_______________________________________________ 2006 North American Unicycling Championships and Convention _______________________________________________ NAUCC 2006 Frequently Asked Questions The Five W’s of the NAUCC - 2006: (The following has been edited from information originally compiled by the TCUC's NAUCC / UNICON Coordinator, Ryan Woessner.) What? The 2006 North American Unicycling Championships and Convention, hosted by the Memphis Unicycle Club. Where? Memphis, Tennessee – Home of Elvis. When? Friday, June 30 – Wednesday, July 5, 2006 The official start time of NAUCC 2006 will be 3:00 pm on Friday, June 30th at St. George’s Independent School for registration and open gym. Why? NAUCC is the best opportunity of 2006 to see the top unicyclists in the United States all in one place. NAUCC is a great way to get to know unicyclists from various other clubs, to learn cool new skills, to visit Graceland, and best of all, to cheer on your fellow unicyclists as they go for the gold. According to NAUCC Director Tommy Thompson, “We’re going to uni-party like it is 2099!” Who? Unicyclists from across the United States, including Ohio, Georgia, Washington, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Tennessee, California, and Pennsylvania. All unicyclists are encouraged to attend! The real question is - who won’t be there? NAUCC - 2006 Registration Info: Before being able to show off your unicycle talent in Memphis, registration is required. Please download the Adobe PDF format Registration Form, print it and mail it with your payment. For new NAUCC attendees, we recommend signing up for every event and volunteering for as much as you can. The more events you partake in, the better the experience will be as a whole. Plus, who wants to sit in the stands when you could be out pedaling with passion? Mail your registration to: NAUCC 2006 Registration 1318 45th Ave NE Minneapolis, MN 55421-3260 USA Late registration with a competitor fee of $90 must be postmarked or handed to Connie Cotter by June 3rd. All registration materials after June 3rd must be turned in at the convention, with an onsite competitor fee of $110. Non-competitor registration fee remains constant through out at a price of $40. NAUCC organizers also ask that each family pays a $15 fee for insurance during NAUCC. Also, don’t forget to buy your Closing and Award Dinner tickets for the night of July 5th – this will be a night you will not want to miss! The registration form also gives suggestions for hotel accommodations. If you arrive on June 30th, registration will be at St. George's Independent School in Collierville, Tennessee. If you arrive after this day, check the schedule to see where registration will be taking place. You will get a packet of information, a detailed schedule, and a T-shirt (if you pre-ordered one). NAUCC 2006 Host Hotels: Organizers of the NAUCC 2006 have arranged for special hotel rates for this event with our hosting hotels. To secure the reduced rate, you must call to make your reservation and ask for the "NAUCC unicycle conference rate". Wingate Inn 2270 N. Germantown Parkway Memphis, TN 38016 Tele: 800.228.1000 / 901.386.1110 Fax: 901.386.8801 http//:www.wingateinns.com • High-speed, wireless Internet • Refrigerator, coffee maker and microwave • Hair dryer, iron an ironing board • Free 24 hour business center • Outdoor pool • Fitness center with whirlpool • Hot breakfast buffet • All rooms have AM/FM alarm clock radios, telephones, coffeemakers, irons and ironing boards, micro-wave, hairdryers, and cable TV. • Very close to the region’s largest mall and shopping area • Numerous restaurant choices near by. About 10.5 miles (17 minutes) to gym and track events --------------------------- Comfort Inns and Suites 7787 Wolf River Blvd. Germantown, TN 38138 901.757.7800 • Free expanded continental breakfast buffet • Business center • High-speed Internet wireless access in lobby only; high-speed data ports in rooms • Free newspapers • Laundry/valet services • Indoor pool, hot tub • Afternoon snack of popcorn and cookies • All rooms have AM/FM alarm clock radios, telephones, coffeemakers, irons and ironing boards, hairdryers, and cable TV. Comfort Inn is about 5.3 miles (about 12 minutes) to gym and track events. Camping Sites: Various camping areas are available in the Memphis area but the NAUCC organizers highly suggest booking hotels as the weather in Memphis in June and July can be hot and very humid. These camping sites are listed on the registration form and the Venues page of this website. Unicycle Vendors: There will be several unicycle vendors serving you, the consumer, at NAUCC 2006. Vendors include Unicycle.com, Bedford Unicycles of Canada and various other unicycle related retailers. All will be selling their products. You will be able to find parts, new unicycles, and many other ways to spend your hard-earned money. Guests: Parents, local friends, etc. are all welcome to watch all events, no charge. For a national convention, that is not too shabby. There is no additional fee for the public show on July 2nd as well. All Events: You don’t need to attend all events, but you should consider it! The more you participate in, the more you will get out of NAUCC. There are such diverse offerings in this year's NAUCC, you might have to make some hard decisions as to which event you want to participate in. Timing & Scheduling: Events will run as close to on time as possible. Don’t miss an event by assuming that it will be running late. Each day there will be postings at the venues of any changes in the schedule of events and activities. The revised schedule, that will be available at the time of registration / check-in, will be held to as much as possible but be aware that things happen that are out of the hands of the NAUCC organizers. Be flexible. Remember, all those putting on this event are not professional conference promoters but volunteers who are there to serve you. Food Breaks: Even though currently there are scheduled breaks for lunch and dinner, they may be canceled. There are a lot of choices for fast food near the campuses of the gym and the track. As you are driving to the day’s events, pre-plan where you will be getting lunch / dinner. Vendors have agreed to provide food for sale at both the gym and at the track. However, always bring your own snacks and water for yourself. The Memphis Unicycle Club members will gladly direct you to the local super markets. Volunteering: The best way to meet new people and help things out is by volunteering. Your help is always greatly appreciated. Volunteers aren’t limited to adults; there is often plenty to do for kids even as young as 10! The more volunteers, the more smoothly the convention goes as a whole, so