Race Calendar for 2008

Phil Stevo · Post by **Phil Stevo** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:47 pm

There have been a number of points made about time, effort and expence given by volunteers needed to run events.

As it was decided to reduce the amount of Div 1s this year the Yorkshire committee were not allowed the double Div 1 and the Div 1 with the Prem event as in previous years at Washburn.

This meant building a course, erecting Esther's village and all timing team and gate judges travelling for a one day event.

This surely is a rather wastful use of time, effort and travelling expences.

I too remember the days of practice Saturday morning, team runs Saturday afternoon and individuals on Sundays, that were great events in their time.

I also remember 250 second courses, 20 seconds for each pole touched on the outside and 10 second for an inside touch on each pole ........ but I don't suggest we reinstate them.

I'm sure there will be a lively debate on the managed calander at the ACM this year and from the comments on this thread I do hope the committee are seen to be "putting paddlers first".

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 11:14 pm

Anne wrote:All ranked padlers have a say in any of the rules etc via their club at the ACM. If you have a rule change you would like to see discussed and adopted - get your club to put it forward, seconded by another club and it will go on the agenda' ans come along and debate it.....- we put together what clubs want to run!

Don't expect the committee to do everything - you have your voice use it!

This may be the theory,,,, but clubs have their own agenda and do not necessarily represent the feelings of the competitors (unfortunatly), as I beleive that the deadline for proposals has passed (from another thread) then we are at the mercy of the suggestions on the floor for the calendar for 2008.

If as Phil say's you are going to spend a great deal of time setting an event up for a single day to make it a double event makes it more worthwhile for the organisers and competitors a like.

To gauge the feeling of all I will set up a simple poll for every one to answer, no comments please just vote.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:37 pm

I think to be fair there also needs to be a choice for a mix of songles/mixed dvisions & doubles.

Canadian Paddler · Post by **Canadian Paddler** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 6:08 pm

Of course it is always possible for you to go to the ACM and put your point of view during discussions of the calendar. The Chair has the power to let anyone speak, not just the club representatives, and it is usually used (invisibly) it to allow discussion to take place.

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:05 pm

Canadian PAddler wrote:Of course it is always possible for you to go to the ACM ,,,,

More fuel, cost and a larger carbon footprint, this is what we are trying to avoid :;):

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:24 pm

Well that is a new and novel excuse for not bothering to go!

NKcanoe · Post by **NKcanoe** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:06 pm

I could not afford to race in the UK if there were no double races. There are no races in Ireland, and I still love to compete.
Travelling from Northern Ireland, Ferry, Fuel, Entry Accommodation etc costs me on average £300 per event.

When you only get 2 x 2min runs plus 1 x practice for Div 1, it works out to be a very expensive few mins.

More Doubles please

NK.

Seedy Paddler · Post by **Seedy Paddler** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 11:10 pm

As an event organiser I am going to put my kneck and state that double or single event and multiple divisions should be put to the decision of the Organiser. Any doubts on viability could be subject to clarification with a supporting business case showing requirements for viability, sustainability and encouragement of growth and retention to the sport.

Ultimately I will not run an event I do not believe is viable, if BCU/SCA or ACM decide otherwise you had better have an alternative organisation in the wings!

If we have too many events for higher level paddlers why not revert to former years when selection was undertaken at nominated ranking events with the mutual agreement of the organiser. Also if we have willing volunteer Clubs looking to run events then surely we should drop the "Slalom Committee" events first. How mant times do we see pleading notices on here for volunteers to help out with course construction, destruction etc because the Slalom Committee do not have the resources to staff an event.

If we have too many events then the less popular will become evident and ultimately unsustainable. Let the supply/demand market forces determine the number of events with the onus on suppliers in providing a challenging and inspiring event to attract the paddlers!

Now to wait and see what the ACM papers and draft calender brings....

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 11:42 pm

Anne wrote:Well that is a new and novel excuse for not bothering to go!

Maybe, but having devoted some 40+ weekends this year too date voluntarily either coaching or driving 1000's of miles to attend event's I can not see the point of attending a meeting where I do not have a vote!

At the ACM of the BCU Polo committee everyone has their own right to vote or propose a resoloution, so why not the Slalom ACM? surely as a BCU member each member should have a right to vote at an ACM?

Why leave it to the clubs who have their own hidden agenda??? let the members have their own say and be able to vote, that way you may get a true representation of what the competitors want?

You never know you may even attract more people to attend?? (dangerous I know!)

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 10:46 am

Interesting looking at the Draft Calendar 2008 16 div1 races and only 2 doubles at least they are at Tully and Llandysul, why not doubles at Tryweryn, Bala and Washburn as well? All these venues are off the 'beaten track' at least the rest of the venues are just off the main motorway routes!

It seems there is a lot to be gained in staying in the lower divisions as you get better 'value for money' for your weekends away and paddling as most events are doubles and you have 37 races to choose from and only 5 races are singles in div2.

Looking at July there are two seperate div2's at Washburn within two weeks of each other that is a lot of expense in the same month for people traveling any great distance to attend, surely this would make more sense to be a double event on one of the weekends and have the div1, Yorkshire Champs and Open on the other? Washburn is only an hours drive away for us so it does not worry us too much, but people traveling from the south or Scotland to attend it will have an impact on.

John Sturgess · Post by **John Sturgess** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:20 pm

We regularly get into this impasse because we start by fixing how many races we want in each Division, rather than how many races paddlers want to race. Is that how Tesco decides where to put its supermarkets?

Are there so many paddlers who only go to races to get points, but will go to all the races where points on offer? I doubt it (see Katona's tongue-in-cheek poll).

An Open entry system would allow us to start by producing a calendar of races that would accommodate the paddlers in the sport, then allocating Divisional status to as many as felt appropriate.

I suspect that the result might be an increase in entries - we certainly shouldn't have a two months gap mid-seaon with no races on challenging water.