Permanents
by Tracy Barill

Tracy has put together a proposal to add "permanents" to BC Randonneurs ride offerings. The club executive liked the idea, and at the September 9th, 2008 meeting the proposal was approved. Tracy will be the first permanents coordinator, assisted by Bob Koen. The plan is for rides to be offered as early as October. Below is the proposal. [Eric F]

Permanent Brevets for the BC Randonneur Cycling Club

The BC Randonneur Cycling Club will begin offering permanent brevets in October 2008. A presentation on the permanent program is scheduled for the 2008 AGM.

Background

The BC Randonneurs Cycling Club (BCRCC) is a pioneer of marathon cycling in North America. Now in its 30th year, BCRCC offered over 40 brevets in distances of 200 to 1200 km in the six months from April through to September 2008.

Club members have ample opportunities for long-distance brevets through the spring and summer seasons. After the last brevet in September, though, members continue to cycle - most throughout both the fall and winter months. In an effort to provide members with long distance cycling events throughout the year, BCRCC is introducing permanent brevets beginning in October.

A permanent brevet is "like a [registered ACP] brevet but you can ride it any time, not just on one specific date. Like brevets, routes can start and finish in the same location, but they can also run point-to-point, and can be any distance of 200km [or more]" RUSA web site. A permanent brevet is typically organized by any member who is interested in cycling a designated route at a date and time that is convenient to that member. An upcoming permanent ride is often announced via the club's mailing list with a general invitation to all club members.

The permanent brevets program is well established in the Randonneur community around the world. Over 800 permanents are available in the United Kingdom and the USA covering distances of 200 to 4900 km. In the USA in 2007, 1705 individual permanent brevets were completed for a distance of 345,162 km. This exceptionally successful program has helped maintain a club's vibrancy throughout the year.

The Permanent Brevet

" Permanent rides are more flexible than calendared events. Most can be ridden at any time…" Audux UK.

A permanent brevet is recognized within a club that but is not a registered ACP brevet (distance accumulated in permanents is not eligible for awards offered by ACP nor for distance awards offered by the BC Randonneurs). Permanent routes are cycled according to the rules governing ACP brevets (route cards are used; minimum and maximum speeds are respected; proof of control arrival is required; cards are to be submitted within 2 weeks of the completion of the event).

This new initiative would be supported with a coinciding award to recognize those members who have ridden at least one permanent brevet or registered ACP brevet of 200K or longer for 12 consecutive months. The design and name of the award is yet to be determined. Any suggestions would be welcome. The awards are called the Randonneur Round the Year award in the UK and the R-12 Award in the US. The award is expected to be available by September 2009.

An initial list of permanents will be selected from archived brevet routes and posted on the BCRCC website. This list is expected to grow as members submit new permanent routes.

This BCRCC initiative will be facilitated by two Permanent Coordinators (Tracy Barill and Bob Koen). The control cards, route sheets and liability forms would be provided by the Permanent Coordinators to a member who requests the cards for the Permanent requested.

Most of the specifics of the Permanent Brevet program will be adopted from other Randonneur clubs that have experience in this area. Minor modifications to the BCRCC permanents program are expected after the program is launched. Expected details of the permanents brevet program include:

- Permanent cycling events are a minimum of 200K

- A permanent is cycled according to rules provided by the ACP

- Time and date of permanents are decided on the discretion of the member requesting the control cards

- A permanent route consists of any archived route of ACP sanctioned brevets or routes that are officially designated permanent routes (posted on the website in the Permanents list) by the Randonneur Club

- Members are encouraged to submit proposed new permanent routes by providing a route sheet (with controls) and a digital map of the proposed route to the Permanents Coordinators

- A completed permanent does not contribute to awards sanctioned by ACP or by the BC Randonneurs i.e. Iron Butt award with the exception of the award for 12 months of consecutive brevet (ACP or permanent) completion

- A permanent can be ridden by any member of the BC Randonneur Cycling Club

- Any member of the BCRCC can organize a permanent event

- A permanent ride does not qualify the rider for any ACP registered events i.e. PBP

- Permanent routes can be ridden more than once each year

- Club liability forms must be signed and witnessed prior to each permanent ride

- A permanent ride can be cycled in reverse at the discretion and agreement from the Permanent Coordinator

- Cyclists who complete a permanent must submit the control card to the Permanent Coordinator within 14 days of the event; the control card, after validation by the Permanent Coordinator, will be returned to the cyclist

- Control cards will be kept by the member cyclist; application for the award designated for 12 consecutive months of brevets (ACP and permanents) can be sent at any time (members can begin the quest for this award at any time during the year)

- Permanents can be cycled anywhere in the world if approved by a Randonneur Club; to qualify for the BCRCC award for 12 consecutive months of brevet completions, the majority of the brevets must be cycled in BC (51% or more)

- Tracy Barill (tracy at barill.ca) and Bob Koen (bob at koen.ca) welcome any enquiries or suggestions on the Permanent Brevet Program.

September 12, 2008