Cycling dismay as women's events frozen out for London 2012

If there was Connect4 I would take all comers.

It's all about putting two and two together, innit?

ffs, I've only just started training and EVERYTHING

can someone tell me who I can write a furious letter to? I am good on gender equality stuff, I reckon I can convince them.

Forget it, you're nowhere near corrupt enough.

Cycling sport affords one the chance to be competetive and geeky at the same time. It's bound to be male-biased.

I think actually it might be the outfits that put women off! Seriously, I really don't know why participation is so low.

It's gender stereotyping from a young age--people doing their best to fit into predefined and ill-reflected roles. Naturally, of course, there are roughly equal numbers of competitive men and women, but women's competitiveness is channelled into other things than physical exercise early on and doesn't recover much. The talent pool remains almost completely untapped. Conversely, there are many men that are just supposed to be competitive because they're men but would actually rather not be.

Much as I'm not particularly keen on elite sports, the huge disparity between male and female levels of pay, participation, and publicity annoys me very much. It's obviously reflected at grassroots level, where its impact is worst.

Women only track session coming up in september, date TBC!

Keep me posted on this, would be interested (not that I have a track bike at the moment...)

Just followed a link to a separate thread on here from another forum then ended up wandering round the site and stumbled across this thread...

Shecycles does still exist, just not in it's old form. Go to www.shecycles.net

Road racing for women: you're right, the BC site isn't the worlds most intuitive but there's a LOT of info on there. Someone was asking about categories, basically it refers to the distance of an event and the class of rider eligible to ride in it and also the number of rankings points available. Women can ride in anything from National B downwards (National A being the Elite and 1st cat mens races). You can enter pretty much any race on the line and pay £10 for a day licence (plus the race entry cost), if you want to get more into it you'll need BC Silver or Gold membership and the racing licence (extra cost) but it's well worth it.

London Dynamo is an excellent club, loads of women in it, same with London Phoenix.

Awesome, thanks. I'm beginning to realise there IS a lot of info out there, but you need to know where to look and be prepared to plough through realms of outdated information.

I'm now planning on doing the Dynamo women's meet on the 26th, RPM's women's track day, the Hillingdon women's closed circuit race on October 3rd, the Blenheim TT on October 4th and both women's race days. Assuming I can sort out my BC licence, sort out my road bike and not start drinking and smoking again by then.

Keep me posted on this, would be interested (not that I have a track bike at the moment...)

I'm sure you could hire one for the day at HH.

I'm sure you could hire one for the day at HH.

London Phoenix folk hired HHV last Saturday afternoon from 2pm (after the training sessions). Not sure how much it would be though you'd have to hire it asap if you wanted to get in a session before it closes for the winter. There's rumour of it not being open next year cos of problems with the track surface in one area.

I meant a bike, rather than the whole track.

There's rumour of it not being open next year cos of problems with the track surface in one area.

what are we going to do :(
i hope that this is not true

it's not true.

gloves and long sleeves may become compulsory though, over the next few seasons

thanks RPM!

Well, I have heard reports from reliable sources but I hope to be proved wrong. Maybe it's the annual 'not sure if the lease will be renewed' scare...

it's not true.

gloves and long sleeves may become compulsory though, over the next few seasons

long sleeves and gloves because of crashes?
also you still gonna be at HH even if the weather as dodgy as its looking?

long sleeves and gloves because of crashes?
also you still gonna be at HH even if the weather as dodgy as its looking?

yeah, in case you crash on a rough section.
I'll still be there tao, from 4:30

Well, I have heard reports from reliable sources but I hope to be proved wrong. Maybe it's the annual 'not sure if the lease will be renewed' scare...

Funny how nobody actually involved with running the track has even mentioned not being open next year.
I suggest people keep coming to training, racing and supporting the clubs that are involved with HH. During the "off" season, there are still cyclocross events happening regularly.

And for anyone keen to help, there are regular work parties.

I meant to ask Mr Cattermole senior about work parties on Wednesday. Any idea when the next one is Rob?

I'll get the mailshot when it's upcoming, I'll post them on the forum if people want?

That would be great, thanks. Having had so much fun there this season it'd be good to devote some time to keeping everything ship shape.

i wouldn't mind helping too, Rob. i didn't know about these helping parties

Funny how nobody actually involved with running the track has even mentioned not being open next year.

These things happen. But it's always good to hear some official news and I'll keep a look out for information from you in due course.

^^^Fucking hell, this still happens so blatantly?

:-(

These things happen. But it's always good to hear some official news and I'll keep a look out for information from you in due course.

well it is hard when there are so many factors, someone mentions one thing and the next you hear we're not opening next season!

I hope not anyway, as we have some grand plans for HH in 2010, it's hopefully going to be one of the best seasons ever!

Now the UCI is planning to reduce men's events to five by scrapping the individual pursuit, points race, and madison, and to increase women's events to five. Both men and women would do sprint, keirin, team sprint, team pursuit, and omnium.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-plans-major-shake-up-of-olympic-track-programme

They really should add to the cycling events.

Or remove the road TTs which are dull as hell as a spectator event. I'm saddened that the UCI think it's sensible to remove the pursuit and the points race, they are classic track disciplines.

+1 re: pursuit. I have no idea about track stuff, but i have watched pursuits a few times on telly and got hooked immediately! They're so exciting.