There are so many users of RaceSplitter every week and for a while now, I have been wanting to get to know some of them a little better because I was certain that they are all really neat and interesting people. I wasn’t wrong. This time I would like you to meet Richard Price, the owner of an event management company in Port Hope, a small town in Ontario, Canada.
Enjoy!
1. Introduce yourself and what you do, where you live?
My name is Richard Price, I own an event management company with my wife, based in Port Hope, a small town in Ontario, Canada. I was originally from the UK, but have lived in Canada for 11 years now with my wife and two boys (6 and 7).
2. Events that you organize.
Our family business primarily supports conferences and events in the Toronto area, with online registration systems, IT infrastructure and staffing.
In the last five years I have been responsible for the venue, operations or logistics for 10 World Triathlon Series events, including three grand finals. I was also part of the team that organized the London 2012 Triathlon, and last year was sport manager for six sports at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games.
This year I have taken on the role of Race Director for the new Ottawa Triathlon, which will host the Canadian Triathlon Championships and CAMTRI American Cup for the next two years. This is a huge undertaking with Ottawa being one of the largest cities in Canada, however we have an amazing volunteer LOC and we are creating a unique event with a stunning big city backdrop. I will also be heading to Leeds (England) in June as venue manager for the new stop on the World Triathlon Series calendar.
3. When did you start organizing those events? Do you have any other projects/events in mind?
I have been involved in the sport of triathlon since the age of 11, competing at a junior level and then mainly in long distance events over the later years. I am a qualified mechanical engineer by trade, however after getting the chance to sail around the world I started an ultra running event company with a friend in the UK. We staged multi-day races around the UK for five years before selling my partnership in the company and moving to Canada. I then combined my event management knowledge with my triathlon experience to do what I am doing today.
We have a number of new projects we are working on, and we are looking to possibly back into adventure running events. However it is a fine balance of time and timing, and getting the event model right. We have had our fair share of successes, as well as events that are not destined to be more than a one off. Southern Ontario has an amazing outdoor backdrop, we are are keen to organize more events locally to benefit and showcase our community.
Five years ago we took over the organisation (as part of a committee) of a local river race, founded after a big flood in 1980. We have now grown it into a riverside festival and one of the largest events in the region, with well over 10,000 spectators watching from the banks of the 10km course. This past weekend we had over 350 participants in canoes, kayaks and crazy craft floating their way down the river. The event has become very competitive, and we use the RaceSplitter software to time all the craft by category, sometimes to within less than a second of each other. We also use it for safety purposes to track who is still on the river and calculate the eta of the last teams.
4. What keeps you motivated to continue?
Staging great events for not only the participants, but also the staff and volunteers involved. It has to be fun for everyone or I feel we have not done it right.
5. How much time do you dedicate to those events?
Probably more than I should, however working with my wife in our home office allows us to enjoy more family time. We can drop everything and go our for a walk with the boys after school, and then come back to the office in the evening to finish of the next proposal or have a team call with our amazing volunteers.
6. The best rewarding experience you remember in any of your competitions.
Every event has their rewarding moments. From seeing world champions crowned, to watching a team come together against mother nature to put on a successful event. That team beer at the end of an event is always so sweet.
Richard recently organized the Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny and here is a small taste of it.
And here is Richard’s profile in RaceSplitter with the races that he has timed.
http://www.racesplitter.com/richardp
We thank Richard for his time and for giving us the opportunity of getting to know him a little better.