Comps for CQ

[swb_ute]

Who thinks we should have more local run comps for CQ?

If you do give us your ideas on how it should be run eg: classes, rules ect

[Mosko111]

Definately, hopefully the mackay ol challenge is a three event series next year and then there will be the cq offroad challenge and xwc at seonee park, and also the gladstone 4wd club that i have just become a member of are discussing setting up some sort of event down here aswell, not sure on what type it would be, but anything is better than nothing,
and maybe a 3 event series with one in gladdy one in rocky and one in mackay would be an idea?

[Mosko111]

i thought this would have been a bit of a hot topic, of well i guess not, surely something has an opinion

[digsy]

I think you'll find it is a bit of a hot topic but not so much on here...

I think people that want to help run events will always be your problem... there is soooooo much behind the scenes stuff and what goes on behind the scenes with the CQ Offroad challange is enough to scare most...

If you want an opinion... I think that someone should find a big property and do a Cliffhanger style event up this way and I think you'd have alot of interest... I think a five day event would be perfect lenght and I would want to see media being an imbedded part of the thinking of the organsers. Also I think we need to move away from winch challange cliche events where everyone turns up and winches a wall... a 70 percent failure to drive rate should be about right and I wouldn't think anyone spectator wise would be disappointed if some of the big teams didn't pull a winch for the 5 days.... well maybe once or twice. Focus being on longer stages for the first three days (wed, thur, fri) and then spectator friendly exciting stages where the V8's can create some noise and the turbo 6's can sneeze! I think it would be VERY important to intergrate the presentations into a real event on it's own with spectators encouraged to stay and meet their hero's and sit in the cars/photos/signatures.
This could be done via a raffle or something to encourage the mass's to stay...
Also position is very important... it's the final slam dunk for the boys with Seonee... however it isn't suitable for the style of event I would like... so I'd look for someones land in the hills at Mt.Morgan, Stanwell... maybe something out parkhurst way???

Definately technical courses for the driver, Davo and his crew at CQ are very good at this.

Anyway... that's my thoughts...

[LSG948]

Dan, You are right with what you say, and thanks fro the wrap. Yes spectators need to be involved. Up here they do anyway. I appreatiate and smypathise with the organisers of 4wd events in Australia, the proplems assosiated with spectators (the 1% or less that are an absolute pain/trouble makers), but they are VERY nessasary with our events in my opion. It would be so easy and let me tell you very tempting to elimante them completly from events but in the end i think that would be the demise of our sport. With out spectators, there are no sponsors and without sponsors we have no event. Not in the public eye anyway. And not forgetting the most important people of 4wd events that you mentioned before, Officials. Yes these guys do get good locations to see the action from but they are generally stuck there untill the end of the SS for consistancy.

In pretty well every speach by event organisers they get thanked for there efforts and thats that. Most people dont realise or unforntunatly care about the amout of hours some of these people put in to events. 99% completly unpaid, taking thier annual leave and having to take abuse from competitors if a descision doesn't go there way. They are the real people that make events succeed all around the country.

So yes more events in CQ would be great but who would be willing every couple of years or so to sit out and help run these great events?

Being part of a club helps enormasly. Man/woman power for the CQ Challenge uses around 50+ officials for the weekend. Yes we do run five stages at a time and ten in one day but you can see how damanding it is. Thats the key to running any 4wd event is the number of dedicated officials required. Generally people who have a real passion for the sport but for some reason don't get to compete. Money being the main theme.

Anyway if more events are to happen around this great area who would be willing to help?

Davo

[LUXS DRIVER]

more would be great i would help setin up tracks, markin out ,ect

[crazy eyes]

setting tracks is the easy part it is all the leg work and phone calls ect ect that is done before you start looking at tracks it is not a walk in the park .
like for the cq challenge the leg work started between 6 and 8 months ago . I have been there with the challenge and steped aside this year to let some new blood step in to learn the ropes from davo and brad at the cq offroad club so if you want more events join the club and help out so it can happen
just my 2 bobs wurth
cheers crazy eyes

[digsy]

Build it and they will come......... Jim Morrison said that........

[Mosko111]

How big of a property would be needed to run such an event? and what terrain? hills, creeks, gullies, or a bit of everything? and how long are stages usually in the open track racing?
im going to do a little searching for land, i know people who know people haha.

[Joshie_C]

i know people who know people

who robbed some people

[Mosko111]

no no, we will jusgt borrow there land, they can have it back

[digsy]

I know this might be backwards but I'd start searching insurance first...
If you're going to run your event totally independant you will need to chase someone that is interested in taking on what you are doing, the vehicles you plan on allowing, and the sort of tracks that you are interested in running...
I assume this will be close to your biggest single cost of the event.

