Newsletter No 10: August 2017

Dates for the 32nd Murray to Moyne Cycling Relay:  
Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 April – 2018.

Note:  Victorian School Holidays:  Friday 30 March to Sunday 15 April.
Note:  Easter Public Holidays:  Good Friday, 30 March.  Easter Saturday, 31 April. Easter Sunday, 1 April. Easter Monday, 2 April.

Preparations for the 32nd M2M Well Underway
The M2M Board and Committee are well advanced in their preparations for the 2018 event.  You may not realise it, but we need to gain permission from all the local council areas to run the M2M though each district.  Plus, VicRoads, the regional VicPol Highway Patrols and Traffic Management Units.  We are also updating the website and starting to book venues and organising new signage etc.  
Following other feedback we are aiming to get the Ride Guide onto the Website so teams (especially new teams) can be better prepared – with all the ride options, distances, feed stops etc.
M2M Survey Results:
Thank you to the 466 people who completed the on-line survey.  90% of the replies were received in the first few days.  The survey was open for 2 weeks.
We also received some specific feedback from participants:
One e-mail related to the starting times for each leg of the event.  This issue has been discussed many times and it is always going to be a compromise!   Some people wish to start the event at say 7:00 am and so arrive in Hamilton earlier.  Other teams travel long distances to arrive at the start the night before or on the morning of the event and do not want the time moved.  Event organisers also need to do a range of jobs including the team briefings before we can start, so an earlier time is not favoured.
A question about the cost of support members was also received and discussed by the Board at its July meeting.  One team asked why the support members needed to pay a fee when they were not riding.  The issue is that all participants in the event (riders, drivers, and support) need to be registered for insurance purposed.  In addition, the M2M event registration fee is very cheap compared to with other rides eg Cadel Evans (111 Kms = $148, Round the Bay in a Day (210 Kms = $235).  The M2M is a charity event and a great deal of the work is provided by our many volunteers, none of whom are paid so as to keep the costs to an absolute minimum.
Another comment related to the provision of changing facilities at the finish in Port Fairy.  The Board has welcomed this idea and moves are being made to utilize a facility near the finish for this purpose.  Note:  Full shower, toilet and changing facilities are available at Belfast Aquatics (Campbell Street).
 
The full survey results (percentage form) are listed below.
Q 1:  I really enjoyed my experience of riding / participating in the M2M
Strongly Agree = 60%, Agree = 34%, Neutral = 3%, Disagree = .8%, Strongly Disagree = 2%
Q 2:  I valued the teamwork involved in participating in the M2M.
Strongly Agree = 72%, Agree = 25%, Neutral = 1.6%, Disagree = .4%, Strongly Disagree = .7%
Q 3:  Raising funds for our team’s health charity was important to my participation in the M2M.
Strongly Agree = 38%, Agree = 42%, Neutral = 16%, Disagree = 2%, Strongly Disagree = 1%
Q 4: I found the organisation of the M2M to be excellent.
Strongly Agree = 47%, Agree = 45%, Neutral = 6% Disagree = 1.4%, Strongly Disagree = .9%
Q 5:  The M2M organising committee kept me informed about the safety requirements of the event.
Strongly Agree = 39%, Agree = 49%, Neutral = 10% Disagree = .7%, Strongly Disagree = .9%
Q 5:  I was satisfied with the available facilities at the finish in Port Fairy.
Strongly Agree = 29%, Agree = 47%, Neutral = 15%, Disagree = 6%, Strongly Disagree = 1.6%
Q 6:  I achieved my personal goals in terms of Kms completed this year.
Strongly Agree = 30%, Agree = 47%, Neutral = 18%, Disagree = 3%, Strongly Disagree = 1.4%
Q 8:  The team numbers provided were easy to attach and use.
Strongly Agree = 20%, Agree = 53%, Neutral = 19%, Disagree = 4.7%, Strongly Disagree = 2%
Q 9:  I found the Motor Cycle Marshals were a great assistance to our riders.
Strongly Agree = 36%, Agree = 44%, Neutral = 18%, Disagree = 1.4%, Strongly Disagree = .7%
Q 10:  I experienced many dangerous situations during the 2017 M2M.
Strongly Agree = 2%, Agree = 5%, Neutral = 11.8%, Disagree = 54%, Strongly Disagree = 26%
Q 11:  I found it difficult to navigate the online M2M registration.
Strongly Agree = .9%, Agree = 4.7%, Neutral = 18%, Disagree = 54%, Strongly Disagree = 22%
Q 15:  I would recommend participating in the M2M to my friends / colleagues.  
 Strongly Agree = 57%, Agree = 37%, Neutral = 3.5%, Disagree = 1.4%, Strongly Disagree = .4%
Registration Timetable:
Early Bird Registrations:  Open 16 October, Close 16 December 2017.
Normal Registrations:  Open 17 December, Close 26 April 2018.
If you have any questions:   Please contact Lou, M2M Administrator via email:  admin@murraytomoyne.com.au
 www.facebook.com/murray2moyne/