It looks as if the new way to get good results is to try and get some penalties knocked off. I’ve never seen so many protests as at Cardiff, mostly from K1 Men (with paddle ups prominent). It might be better to focus on your performance, and remember:
- The section judges are pretty experienced, and they don’t often get it wrong.
- You can’t always be aware of every touch, or know which side of your head the pole went.
Counting every gate protested, there were around 30 protests at Cardiff. The jury talked to both section judges and gate judges about every one, and found in favour of the paddler on just four. I don’t have a problem with genuine protests - at an event like this I'd expect say ten, and expect to rule in favour of the paddler on four or five - but this is taking the p***.
Protests - the new way to good results?
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Nick Penfold
- Posts: 338
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2004 8:21 pm
Re: Protests - the new way to good results?
There is more to it than that.
I have seen competitors and parents/coaches absolutely certain that the passage was correct and clear whilst observers from different positions felt there was a touch, or missed gate, they protest because they are absolutely sure they are right despite suggestions from others that they might not be, and they usually don't reverse the penalty. Often in these cases the protest is lodged even before checking if it is actually going to make a difference to results, so it is definitely not done as a systematic way to improve results.
I have seen a competitor protest a 50 because they went back around for the gate wasting so much time that deleting the 50 was barely going to affect the final placing - I do worry that losing that protest affected the competitors trust in the system even though with a cool head one would not have bothered to make it in the first place.
Several competitors have expressed a feeling that the judging always seems to go against them - it hasn't but once that idea has lodged itself in the athletes head it is very difficult to shake it out.
Relating to the above, I know some organisers advise competitors to request a transmission check prior to lodging a protest because sometimes judges read back the wrong line or something is lost over the headphones - it seems as though some competitors have become paranoid enough that they actively refuse a transmission check believing it gives the judges time to collude and unify their records before the protest is made.
So whilst their probably are a few who try it on with protests just as a matter of course, I suspect that the real problem is that some competitors have too much self belief, for a variety of reasons.
I have seen competitors and parents/coaches absolutely certain that the passage was correct and clear whilst observers from different positions felt there was a touch, or missed gate, they protest because they are absolutely sure they are right despite suggestions from others that they might not be, and they usually don't reverse the penalty. Often in these cases the protest is lodged even before checking if it is actually going to make a difference to results, so it is definitely not done as a systematic way to improve results.
I have seen a competitor protest a 50 because they went back around for the gate wasting so much time that deleting the 50 was barely going to affect the final placing - I do worry that losing that protest affected the competitors trust in the system even though with a cool head one would not have bothered to make it in the first place.
Several competitors have expressed a feeling that the judging always seems to go against them - it hasn't but once that idea has lodged itself in the athletes head it is very difficult to shake it out.
Relating to the above, I know some organisers advise competitors to request a transmission check prior to lodging a protest because sometimes judges read back the wrong line or something is lost over the headphones - it seems as though some competitors have become paranoid enough that they actively refuse a transmission check believing it gives the judges time to collude and unify their records before the protest is made.
So whilst their probably are a few who try it on with protests just as a matter of course, I suspect that the real problem is that some competitors have too much self belief, for a variety of reasons.
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paddlerparent
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2015 3:52 pm
Re: Protests - the new way to good results?
Put in 1 protest at Selection & was upheld with a comment of 'water splash' (or similar) in favor of paddler - we felt it was clean & it was. The process works.
Requested a transition check at Cardiff & it came back as 2 second penalty - no protest, they must have seen something. The process works.
There maybe some paddlers who may put in protests to get better results, and this in turn could put pressure on others - but really they are only kidding themselves if they do that, its like cheating & wont help them be better paddlers.
So my view is simple, if you are adamant that the judges are wrong put in a protest after a transition check, but not for the sake of it.
That said - 26 failed protests at £5 each is a nice £130 for someone/club/where ever it goes !!!!!!!
Requested a transition check at Cardiff & it came back as 2 second penalty - no protest, they must have seen something. The process works.
There maybe some paddlers who may put in protests to get better results, and this in turn could put pressure on others - but really they are only kidding themselves if they do that, its like cheating & wont help them be better paddlers.
So my view is simple, if you are adamant that the judges are wrong put in a protest after a transition check, but not for the sake of it.
That said - 26 failed protests at £5 each is a nice £130 for someone/club/where ever it goes !!!!!!!