Help Alex and the moustache make it to the USA
By Alex Revell
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NZ $3,405 pledged
83 people pledged
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This campaign was successful and closed on 24/10/2014 at 12:11 PM.
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Help Alex And The Moustache Make It To The USA
Project 2014-09-10 20:39:06 +1200
I'm Alex Revell, a cyclocross racer from Wellington. It's a sport a bit like mountain biking on a road bike, with a course that ressembles a cross country running circuit. Two years ago, after two years of saving up, I made my way to Belgium, famous for being the home of cyclocross - with top professionals earning millions of euros, tens of thousands of fans coming to spectate at races, and then me there from New Zealand with only my bike hoping to do some races and see how I go. It went really well and I was able to return the following season for a shorter duration.
Last year I was the New Zealand national champion, and have competed in the last two World Championships - but it is a small sport in New Zealand so in order to gain better experience and compete at a higher level it's imperative to race overseas. I have a plan to go to the USA to race from late September through til late October, at 10 UCI races - the biggest races they have there. I have been offered accommodation, transport, bikes to use and clothing to wear while I am there by a generous sponsor in Baltimore, but I need to pay for my airfares and racing/travel insurance.
In order to cover the cost of my airfares and compulsory insurance I have a collection of merchandise available to reward to people who pledge to help fund my trip - autographed fan postcards, t shirts, cycling caps, beanies and rain jackets. Some people made them for me in Belgium when I was there previously to help my fundraising, but after a few races they stopped contacting me. I eventually located it and the New Zealand embassy is sending it over for me little by little as we speak. I can also offer some special and more unique items for people who pledge larger amounts - such as signed race numbers, and a signed NZ national champion jersey.
The sport is growing rapidly in New Zealand, and together with four others I helped organise a series of races in Wellington's Hutt Valley - Hüttcross. Over the course of our six rounds from June to August we had attendance of between 110-150 riders at each event, of all ages and backgrounds, men and women and children. We are keen to keep it growing next year and are always happy to see new faces show up.
Cyclocross is a fantastic sport, which has great potential in New Zealand. Through your support of my racing iin America you will in turn facilitate better and more opportunities for riders in New Zealand, as I bring back what I have learned and share it to foster the sport back home. Plus you'll get a cool hat or T shirt to wear, if that wasn't the reason you were interested in the first place!
Comments
Updates 3
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Video footage of races
18/10/2014 at 10:43 AM
The last few weeks have flown by! Unfortunately I haven't had much luck with photos at the races, it seems there aren't hundreds of amateur photographers at every race like in Belgium!
But the largest of the races have all been filmed and are able to be watched online from http://www.behindthebarriers.tv/ I managed to feature a few times, either through good race positioning early on or through being in the background of other shots and interviews. It's all good though.
There are a couple of interviews with me on there too, one at the Night Weasels Cometh race in Shrewsberry, Massachusetts. The other is from Rochester, New York last weekend. Not in-depth but I will have some things to say myself on the Spoke magazine blog that I write in the coming weeks - http://spokemagazine.com/category/exclusives/the-cyclo-x-files/
Meanwhile, thanks to the continued support of everyone the goal has been reached! There is still a lot of merchandise left, so don't let that stop you from forwarding it on to friends etc who might be interested in an item or two. It ends next Friday at 6PM though! Things will still be available from me after that, but just not over Pledgeme.
With my final race weekend imminent in Jamesburg, New Jersey this weekend, I am looking to make a good go of what I have gained since being here. Namely some experience racing fast! In warm weather! Cornering at high speed and close proximity to others! I have also had good opportunities to talk to race organisers and sponsors about their challenges and experiences, which I am looking forward to transferring into a New Zealand context over the coming years.
So thanks again very much for the support and for following me, I look forward to getting stuck into a whole lot of postage when I return!
Alex
Let the racing begin!
21/09/2014 at 1:55 AM
It's been a week since the pledge-a-thon began, and we're already over two thirds of the way there!
Thanks so very much to everyone for the support, I've made it to Baltimore and have my first race this afternoon, the Charm City Cyclocross at Druid Hill Park.
I'll be aiming to get some photos up in the next couple of days from the race today, which is looking to be fairly challenging after the brief glimpse I caught yesterday - some significant climbing, a bit of sand, and some huge contructions in the form of a staircase and a flyover.
This race doesn't have a live stream, but the next few weeks of racing all do so I will be sure to post the links when available.
