Ok, so here is a wild idea that entered my head today. The following is all just an idea at this stage but I wanted to put it to the forum users to get some feedback on levels of interest and how logistically this might work.
Who can enter:
Any amateur windsurfer in Australia (no sponsored or professional sailors)
Nomination:
The nomination period is open for a period of say 12 months. In that time you have to submit a video/video link to Seabreeze nominating the Person, the Class and the Category you are entering. When the nomination period closes we then put each Category to the vote to determine who is Australia’s best Amateur windsurfer in each Category. Perhaps some of the sponsors can provide prizes, etc, etc…….
Classes:
Wise Ones> 50
Sub Prime 40-50
Prime 19-39
Teens 13-18
Grommies < 13
Categories:
Wave Riding
• Backside
• Down the line / frontside
Wave Jumping
• Backloop
• Pushloop
• Forward Loop
Freestyle
• Vulcan
• Spock
• Spin Loop
• Flaka
• Upwind 360
Light Wind Freestyle
• Heli Tack
• Upwind 360
• Puch Tack
• Gecko
• Boomarang
Freeride
• Jibe
• Duck Jibe
• Fast Tack
very difficult to judge.. all extremely subjective which is always the probelms. Maybe for each category do what they do for many freeride types of sports,. The PIG situation.... each month someone nominates a trick, move etc... you submit a vid of it you go onto next stage. Don't get it spell out P.I.G your out if you cant make the three moves.
Can still have different classes.
Such a concept gets TV coverage for things like snowboarding...... would be great way to get a funky media marketable comp going. In meantime could play through forums web uploads.....
Not too many windsurfers have easy access to recording a montage of there skills, therefor you wont have too many video entrys.
Which means you already have too many classes, unless this was a "big thing"
then you would proberbly only end up with 30 videos spread between your 25 available disciplines.
Start small and you'll grow big.
I can tell you from experience, getting oneself doing tricks on video, even for cheap family records, is difficult.
Unless you have shallow gradual bottom for the camera holder standing to windward, strong consistent on-shore wind, and plenty of reel and patience and stable hands from the cameraholder, then you'll get flaky, poor quality clips, which often happen to miss your best gecko or loop of the day.
There're also the problem that on an on-shore wind, the holder is on the beach side, to leeward. One final catch: the angle of the sun. Unless you have full-pro equipment, if the sailor is anywhere between the sun and camera, then the contrast makes one appear all dark. I also find the shake-correction software on nearly all camera is useless for sports shots, esp. when zoomed in max for faraway shots.
Now, one can still make and post average-qual clips on the Web, but even that takes a lot of patience from the camera-holder - again. Pics with a stand is a lot easier, but do not depict well many freestyle moves, unfortunately.
My recent experience is from a couple of freestyle comps last year, and taking lotsa clips of my son (who started freestlying of his own). Even with me running around for the best angle versus the sun, and going neck-deep in water, I keep perhaps 5% max.
My 2 cents, perhaps it's me.
Cheers.
