Hello NYS Bicycle Racers, Event Promoters, Officials, and Clubs,

I am proud to announce that the New York State Bicycle Racing Association (NYBRA) is now formed as a Local Association.  As Interim President, I recently signed the contract with USA Cycling giving NYBRA the authority to administer nearly all of the functions that were previously carried out by USA Cycling in Colorado.  These functions include :

Rider upgrades (through Category 2)
Event permit review for road, track, and cyclocross
Officials assignments
NYS race scheduling
Officials, Coaching, and Mechanics Clinics

USA Cycling in Colorado will continue to issue event permits, event insurance, rider licenses, Category 1 upgrades, and other items.

The Interim NYBRA Officers are:
President – Dieter Drake
Vice President – Jeff Poulin
Secretary – Alan Atwood
Treasurer – Sherwood Veith
USAC LA Administrator – Alan Atwood

The Interim Rider Representatives are (one from each Empire State
Games Region):
Long Island: Myles Romanow
New York City: Eric Ragot
Hudson Valley: Dave Ebeling
Adirondack: Mark Sumner
Central: Paul Komanecky
Western: Todd Scheske

The Interim Board of Directors (BoD) is comprised of the Interim Officers and Interim Rider Representatives.  The Interim Officers are people who showed the most active and constructive interest in forming the LA.  Their specific roles were determined internally using their respective experience, skills, and interests.  The Interim Rider Representatives were selected by the Interim Officers.  2009 Officers will stand for election at the annual meeting.  Rider Representatives will be up for election at the end of 2009.  Our 1st annual meeting is planned for either November, 2008 or January, 2009 (details for this meeting will be sent soon).  Since our Board of Directors is an interim one, the BoD members (officers and rider reps) will not make policy decisions in 2008, but will be working to perform the duties taken over from USAC and disseminating information to NY riders and promoters regarding the LA.  All of these new functions have been handled by current BoD members in the past at various times and so the transition will be virtually seamless to all members.

The NYBRA Bylaws have been posted here.  They are subject to ammendment at the annual meeting.

We will soon have a website that will be an informational resource for all aspects of bicycle racing in New York State.  That announcement is forthcoming.

I wish to thank the Interim Board Members who have contributed a large amount of time in the last 18 months in finally getting this off the ground after some 6 years of deliberation: Jeff Poulin (Endicott - Tioga Velo), Todd Scheske (Rochester – GVCC), Myles Romanow (Hampton Velo Club), Alan Atwood (Holbrook – Kissena), and Sherwood Veith (Cobleskill – Schoharie Valley Cycling Club) all volunteered a considerable amount of time to make this happen.  They have worked very diligently in getting the bylaws written while taking great care that the interests of riders, promoters, and officials from throughout the state were represented fairly.

There is a considerable amount of work to be done to make this organization a model for other regions to follow.  With your help we will be able to raise the quality of racing in New York with this new & local infrastructure.  Nevertheless, we now have right now a local resource from which to draw upon that will better enable clubs to grow their memberships, promoters to increase the quality of their events, and for members to become better racers.  I urge you to particpate in the growth of this organization so that we can better serve the sport here in New York State.

Thanks,
Dieter Drake
Interim President
New York Bicycle Racing Association