EuroChallenge 2007

[najw]

Members of the All Wheel Drive Club, Kirton Off Road Centre and Northern Counties Greenlaners will be joining forces with Scorpion Racing to stage the first pan-European Challenge event at the end of September with up to 50 vehicles expected to take part.

The venue will be Kirton Off Road Centre, possibly the finest off road site in the country with 800 acres of mud, rocks, sand and water.

A vehicle-free pedestrian zone will extend the full length of the site allowing spectators to safely get around the site and see all the action on the stages at close proximity. There will be ample car parking, catering and toilets on site making it a fantastic weekend out for all off-road enthusiasts. Spectator entry for the weekend will cost £10.

Competitor entries are limited to 25 UK registered vehicles (still a handful of places available) and 25 non-UK registered vehicles and there is a cash prize fund of 1000 Euros. The entry fee is £195 and a fully inclusive catering package is available for £25 per person which includes a barbeque and hogroast on Saturday and Sunday evening plus packed lunch both days. There is plenty of camping space for competitors and hot showers will also available on site.

Sponsors for the event include Allisport, Wipac, Marlowe, Warn, Polybush, Koni and Land Rover Monthly magazine and details of all these companies plus the competitors taking part will be available in the event programme which will be given free to all spectators and will be available in advance at major off-road and Land Rover shows.

So if you want to be part of the action or simply want to come along for a great day out pencil the 29th and 30th of September in your diary and visit www.scorpionracing.co.uk and follow the link to the EuroChallenge page.

[white90]

Neil

why is the cost of entry so high, any particular reason?

is it to get the prize fund?

if so why aren't the sponsors covering the prizes.

[Les Henson]

£195!, that must be some kind or record!. A week at Billing is less than that and any other off-road site I've ever heard of. What justification is there for so much?

Les.

[Holyzeus]

Almost 10 grand in entry fees, roughly 14.4k in euros..........

[white90]

and Food charges/spectators entrance fees, tie in fuel costs your looking at £300 for 2 days

someone is making money

hopefully not Scrapiron or LRM friends of LRA

LRM being a good mag bar this tie up with LRA.

[istruggle2gate11]

hopefully not Scrapiron or LRM friends of LRA

LRM being a good mag bar this tie up with LRA.

I hope you are reffering to the LRM / LRA tie up and not the Korc tie in

I cant comment on Neil's behalf, but obviously I can for KORC and would like to clear any potential slating before it begins.

I can say, hand on heart, that our charges to AWDC for this event are more than reasonable, as we want the Euro scene to become a big hit.

I would rather leave Neil to justify any entry fee's from AWDC as I am not privy (quite rightly) to his finances, for sure i do know that he is going to great lengths to make this a massive success, I know that the catering on offer for the competitors is A1 bar none and wont come cheap (we use them for our camping weekends).

He has also hired the use of all of our facilities from the catering kitchens, showers, toilet blocks and heavy machinery (including a sunk 360° )

We have insisted on proper health and safety implementation, as most of you are aware catering H&S for the general public rather than just an handfull of competitors will not be cheap by any strech, already, safety barriers and similar are being delivered to sight. As Im sure you are aware, even if circa £10k is generated, this will not go far.

Please bear in mind, that is my own opinion, not that of AWDC/Scorpion/Neil or any other party, Im just providing the venue, but I know that running any event, never mind an international event, investment money can slip through fingers without noticing.

[white90]

Yes indeed I am Roger. just so it is clear to all who may have mis-read.

I have arranged winch challenges and the site owners aren't the ones getting loads of income generally

but seeing scrapiron linked makes we wary personally.

the event sounds good and a trip to Kirton is on my list of places to visit but £195 plus fuel for this AWDC event

makes it out of the question.

So I'll wait till a play day or alternative event is held there before making the trip up.

[BogMonster]

joining forces with Scorpion Racing

not a good admission on this site IMHO

[Petergg]

Most of the events I do are in Europe i.e. France Belgium Portugal, it cost approx £2000 per event in France depends on North or South but inc Hotels entry fee's food all in price and IMO is expensive, Belgium is Cheaper but not such as good, Portugal is £1200 inc entry, Camping, Food hotels Etc all these events are 3/4 days plus 1 night event and are very well run and no Prize Money which I agree with, they all have a few bits for entrants & winners but in the European events you are all winners if you finish in some way.

The other thing is in European events you start early and finish late 12hr's each day not just 6, you could be driving 150k a day and you have mid day breaks all inc. Some days are hard and some easy, but all are very well run and good fun.

