At the beginning of 2009 a group of mountain bike race organisers decided to pool their resources and launched an internet-based system to make their lives easier while providing a better service for mountain biker. By the end of the year their Race Organisers Admin Group (ROAG) was one of the biggest online entry systems in the country, handling cycling, running and canoeing events. The problem was that they had revolutionized the organisation of mountain biking to such an extent the system needed to be upgraded.

So efficient has the system proved to be that in May ROAG re-launched its online system to handle the phenomenal growth and traffic through their website.

The re-launch also served to announce the first sponsor for ROAG and the Compendium Insurance Group will be partnering ROAG in their quest to provide a better administration service for sport in KZN and the rest of the country.

To celebrate the union between the two industry-leading organizations, Compendium are also giving cyclists an opportunity to benefit with some specials on bike insurance.

The prime reason for ROAG was to have a system that handles online race entries and helps race organisers by making the administration of races as easy as possible. So far 15 000 people have registered with the system (for free) and are then able to simply enter any event which is contracted with ROAG. In 2010 there is on average more than two events every weekend contracted to make use of the ROAG services in some form or another. Some simply opt for the race entry, while others contract the entire registration process out to ROAG.

Even the recent Johnny Clegg concert in Pietermaritzburg made use of ROAG to take bookings, while mountain bike tours and cycle training courses are regular features on the website.

Race organisers contract ROAG to handle race entries as well a ‘shopping list’ of other services which range from handling the entire race registration and check in process, to race queries, event advertising and even the sale of race merchandise. ROAG also liaises with timing companies such as Mr Price and Elite Timing to ensure race results are quickly produced and accurate, essential for a slick prize giving.

Key to the success of ROAG has been the website which carries race results, event information, a seeding for every person who has taken part in a ROAG administered event and a host of other features as well as entering races and buying race-associated extras.

The statistics of visitors to www.roag.co.za, the portal which is the centre of all ROAG’s operations makes interesting reading and highlight the volume of traffic to the site:
* 15 000 people (race competitors) are registered with Roag;
* 27 000 different people (unique visitors) visited the site from its launch in February 2009 to December 2009;
* Over half a million pages have been visited (522 547) on the website;
* Visitors spend an average of just under six minutes on the site each visit.
* More than 80 events have opened their online entries through ROAG in 2010 New Features of the updated website include:
* A rating system where rider's are able to rate past events they have taken part in
* ROAG members will be entitled to various discounts from a range of suppliers
* Up-to-date – articles and information pertinent to racing and training in cycling, running and paddling events.


At the ROAG Re-Launch were L-R Rowan Jones CEO of the Compendium Insurance Group and sponsor of the
new ROAG Website, Nicole Talbot General Manager of ROAG and Andrew de Klerk Director of Quartex the web
design company responsible for the design.