Open events and the bloody cost !

This subject has come up more than once recently..the cost of events and the cost of getting to them. The actual entry fee to a general XC event is only €20 0r so but the cost in Diesel going to Cork or Kerry is astronomical.
I don't want to be a negative nelly but it makes you think twice or 3 times about heading to a race that far away. I went to the race in tracton and while the organisation and track was excellent, it cost me €70 in Diesel there and back..
So I was thinking that apart from our club league maybe we should run our own open events inside the club. Like a point to point race from Lambe doyles to Djouce River valley ( an old Team Worc favourite ) or maybe a race from Lambe Doyles to Laragh ..

Interesting idea, do it on the day of the far far away races, do it in teams of 2 or 4 and each team cant be 4 S1 riders it should be split just to make it fair, thats if your not racing that is.

Let's do one and see how it turns out. Also we could compete between Dublin based clubs, let's say Epic MTB challanges IMBRC to a race to Laragh... that sort of thing.
I'm not sure if we would get a good race within the club at all levels of ability, especially the top and the bottom ends...

Interesting idea... First thing that springs to mind is timing or people taking shortcuts?

One thing that I could think of is using Strava... Most of us have Garmins or Smartphones with the Strava app...

All it would take is for one person to track the course, upload it to Strava and make a segment out of it, then use that to decide the winner?

I was thinking of opening it up to Team Worc and invited members from other clubs..I would strava the route ..I doubt anybody would take shortcuts to be honest. I disagree Max with no competition existing at the bottom and top of the Club. Last time I looked there were several savage riders of similiar ability at the top anyway ! I would start the race and do the finish Graham..or maybe somebody would volunteer.

theres loads of possibilities lads..I have an idea for a couple of races in a Forest thats rarely used by walkers and we wouldn't have a clash with any of them..I could tape it off and we could actually have an Interclub race there. Stay tuned.

Can't have you doing all the work though, the Strava idea would be good for the longer runs like Lambes to Djouce...

Though the forest club race sounds good... Maybe get one of the shops to throw on a box of High-5 Gels's or somethin' as a prize...

Yeh a nice big loop for a race, something like the old Tuesday night spins would be great. Wouldn't be in to the team jazz, I dont see the point of it, the slower rider gets hammered and the faster rider saunters along. It's not like road racing where one rider can pull for another. Infact the Tuesday spins were a race really!

yeah they were/are..I was thinking we might change the route make it more of a loop..though the old charge back on the road was deadly..I can't wait to kickstart them next month..imagine of the weather stays deadly ! Don't forget the old Hillclimb up Kilmashogue..we'll do that the week before the CLub League !