Any form of handicap system will not be fair so why invent one? For example a sailor may have to move to inland NSW. The closest body of water thats wider than 50 meters is over 300 kms away. Or someone may choose to live somewhere that doesn't get strong wind very often.

How are these people going to be given a fair handicap? Why should they be penalised at the expense of someone living somewhere where its windy for nine months of the year and windless for three?

A system without a handicap is simple and the best. If the wind is no good where you live then you have a choice, either move to where its windier if thats important to you or stay where you are, if other aspects of your life is more important than going fast on a windsurfer.

The current divisions are good. If the 500 meter division has to be included, perhaps removing the 5x10 second average may be the most appropriate division to be removed. A sailor moving at speed would cover a fair bit of 500 meters in a minute or less.

Not sure about the idea of allocating people to teams. If a team lacks members and they want to do something about it, then they should get active and recruit new members. Tell windsurfers they meet about the GPS Challenge and encourage them to get involved. They may not join the team you are in but they may check the site out and join another team.

The 5 x 10 sec has become the world standard for GPS windsurfing speed performance. More so than the 500m.
10 sec is 200-250 meters, a distance that can be found in more locations than 500m
It is also a TIME BASED catagory which means the GPS and software can measure it without the need for interpolation. With out current 1hz GPS's you can't measure 500m speed as well. You have to either take the nearest full second distance over 500m or you have to employ some type of interpolation. It is not impossible and GPS-Results can do it, but it is not as ideal as a time based ranking.
Having it times 5 makes it more of a challenge in consistency and not just a matter of one lucky gust.
Forget 500m. It is the past. Time based records are the future with GPS.

I like the current divisions. I especially like distance, not sure why but I'm really looking forward to cracking 100kms. Sam's effort was truly inspiring. Love the quick as a flash addition of total distance. Like the idea about gear data too.

Keep it simple, keep it fun.

Thanks for all the effort Nebs and Hardie - I get loads of enjoyment out of this comp!!!

Mikey your avatar still sends a chill down my spine

Drop 2 sec and bring in 500m

keep the catigories the way they are !,but i like the weight idea and DONT get rid of the 2 sec!

Hello,

Leave the gps challenge as is! At the end of the day we could all suggest ways to benefit our teams by changing the system but the system has worked well for the last 18 months. It is an even playing field and for whatever reason it doesn't work - we can only do the best with what conditions we have.

30 knot forecast for this friday - goolwa alpha channel - 40knots plus - i hope i haven't spoke too soon.

Thanks to Hardie and Nebs for the great work on the site. My wife isn't happy because i live on the site watching for all the next sessions.

Cheers

I'm all for keeping the divisions as they are and improving the site with the many suggestions that have been offered.

I'm having a ball being involved in all of this and it has certainly added a new and fun side to getting out on the water. After 25 years of windsufing I'm now seeking out new spots, pushing myself harder and making myself understand the weather forescasts a little better, which means fewer dissapointing days on the water and more excellent sessions. I'm far more likely now to take the day off if conditions are good (... do it for the team) than to simply wait until the weekend and go out in what ever is on offer wind-wise.

As far at the team side of things go, instead of us Tassie guys getting together as a group on 3 or 4 occassions for scheduled events, we're catching up all the time, not to mention on-line, which is just great. It's also providing a fantastic opportunity for newcomers to be welcomed into the sport (which we're seeing) and of course getting the juniors fired up.

The improvements in GPS technology and understanding (being pushed by those in the know; sailquik, etc) is also great and what adds to the excitement.

Thanks definitely go out ot Nebs and Hardie for all of the efforts they've put in to this since its inception.

Can't wait for 2009.

Work's exceptionally well as it is. Leave it run another year.

Well essentially it has to be left as is once thought about, we've now got the data base of sailor information and to change anything will muck all that up. Leave it as is, do some little changes such as those already done and all is well

I've just read this, and must admit we need to leave the six categories as is.

My suggestions relate to creating more opportunity within what we already have.

A summer Champ "January", a winter Champ "July" Maybe the Spring Champ "November" which seemed competitive all over Australia.

My Other idea relates to having a team champion for either each individual category, or grouping categories into Speed Champ (2 sec and 5 x 10 sec) top ranking, Endurance Champ combination of (1hr and Distance), and Skill Champ combination of NM and Alpha, or drop the NM and just make it Alpha champ, this runs over the 12 months?

Might mean some other sponsors coming on board which gives morte opportunity for involvement say the Lets get the big bucks back with Tobacco advertizing and set up the Marlboro Speed Champ? Benson and Hedges Endurance Champ?

"Might mean some other sponsors coming on board which gives morte opportunity for involvement say the Lets get the big bucks back with Tobacco advertizing and set up the Marlboro Speed Champ? Benson and Hedges Endurance Champ? "

with a free lung thrown in for the winner

mineral1 said...

OceanBlue64 said...

hardie said...


Might mean some other sponsors coming on board which gives morte opportunity for involvement say the Lets get the big bucks back with Tobacco advertizing and set up the Marlboro Speed Champ? Benson and Hedges Endurance Champ?

Personally I would prefer the Carlton Speed Champ or Tooheys Endurance Champ, with discount vouchers given to all members

Even Johny Walker endurance division (distance)
RM Williams division for those land locked and need to sail on Dams and such

Maybe the coffin cheaters or Johnny Kizon / Ben Cousins speed challenge.

lao shi said...

Viagra endurance prize

I'd be up for that

hardie said...

I'd have to be the most immature wise elder in any community in the solar system, you make one little joke about tobacco sponsorship and the whole thread goes off the rails

Wodjya mean off the rails, we are all serious

sausage said...

elmo said...

lao shi said...

Viagra endurance prize

I'd be up for that

It'd definately raise the bar of the competition

Definately help me "harden up"