Women C1

surveyme · Post by **surveyme** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 12:22 am

It seems that any help or offer of coaching WON'T come from the WCS mob - seems that they can't even be bothered to answer previous enquiries made on this web site (let alone be active in encouraging this opportunity - and even when asked to do so by Anne!!!! :p

Shouldn't their efforts be made to help the potential of this country - rather than around the 2012 bid when other countries are more likely to be sucessful? "To particpate is all well and good - a true olympic ideal - but isn't it worth trying to win and build our future?

Dave Royle · Post by **Dave Royle** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:20 pm

Has anyone actually asked the "WCS mob" directly?

My understanding is that this rumour is based on an American misinterpreting some statement in an ICF meeting and that it is not the ICF's intention to introduce C1W at present.

If the ICF don't intend to introduce C1W, then I don't expect WCS will change their structure, for obvious reasons.

A shame, but that's the way things are.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 5:27 pm

Nothing has come through officially to mere this - I am sure if it did happen both BCU board and WC would be keen to devolop as another opportunity for medals.

as Dave says - ask WC direct don't backbiter on here - most probably don't read it!

surveyme · Post by **surveyme** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:02 pm

Anne wrote:Nothing has come through officially to mere this - I am sure if it did happen both BCU board and WC would be keen to devolop as another opportunity for medals.

as Dave says - ask WC direct don't backbiter on here - most probably don't read it!

If WCS don't read this - just how out of touch with the real world are they? Shouldn't they be proactive in making sure they understand the "mood of the nation" and be responsive to it? :O

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:28 pm

There are many people I know that don't read this board - This is an example of precisely why! - if you have a problem with anything to do with canoeing and you want some sort of response then you either contact the committee either by e-mail or letter or if that problem is with World cass then have the courage to write to them and express any grievance you have and ask for an explaination.

surveyme · Post by **surveyme** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:47 pm

Anne wrote:There are many people I know that don't read this board - This is an example of precisely why! - if you have a problem with anything to do with canoeing and you want some sort of response then you either contact the committee either by e-mail or letter or if that problem is with World cass then have the courage to write to them and express any grievance you have and ask for an explaination.

I believe that any "grievance" (you think) I might have HAS already been expressed to those that matter many times over - the response is always the same; NOTHING CHANGES. I don't therefore think I need any courage - perhaps it is others who need the committment and enthusiasm to make the change happen!

If you think it will help - PLEASE - pass my comments on to those who you are obviously in contact with for them to deal with - afterall the action needs to come from them (not me).

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 7:38 am

I am not prepared to pass on anonymous compalints - pleae send me an e-mail, wil name, class etc and I will gladly do so.

surveyme · Post by **surveyme** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 7:45 am

Anne wrote:I am not prepared to pass on anonymous compalints - pleae send me an e-mail, wil name, class etc and I will gladly do so.

I'M BORED WITH THIS!

Posting aren't anonymous! You have to register with the site beforehand. As far as I'm concerned, this is just another abject apology for somebody not wishing to follow though on a genuine concern and finding any excuse to justify their position.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:06 am

Sorry but I don't know who you are - infact I don't really know what your greivance is so without these details I cannot help you!

davebrads · Post by **davebrads** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:15 am

The lack of response from WCS would be OK if the comments on this board were only the malicious postings from a small group of miscontents. However, the commments are the expression of the general consensus of opinion amongst the slalom community.

Commercial organisations have in the past behaved in a similar manner to WCS, not responding to customer concerns, and suppressing any negative views from being expressed. They quickly learn that this is how you alienate your customers, and they either change their approach or go to the wall. WCS is not a commercial organisation, and so there is no pressure upon them to change. They probably don't even consider the wider slalom community to be their customers, but their influence is having a negative and damaging effect upon our sport (note our sport, not their sport) and those of us that care want to see changes, but don't see how we can bring them about.

