I have been asked to help out AKSA in delivering to Coconet the names of the best 96 riders to compete at this years Nationals. This will be a consultative process, between State representatives, Mike Walker and myself.
I will try to explain the process for entry into the 2009 Kiteboard Championships.
Firstly, all riders must make initial contact with their State AKSA rep and inform him/her of your intentions to compete. Secondly, you must then complete an application form downloaded from www.coconetclassic.net.au, this form is then to be sent back to Coconet via the methods stated at the bottom of the form. (Email being the preferred method)
Qualification Process
It is only a little confusing, made more so by the lack of a national ranking system (in the pipeline) and the lack of some States not holding State titles for whatever reason. For those States that did run titles it will be easy to allocate riders based upon the results. It is timely to remind everyone that this event should be the pinnacle and aim to produce the highest standard of riding across all divisions. Hence why we want to have the States represented by their best riders, this will also be reflected in the overall results with this year being the first year to have a reward/prize for the best overall State along with the best overall individual riders and maybe even the best overall Brand/Team by way of numbers competing and results gained etc.
The only pre qualified (PQ) riders at this stage are the top 4 place getters from last years National Titles. If all of these 16 riders are attending then they represent the top 16 of the 96 ranked riders going into the Nationals.
Below is a table outlining the other 80 vacant riders spots divided into State allocations for each division. Obviously these numbers will change if PQ riders don't come. The States that have run titles should have an idea who their highest ranked riders are and nominate to AKSA via Coconet those riders. These riders will fill the initial vacant positions for each State from the table below:
Members % Mens 32 Womens 16 Masters 16 Juniors 32
WAKSA 443 28 7 3 3 7
KBV 220 13.91 4 2 2 4
SAKSA 205 2.96 4 2 2 4
NSWKBA 380 24.02 7 2 2 7
SEQKA 184 11.63 3 2 2 3
Other150 (estimate)9.48 3 1 1 3
Automatically qualify 4 4 4 4
Total 1582 100 32 16 16 32
So for example, West OZ can allocate 7 open riders, 3 women, 3 Masters and 7 juniors. From WA’s State titles they send those riders who finished accordingly. If any of these riders can not make it, or a rider has automatic PQ, the next on the list goes. Anyone who did not compete at the State titles and wants to go needs to notify their state AKSA member, submit an application form downloaded from www.coconetclassic.net.au and then these riders will be placed on a waiting list of sorts and will receive a AKSA ranking from the selection committee through the process of reviewing their evidence and referees! If vacancies are present after the state title process is extinguished, then the next highest AKSA ranked rider goes.
The Following are the Pre Qualified riders and the State Association they represent: (in no particular order)
Open Men’s
Andy Yates – SEQKA attendance confirmed
Zebb Peters – SEQKA attendance confirmed
Hudson Godfrey-Smith KBV attendance confirmed
Dan Anderson – WAKSA attendance unknown
Juniors
Keahi De Aboitiz – SEQKA attendance confirmed
Tom Ryan – SEQKA attendance confirmed
Michael Bell – WAKSA attendance confirmed
Matt Wesson – Waksa attendance unknown
Womens
Marine Sudre – NSWKBA attendance confirmed
Libby Peters – SEQKA attendance confirmed
Crissy Goudieri – WAKSA attendance unknown
Michelle England – NSWKBA attendance unknown
Maters
Chris Wardell – SEQKA attendance confirmed
Andrew Ratajewski - SAKSA attendance unknown
Matt Tobin – SEQKA attendance unknown
Eric Greonwood – NSWKBA attendance unknown
For the States that did not run titles, you have the job of collecting all the nominations and assisting in the process of nominating the best riders. First preference should go to those riders who competed in last years Nationals and any other freestyle event held in subsequent months. For example, Coconet Classic and the ARSA event in Mackay. If you receive applications from riders who have not competed, the process of review and ranking will take place. This process will involve the nominated referees being contacted and/or reviewing any video evidence to support the riders claims.
I hope this can shed some light onto the Nationals process. I am hoping through the coming weeks we will have all 96 positions confirmed and a ranking system framework in place.
What we need to keep in mind that this event is for Australia’s best kiteboarders to have a crack so therefore AKSA and its representatives, members, and the like need to get a wriggle on and assist in the process. Coconet are the providers of the venue and supporting infrastructure but the competition and everything involved including who rides, who judges, what criteria, etc etc is totally on AKSA’s shoulders. Coconet need only to know the names, the numbers and when to feed us!
Danielle and the team at Coconet are extremely busy organising a huge event, the Kiteboarding component of this year’s Coconet is only very small compared to previous years but for us the riders, it is by far the most important freestyle kiteboarding event on the calendar! Saying that, this years Coconet as a whole will be totally insane and will be the best Kiteboarding event on the planet in terms of entertainment, catering etc not to mention Australia’s elite riders going head to head, State versus State and Brand/Team versus Brand/Team!
If you have any further questions or the like please PM me at
[email protected]Could the State representatives involved in the selection/allocation of riders also PM me at
[email protected] providing your individual contact details, thank you.
Lengthy but well needed,
Cheers
Chris Wardell
