Jump to content

BMW Cup


Guest

Recommended Posts

Oh that makes sense, sadly.

 

No, I wouldn't be at all amazed at how many fall into the Pro category under the silly ISAF Regs. It's a ridiculous situation.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I haven't noticed anyone knocking anyone, just poeple wondering how it came to be. Like how come the multis weren't represented? That;s not knocking anyone.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow, once an opti Dad....aye, my question had nothing to do with 'these talented yourg sailors', the waka boys are brilliant and wil represent us well and until today I didn't know William Tiller had sailed in the BMW regatta, although following on from your theme maybe 'these talented young sailors' should spend more time practising and then they would win fair and square on the water and not need a second life from the OA to compete in the selection regatta.

 

I gotts say it doesn't really seem fair that anyone is given a second life by an OA when they were already beaten in the main event.

 

I understood the BMW was for amateur/corinthian sailors and a chance for club sailors/weekend warriors, to compete in a pretty awesome event like the BMW World Sailing Cup. these talented young sailors have huge opportunities to sail at a higher level all around the world, something a local club sailor can never really do unless they can self fund.

 

Previously John Melville had competed in the first BMW World Sailing event in Dubai and made the final, last year Roger Pagani won the world title, both fantastic acheivements and gives the rest of us huge pleasure to see our peers succeed at this level.

 

I wonder why the OA felt the need to bring in these wild card entries were they dis-satisfied with the quality of the divisional winners, if so it seems against the spirit of what the BMW is all about.

 

As we are hosting the world event this year hopefully the OA is focusing on being great hosts, making our guests welcome and ensuring they have a great life experience while on our shores and not spend the whole regatta obsessing about a kiwi victory.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I gotta agree Marsh, it takes part of the motivation to compete in the regatta away if the OA is going to pick and choose the finalists rather than having a strict sail off between divisional winners as has happened in the past.

 

As you say, our record in this regatta is excellent with the teams we've entered using the criteria above, why the need to cherry pick finalists?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Dirty Deeds couldn't do the regatta because...

They were drinking piss at Ridley's wedding

(N.b. The regatta changed dates post wedding date being settled)

 

Re. the OA inviting crews to make up the numbers...

Isn't it just a fact of life that it always going to be difficult to get 10 'amteur' crews to this regatta?

Personally reckon there is a lot of things that could be done better in terms of running 'a successful' Auckland Sailing Week.

The BMW sailing week 'feeder element' to the ASW adds a real edge for some divisions, but has absolutely no relevance to the other divisons.

 

Suggestion:

 

Carefully select which classes / divisions get an invite.

The Y88s should perhaps get 2 entries to the BMW Sailing Week (strong class)

 

Ask other divisions if they actually want an invite?

 

Great to see a Wgtn crew there

 

Wouldn't it be nice to get the S34's involved? (Another strong class)

 

And , regarding the actual ASW, be more flexible, with those classes that don't want to sail 3 days or don't want to travel to the Eastern beaches etc etc

 

And why is there still only two clubs running Aucklands' Regatta?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I thought pretty much any class that could put together a fleet would be allowed to race? Invites? Not when they are struggling for entries.

 

They need to find out why these other classes aren't jumping in and try to address those issues, Paddy has at least started thinking along those lines.

 

I have a problem with competitions where you are "invited" (most match racing events), maybe it was all those years in the proletariat, but I think you should get to a final or an event by beating other competitors in a qualifying event. When I first heard about BMW I thought it was good, now the finalists are getting there by invite leaves me disappointed.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Squid,

You've hit the nail on the head.

The ASW isn't attracting enough strong classes / divisions

That is why they are having to resort to inviting crews to make up the numbers.

 

The organisers need to work out why they are not getting the numbers.

 

It can't be just the same old, same old.

 

Why aren't they dragging in the the other strong classes around?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Would be interesting to check the numbers between Bay Week and BMW, I did both but found BW alot more enjoyable.

 

I think it is the same old Story, get Aucklanders out of Auckland and we have more fun.

 

Day 2 of the BMW should have finished up on Motuhie with barges and a piss up, always go down a treat at BW.

Link to post
Share on other sites

One reason.

 

The largest class at the event was the 8.5's.

 

They used the event as their National Championships.

 

All 12x of them paid $105 entry fee.

 

The winner of the event and the Nationals, Dirty Deeds never even got mentioned at the prize giving !

 

Instead we had numerous professional wait staff parading around finger food at god knows how much that costs !

 

i.e. They are too busy looking after their dignitary guests in an extravagant fashion to be bothered to open their eyes and recognise the achievements of the sailors that participate.

Link to post
Share on other sites
i.e. They are too busy looking after their dignitary guests in an extravagant fashion to be bothered to open their eyes and recognise the achievements of the sailors that participate.