I have not spoken personally to WCS about my concerns - the impression given is that they feel themselves to be above having to deal with the average joe paddler, but I have spoken to members of the slalom committee about my concerns, and there doesn't seem have been any changes, if anything things have got worse.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:07 am

As I have repeatedly said if people have ANYTHING they wish the committee to look at they only have to ask. However it does have to be specific and I need it in writing - I cannot go to organisations such as WC and say :

" some people (I don't know who) have a problem about how you do things , but I don't know wht that problem is".

Criticism but be construxtive not personal and destructive.

What you must remember is that WC feel that how they work is the best way for what they have to achieve - they also have a limited pot of money and are dictated to to a certain degree by UK sport.

A very small number of competitors complain and mutter about issues on this chat line, and also there is a bit of grumbling at events, all that leads to is more discontent and individualts feeling they are not being listened to . Do it the correct way and we have more chances of getting results.

The committee cannot do everything for everyone all the time there does nooed to be some self ownership here.

Be proactive instead of reactive - get on with what we have and enjoy it but also help to make it better!!

surveyme · Post by **surveyme** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:34 pm

Anne wrote:As I have repeatedly said if people have ANYTHING they wish the committee to look at they only have to ask. However it does have to be specific and I need it in writing - I cannot go to organisations such as WC and say :

" some people (I don't know who) have a problem about how you do things , but I don't know wht that problem is".

Criticism but be construxtive not personal and destructive.

What you must remember is that WC feel that how they work is the best way for what they have to achieve - they also have a limited pot of money and are dictated to to a certain degree by UK sport.

A very small number of competitors complain and mutter about issues on this chat line, and also there is a bit of grumbling at events, all that leads to is more discontent and individualts feeling they are not being listened to . Do it the correct way and we have more chances of getting results.

The committee cannot do everything for everyone all the time there does nooed to be some self ownership here.

Be proactive instead of reactive - get on with what we have and enjoy it but also help to make it better!!

Ann - with respect - that's the biggest load of c*** I've read in years. You're surely not telling me that you're incapable of telling WCS abouyt this web-site? Surely they've enough intelligence to read it for themselves (assume they have any inclination to do so)?

I hear so many times that "money" is the driving object behind what they do - again I doubt it. If that was the case, why did they exclude (at least) one youngster from this years development programme ONLY to reinstate them when a complaint was made to the organisers.

Where is the transparancy in the scheme and checking mechanism to ensure that mistakes like this don't happen? As Dave said the comments on here reflect generally to the customers of WCS - so why aren't ehy taking notice? ???

canoebabe88 · Post by **canoebabe88** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:09 pm

2 years ago I applied for world class start as I for filled all the criteria, well that’s what I thought until they came back to me and said no because im female. I found this discouraging.
Would there be any changes if I was to apply for world class start again next year?
Ok I do not train in my C1 as I don’t have any one to coach me but I do try and make all the Div 2 races I can as im not scared by the water and if you were at Tully you would know that as I was the only female competing, ok I did finish next to last in the Div 2 but I would have beaten 2 Div 1 male paddlers.
Even if world class start could not coach me every week, but now and then would be nice other wise how will people get up to the standard to be on world class start if they have not had any input by people who know what they are talking about .
Im 17 years old and if this does go ahead and is in the 2012 Olympics that would mean I would be 23 and is that too old will I be able to compete at that higher level or do I just do C1 for fun and always know this is happening too late for me?
These are questions no-one can answer right now but we should be planning for the future and if this does happen will it be too late to coach people and get them to that high level in the remaining time?

Heather Slater Div 2 C1 W Bib 11

chauffeur · Post by **chauffeur** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:37 pm

canoebabe88 wrote:Even if world class start could not coach me every week, but now and then would be nice other wise how will people get up to the standard to be on world class start if they have not had any input by people who know what they are talking about .

WC does not replace your own coaching and training, it is some additional support for what you already do.
The problem of getting local training has been the issue of a thread a few months ago. It is unfortunately a very common problem for many people.
With the shortage of rain it makes it even harder as there are few places to train on decent water other than HPP & Tryweryn.

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:45 pm

The main point is that it is sexist to exclude women from the International C1 / C2 competitions and WCS/WCP training programs because they are women, wonder what would happen if it went to court for sex discrimination?