The Munga Postponed – World’s toughest race faces a tough challenge

As an interviewer I hope you insist he back that up with facts, figures and dates. Anything less is a dis-service to those who have been let down by the cancellation. Now is not the time for a cozy chat - grill him hard for answers

The interview with Super Cycling was totally inadequate and wishy washy

The interview with Super Cycling was totally inadequate and wishy washy

They always are. You collect $500k off people (assuming the 100 count is correct) and then cancel the event. If you really are serious that it will happen, you have serious answering to do

Remember the Cape Epic was pie in the sky when announced.

It didn't make money at all, but all the cash Kevin Vermaak invested in has paid off handsomely now. In fact he paid the suppliers from year1 with the entries from year 2). It gained instant appeal, probably because the timing was right, but mainly because the concept, marketing, route and MOST importantly the entry fee was well researched.

So I will be conducting a telephonic interview with Alex Harris tomorrow on MIX 93.8 FM.

I just got off the phone with him.

The Munga is alive and will be even stronger in time to come.

I know Alex is a very religious man, his mystery backer wasn't TB Joshua by any chance?  [ps. that's a joke, just incase it wasn't wildly obvious]

I was involved with the first sani2c ...it was real back of the cigarette box stuff... #justsaying

I knew I should have ordered pizza ...

I knew I should have ordered pizza ...

You can eat it while you enter online

Its still up and running on the website.....

So I will be conducting a telephonic interview with Alex Harris tomorrow on MIX 93.8 FM.

I just got off the phone with him.

The Munga is alive and will be even stronger in time to come.

What time is the show?

12:30 if memory serves me correctly ....

@bicyclesafetysa: @AntonDangle and @Saskiavsa chatting to @alexanderharris about @TheMungaMTB on @Mix938FM today @12:35 #inthesaddle http://t.co/PGppyfwtAt

Will the teams that won free entries get a full refund?

1) Full refund in $ for actual entry cost = $ many

2) Full refund equivalent to the amount they gave the organizers... = $0

What question would you guys want to have an answer for ?

The intent is not to pull Alex over the coals, he is a very nice and ethical individual with only good intentions.

The aim of the interview is to get a clearer view from Alex regarding the future of the Munga.

So what would you guys want to know ?

What question would you guys want to have an answer for ?

The intent is not to pull Alex over the coals, he is a very nice and ethical individual with only good intentions.

The aim of the interview is to get a clearer view from Alex regarding the future of the Munga.

So what would you guys want to know ?

What was the main reason for the postponement and how many paid up entries did they have.

I know he said earlier the week they had 140 registered teams but how many were paid up.

and 

Will they consider dropping the entry fee for the non-pro's who have absolutely no change of winning.

What was the main reason for the postponement and how many paid up entries did they have.

I know he said earlier the week they had 140 registered teams but how many were paid up.

 

and 

 

Will they consider dropping the entry fee for the non-pro's who have absolutely no chance of winning.

Withdrawal of sponsor.

I doubt they will drop the fee, they have to keep a standard ,even if they do, let'say they make it half price R 50 k, how many people have they kind of cash lying around to ride for a few days......

What question would you guys want to have an answer for ?

The intent is not to pull Alex over the coals, he is a very nice and ethical individual with only good intentions.

The aim of the interview is to get a clearer view from Alex regarding the future of the Munga.

So what would you guys want to know ?

Very decent of you to open that up to us Wyatt. Here's my, very personal postion.

I am currently training for an endurance event next year - 1,200km on road. Not nearly as tough as Munga - in fact probably around the same level of effort as say an Epic, maybe even a shade less.

If that goes well I have my sights set on bigger challenges - also on road. But to get ready for them, I need intermediate goals and challenges to help prepare. At 1,000km Munga could work - I'd equate that to maybe a 2,000km to 3,000km endurance road ride. The fact I don't have to go overseas for such an event makes it an ideal stage to get me there.

But what's the motivation for me to enter - personally, unless you're racing with a chance to win, it isn't the toughest ride in the world in my view. So with no bragging rights, and no prize money potential, why would I pay $5k to do a long and potentially not that scenic or interesting ride?

Answer that well and maybe I'd be a future customer.

BTW - I did put much that same Q to Alex by email, and so far have not seen an answer to tempt me.

I'm just one customer of course - maybe there is another target market and motivation for the 350 or so teams that can't possibly win this thing.

OK - maybe you'll need to summarize that Q for a short radio slot!