Thanks again, and please pass it on to your friends, family and associates. Until next time,
Alex
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Followers of Help Alex and the moustache make it to the USA
Help Alex And The Moustache Make It To The USA
Project 2014-09-10 20:39:06 +1200
I'm Alex Revell, a cyclocross racer from Wellington. It's a sport a bit like mountain biking on a road bike, with a course that ressembles a cross country running circuit. Two years ago, after two years of saving up, I made my way to Belgium, famous for being the home of cyclocross - with top professionals earning millions of euros, tens of thousands of fans coming to spectate at races, and then me there from New Zealand with only my bike hoping to do some races and see how I go. It went really well and I was able to return the following season for a shorter duration.
Last year I was the New Zealand national champion, and have competed in the last two World Championships - but it is a small sport in New Zealand so in order to gain better experience and compete at a higher level it's imperative to race overseas. I have a plan to go to the USA to race from late September through til late October, at 10 UCI races - the biggest races they have there. I have been offered accommodation, transport, bikes to use and clothing to wear while I am there by a generous sponsor in Baltimore, but I need to pay for my airfares and racing/travel insurance.
In order to cover the cost of my airfares and compulsory insurance I have a collection of merchandise available to reward to people who pledge to help fund my trip - autographed fan postcards, t shirts, cycling caps, beanies and rain jackets. Some people made them for me in Belgium when I was there previously to help my fundraising, but after a few races they stopped contacting me. I eventually located it and the New Zealand embassy is sending it over for me little by little as we speak. I can also offer some special and more unique items for people who pledge larger amounts - such as signed race numbers, and a signed NZ national champion jersey.
The sport is growing rapidly in New Zealand, and together with four others I helped organise a series of races in Wellington's Hutt Valley - Hüttcross. Over the course of our six rounds from June to August we had attendance of between 110-150 riders at each event, of all ages and backgrounds, men and women and children. We are keen to keep it growing next year and are always happy to see new faces show up.
Cyclocross is a fantastic sport, which has great potential in New Zealand. Through your support of my racing iin America you will in turn facilitate better and more opportunities for riders in New Zealand, as I bring back what I have learned and share it to foster the sport back home. Plus you'll get a cool hat or T shirt to wear, if that wasn't the reason you were interested in the first place!
Comments
You need to pledge to see this update.
Video footage of races
18/10/2014 at 10:43 AM
The last few weeks have flown by! Unfortunately I haven't had much luck with photos at the races, it seems there aren't hundreds of amateur photographers at every race like in Belgium!
But the largest of the races have all been filmed and are able to be watched online from http://www.behindthebarriers.tv/ I managed to feature a few times, either through good race positioning early on or through being in the background of other shots and interviews. It's all good though.
There are a couple of interviews with me on there too, one at the Night Weasels Cometh race in Shrewsberry, Massachusetts. The other is from Rochester, New York last weekend. Not in-depth but I will have some things to say myself on the Spoke magazine blog that I write in the coming weeks - http://spokemagazine.com/category/exclusives/the-cyclo-x-files/
Meanwhile, thanks to the continued support of everyone the goal has been reached! There is still a lot of merchandise left, so don't let that stop you from forwarding it on to friends etc who might be interested in an item or two. It ends next Friday at 6PM though! Things will still be available from me after that, but just not over Pledgeme.
With my final race weekend imminent in Jamesburg, New Jersey this weekend, I am looking to make a good go of what I have gained since being here. Namely some experience racing fast! In warm weather! Cornering at high speed and close proximity to others! I have also had good opportunities to talk to race organisers and sponsors about their challenges and experiences, which I am looking forward to transferring into a New Zealand context over the coming years.
So thanks again very much for the support and for following me, I look forward to getting stuck into a whole lot of postage when I return!
Alex
Let the racing begin!
21/09/2014 at 1:55 AM
It's been a week since the pledge-a-thon began, and we're already over two thirds of the way there!
Thanks so very much to everyone for the support, I've made it to Baltimore and have my first race this afternoon, the Charm City Cyclocross at Druid Hill Park.
I'll be aiming to get some photos up in the next couple of days from the race today, which is looking to be fairly challenging after the brief glimpse I caught yesterday - some significant climbing, a bit of sand, and some huge contructions in the form of a staircase and a flyover.
This race doesn't have a live stream, but the next few weeks of racing all do so I will be sure to post the links when available.
Thanks again, and please pass it on to your friends, family and associates. Until next time,
Alex