 

The way you guys talk you'd think it was a sailing event.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Without BMW and other sponsorship the event wouldn't have got off the ground and the entry fees would not have been sustainable. Thats why there is some attention paid to the cheque writers.

Then instead of whining about the event there would be whining about the absence of an event.

And most if not all of the members OA's, race committee and bimbo's were volunteers which helped keep costs down.

Paddy O talked about same old, same old. well what do you want? windward leewards destination races, long races where god forbid you are out for a night or two nights? and all run on a shoestring budget I suppose? Believe me the OA's want to know what people want so events can be run to suit the majority of sailors wishes.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Forget all the BS,

 

First priority is the sailers !

 

End of story.

 

A race can be run between boats without a sponsor, without a race committee,without a yacht club, without BMW's parked outside, without the mayor, without free rum, without free canapes......

 

The only thing a Yacht race absolutely must have is Yachts !

Link to post
Share on other sites

For the New Zealand Final carried out last weekend BMW wanted there to be 10 teams out there competing. There was 8 div winners from auckland, 1 or 2 couldnt do it as were pro or couldnt make it. One winner from wellington was given an entry through there qualifying regatta and one wild card would be granted entry. The wildcard drawn was done and i dont believe any of the boats drawn out could sail in the final. Soo to get 10 boats out there sailing the OA decided to give a entry to Slipstream the 2nd 88 as this is a on 'Line' division and last years winner won the whole event. As there was still another place to fill in the 10 spots BMW (Wildcard) which was written into the sailing instructions was decided to be given to the youth crew, who would have come 2nd on line in the 88 div.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The strangest thing for me about BMW Auckland Regatta is that there are no MRX's racing in it, wouldn't that be the perfect class ?

 

As has been alluded to before, selecting 10 reps from a wide range of different sorts of boats, many selected by handicap results, many who are ineligible or simply can't do it ?

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Rocket

I don't care who I race against but I do like to know the rules before the event not after. Yachting has a long history of being less than open about our selection processes.

 

Interestingly when we had our best overall results we tended to be selecting on merit with the "first past the post" thing as the foundation (md-80s). Even then I remember being surprised at the 1980 Olympic trials when the "favoured pair" Murray and Andy were OCS one race - but a protest along the lines of "others were over too" was successful and they were reinstated. Peter Mander quietly noted that we shouldn't worry our time will come. Hmmmmm (ntg against Murray and Andy they were a real class act).

 

I would encourage organisers to be absolutely open about the process - before the regatta starts. Have it in the NoR or SI that in the event there are ineligible winners that there is a hierarchy of invitees - eg a youth team, a top MRX team, a chicks crew etc. Then there is no surprises and it is all clearly above board.

 

BMW regatta is a great concept - but this sort of behind the bikesheds stuff tarnishes the result. Most of us relish having a crack at the kids or the pros - bring it on!

Link to post
Share on other sites
As there was still another place to fill in the 10 spots BMW (Wildcard) which was written into the sailing instructions was decided to be given to the youth crew, who would have come 2nd on line in the 88 div.

 

I really didn't want to get into this %$^$fight, but I can't help but finish off the above.

 

 

......would have come 2nd except they were found to be sailing a boat which was not a class Y88 and so retired after finishing, and were listed last in the results.

 

 

I'm sure the lack of measurement was an honest mistake, but from an outsider's point of view the PERCEPTION is that the OA selected a team from within their own organisation rather than from anywhere else in the area, or even country.

 

As Rocket indicates, its the perception that matters.

 

On the other hand, the OA did well in selecting wildcards that did well in the finals, which is I guess is what the wildcard selection is supposed to be about.

 

The structure is always going to favour those teams which are the better MRX sailors, and some teams have had a lot more practice than others at that. Some may say the MRX is the ultimate leveller, others may argue not, in that the best MRX team wouldn't perform so well if putting together an 8.5 campaign for example.

 

At least the format is upfront in that if you get to the final you know you'll be tested in MRX's, despite the small print in the NOR, its just not so clear about who you'd be tested against.

 

regardless, well done to the winners, 2nd place and so on, and good luck in the international finals.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Tiller - thank yo u, that was the explanation everyone was looking for.

 

Rocket - you summed it up well.

 

My only comment would be that I would have thought that in the event of a winner not being eligible (pro) the spot would be offered to second in that fleet, and so on. That way the results do not depend on a committee(OK one wild card if you like).

I think the 8.5's should tell the organisers that next year the prize should go to the line winner. That was a cock up.

 

Then the question remains - how to get the rest of the fleets interested - S34's, 1020's, piedys, under 26's, what about 1/4 tonners next year? In a place like Ak we should be able to produce more than 10 "winners" for the final.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...