What was the main reason for the postponement and how many paid up entries did they have.

I know he said earlier the week they had 140 registered teams but how many were paid up.

 

and 

 

Will they consider dropping the entry fee for the non-pro's who have absolutely no change of winning.

You managed to sum up my Q in one sentence!

@bicyclesafetysa: @AntonDangle and @Saskiavsa chatting to @alexanderharris about @TheMungaMTB on @Mix938FM today @12:35 #inthesaddle http://t.co/PGppyfwtAt

Ta for that. 

Very decent of you to open that up to us Wyatt. Here's my, very personal postion.

 

I am currently training for an endurance event next year - 1,200km on road. Not nearly as tough as Munga - in fact probably around the same level of effort as say an Epic, maybe even a shade less.

 

If that goes well I have my sights set on bigger challenges - also on road. But to get ready for them, I need intermediate goals and challenges to help prepare. At 1,000km Munga could work - I'd equate that to maybe a 2,000km to 3,000km endurance road ride. The fact I don't have to go overseas for such an event makes it an ideal stage to get me there.

 

But what's the motivation for me to enter - personally, unless you're racing with a chance to win, it isn't the toughest ride in the world in my view. So with no bragging rights, and no prize money potential, why would I pay $5k to do a long and potentially not that scenic or interesting ride?

 

Answer that well and maybe I'd be a future customer.

 

BTW - I did put much that same Q to Alex by email, and so far have not seen an answer to tempt me.

 

I'm just one customer of course - maybe there is another target market and motivation for the 350 or so teams that can't possibly win this thing.

 

 

OK - maybe you'll need to summarize that Q for a short radio slot!

I dunno if any event can be called the toughest in the world, there is always something somewhere that is tougher. Tough depends on so many variables....

Personaly i think riding from Bloem to CT offroad in the middle of summer and non stop will provide plenty of bragging rights, if thats NOT enough then aim to finish in a prize winning position to make it a lot tougher?

Hell even finding the entry fee adds to the "toughness"

I dunno if any event can be called the toughest in the world, there is always something somewhere that is tougher. Tough depends on so many variables....

 

Personaly i think riding from Bloem to CT offroad in the middle of summer and non stop will provide plenty of bragging rights, if thats NOT enough then aim to finish in a prize winning position to make it a lot tougher?

 

Hell even finding the entry fee adds to the "toughness"

True. But with no chance of prize money, and questionable bragging rights, where's the motivation for non elite and non Pros to shell out $5k?

Edit - BTW, all of my events are non-stop, so that aspect doesn't really change much for me

What question would you guys want to have an answer for ?

The intent is not to pull Alex over the coals, he is a very nice and ethical individual with only good intentions.

The aim of the interview is to get a clearer view from Alex regarding the future of the Munga.

So what would you guys want to know ?

His endeavours over the years must have had many setbacks in the planning stages. How does this compare to those? How does he deal with the pitfalls? At what stage, if ever, does he give in? 

The interview on Supercycling was a load of nonsense. 140 confirmed entries and he believed that there would be a late influx of SA pros as they tend to enter at the last minute. Really?? then he says the backer pulled out because they didn't share the same vision for the Munga? Really?? Might be a great endurance athlete and a guy full of integrity but not having your backer buy into the same vision for the event? If that's the truth Alex should stick to riding......

True. But with no chance of prize money, and questionable bragging rights, where's the motivation for non elite and non Pros to shell out $5k?

 

Edit - BTW, all of my events are non-stop, so that aspect doesn't really change much for me

Perhaps a good question for Earpie to ask Alex would be:

Why is the entry fee Dollar based and so high for locals, what type of participants are they targeting and expecting to enter at that price?

I can tell you that from my experience living in switz not many people would BE ABLE to enter at that price (keep in mind overseas competitors would have to pay for flights and accomodation in peak season).

Oh yes and Alex said the prize money fund as proposed was not negotiable to any new corporate sponsor, so it seems like a take the Munga as originally proposed or leave it.

It's clear the event interest is potentially there - otherwise we'd have taken our pizza and popcorn to another Hub thread. The Q is, can you fix the model for the event to an extent where that interest will turn into entries. Or does doing that completely break the concept of the event. I think we'll see the answer to that in 2015.

Another potential question:

How many entries (@ current price $10k) are required for the event to be held?

I.e. if they get a low amount of entries will it still go ahead or do they have to have "x" entries first?