyway.
Try to find some ways of including the newer visitors/members and help them to identify who are the people to see. At the start of the Challenge how about getting everyone together, ask where people have come from and acknowledge their efforts, explain what’s going to happen the next few days. Maybe distribute name tags to all. Have an MC for the event. Allocate a few long time members the job of hospitality (looking after/making welcome new people and media)
AGM – Went too quick, not formal enough (typical Aussies) and didn’t cover what really needs to be attended to. EG I put some suggested agenda items on the OzHPV mailing list but I don’t think this was discussed, one office bearer was accepted but wasn’t an OzHPV member at that time.(hope I’m right here)
Meetings are a pain in the neck but this is possibly our only chance to have a physical one with quite a few there so we could take this opportunity to cover some issues. Would it be better round a camp fire/bon–fire at night?
Shepparton was a little hard to get to for interstate travellers, especially by air. Someone suggested to me they would have preferred Canberra or Melbourne.