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Jeff Werner

I'm a designer in Vancouver, Canada. I work at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, am a director of the 221A Artist Run Centre, and a member of Fieldwork design collective. I'm an Emily Carr and University of Victoria graduate and have worked in the Philippines, Indonesia and the Netherlands. I'm a cycling advocate and race on the Garneau Evolution team.

cycling design squash Sports, April 22, 2005 3:46 PM 3 comments

Cost of Bike Races vs. Squash Tournaments

After playing in a few squash tournaments this year, from the small, club-only events to this weekend's provincial-level, 160-entry bash, I have attempted to sum up the discrepancies between entry fees for a squash tournament versus a bike race in British Columbia in the following diagram:


Squash vs. Cycling competition diagram

Squash

Cycling

I realize there are likely more variables in organizing a bike race: road closures, police escorts, feed stations, wheel vehicles, porta-pottie, etc., while a squash tournament takes place in pre-existing, designated indoor facilities. And even in provincial-level tournament, squash players ref themselves rather than hire mandatory (and fee-based) Cycling BC officials.

On the other hand a Squash BC membership is $30 per year, while I recall paying at least three times that for the Cycling BC equivalent (in both sports, a membership or license is required to compete).

Anyways, I'm not disagreeing with the players who've gripped about expensive squash entry fees, but from certain perspectives there are a lot more inefficient ways to spend money on the weekend.

3 comments on Cost of Bike Races vs. Squash Tournaments

1. melanie | April 27, 2005 8:33 AM

I couldn't agree with you more. Plus a squash tournament is three to four days of competition and socializing, whereas a bike race is a single afternoon or morning.
I gave up biking for squash too.

2. obewan of North van | June 22, 2005 11:26 AM

Couldn't agree more...squash tourneys win hands down...don't forget the three or four days of socializing, meeting other club members; whereas there's only a tiny pre-bike race window to fraternize, and perhaps an after-race get-together, as opposed to the all-out party squashers are practically determined to carry on with...perhaps even the motivating factor to play the game is to keep in good enough shape ...to PARTY.

3. dutcher | July 28, 2008 1:16 PM

EQUIPMENT: squash racquets & balls are cheaper than bicycles...entry fees r more expensive in cycling...babes look sexier in tight lycra bike gear...cycling shoes r cooler & more pleasing 2 the eye than squash sneaks...riding glasses mo $...the bicycle gloves r snazzier...no helmuts required in squash unless yr playing doubles w/wild tennis swinging loozers.

SWAG: crummy tshirts in cycling...squash has better Ts thats about it...trophies in squash, none in local bike races.

PARTIES: non-existent in the bike world...squashworld rocks (private&public clubs).

FOOD: equal but squash parties have brew.

ATHLETIC REQs: in squash; coordination, hand eye & great aerobic workout in 1 hour, however, tough on knees, ankles & hips...racquet in face: not koole...cycling is far more suffering ie: one has 2 be n2 pleasure thru pain...balance is @ a greater premium...easier on joints...crashes r definitely not part of the fun in bike races and flat tyres r a drag...a flat ball in squash is replaced w/o loss of momentum.

AESTHETICS: squash has a certain beauty 2 being inside the pristine white cube exchanging shots 2 a rhythmic flow but can be confining, claustrophobic & stuffy...cycling has the beauty of technology & the wonderful outdoors.

RECOMMENDATION: play squash tournaments in the winter and race bicycles in the spring, summer & autumn.

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