England Pan Celtic + Div 1/2 - June 6th & 7th @ HPP

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:10 pm

Nottingham was a great place to be for the competition but certainly not for the summer weather, big thanks to all the helpers, judges and organisers for surviving the downpours and making it a good weekend.

The early start seemed to work well with competitors making the most of the practice time.

Oh! and it was sunny in Doncaster as well when we got home, perhaps we ought to move HPP to sunnier climates :laugh:

Cheers Graeme

80-1219672301 · Post by **80-1219672301** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:18 am

Many many thanks to the organisers for the weekend in what were extremely difficult conditions.

The Scottish Highlands were (according to my husband) very sunny and hot! over Saturday/Sunday - kinda dispells the "it always rains in Scotland" myth

Again many thanks from us

Slapdash Sal · Post by **Slapdash Sal** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:18 pm

I feel it would be a shame to drop the Div2 at this event as it is a great opportunity for Div 2s to experience some challenging water, especially if they are close to promoion.

Munchkin · Post by **Munchkin** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 5:21 pm

I agree with Sal, if we are trying to encourrage division 2s to try harder water we don't really want to start reducing harder events for them to go to. It was good to see some of them giving the water a go.

The early start did not seem that bad as the rain and light had hit the tent long before then!

Kazz · Post by **Kazz** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:09 am

Thought that the div 2's gave a good account of themselves although the Div 2 K1W results raise the question of should a paddler be able to be promoted if they win with a 50?
Must congratulate England Canoe Slalom on the weekends events, it cannot have been easy to co-ordinate and the horrible weather didnt help nevertheless well done to all concerned

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:10 am

Kazz wrote:Thought that the div 2's gave a good account of themselves although the Div 2 K1W results raise the question of should a paddler be able to be promoted if they win with a 50?

Well it was quite a demanding course, if they only got one 50 they did well, I watched several of the Div2 paddlers just float down the course missing most of the gates! Oh and did not some of the Prem/Div1 paddlers miss gates as well?

At least some of them tried to cope with the conditions, water and course design and deserved to win.

It's back to the old scenario, the jump from Div2 to Div1 and Div1 to Prem water can be quite large and the only way to gain experience is to paddle bigger water and those that dare win! Good for them to have a go

Cheers Graeme

Munchkin · Post by **Munchkin** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:30 am

Also I am not sure that it is fair to comment on that when they did not have a chance to improve with a second run. The top 4 girls all had plans to not miss any gates on their second runs and were all disappointed not to be able to try again.

You also have to remember that a lot of the division 1 (men and women) missed gates...

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:58 am

....and equally would have hoped to improve on second run, particularly, I suspect, those who decided to forgo practice run.

My real sympathies though, lie with those who went all that way and then swam on their first (and subsequently) only run. Really bad luck.

Munchkin · Post by **Munchkin** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:00 am

Indeed!

oldschool · Post by **oldschool** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 4:15 pm

Geebs wrote:
Kazz wrote:Thought that the div 2's gave a good account of themselves although the Div 2 K1W results raise the question of should a paddler be able to be promoted if they win with a 50?

Well it was quite a demanding course, if they only got one 50 they did well, I watched several of the Div2 paddlers just float down the course missing most of the gates! Oh and did not some of the Prem/Div1 paddlers miss gates as well?

For once I will have to agree, this was a deceptivly hard course and certainly looked easier from the bank than it was on the water.

I do harp on about declining standards but that course was as challenging a div 1 course as I have seen since I returned to slalom this time last year. The gates were attainable but you needed to read the water and use it to your advantage without fighting it. My complements to the course designer/s, may you produce two more fine challenging courses at the upcoming july races @ Nottingham.

PaulBolton · Post by **PaulBolton** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:44 am

I too thought this was a very good course that was very cleverly designed. Apart from the upstream in the lay-by, there were "go-back" or spin options on nearly every other move, though arguably this had the option to spin the downstream above it and ferry glide in.

MCC run the slaloms in July and in my experience they set harder courses with less options. S&S in Sept is also a prem final and tends to be fairly technical (remember the upstream/sideways gate on the Muncher last year!). Historically therefore, this may well be the "easiest" course there'll be on HPP this year, though no course on HPP is ever easy!! I heard a rumour that Dave Royle designed the course - if so great job Dave!