In 2004, the UCI issued easier to use, simpler report forms for the jury presidents to complete their evaluations of international calendar cyclocross races. Although 14 pages in length, its design with mostly check boxes made completion a breeze. My first time using this new form was in Southampton, where I had the pleasure of working with Judy and Dave Miller. On this form, we are to evaluate the showers. One of the boxes says "satisfying". Of course, I ask Judy can she check the women’s showers and see in they are "satisfying". She asks what’s the criteria for "satisfying". Good question. I answered that a lot of pleasurable moaning coming from the shower stalls would indicate that they were "satisfying". And I ask the Big Guy, fka the Deer Slayer, aka Dave, also aka Moto1, to check the men’s showers. He confirmed that they were "satisfying". I asked him to make sure he had actually checked the men’s and not the women’s showers instead!

All kidding aside, showers at Northeast races are not common, especially ones with hot running water near the course. Someone was recounting to me the visit of Daniel Pontoni, from the former world champion from Italy, who came for a few of the SuperCup races years ago. One of his remarks was the absence of showers on site and how he had never been to cross races without showers before.

So what was the shower situation at Diegem and Hofstade?

At Diegem, as you approached the permenace, a sign also directed you to the "Vestiaires", which would roughly translate to changing rooms. If you followed the signs, you were taken outside of the lower athletic field onto the sidewalk of Chausee de Woluwe or Woluweelaan which then took you to the other end of the athletic field.

Here, you would then need to re-enter the race course, passing by a gate guard and entry kiosk, Kassa, up a little flight of stairs and down another and a quick right turn and you were at the stadium locker rooms and beer café. Here also were the medical control rooms. Getting to the start line from here following the course was about 350-400 meters.

At Hofstade, the official race map listed the "vestiaires" in a building across the street from the permenance, which itself was a good 8-10 minute walk from the start line. The sporthotel that housed the permenace also looked like it housed shower facilities as well as the registration building. The teams on the other hand, as noted in the race travelogue, were parked near the support pits. For these riders to get to the "vestiaires", it was a long way away from their team vehicles. Perhaps there was some facility in the beach boardwalk building was not evident or marked.

Moral of this story: yes showers are at these races. For US organizers perspectives, the showers are not necessarily right on the start or finish lines, but are near the race course. Southampton’s course is an ideal shower situation, where the gymnasium at the school has showers. At many of the park based races, showers would be problematic and would require special tent set-ups or mobile home type facilities. But above all, make sure they are "satisfying". Dave Miller can clarify what this means if still in doubt.