Le Comité Directeur soutenu par un vote majoritaire aux 2/3 des juges de la liste a décidé de modifier les n°866 à 875 de la superliste.
Une nouvelle fois, les ascensions dédiées à ces numéros se sont montrées insatisfaisantes pour ceux qui les ont parcourues ou ceux qui prévoyaient de s'y rendre.
L'application en vigueur pour ces n° 866-875 sera similaire aux lois qui régissent la zone 12, avec des bigs libres choisis par les membres, contenant une dénivellation moyenne d'au-moins 500m pour des ascensions reprises dans l'ex-URSS qu'on peut visualiser dans la carte ci-dessous. C'est finalement comme un 6e continent.
Cliquez sur "read more" pour obtenir plus d'infos sur ces modifications, le résumé du passé de ces numéros, les raisons pour lesquelles nous les avons modifiés et des précisions en ce qui concerne leurs futures déclarations.
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Summary : those numbers were given in the beginning to Turkish tops and passes, but four years ago, a geographical decision voted inside our committee, pushed out the Turkish climbs in the asian zone 12, out of Europe, writing besides them ex-USSR climbs.
We first chose the highest points of the Baltic countries, Moldavia and Belarus; two Georgian climbs and three Russian climbs. But nobody inside the challenge is a Russian member and nearly nobody already went there to visit those new BIGs as pioneers. Those areas are unknown, unvisited and it's difficult to find good maps about them.
The climb in north Russia was called as unavailable, the one in east Russia is flat and so on... We moved the Russian climbs to other Russian areas and notably to a good climb called Akhun near Sochi and two passes promoted by a Russian cyclist living in Volgograd.
Now, the feedbacks from cyclists having climbed the other ones alerted us. It seems that in the Baltic countries, the Estonian has only 500m length with high gradients, Latvia's highest point seems up a flat climb with very low gradients, eventually interesting in MTB but not so much... and the Lituanian climb can't be reached at all. The climb in Belarus is also a long and nearly flat climb, asking a long travel out of area, with long work to get a visa and political difficulties in the country. The Georgian climb near the border is currently in a stressed political area and isn't recommended by european authorities because it is near the border Russia-Georgia. There is a real is danger and in this way, the other Georgian climb is located very alone. Between the Russian climbs, there are only a few hundreds of kilometers but these kilometers aren't on motorways and to link one BIG to another inside those numbers request much time and much money. Consequently, those 10 numbers request many long travels, give document's problems, unsecurity on the field for the most beautiful ones (south) and/or no interest at all for the other ones (north). The whole area is a real problem for our challenge.
Let's recall that we decided NOT to move the superlist until 2015 and it was a good decision, because in 2015, a large group will analyze the whole superlist for an eventual revalidation and main changes. We gave in this way the possibility to all the members, having fixed the superlist for 5 years, to manage their travels slowly and surely, without any doubt about an eventual coming change. The stability is insured. But those special numbers offer real problems and are sometimes unavailable.
After a long reflexion with the filter group, I asked in this way, to the Leading Committee, to open special rights to move those numbers to free numbers in (precise area - Ex-USSR less Ukraine) following the same rules than in zone 12 until 2015. The Leading Committee agreed with an unanimity, I open then this request to a vote inside the Judges of the List. If you agree (4 votes "yes" required on 6), we'll write those numbers blank just like in zone 12 until 2015, with respect of the challenge's aim but also with respect of the money and time that members must use to take part in our challenge."
The apply for the numbers 866-875 will be just like in the zone 12, with an average difference of level of 500m.
a) for all the members claiming one number from 866 to 875 since 2012, the rule of the average difference of level, must be applied directly. He will not have the permission to claim the 3 baltic climbs alone without any other one filling the lack of difference of level anywhere else in the ex-USSR.
b) for the few members claiming those numbers before or in 2011, they can claim the numbers now and they are ok. Your 869,870 and 871 would be ok ! But afterwards, you will not have the permission to claim any virgin new climbs if the rule of the difference of level is not applied. For example, you can climb 4 other climbs in baltic countries now but can only claim them where your 7 climbs in Baltic countries, added to 3 other ones anywhere else in the ex-USSR will give 5.000m of Difference of level. It's better to have a look on the maps of ex-USSR countries before. It's now free...
I hope that you'll understand the reasons why we managed to change and that you understand that nothing is lost on what you've done, but that you've just to update your further plannings in ex-USSR to follow the new rules.
The LEADING Committee, The Judges of the list