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A word from the Editor
“It’s almost like mountain biking is too popular right now. Marathon events like the Highland Fling are melting computers with demand, stage races are growing incredibly and the comparatively old school 24hr events are still pulling big crowds, and it’s all happening so quickly.
With such demand we have to expect a few hiccups along the way. In this issue of Enduro, we took some time to investigate one of these hiccups on page 24 – private insurance for event
participants and the discrepancies in cover across various events.
While the seemingly great divide between MTBA and some private event promoters discussed in the article may seem a little odd, we have to remember that our sport is still very young and has to deal with some pretty hefty issues and responsibilities at a tender age.
There is no ‘bad guy’ in this situation; rather differences of opinion, different goals (sitting alongside many shared goals) and (in some cases) a small lack of flexibility. Almost everyone involved in mountain biking – from private event promoters to MTBA – are involved, first and foremost, because they’re passionate about the sport, not because they want to make a quick buck and do a runner; it’s this passion that’s helping grow our sport so quickly and everyone involved in this issue is here for the long haul.
We raised the questions about personal insurance because we believe it’s an issue that needs to be addressed for our readers’ own awareness and as a means to tackle issues head on rather than sweep them under the carpet. After all, no one will benefit from an increase in the differences of opinion on this issue. Not MTBA, nor private event promoters and certainly not the riders. The stronger the unification in mountain biking, the more we will all benefit, both in terms of marketing and political sway.
But the issue of insurance, while important, takes only a few pages in this issue of Enduro. The rest is filled with stories which underpin the popularity of our sport, flip through these pages to get some idea. From the World Solo 24hr Champs, to the Anaconda MTB Enduro, to the launch of SRAM’s new XX, there’s plenty to get excited about!
Enjoy Issue 13.”
Enjoy Issue 13!
James Williamson - Enduro Editor
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