Should members pay to race?

We've been doing a running/sailing biathlon with the Juniors here for years, as a relay event.

Originally posted by blueboy Originally posted by turnturtle Mountain Bike trail centres, Windsurfing centres, Snowdomes etc are all pay and play and offer a sustainable business model Sustainable business model. Is that so?My local MTB venue - closed down.The vast majority of windsurfing centres that existed at one time - closed down.There are only a handful of Snowdomes across the UK, creating a business case for more is hugely problematical and meanwhile, dry slopes everywhere are poorly maintained,  some have closed down and more will.

Windsurfing centres - I was referring to more the holiday rental places, but you are right in the U.K. A lot have closed as the sport made itself far too elitist, and frankly went up a high performance cul-de-sac UK wind stats will never deliver. THe OTC in Weymouth still does OK though, and West Wittering.

Dry slopes - they've been replaced by domes, there's only one I. The UK that even uses if he latest dry slope technology, not that I'd bother with it personally. Domes - two new ones just got planning coneset- Cribbs Causeway in Bristol and another one in the NE- Middlesbrough I think. Cas, Hemel and Chill Factore in Manchester are all relatively new - < 10 years old - and going strong with a far broader demographic in attendance than sailing clubs.

MTB centres - you could right, but the buzz I heard was that the good ones are well over subscribed and around here, organised rides (open meeting equivalents) require very early booking to avoid disappointment

Coastal path walking, trips to the woods, camping, National trust visits, all doing well? Easy access, decentish kit cheap, very good kit somewhat expensive, but low hundreds, not thousands, no special training needed, no need for commitment.

It is the rise in Triathlon that really interests me, though. Huge fitness commitment, kit not cheap, 3 sports to get good at. How come so many are playing? Is it an interesting replacement for the gym? Is there because for the most part, it is about personal achievement, finishing, maybe a PB, not about winning outright? Sailing is actually difficult to measure in that way. Nearest we get are races like the Birkett, 3 Rivers, round Sheppey etc, which are difficult to replicate at small clubs, and almost impossible for a beginner to take part in.

local university students, supplement their loans with fee from sailing club, train them to do safety or ood.

Originally posted by turnturtle Originally posted by davidyacht Would you be better having shorter series but with two back to back races for today's time poor family persons? And sorry to rake up this old chestnut, but back in the day, the trip to our sailing club was a family day out ... with youngsters racing Cadets whilst dad and mum sailed Merlins or 12's ... now the youngsters go squad training and mum and dad do the driving; so you could hit both nails on the head. Easy to blame squads etc, but I guess that was all back in the day when 'the man of the house' got to choose where family leisure time would be spent.   The kids would be pushed afloat crying and cold- 'nothing a woolly jumper couldn't put right' and if 'er indoors' didn't like getting wet, well then she could jolly well pull her weight on Galley Duty. My Mrs thinks sailing clubs, in general, are the pits for non-sailors.... especially the inland ones. I can relate as I find stables on a par, except I'd probably say the old man damp kit probably smells worse than freshly shovelled horse sh*t.