So I suppose this event is not too bad a price but only 12hrs Off Roading in 2 day's, I would not enter mainly because of the Prize fund I can't see the point it opens up to many problems and takes the fun away.

Have a good event.

Peter

[JST]

£2k for an event, thats more than m,y trucks worth!

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

For morbid curiousity I have looked at SIR Website.

The clue around costs could be the bit in their saying "Cheques to be made out to Scorpian Racing" as oppossed to AWDC

Before everyone jumps up and down, its a tad irrelevent if you do or do not like SIR, they are a business, and businesses do things to make money, if, as it would seem this is a SIR event, hosted by them with the use of Kirton and the expertise of Neil and the AWDC members then thats the way it is.

VERY Few businesses will host a challenge event and not expect to make a profit, and a helathy one too, whereas the majority of events are still run either as a breakeven or hopefully a small profit by club and or enthusiasts. I had sponsors last weekend, KCC, Challenger4x4, Brooklyn 4x4, Ashcroft, Landrox 4x4, and Si at X-Eng - not huge £££s but a generous and very helpfull amount and yes the money vanishes !...so don't assume the sponsors are putting up huge Monies !

Prize money will without doubt change the event attitude and competitors behaviour - and IMVHO for all the wrong reasons, this makes it a "everyone for themselves" event, with just trophies clothing and a few goodies people treat the day very differently, so if you are thinking of entering bear this in mind.

I must admit tho the costs sound about as high as any event I have heard of ever, charging spectators is just poor, and about sums it up, and I think BogMonsters comment is about spot on.

All I would say in ending is "PLEASE - Don't Shoot the Messenger" re the AWDC Neil and many of the Marshals in the AWDC who do a great job for free for many here and elsewhere, Scorpain and the views on and around them is another issue altogether

It will be interesting to see this develops

Nige.

[TJ101]

£2k for an event, thats more than m,y trucks worth!

Would you want that in cash, or will you trust my chq,, be round a bit later !! (+ a curlywurly)

£200 entry fee for a winch challenge event in this country does seam expensive, compared to other events of this type,

But against other types of motorsport, £200 is only about the same as say a single venue stage rally !! The MSA swallow up most of that fee, with very little left for the organising club !!

Think Nige have is very near the mark !!

[najw]

I'm not sure why you seem to think this is an expensive entry or 'some kind of record' I can only assume you're not up to speed with the other 2 day events...

Ultimate Challenge 2007 - £215

90* Challenge - £200 (with no guarantee of more than one days driving),

Tay Trophy - £?

Muddy Truckers - £?

Midsummer Madness - £?

We currently charge £75 for a single day of the Challenge Trophy and are close to sellout at every event. Add to the basic facilities provided at these hot showers, flushing toilets, giant marquee, power etc, etc and you'll soon find that £195 per team doesn't go very far.

As the opening line of my first post suggests, this is a team effort with each contributing organisation playing their part, Scorpion Racing are handling the marketing & sponsorship, the event has already been advertised in the national 4x4 mags.

Scorpion are handling the entry fees as we need to be able to take Euros and Credit Cards which we are not geared up to do.

As far as charging £10 per car for spectators - why not? Do you know how much it costs for a family of four to watch 22 eejits kicking a ball around a field for 90 minutes? So two days out watching 12 hours of top class off roading for £10 - not out of the question really.

There is a big difference between hanging a few punches out in a forest on a Saturday and organising a spectator-orientated fully inclusive event like this.

[white90]

Neil

you cover your points,

but the 22 idiots kicking a football don't pay to attend.

why aren't the sponsors covering the event costs?

so the entrants can provide the entertainment.

a fee of £150 for the weekend is still steep for most people.

if all the entrants monies are going towards running the event

so be it, but profits being made/excessive entrance fees when there are large companies

(getting the advertising on the day and on the forums) involved

is going in the wrong direction IMHO.

Fiinally JSTs events are hardly as you call it "hanging a few punches around a forest"

well run, excellent sites challenging and food costs less then £4.

so a superb winch challenge to stand against any others in the UK I've seen cost less then £50.

maybe it is just the blatant Sc****on across the pages that fuels the dislike, after their actions of the not to distant past.

[Divster]

Neil,

I've had the event in my diary and on the calendar for quite some time now. Sounds like another top quality AWDC event. Provided the soon to be Mrs Divster doesn't put any spanners in the works we should be there along with both mine and Trev's SWMBO's watching.