The land needs to be close to a major center so that you can get campers and family alike. I know this sounds terrible but in CQ that's preferably Rocky because of the quantity of people... and they are crazy motorsport fans... they get 4,000 people to a ordinary day at speedway... there's something about rocky and anything with petrol that draws a crowd.

I think the size of the block totally depends on the type of land available. If the block is predominately flat with only a few smaller sections of hilly, gully land available you will need more of it and it won't be as spectator friendly.
Some hilly country like Stanwell, Mt. Morgan, etc would be perfect.

I would allow the GPS stage a little more room than the bottom of a gulley, etc. Let the boys stretch their legs a little... about 3 hours would be good. And I'd do it as a head off and come back when your finished before 3 hours... like OBC.

With the winch challange I would set it up as most winch stages. But primary focus... obviously other than setting good tracks... would be to make it spectator friendly. I know that some things can't be helped but all the spectator spots need to directly face the hills, not be on top of the hill. No one wants to watch a car pop out of the gully on a winch line... they want to see how they attacked the hill.

Also I'd be planning on making it a 3 round event. If the same property is really good and large I don't think it would be an issue running it at the same place. However the tracks need to be different... you can't run the same winch hill every time just with a different track leading to it... it doesn't work for the spectators... Move the competition area around a bit.

Next I would be getting a video crew onboard that are excited about the event. There are a number of interested parties around and I would be looking at their precious work to decide the style of videoing that suited.
Everyone has their own little flairs and it becomes apparent after watching their movies.

Anyway... that's my thoughts.
Someone could easily do it if they had the passion and time.... it will take HEAPS of it...

[LSG948]

Hard to say Mosko. If the terrain is good than you can fit alot of stages in to a small area, Chasing tape does'nt require alot of room but if you want to use it year after year than you do need a bit more. A more open event like cliff hanger or outback requires alot more room encompising different types of terain. Most 4wd events in Australia are run by the same people year after year and they put there stamp or way of running things on there comp. A good GPS event can be run on 100 acres or so depending on terrain but the likes of cliffhanger etc they are run on 10000 acres or so. All depends on how you set the event up and most of all how and who you market it to.

Running an event for a few mates or a club is a great way to get into it but once you start charging people to enter then you step up to a whole new level and you need your s#%t together.

Davo

[Mosko111]

have found a possible property for some different style comps,
its at lowmead, 1500 acres, with water holding creeks, a swamp nthat water can be pumped into when dry, drhy creeks, rocky sections, hilly sections, even a mini mountain suposively, they run a 30km moto enduro there, have a huge shed that the local moto club has built for the owner, the local school caters for meals for the enduro events, and there is a huge open paddock to set upa base camp, and maybe a all terrain type course, or speedshort courses with a few low range obstacles chucked in just to change it up a bit, also heaps of creeks for winching and the boundary couldnt be ridden in a day so heeeeeaps of land to play with explore and race on, am going to go and do a bit of a reconnasaince mission when i get a few days of work and will post some pics up and let you guys know what could be done with it,
lowmead is down near gin gin, so not close to a major city but a bit central for people travelling from brissy, bundy, gladdy, bilo, and even not a huge hike like other events for the mackay lads,

[BEAR 80]

I aggree with Digsy, 3-4 rounds per year at different locations, with a Cliffhanger style event in there would be great.
In Mackay we are looking at a property that such an event would be great on, and I think that these is also head way being made in the CQ area as well.
I have been talk to a few people about a series and I believe the felling is that it has to happen. It may talk 12 months or more to get the bugs ironed so we can do this, but it will be worth it.

The thing that everyone needs to remember is that as has been said, it takes a huge amount of effort to put these events on, not to meation that many of the people that are doing all the work also love to compete, myself, Dukesy etc etc to name a few, but we are usual unable due the amount of work that has to be done on the days. In effect, we are putting these comps on for everyone else, so a bit of help from as many people as possible will ensure that these events continue for years to come, and we don't have to travel lots of km's to do events.

[RUFNUT]

Looks like there will be a comp in Cairns in 2010 as well .

[BEAR 80]

Ruffy, the blokes that came to the Mackay this year are putting on an event on the Queens B/Day weekend in June next year. If we are heading to camp at that time I will be going up. I've been asked to comentate if I don't run???

[DFTYellowLux]

no no, we will jusgt borrow there land, they can have it back

cause it'll be no good when we're done