Marshalls at Paeroa

[kickingzebra]

Watching the video of Jared crashing, he quite possibly would have gotten away without (as) badly broken legs etc if the hay bales had been placed in the gutter, rather than only on top of it. Only reason I wasn't lying there screaming is because I am slow!!
Not really a marshalling concern, but setup. Those kerbs give me the shits. and the frikken wire fences.

[justsomeguy]

Watching the video of Jared crashing, he quite possibly would have gotten away without (as) badly broken legs etc if the hay bales had been placed in the gutter, rather than only on top of it. Only reason I wasn't lying there screaming is because I am slow!!
Not really a marshalling concern, but setup. Those kerbs give me the shits. and the frikken wire fences.

Know what you're saying - but that really isn't possible for it will narrow the road down considerably. I don't know enough about such things to make a recommendation.

The wire fences are a joke, a freak highside could send a bike straight through it, perhaps if they can have those red and white barriers right along the straight parts of the track.

[kickingzebra]

I'd rather a narrow road in places like turn one, because if you are running out wide by the kerb there, you have cocked up anyway. and conventional bales are only going to reduce the space by about 500mm.

[GIXser]

I'd rather a narrow road in places like turn one, because if you are running out wide by the kerb there, you have cocked up anyway. and conventional bales are only going to reduce the space by about 500mm.

of i agree,

so is there something we can do about this, does anyone have the contact numbers and email from the paeroa organisers, i think if we collectively speak up, we might be heard..

(if you wonder why i want to do this) its cos i really want to enter next year..

[Shaun]

Know what you're saying - but that really isn't possible for it will narrow the road down considerably. I don't know enough about such things to make a recommendation.

The wire fences are a joke, a freak highside could send a bike straight through it, perhaps if they can have those red and white barriers right along the straight parts of the track.

Sorry but disagree, It is possible! Wanganui has done this for a few years now after Johnny Hepburn and Myself asked them to do it, it makes it safer

[Deano]

Re: paying the riders. I got into racing for the fun of it and cause I'm a fairly competitive bugger. I would guess the same is true for the top racers as well.

I suppose 'some' compensation would be nice for travel expenses etc, but I wouldn't consider any more than that is necessary, unless maybe they are professional racers. Just my opinion. Showing my ignorance here but are there any NZ professional racers on the local scene ? I.e. don't have a job other than racing ?

There is prizemoney, as paltry as it may be and sponsorship - it seems to me regardles of paying the racers, they will still turn up to compete.

I think I got $20 for a kickboxing fight once....pfft. Once again, I was in the sport to test myself, not earn money.

[kickingzebra]

has to be bigger before it can go that way, and in any case, to the victor go the spoils, Money for sure, but has to be sustainable, and at present, even for the two streets meetings, I doubt it is!

[Shaun]

has to be bigger before it can go that way, and in any case, to the victor go the spoils, Money for sure, but has to be sustainable, and at present, even for the two streets meetings, I doubt it is!

It is definately possible to give free entries to at least the riders that do the full NZ champs- they are the ones that invest the most the into the sport!

But this is getting off subject

[BAD DAD]

From strictly a spectator point of view and without wanting to deprive anyone of a reasonable level of safety, one of the brilliant things about events like Paeroa and the Classic bikes meetings at Puke' is that everyone is able to have good access to most parts of the track and pitts. You can get up real close and even chat with the race teams if you want. What a contrast to some of the "proffesional" motorsport meetings where your lucky if you can even afford a decent seat and the average person wouldn't have a shit-show of getting anywhere near the participants.
I can relate to the issue with volunteer/level of skill/etc from another sport and basically the more money involved the less accessible the sport becomes to spectators.
Three cheers for volunteers, and three more for you crazy buggers that entertain us with your spectacular racing.Brilliant.

[RiderInBlack]

I Marshalled @ Paeroa. I just missed a "briefing" on Sat night (I was not told there was going to be one that night) because I had stopped for a biker breakdown and the one on Sun morning was not full enough IMHO.
As for some of the crap we had ta deal with on the day read my comments Here and Here re: Paeroa.
Glad I didn't have the shit the Hairpin had to deal with and who ever cut the hydraulics on the cherry-picker needs a good smack in the head.

As for better training for the Marshals, I'm all for it. When the powers ta be for motorcycle racing in NZ want ta make this available (free of charge), I will do my best ta be there. But unless they do, the racers will have ta take potluck on who volunteers to do this for them.
Racers, it's up to you to push for this. It's you sport and your lives that count on there being competent Marshals, so get of ya arses and push for it.
We do our best with the little "training" we get (usually a very brief briefing) but it could be so much better.