Unofficial UK Slalom BBS

Points at mixed division events
At mixed division events competitors will race as a single division. For example at a division 2/3 event all paddlers will race as a single division achieving points from 0 to 500. This means that a division 3 paddler will not beat a division 2 paddler without points recognition. It will also mean that a division 2 paddler could achieve less than 200 points and a division 3 paddler could achieve more than 250 points. This would therefore minimise the need for paddlers to “Paddle-Up”. It will also remove complicated calculations on the VETs points.
This proposal will also make mixed division events much more manageable for event organisers

Proposal by Donna Hawkins of Matlock Canoe Club
B4.x.x Points at mixed division events
At mixed division events, competitors will race as a single division with the maximum points for all paddlers being that of the higher division and the minimum points being that of the lower division.

Looks good, we would have to ask for a special wording to allow us to continue to run our pumped course event with different pump configurations to create different diffculty for the different divisions. Similarly some events where div 4 race on only a partial div 2/3 course.

Do we not already have a rule that where the course is identical paddlers in the lower division that would have scored more in the higher division get the higher points, or did that go out when Portable points came in? Just a thought that this rule may already exist in effect?

This sounds a nice idea, BUT I think introducing this rule could kill Div 2/3s!

Assuming that we add the words "on an identical course", this would turn a div 2/3 into more of a div 2 with paddle ups, except that an exceptional div 3 could impact the score of the div 2s (which they can't as a paddle up).

At a div 2/3 there are generally more div 2s than div 3s. Therefore for the average div 3 this would almost certainly result in a reduction in the points obtained as instead of coming 2nd in a group of 4 div 3s they would come near to last in the div 2/3, say 13th/15, and get substantially fewer points (this applies whether or not minimum points are introduced). I think this could discourage div 3 paddlers from attending 2/3s as promotion from 3/4 would be more achievable.

If the minimum points were also applied then because of the imbalance of entries div 2s would find themselves with less than the normal 'div 2 minimum'. This would discourage the lower half of div 2s from attending 2/3s, which would bring down the points of the middle half and so they wouldn't come either.

So unless someone can convince me that the above is wrong, I would be against this.

I agree with Dee.
A lot of Div 3 races are combined with Div 2s. The effect of this change is hard to predict, but it's quite likely to make it harder to get promotion from Div 3 and block progression.

Of course - I hadn't considered that the div 3 entry is usually much smaller than div 2 so generally no div 3's will be able to acheive 250 points because they make up less than half of the field...
Well spotted Dee and Nick!

Except, this is meant to work with the minimum points rule and the last line says that the minimum points would be the current max for the lower divison, so actually as proposed all div 3s' would get at least 250 points...

Either way I don't think it will acheive the intended results?

Yes, I agree too - I hadn't thought that one through properly. It'd work if the divisions were equal but not like it is. Scrap that one then!