don’t be afraid to sacrifice your time to participate in Southern Hospitality. Workshops: There are many workshops going on during NAUCC. Take advantage of learning new things and meeting new people. Do you have something to share? We all do! Offer to put on a workshop. Contact Tommy Thompson if you are interested or would like some ideas. Currently, the Workshops List is being developed. If you have an idea, you can start up the bandwagon! USA Annual Meeting: The USA Annual Meeting is an important meeting for all USA members. (Remember, you have to be a USA member to compete. This year’s meeting will take place at St. George’s School Gym on the afternoon of Saturday, July 1st. Standard Skill: Order of competition is the lowest total points first (females), ending with highest points (males) - done in groups of approximately 10 people. I encourage everyone to participate in Standard Skill, as any rider who can mount and ride ten meters is able to compete. Standard Skill is also a great warm-up for freestyle routines and getting used to the pressure from the judges and the crowd. Artistic Freestyle: See the schedule for specific times and days for competition. Music for Standard, Individual, and Pairs: CDs are the best format to use. If you can have just your music on the CD, that is better than having multiple songs on a CD. Bring a backup in case you lose it or scratch your CD. Freestyle events include: • Individual [One rider choreographed to music] • Pairs [Two riders choreographed to music] • Group [Three or more riders choreographed to music] • Club a.k.a. Show Group • Street [This is a new individual event blending the two styles of freestyle and trials.] Practice Gym: There will be practice gyms so competitors can work through their routines before competing. However, do not depend on much space and time for practice gyms as all competitors need the same space at the same time that you will want it. On Friday, June 30th, there will be open gym at St. George’s from 3 pm until midnight, so take advantage of this time! Costume Changing: St. George's Independent School is a new, world-class facility. The gyms have full locker rooms and shower facilities. After competing, it is very refreshing to clean up and put on dry clothes before starting to practice the next routine or watching other routines. Parade Competition: The parade competition will take place on Tuesday, July 4th in the early evening. The parade is being organized by the Memphis Unicycle Club and the local Parks and Recreation Department to accommodate the NAUCC. Even if you are not interested in competing in this event bring your unicycle out, ride, celebrate and wave to the crowd. The more the merrier! Racing: Races are usually done with the oldest age category first (50+ female), ending with the youngest (0-6 male). The 1500m race is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, July 4th in the evening. This is a good time to compete in the obstacle course and slow board races as well. Is there anything more patriotic than racing your unicycle? I think not! If you have questions about specific races or miscellaneous rules consult your USA Rulebook online. Trials: Almost every day in Memphis will feature some kind of specialized trials course. The main trials competition will be in the afternoon of July 4th. Is there truly a better way to honor your country? Remember, equipment such as helmets, elbow/knee pads, gloves, and various other safety equipment is required to be anywhere on the trials apparatus, so think ahead while packing! MUni: Imagine a sun setting behind the pinnacle of a snow capped mountain on a warm summer evening – romantic, eh? Now, imagine hundreds of mountain unicyclists ripping up the dirt as they blast through the Delta's thick bottomland forest. Each day of the nationals will feature a unique mountain unicycle ride, so you will definitely want to check it out. Besides the daily fun rides in Memphis, the competition aspect of MUni will occur on July 3rd, which includes uphill, downhill, and 10K marathon races. Coker Riding: Numerous long distance rides will also be offered in Memphis this summer. The rides will highlight some of the best Coker rides in the area. The length of these rides varies, ranging from 21 miles to shorter, more leisurely jaunts along the Mississippi River and through several parks and less-traveled roadways. You will also want to bring your Coker for the 10 kilometer marathon race on July 3rd beneath the old-growth forest of Overton Park. If you have ridden along the Mississippi River in Minnesota, continue your river riding in Memphis, another port city along the Mississippi. Awards / Closing Ceremony: This year’s Awards / Closing Ceremony will be Wednesday, July 5th. This will be your last chance of the NAUCC to connect with all of your new uni-buddies that you made while at the NAUCC. You will have an opportunity, on the Registration Form, to have dinner with this event if you choose. However, eating or not, you are encouraged to come and celebrate the year's largest gathering of the continent's unicyclists. Raffle: The raffle is also a huge attraction at NAUCC. Tickets will be on sale at the gym beginning on Friday with the opening of registration. The raffle will include various prizes, such as a Coker, giraffe, unicycle pedals, and even Butt Butter. The more tickets you buy, the more likely you will win. At the conclusion of the Public Show on Sunday night, the raffle brings everyone back together for a wild interactive event of frantic uni-goody gathering. Sightseeing: As exciting as NAUCC is going to be, make sure that you plan some time in your schedule to see some of the great sites that Memphis has to offer. Information about famous points of interest is just a Google away, or check out these websites: City of Memphis, What's Happening in Memphis, Memphis Travel, Memphis guide Bedford Experience: That’s right; the Bedford Experience will return again this summer in Memphis, bigger and better than ever. The 2nd annual fun event is hosted by Mr. Darren Bedford himself. Final details have not yet been released, but when they become available you will be the first to know through the NAUCC website. Last year’s events included a talent show, the Defect movie premiere, and flaming puck hockey. So… As you can see, NAUCC 2006 in Memphis is going to be one of the biggest and best events to ever be held on the planet. Though many of you will religiously read this FAQ, there is still much more information to learn. If you have any other questions contact Tommy Thompson at tommy@memphisunicycleclub.com. The organizer's ultimate goal is for more unicyclists than ever to attend and participate in NAUCC 2006. See y'all in Memphis!