Hi, not a rant or a rave, but I'd like to know if others have an opinion: I attend many Div 3s with my young son. He's one of the youngest competing, invariably finds the courses challenging and gets quite nervous. His run is very important to him and he often has lots to concentrate on as we invariably give him aim points and boat angles to try and have before starting a move. When it's his run, we watch the bib numbers and get him to the start on time. Invariably though, his run is delayed whilst a host of other boats, not in that class, take their run. By way of example, we recently attended a fantastic and well run event, but he ended up waiting for his run for over 40 minutes having only gone to the start after his class started. He got cold and lost concentration as boat after boat arrived at the start and was set off in front of him. The delay was primarily for 2 man boats doing a fun event (16) and the odd (4) C2. Many of the 2 man kayaks took an age and pretty much "destroyed" the course en-route, leaving gates swinging.
I recognise clubs have to make money and that fun events are vital, but can't classes be allowed to run once they have started? Cannot non-ranking fun events occur between the ranking classes? Can't C2s etc be slotted in at the end of classes, rather than during? After all, its rare to get a big class these days. Shouldn't those boat-sharing accept the majority of the inconvenience? I know Sheffield CC at Oughtibridge now insist on uninterrupted classes and from my perspective it works very well. I'd like to urge all lower division organisers to consider doing similar to SCC (obviously, it would be unthinkable to interrupt classes above Div 3). Is it just me or have others experienced this?
Cheers, Paul
Uninterrupted Classes
This is very much a problem that arises in the lower divisions - the further up you go the less likely this is to happen (although I think at Grandtully it's sometimes necessary to wait when a rafter comes through).
I'm in two minds about the problem.
In some ways I have to agree with you - I know my son in the early days got quite cold on start lines and due to a muscle disorder would often be unable to move by the time he was called. I also remember an occasion when he and his dad were doing a C2 run and were whistled off part way down the course because they'd been caught up by a judge doing his run in the middle of the class.
On the other hand, in the lower divisions boat sharing is common and many paddlers will be doing competive runs in multiple classes. As an example, I remember one event where my son was competing in C2 div 3 with his dad, C2 div 4 with another partner, C1 div 4, and K1 div 3. Added to that he was sharing the C1 and C2 and the decks and the classes were small. He was more or less getting out of one boat and into the next, and inevitably going out of turn all day. He thoroughly enjoyed (and exhausted) himself, but couldn't have competed in all those classes without going out of turn. If we stop this sort of thing happening we will discourage competitors from trying new classes.
It's also not uncommon at div 3/4 events for paddlers to be late for their runs or to need extra time to avoid catchups and penalising youngsters at this level when they may only just be starting to understand how it works would be poor.
However, 40 minutes is a long wait. Was this a one off? If the second run looked like going the same way, I would have been having a quiet word with the organiser/starter.
I think on balance that we have to allow the organiser and starter to show discretion, based on the course, the number of entries, the weather etc.
I'm in two minds about the problem.
In some ways I have to agree with you - I know my son in the early days got quite cold on start lines and due to a muscle disorder would often be unable to move by the time he was called. I also remember an occasion when he and his dad were doing a C2 run and were whistled off part way down the course because they'd been caught up by a judge doing his run in the middle of the class.
On the other hand, in the lower divisions boat sharing is common and many paddlers will be doing competive runs in multiple classes. As an example, I remember one event where my son was competing in C2 div 3 with his dad, C2 div 4 with another partner, C1 div 4, and K1 div 3. Added to that he was sharing the C1 and C2 and the decks and the classes were small. He was more or less getting out of one boat and into the next, and inevitably going out of turn all day. He thoroughly enjoyed (and exhausted) himself, but couldn't have competed in all those classes without going out of turn. If we stop this sort of thing happening we will discourage competitors from trying new classes.
It's also not uncommon at div 3/4 events for paddlers to be late for their runs or to need extra time to avoid catchups and penalising youngsters at this level when they may only just be starting to understand how it works would be poor.
However, 40 minutes is a long wait. Was this a one off? If the second run looked like going the same way, I would have been having a quiet word with the organiser/starter.
I think on balance that we have to allow the organiser and starter to show discretion, based on the course, the number of entries, the weather etc.
Kit Washer, Entry Clerk, Chauffeur, Reluctant Organiser, Online Entry Advocate .....
Anything I post under this user is my personal opinion; I am not posting as a member of the Slalom Committee!
Anything I post under this user is my personal opinion; I am not posting as a member of the Slalom Committee!
This was a common experience for us this season.
Made worse by old and unreliable equipment.
The event organisers have a difficult job on their plates and triumph in the face of adversity.
All clubs and events at this level (the future of the sport) could be improved by investment in modern, reliable technology by the BCU or local equivalents.
Made worse by old and unreliable equipment.
The event organisers have a difficult job on their plates and triumph in the face of adversity.
All clubs and events at this level (the future of the sport) could be improved by investment in modern, reliable technology by the BCU or local equivalents.