[2008] Entry fees

[Tom Mangelsdorf]

I just signed up for a weightlifting competition. I know. Me. Right? But the point is, there are 2 events - bench press and dead lift. The entry fee is $35 PER EVENT ... and spectators pay $2 each.

As an unsposored skater that has to pay his own entry fees, I hesitate to ask, but are we charging enough for our races? I know the fee goes up for Main and Major races, but those races usually pull in a big crowd from all over. They have cash prizes too. This weightlifting competition is a small gym in a small town in Wisconsin with no cash prizes. Every body gets a t-shirt and the winners get trophies. I checked last year's results online, and it only drew people from the south central Wisconsin area - nobody drove over an hour to get there.

I'm just wondering what y'all think the future holds for slalom racing. Is there any merit in charging separately per event? If we charge higher entry fees that takes some of the burden off the sponsors. OR, the sponsors could continue to do as they have been and there could be bigger cash purses.

Oh yeah - the winners in my division last year benched over 400 pounds and dead lited over 400 pounds too. So I'm pretty sure I just bought a $70 t-shirt. It better be a cool one.

[Eddy Martinez]

Tom we charged 60$ for our entry fee and you get a free T-shirt. We also had a speed trap we charged 30$ for that event and you got a T-shirt. No one is ever happy with the pay outs at these races. But the way I see it. You have to keep the sport alive. Good luck Tom. Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws/Pavel

[Wesley Tucker]

Tom,

I asked this last Winter:

http://www.slalomskateboarder.com/phpBB ... php?t=5737

I still think the question is valid.

[Tom Mangelsdorf]

Once I started reading that I remembered reading it last winter. Thanks for reminding me.

[Tom Mangelsdorf]

I was thinking more about it on the way home from work. I just want to make the racers happy. I know I'm never gonna be in a place where I'm standing on the podium collecting cash. I also remember reading here on the ISSA forum that the key to longevity for any event is to keep it evolving.

I'm trying to think what I can do for my little race to keep people interested in coming to Sun Prairie year after year. Last year I added events. This year I'm adding start ramps and local TV coverage. It'd be cool if in 2009 I could offer hotel discounts and cash prizes.

Sun Prairie is a strange little community - very slow to accept change. Slalom skateboarding is definately a new thing. The wonderful people at the Colonial Club were open minded enough to let me hitch my wagon onto their already estblished annual festival. The slalom scene is very slowly beginning to enter people's realm of reality. I think the TV coverage will help. Strangely, I think that if people hear that there are cash prizes, it will add more credibility, and that would enable me to put on a better race for the racers ... know what I mean?

I loved that article in CW a couple issues back about the DH race on the east coast. How the whole town turns out and the high school principle drives a shuttle bus and so on. I want my racers to be treated like heros when they come to Sun Prairie.

[Tod Oles]

I want my racers to be treated like heros when they come to Sun Prairie.

Tom, I'll take a 22oz Porterhouse....... medium rare

[Tom Mangelsdorf]

Of course Mr. Oles. Will you be dining alone? Again?

[Claude Regnier]

No Tom just bring an extra plate. I'll have half of Tods. That is way too much meat for him. He is on a diet. I'm sure he put on some weight while that injury mended.

[Tod Oles]

There's only room for one at the top Tom....

Claude, I left my web cam on again huh?? sorry, my bad

[Tom Mangelsdorf]

OK. Just got back from the weightlifting competition. I know why the entry fee was so high. Cool t-shirts. And they don't have a list of 50 sponsors on the back. 2 cool graphics. One on the front of the shirt and one on the back. Cool trophies too.

Oh, and did I mention? I came home with TWO trophies. 2nd place in each of the lifts. And beore you think it: there were more than 2 people in my division. There were 4 guys in my division ... so I actually earned the trophies.

So now I'm having an identity crisis. I go to all these slalom races and never win anything. I go to my first weight lifting competition and I podium in 2 events. Am I in the wrong sport????

jk. I love the slaler.

[Wesley Tucker]

When lifting weights some of the iron can be taken off the bar.

When slaloming, nothing makes the hill LESS steep

Congrats. Seriously, even if you're the ONLY one in your class then I am assuming there's a minimum to jerk? So, it's conceivable NO one could wn (sort of like every single racer DQ'ing in qualifying.) So getting any sort of reward is an accomplishment.

[Claude Regnier]

Congrats, Tom. Entering was the first victory

Way to go on the podiums too If I lifted heavy weights, I'd be dead. So a deadlift of sorts

Tod, I you didn't leave on the webcam. Think of dem younguns out there lurking