2nd Annual Rolling Trials Competition – Rays MTB, Cleveland: April 8, 2006

Prizes, Media Coverage, and some other info

Ray (the owner of Rays MTB) is helping to arrange local new coverage for this year’s competition and I will be contacting the producers of a cutting-edge extreme sports show that is aired in million of homes in the next few days to see if they would be interested in covering the event as well (I think they will be).

Brian MacKenzie will be at the event to shoot some footage for his upcoming film which promises to be even better than his first (and hopefully to compete as well)!

The prizes will be much better this year, too, as I have already obtained a commitment from the first corporate sponsor for the event and will be adding additional sponsors in next couple of weeks.

I am extremely happy and proud to announce that Coker is our first sponsor of the event. The first place winners of the two classes of competition that are definitely scheduled so far, the 36” class and the 24”/26” class (other classes may be added, such as 28”/29” and/or “unlimited” if there is sufficient interest) will receive a $100 discount on the purchase of the new and improved Coker, once they become available. Your $100 Gift Certificate will enable you to be amongst the first few people in the world to own the new and improved Coker! I will be receiving additional information about the specs and features of the new and improved machine from Coker pretty soon and will be posting that information to this thread as soon as I receive it, so check back if you’re interested!

If any owners or executives of unicycling-related companies are reading this post and would like to co-sponsor the event (and possibly get national exposure on TV), please contact me by email or through the messaging system on this site.

I will keep updating this thread with information about additional sponsors, prizes, and media coverage as I make further progress.

It should be a really great event!!!

Please reply to this thread if you plan on attending! Thanks.

I look forward to seeing you in Cleveland this April!!!

Of course I’ll be there to defend my title. Thanks for putting so much time and effort into this.

That looks like a total blast. Wish I was there. That log pile type stuff ain’t easy, and when it goes for a ways you’re looking at one of the hardest things you can do on a unicycle.

JL

Thanks, Frank… it’s worth it to hold this contest just to see you ride! You really blew me away with your RT skills last year and I really look forward to watching you conquer the new Sections this year! I’ll be sure to plan some real nice ones :astonished: for you :D!

I agree, totally… the place is just filled with all sorts of the most challenging terrain you can ride – it’s absolutely incredible!!!

The good part is, there is also a decent amount of beginner stuff, so riders of all skill levels can compete and develop their skills while having fun!

Skinnies.jpg

OK… I spoke to Ray Home, the owner of Rays so here’s some more information on this year’s event:

Date:…Saturday night, April 8, 2006
Location: Rays MTB – Cleveland, OH (see web site for more info: http://www.RaysMTB.com)
Time:… 9pm – 2am (exact hours to be confirmed, but it will be at night around these hours)
…[SIZE=“2”](Like last year, we will have an exclusive rental, but we may have to share the place with bikers for the first hour.)
Classes:. 24”/26” class
…36” class[/SIZE]
(If there is enough interest, we could add a 28”/29” class)
(We could also have an “unlimited” class where you can use whatever size uni you like, similar to golfers using different clubs).
Price:… $20.00/per person
(entitles you to compete in one or more classes - no extra charge to compete in multiple classes)
(like last year, there may be a $5 discount for the first 10 riders that register; I’ll update this thread to let you know).

If you want to ride during the day there is, of course, an additional fee of $18 (for the whole day of riding) or you can buy a weekend (or three day) pass and get a discount.

Ray may have a deal with Fox Sports real soon… so it is possible that they may cover this event. Check back for more info…

Also Ray is going to inform the local media of the event and I’d like to give him an idea of how many competitors there will be, so please respond to this thread if you plan on attending and also indicate the class you will be competing in (24”/26” and/or 36”) and whether you would like to also compete in a 28”/29” class or “unlimited” class.

The new course looks awesome, so get psyched to have an amazing time!!!

ramp_to_skinnies_with_turns.jpg

OK, so I posted this thread almost a week ago thinking there would be a substantial amount of interest in this event (based on input from some of last year’s competitors as well as others who had responded to Tigger’s thread: Uni Ride at Rays), but apparently (so far, anyway)… I seem to be mistaken.

I don’t know if the reason for this seeming lack of interest is due to:

  1. Those people who are interested in the event simply missed this thread since it didn’t stay on the first page for very long,
  2. I waited to long to start actively promoting the event and thus didn’t give you guys enough advance notice that the event was definitely going to take place (and so now it is too late), or
  3. Those people who had expressed an interest are no longer interested for whatever reason

Although I am quite eager to promote the sport of Rolling Trials and would very much like to organize this year’s competition at Rays, it doesn’t make any sense for me to do so if there isn’t sufficient interest.

Being that I have arranged for sponsors, prizes, and possible media coverage… I really need to know ASAP if it looks like there is enough interest to warrant holding this year’s competition.

If you want this event to happen, say so and help keep this thread on the first page so that it will be easily seen by others who are interested (who will also respond to this thread and indicate their interest).

If this thread dies quickly due to lack of interest, I may try to bump it once or twice if it seems like nobody really had a chance to see it, but that would be about as much as I can do and then if there is still minimal interest… I’ll have no choice but to cancel the event.

Based on the interest people seemed to have at Motorama, I know this competition is worth holding. People are probably just too shy or something to post, or else they’re only 90% sure they can make it up, so they don’t want to commit to it.

You think Frank Brown is keeping his title???

I’m in

One thing that would speed up the laying of the course, is to instead of lining the lines with marking tape like we did last year, we could make it like ski slaloms, a (these colours may be wrong) red tape if you need to go on the right of the tape, blue if you need to go on the left of the tape. Most lines are already predetermined by Ray, of course, but this would be a good idea for places we need to mark off.

I am planning on attending. I just need to secure a car ride.

My plans would probably be to travel to Ohio after work on Thursday night, play around at Ray’s on Friday and Saturday, and drive home Sunday.

Jeff Prosa
New Jersey Unicyclist

HOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYY CRAP

This is insane, such a big deal this year. I’m definately digging it. I’m gonna try real hard to make it.

I’d say count me in.

Maybe there is a glimmer of hope…

Seems like there is quite a high population of Muni riders on the forum… and Rays is like a Muni rider’s paradise - so where are you guys???

(Please respond even if you are interested in attending but aren’t 100% sure.)

Yeah, but holding the event is contingent upon having a decent turn-out… so I hope a buzz develops on the forum about this event and a whole bunch of people decide to attend.

I don’t even think it’s possible to have a bad time at Rays, regardless of your skill level!

I will be bringing 3 guys with me

I’m absulutely interested, that sounds awsome, I would love to come, but I can’t.

I want to go, but I’ll have to get a ride.

I gotcha covered.

Bump.

i’ll have my Glidecam there, this will make for some beeeeee-u-tifal shots!

(while I won’t have a projector screen, I will bring my laptop to show you guys some of the stuff I have gotten so far for the next movie…and it’s sweeeet)

For the latest news pertaining to the event, check out this thread:

Triathalon @ Rays – Rolling Trials, High Jump Competition & Coker Slalom Racing

I’m not sure if we’ll have enough Coker riders for the slalom race… but there’s a good chance that we might.

I’m quite sure the high jump competition is still is a go!

So far there are 15 riders that intend to attend the event (the latest roster is on the thread mentioned above)… so it’s a pretty good turn-out.

Hopefully even some more people will register and try to win the $100 gift certificate for the new Coker!!!

It’s gonna be a great time for all!!!

Rays Trials Competition

We are bringing 3-4 pumped unicyclers!