A SEG America update – March 2006

With the days starting to get longer and the sun warming the streets, the thought of getting out for a glide is with all of us. The weather here in Washington DC, has been nice enough to get out for a couple of long glides, which reminded me how much fun it is to glide with all my SEG America friends. And gliding with friends means SegwayfesT!

SA’s first attempt last year at organizing and holding fesT was most successful. Working on a zero based budget, trying to make the fesTs affordable and having locations that gliders wanted to go to, was a lot of work, and could not have been done without the help of lot’s of SA members. With those three successful fesTs, Segway has offered SA the chance to be the official organizer of fesT again this year.

Now everyone is wondering where SegwayfesT will be held this year?

Right now SA is focusing on finding the right mix of place, date and price. The fesT location committee, made up of SEG America members, Chris Johnson, John Grohol, Dick Segar, and Stan Dobrowski, looked at eleven locations, including two overseas venues. Those were reduced to four domestic locations. It was great to see the interest and excitement from all the potential cities that wanted to host a SegwayfesT!

For 2006 the location decision is down to; Los Angeles California; San Antonio Texas; Milwaukee Wisconsin and Akron Ohio. After holding SegwayfesT in 3 regional locations for 2005 – It was decided that there will only be one fesT this year. So finding that perfect place to hold the world’s largest gathering of Segways is a bit harder this time around!

Will it be Texas, California, Ohio or Wisconsin? Shine up your HT, work on your mods, and stay tuned, soon an announcement will be made on location and date for SegwayfesT 2006.

SEG America By-Laws, This board made a commitment to the SA membership to put together workable by-laws that reflect this organization, during it’s term. Thanks to the hard work of Vice President Sagal, the final draft is now in the hands of the lawyers for review. Once the lawyers bleed all over them, no doubt a few changes will be made, and then we can get them out to the membership for a vote, as promised. This process has been going on since before Thanksgiving ‘05, and we are still on target for getting by-laws to the membership in the second quarter of 2006

SEG America continues to benefit from a good rapport with the manufacturer, and Segway is still very committed to an enthusiast group and sees how important one is to enjoyment of their product.

SEG America has announced dates for this year’s elections (see the elections page on this site) and is now looking for members to participate in the election process. We need members for the election committee, as well as candidates. This year election committee members will not able to run for office, but do take nominations, qualify the candidates, and present the candidates to the membership, and then oversee the voting. If you have an interest in serving on the election committee or for running for office in SEG America, please let one of the SEG America board members know. Yes it is work, but it is also fun, and you get to meet more of your fellow gliders, and are helping build this group from the ground up.

As has been stated, this board is always open to questions and suggestions, please feel free to send them on to me at President@SEGAmerica.org And I will do my best to answer them or find the answer for you.

Thank you for your membership and support of SEG America, and we all look forward to the coming gliding season with excitement.

William West Hopper
President SEG America

The First World Segway HT Polo Games will take place on Feburary 18th and 19th 2006, in Auckland, NewZealand. Winner of the tournament will receive the coveted “Woz Challenge Cup,” sponsored by SEG America, which will reside with the winning country until the next tournament.

Segway HT owners from around the world are invited to bring their machines to Auckland to try Segway HT Polo first-hand.

About Segway HT Polo
Segway HT Polo is a hybrid sport which fuses a new generation of high-tech, self balancing transportation, the Segway HT, with a 2000 year old game usually reserved for players on horseback. The game is played much like horse polo but on the Segway HT.

Bay Area SEG has created worldwide interest in this new sport with articles in well-known publications such as The New York Times, Wired Magazine, and Polo Players’Edition. They were also featured on several television news programs like NBC’s “Weekend Today”, the BBC and NBC affiliate KNTV’s
“Tech Now.” Players include Apple Computer co-founder SteveWozniak.
Since the Bay Area SEG played it’s first match on July 11, 2004, interest in Segway HT Polo has developed across the U.S. and in countries such as China, Italy, Argentina, the UAE and, of course, New Zealand.

About Bay Area SEG and Silicon Valley Aftershocks Segway HT Polo
Bay Area SEG was formed to increase knowledge and public acceptance of the Segway Human Transporter and to provide a resource to local owners and enthusiasts for information and group events.

The Silicon Valley Aftershocks Segway HT Polo is made up of members of Bay Area SEG and are proud to be representing the U.S.A. in this tournament. The Aftershocks are sponsored by Headsets.com and Segway, LLC.

About New Zealand’s Segway HT Polo Team
The New Zealand Segway HT “Pole Blacks” consist of Segway HT users Philip Bendall, Steve Simms, Rod Drury and Brett Jones.Sponsored by Segway New Zealand, Segway New Zealand is the exclusive, official distributor of Segway products in New Zealand.

For More information on Segway HT Polo log on to http://www.segwayhtpolo.com/

For those Segway fans, who will not be able to attend the 1st International Segway HT Polo Tournament in person, Official Segway Polo WOZ Cup Tee Shirts have been made available to commemorate this event.

Shirts are available; representing each team (SV Aftershocks, White; NZ Pole Blacks, Black) Order yours before the matches begin. http://www.zazzle.com/contributors/products/gallery/browse_results.asp?cid=238998422128819098

Support your favorite Segway HT Polo Team on Feburary 18th and 19th!