dtm said...

Nsw get extra slot as we are clearly the best state enough said

Yeh Yeh Yeh
But an extra two spots?
Bit freakin rough I reckon!
Cheers
Sparx

goatman said...

For the record we had 16 in the O40s at our state titles, a pretty popular and competitive division.

When does the Nationals move states next? We get extra slots because we are the host state don't we?

Ha Ha!!!
Twelve in ours.
The way things are panning out that equals an extra slot to NSW in perpetuity!!
Look forward to seeing you up there Goaty, all things considered it should be a cracker!
Cheers
Sparx

All makes logical sense really. If you have an O/40 division, then having a O/50 division is the next progression as numbers increase. We certainly notice over here that O/50 participants (in racing) make up a significant percentage.

In long distance races with a combined start if an O/40 or O/50 paddler wins overall then he/she receives the Open prize and the next placed O/40 wins the O/40 division - no different to tri-athlon. Means everyone can compete against their skill/fitness level as will as their age group.

We also plan to have our competition shirts colour coded according to age group. Yellow for Open, Blue for Over 40 and White for O/50. That way you know who you're competing against in combined start/distance racing.

As we see more junior(?) guys enter into SUP, that division may open up. It's a growing sport, getting the participation at grass roots and showing there is a demand will then influence National events - it's a gradual process though.

PS - Lose the Grumpy Old Man prefix will definitely help!...it's Masters!

[start of rant]

The thing I don't get, and I probably will never get about competitive sport in general is why?

Sure it's great to be the best in the world, best in Australia, best in Victoria, best in Melbourne, best in Torquay. But does it really matter?

If you win this over 50's category, in Torquay, Victoria, Australia, the world. Will your wives/husbands, children or grandchildren or anyone else care?

If it's the trophy you want, buy yourself one - there are trophy shops around, and you can inscribe whatever you want on them.

All these categories for being the best, work towards degrading the whole concept of competition.

AFAIC - if you get out amongst it, have a laugh, and enjoy yourself you are all winners. If someone watching you from the beach approaches you and congratulates your skills out on the water that's a gold - what more do you want?

[/end of rant]

adolf said...

[start of rant]

The thing I don't get, and I probably will never get about competitive sport in general is why?

Sure it's great to be the best in the world, best in Australia, best in Victoria, best in Melbourne, best in Torquay. But does it really matter?

If you win this over 50's category, in Torquay, Victoria, Australia, the world. Will your wives/husbands, children or grandchildren or anyone else care?

If it's the trophy you want, buy yourself one - there are trophy shops around, and you can inscribe whatever you want on them.


All these categories for being the best, work towards degrading the whole concept of competition.

AFAIC - if you get out amongst it, have a laugh, and enjoy yourself you are all winners. If someone watching you from the beach approaches you and congratulates your skills out on the water that's a gold - what more do you want?

[/end of rant]

Basically.....you just nailed it Adolf
As I've said before, we're not invading Poland, just a bunch of overgrown kids playing in the ocean. But should we choose to compete, which comes down entirely to personal choice and dare I say it, human nature, it would be nice to know there was an even playing field for all concerned. Now I'm off to buy a big fat trophy that says Over Forties Champion of the freakin cosmos
Cheers
Sparx

adolf said...

Sparx said...

It would be nice to know there was an even playing field for all concerned. Now I'm off to buy a big fat trophy that says Over Forties Champion of the freakin cosmos
Cheers
Sparx

You've got to 50 so you obviously know that there is no such thing as an even playing field!

Buy yourself a trophy and write that on it. Far more personal and meaningful than some obscure surfing category that you may win.

I haven't met you, or seen you surf, I've seen photos, and read your posts - and I think you rock. I've met and seen Occu out in the ocean on more than one occasion and I'm not the only one to say he rocks out there. I even witnessed some random on the beach watching him come up to him when he got out and said that he rocked.

Maybe, both of you are not the best surfers in Torquay, Victoria, Australia or the world - but it's an uneven playing field, and that's not going to change.

I'll say it again - what more do you want?

to win you over, better than ten out of ten maliko they reckon

Funny you say that Casso when I originally contacted Luke from surfing nsw months before the wild cards were even announced that I was told they were for people who couldnt attend the nsw state titles !

Even the first questions was
1. Simple put why couldn't you attended the nsw state titles ??

Yeah like I have already said its not what you know its who you know ...

Anyway it's a bloody hard line up in the opens so gunna be great to come watch and see everyone

There's some good positive discussion in here - hats off to all of you for the input given , also good to read blokes like Sparx , MJ (and others of course I don't mean to forget about other contributors) doing some hard yards getting structures set up.
"...... If it stokes you - ride it ......"

Cam Gillies said...

When are we going to get an over 30's division???
Im sick of going to comps and lining up next to some young 20 something year old, it aint fair, us poor old blokes in our 30's don't stand a chance!!

On a serious note, IMO if your goig to be so hard and fast on over 40's, over 50's etc etc, then that's the age group you compete in... There are alot of over 40's that want their cake and eat it too, you have a crack in the opens and in your age division, you've already got more opportunity than most.... suck it up

Hahaha agree well said

Cam Gillies said...

On a serious note, IMO if your goig to be so hard and fast on over 40's, over 50's etc etc, then that's the age group you compete in... There are alot of over 40's that want their cake and eat it too, you have a crack in the opens and in your age division, you've already got more opportunity than most.... suck it up

Wow, that's a provocative point. What say the Grumpy Old Men? Would you give up entry in the Over 40s division or the Open division to have your own Over 50s to contest? Not an issue in racing, but in surfing, I can imagine it would add quite a bit of time to an event to have a dozen or more contestants cross entered in 3 categories. Is it fair and reasonable to demand the right to enter all 3 age categories if you are over 50?

For mine
If the Over Forties was a real division and by that I mean it was a pathway to the Nationals for more than one person per State, if you happen to live in the leprosy zone as decreed by Surfing Australia and Surfing NSW, then I'd be happy to enter in that one division. I'll be fifty two at the end of the year but still see myself as competitive in the Over Forties...could be delusional...certainly wont find out this year.
I will be stoked to see an Over Fifties and hope its well subscribed and will be happy to enter when I reckon I cant be competitive in the Forties. Wont be entering Open again after this year. The Nationals is a hoot, good people, great surfing and an all round positive trip. But at fifty two I'm kinda tired of getting flogged by kids and twenty somethings. I can go to work and get paid to get flogged!!
Cheers
Sparx

Cam Gillies said...

When are we going to get an over 30's division???
Im sick of going to comps and lining up next to some young 20 something year old, it aint fair, us poor old blokes in our 30's don't stand a chance!!

On a serious note, IMO if your goig to be so hard and fast on over 40's, over 50's etc etc, then that's the age group you compete in... There are alot of over 40's that want their cake and eat it too, you have a crack in the opens and in your age division, you've already got more opportunity than most.... suck it up

Thirty aint forty and it sure as sh.t aint fifty
Physiology is a bitch, and a relentless bitch at that
Check back in when you're over forty five and see wether youre singing the same song
Cheers
Sparx

In racing, my personal opinion is if you are Over 50 and you beat the field, everyone will know, you'll get the kudos for that and good on you. But do you really need to take home 3 trophies? I don't think so.

Sparx said...


Thirty aint forty and it sure as sh.t aint fifty
Physiology is a bitch, and a relentless bitch at that

Sparx

amen to that, brother.


that's the whole point of the discussion, right there.

I still want to see a weight for age category.

At 100kg I want to compete like for like damnit!

Where's the goddn heavyweight class!!! Even the Olympics have that...