Fast track system for outstanding padders - Competition or Foregone conclusion

katonas · Post by **katonas** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:39 pm

This yr there was one paddler entering div2 races who raced at a Prem standard speed,only a few seconds off Prem judges.

Last yr there was a div3 paddler whose times were faster than div2 times held on the same course, the same day.

I believe any paddler racing in a div 1-3 race whose winning time would have scored more than 900 points in the division above (if on same day) should be promoted automatically. Can you imagine a div1 paddler winning his/her div1 race and coming in the top 5 prem paddler times. If it did happen, why force that paddler to do 2 more races in div1, when they could be challenging for GB selection.

There might only be 1 paddler per year to whom this applies, so its not going to have a huge impact on numbers of promotions.

Canadian Paddler · Post by **Canadian Paddler** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:53 am

I do not see why this should apply to div 1-3, it happens even more in div 4.

Organisers then have to either leave it as it is - disappointing those 'proper' div 4s who stand no chance, or ask the new paddelr to be non ranking and to apply to the ranking status officer for status after the event - somewhat of a barrier to entry for good paddlers unaware of the ability to go for direct entry to div 2.

We were 'repremanded' for ignorance of the rules, when at our div 3/4 some paddlers turned up, said they did not know where they shoudl start, and did first runs in div 4, and would have won by 20 seconds, so we allowed them to paddle in div 3, but did not consult the ranking status officer.

Oops, as a former secretary I should have known better.

briman · Post by **briman** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 2:38 pm

It is a tricky subject and to a degree the onus must be with the paddler. We had a paddler re-apply for ranking status after not having done a slalom for nearly 15 years (and a Div 4 at that). He had done a lot of paddling all over the world and is a very competent paddler. His times in the Div 2 events put him well down the order, but he felt that his paddling experience stood him in good stead to try and compete at that level, even though he had no competition experience. An experienced Paddler who has lots of competition experience and feels that he/she may well be good enough could and possibly should apply to be ranked in a higher Division say Div 1 or Prem. Just as a wayout example, if Richard Fox were to re-apply for Ranking, where would /should he but ranked?

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:37 pm

I think that he'd probably manage in div 2, so long as the courses weren't too tricky!

katonas · Post by **katonas** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:58 pm

Nicky wrote:I think that he'd probably manage in div 2, so long as the courses weren't too tricky!

That the funiest comment I've heard for ages. I can't stop laughing. We need more humour like this. :laugh:

John Sturgess · Post by **John Sturgess** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:06 pm

As with so much of these debates, this is only an issue because we try to use our Ranking System for two contradictory purposes.

On the one hand we use it to enable us to say how good paddlers are in relation to each other. Fine: that is what a ranking system is for.

On the other hand - and this is where the damage is done to the sport - we use it to dictate which races paddlers can race at. So paddlers cannot choose to race either on the water that they like best, or, for rapidly improving paddlers, on the challenging water they need.

And yes they can judge - but why should they have to? Almost all races in Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, the USA, Canada, etc, and a majority of the races in France are open entry. They still have divisionally-split ranking systems. No other country does it the way we do.

We will continue to have these round-and-round debates until we decide to use our ranking system only as a ranking system, and establish open entry for all races.