Moving Forward

---

We have been messaged numerous times to the feasibility of salvaging part of the OBRC Season. Thanks all for reaching out - here's where we are currently. 

The summary below is being forwarded to the City of Kelowna for review. 

Once approved - we will issue another update with dates, format of races available. I strongly encourage all to attend to race , or attend to volunteer. 

To maintain the Guidelines of the Provincial Health Officer, Cycling BC, and the City of Kelowna - the following criteria must be met. 

1. Stay at Home if you are sick. 

This includes self-isolation for returning travelers AND persons with any symptoms. 

2. Personal Hygiene

No handshaking, personal contact, cough / sneeze into your sleeve, and FREQUENT handwashing.

3. Safe Distancing 

We are outdoor based for all of our races - this STILL means we have to adhere to maintain distance between ourselves. 

The City of Kelowna has RTS guidelines , with a group number of persons < 50. 

Broken down into our three formats of Racing - we have the + and - 

S.P. INTERIORS TIME TRIALS

There is a new fountain of interest for the Time Trials - I'll expand on this later. 

Our Racer & Voly persons are already spaced - as they always have been.  Family members, spectators, and Coaches can self-govern themselves to make this event an easy RTS format. 

ALL Positives to adhere to RTS ✔

Challenges 

- Sweeping Events to clear Corner 1 and cross street junctions beyond Anderson

- Traffic Control costs 

HILL CLIMBS

Our Mass Start format must adhere to <50 or we go old school and TT start you all. 

Our Racer & Voly persons are already spaced - as they always have been.

Spectators will have to self-govern themselves to Social spacing. 

Positives 

Racer numbers <50 

Spectator footprint compliant to City of Kelowna distancing guidelines

No Traffic Control Costs 

Challenges

Extra volys required if we break the 50 threshold for Racers. 

A retired USMC Gunny Sarg to mingle and maintain Spectator distancing ( see " Herding Cats " ). 

BRIAN VAN OENE CRITERIUMS 

This is our uncaged Gorilla from the Zoo. 

Racers get close and tight no matter what of the four venues in three races : 

B Group & Wedge Group

Women's Group ( YES there's going to be dedicated Women's Racing this year )

A Group 

Hence a Racer Participant Agreement MUST be READ and signed by all Racers. 

The racing and spacing can be pre-race reviewed and post-race discussed to hammer this into proper shape quick. 

I decree here and now that when available and on site - Trevor Haaheim is going to be the Technical Delegate for ALL OBRC Races. 

Emanuela Bandol, Mark Fleming, Doug Shaw will be alternates. 

An Ideal TD is honest, polite, and diplomatic person showing leadership qualities to :

- Observe and grasp the state of the organization of the event,

- Judge arising situations quickly and correctly,

- Order appropriate and timely measures,

- Make clear-cut decisions,

- Give clear and well thought out directions,

- Coach/Teach/Advise others so that they may improve their skills,

All of these persons meet and exceed this criteria. Their decisions will not be questioned or argued with. Issues have arisen 

where a friendly authoritative decision would have finished the issue. We move forward with some governance. 

There may be a few additions to this list . . stay tuned. And yes a TD can race in the Criterium they're in charge of. 

Please also note that the Duties thereof for Chief of Race are not diluted in any way with a TD on deck. 

If anything it cuts some slack to the CoR - who always seems too busy with Prime Laps, Results, Timing, and 

general org and governance to Start/Finish 3 races. 

Please also note that the Duties thereof for Traffic Control Master are final. The only way we can race Crits is with professional Traffic Control. We cannot go back to Jim Bailey, we cannot do it any other way. If Chris Spencer calls out direction or tells you to park ferme, heed it please.  

For all future racing, Chris and I ( of Chief of Race ) will be directly connected via VHF radio. 

We have some very dedicated and talented persons that volunteer , race, and spectate. Our community is very dynamic.

Positives 

Racer numbers <50  with 3 different Race Starts 

Challenges

Traffic Control Costs

Challenge to Problem

Spectators  - " Herding Cats " indeed. 

I've voly'd every Crit since 2016 ( save 1 sick day ). We always always have more Spectators than Racers. 

Groups are going to have to assume situational awareness and self-proportion their locale. The plus to this is I've seen Spectators along Ethel, and parts of Weddell in the no-man's land. So that thinking must be the norm. We cannot all congregate around water tent. 

Race results for all races are going to be sealed , not verbally read out , and posted on this website and FB page. 

PROPS 

In closing I want to single out some persons who have really made the past few Seasons an amazing PLUS. Really Really. Not in any order of importance - and yes I may miss a few peoples . . know that many of these unsung voly beasts make YOUR racing happen. 

Emanuela & Amie have really revved up the Fresh Air Athena Women's program. I LOVE what I hear is happening with this group. 

Em is creating some intense emotions and enthusiasm to race. Look for many of the Athena Women to race TTs and the Women's Crit Race.  👍👍👍

Laura Medcalf and the Vernon Tri Monsters have been synonymous with our BVO Crits for some time now. The kids and their parents make 

the trek down from Vernon to race our Series ( hence Okanagan Bike Race Club - OBRC ). Most of these races the kids are planning for are draft-legal , so rolling into 3 corners a couple riders abreast is just the ticket. AWESOME. So many of these TM Racers are getting FAST. 

Every one of these kids is polite and humble. Props to their Coaches and parents. 

Non-triathlon peoples now know what a brick is - as many of these kids always do a post-race run.

Glynis & Doug Shaw always voly BIG time to multiple multiple races. I'd be bleached-dry boned roadkill if it wasn't for these two. 

Stacey Shand and the EXelle Women's program continues to attract new riders - year in- year out. The ability to feel comfortable as a new and green rider is super awesome.  A strong contingent of many riding abilities is this program. Stacey always always volys her time for our events. 

Judy Lloyd I have seen riding around this Spring and Summer. 👍👍👍 Our permanent TT Volunteer may just be racing again. 

Luke Way and his Balance Point squad never ceases to push that extra 4 efforts in every session and race.  

Every one of Luke's grommets is polite as a day is long. Props to their Coach and parents. Those Hoel kids are so humble and demon-fast. 

Non-triathlon peoples now know what a brick is - as these kids always do a post-race run.

Melissa Jack has taken on bigger and better occupational duties - all the while talking down her return to racing. 

Expect her to flash new kit and rig once our racing gets back to norm. And yes she's going to beat me with a bag of oranges for writing that 😃

Carter McNichol continues to be that all-encompassing voly kid. He's helped with a few JAFNR trail days , mucking and swamping with the mosquitoes. There's going to be a day when this almost 11 year old voly-demon tries racing. Always props to industrious persons no matter their age. 

Chris Spencer always seems to scare the poop out of me while I'm driving through work zones - or call to tell me I ran over 

another 4 pylons. Tough crowd.  

I would love to list each and every Junior Racer we have had racing . . . cause this is where our Series shines. Our Youth is our growth and future. These grommets look up to many role models in our Community ( whether they realize it or not ). They temper the adult-stoopidness and add that fun all kids do. 

                                                                                     Take care, Ride your Bike