File under nice problems to have.
While most rides would love to have more riders (and their entry fees), some sell out and an even smaller number sell out so fast that their popularity causes frustration.
The legendary Dirty Kanza 200 sold out in just a few minutes.
According to the Promotions Team at Dirty Kanza there were over 2,500 people logged in trying to secure a place in the race within a minute of the 8.00 am start.
With 2,200 slots on offer that guaranteed 300 disappointed would-be Dirty Kansans before you even start to think about those who had overslept or had been unaware that registration opened on the 14th.
The 200 spots reserved for women in an effort to increase female participation were taken up in just an hour.
They admit they had not expected such an overwhelming response..
"Last year surprised us all, with the entire event filling to capacity in under three hours. Amazing!" they wrote in an open letter in the aftermath. "As quickly as that is, however, that is still enough time if one is sitting at the computer and ready for the 8:00am start time. And that is the mindset we had ..."
Little did they know.
"Unfortunately we cannot take you all or we would! With everything we do we will continue to evaluate and aim to improve in the future."
Some of the most popular European rides such as the Maratona dles Dolomites and Prudential RideLondon use a ballot system. During a period of several months anyone interested can register and then places are allocated at random eliminating the speed as an element in the process.
Of course, there are still many disappointed people, just a different set.
It is all a far cry from the first Dirty Kanza in 2006 when 34 hardy souls tackled the challenge in the Flint Hills of east central Kansas conceived by Jim Cummins and Joel Dyke.
Best of luck on June 3 to the successful applicants. On the 200 miles of harsh dirt roads around Emporia with up to 80 miles between checkpoints and limited support they'll need it ....
0 Comments