Will the £10 spectator fee still be applicable to competitors families??

[dollythelw]

Wow, didnt realise how expensive competing in the UK was........

[Mark]

With all due respect chaps, the Mike Wolfe was £100 a team, for one days competition.... 2 days for £200??? dosn't seem stupid.

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

With all due respect chaps, the Mike Wolfe was £100 a team, for one days competition.... 2 days for £200??? dosn't seem stupid.

<cough>

[Whisper mode on]

£100 per team of TWO 4x4s, .................thats £50 Per 4x4

[/Whisper mode off]

Nige

[Divster]

maybe it is just the blatant Sc****on across the pages that fuels the dislike, after their actions of the not to distant past.

I think that if S/R weren't mentioned in this thread there wouldn't be the amount of criticism that is being levelled. I have to say that I am not a big fan of S/R but I realise that events like these wouldn't be viable without the support of a main sponsor. When I enter these event's I don't do it out of support for S/R but because I know that Neil, Simon, Carole and the rest of the AWDC team will produce another top class event.

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

I think that if S/R weren't mentioned in this thread there wouldn't be the amount of criticism that is being levelled. I have to say that I am not a big fan of S/R but I realise that events like these wouldn't be viable without the support of a main sponsor. When I enter these event's I don't do it out of support for S/R but because I know that Neil, Simon, Carole and the rest of the AWDC team will produce another top class event.

Spot on

[JST]

bang on Dave.

i have run a few events but nothing to the scale that Neil does but fully support what hes doing, theres is always alot that goes on behind the scenes when organising everything that few realise the scale of unless they have been involved.

Yes i think its expensive but then i thought the CSW 2 day event at £110 was also expensive! its not just the entry costs but all the other associated costs that go into these things for the competitor to consider as well! fuel, breakages, accom, food, time off work etc etc. yes people make money from events, mostly the landowners/ event site managers etc. But then with the scale and number of sponsors you would hope for them to help cover those costs!

At the end of it Neil is promoting the sport which has to be good for all of us and if its too much ££ then dont do it and leave the spaces for someone else!

[Lewis]

I have to agree with Divster

I dont think that the entry fee is overpriced compared to other uk events, and I feel that the prize money is proabaly a neccessity to attract the european contingent

The spectators fee is about the same as a single days entry to one of the p*ss poor land rover show, which makes it far better value IMHO

The association with SR doesnt bother me - I wouldnt buy anything from them given the choice but I will happily enjoy their burgers and beers at the AWDC events

Those who do not want to pay the money and take part - dont then, but stop moaning about it aswell. Each to their own. Maybe your efforts would be better spent supporting this new idea from a forum member, rather than derriding it

Personally I hope the event does well and I imagine that competing against the european competitors and their vehicles will heavily influence uk challenge events, the competitors and their cars for some time. All this variation adds to the sport in my opinion

I cant help but feel that if JST or HFH were running a 2 day event with international entries and charging £200 then everyone here would be backing them fully and saying what a grand idea it is

Lewis

[None of the above is meant as a dig at any person or persons, just my opinion]

[JST]

I cant help but feel that if JST or HFH were running a 2 day event with international entries and charging £200

£200 a person i would look at...... (inc spectators)

then everyone here would be backing them fully and saying what a grand idea it is rolleyes.gif

i dont know the amount of 'issues' that arrive post event can be off putting!

[white90]

Lewis re:

The association with SR doesnt bother me - I wouldnt buy anything from them given the choice but I will happily enjoy their burgers and beers at the AWDC events

Those who do not want to pay the money and take part - dont then, but stop moaning about it aswell. Each to their own. Maybe your efforts would be better spent supporting this new idea from a forum member, rather than derriding it

**********************

It bothers me that a company that has such bad ethics are getting advertising on this forum/that that are making money from people entering an event

I guess it is personal preference but I wouldn't eat their burgers/drink their beers I'd buy my own.

Nothing against Neil good on him for trying to organise any events but I still can't see where the £195 entrance is good value. with so many companies involved.

luckily this forum allows people to have their say about any thing/any one this includes you and Me. but I won't tell you to stop supporting anyone

so telling me not to moan will fall on deaf ears too the last line saying this isn't aimed at anyone in particular is a waste as it is me complaining,

I've said what I need to say, the people organising /entering I hope you have a good event.

good Luck.

[Lewis]

I won't tell you to stop supporting anyone so telling me not to moan will fall on deaf ears

You have my apologies, consider my request to stop moaning withdrawn