Racing Scene - What works and what doesn't???????

What makes for a good racing scene?
What works?
What doesn't?

I've seen in another thread, and from chats with locals that there is still interest in racing... the seabreeze threads about racing get 1000's of views, so there is still interest in racing, but the number of races on offer is shrinking.

I've been at some great events organised by Windsurfing NSW / Marmong Point Sailing Club with over 20 mixed fin/foil/wing racers lately. I've also been at some events with 3 people in attendance.

In my view a few things that seem to work:
Flexible weekend racing on SAT or SUN depending on the forecast
Not relying on students/youth etc who have other commitments like weekend jobs, study etc
Associating with a sailing club that has shared facilities and heaps of cash (RQYS)
or a dedicated windsurfing club with history (MPSC)
Easy parking
Focus on easy racing to get more people in attendance
But at the same time serious racers don't want to wait around for slow pokes
Volunteers
Cheap... but it's tricky because good events cost money to organise - especially with restrictive insurance


What is your experience?

Sadly the drop-off in participation in local/regional racing events is not unique to NSW. In fact, judging from the number of events and people you still manage to get on the starting line, you guys seem to be doing reasonably well, considering!

The situation here (US East Coast) is much more dire; there is hardly any regular racing around here anymore, of course with some local exceptions.

The only things that still seems to work around here in terms of attracting reasonable numbers, are: (i) low-entry long-distance type races like OBX Wind (somewhat styled on Defi wind, but far from the numbers that flock to Gruissan of course), and (ii) mixed wing/wind foil (and if windy enough, even fin) racing at local/regional level on a reasonably accessible course (figure 8 or slightly downwind slalom type courses; pure upwind/downwind racing is usually too hard to level the playing field between various types of gear and levels).

Otherwise agree with much of the points raised by Berowne.

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bel29 said..

choco said..
100K in prize money should get people motivated

lol even PWA can't get that kind of money together anymore

That's correct, even obscure sports have bigger prize money, pro windsurfing scene needs to step up

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Chris 249 said..

choco said..

bel29 said..

choco said..
100K in prize money should get people motivated

lol even PWA can't get that kind of money together anymore

That's correct, even obscure sports have bigger prize money, pro windsurfing scene needs to step up

And where is the money going to come from?

If "obscure" (ie smaller) sports have more prize money then it seems obvious that prize money doesn't increase participation. If it did, then those obscure sports with big prizemoney wouldn't be obscure, they'd be prominent.

Why would prizemoney increase participation? 95% of people know they won't win. Five percent of people think they can win and often put so much into it they drive the rest away because they can't compete.

Look at the wider world of sailing. The most popular classes have no prizemoney. The classes with prizemoney are not popular.

Tobacco companies are out, current Ladbrokers, Neds, Sportsbet, Uber, etc, with regards to prize money you break it down to age group and have a cash draw for anyone who enters. With the advent of drones the sport has now become "marketable"

its very sad to think some need prize money to get motivated to race actually trajic.
the love of any sport be it fin foil wind wing just enjoy the moment the experience and the friendships made.
racing is sooo much fun way more than just sailing like bloody way more and it will improve your ability at the same time.
it doesn't matter where you place you will have fun and have a blast.
i do agree with Berowne there are simple ingredients that make running and make an event successful.
very hard to get volunteers and helpers and this can then jeopardise a series period.
if you love our sport and want to see the windsurfing clubs in this country continue then come and race OR watch them die.

Classes like the Windsurfer LT need racing to enhance what is a comparatively mundane sailing experience. It's major advantage is that it can be sailed in any wind. Even then only a small percentage of participants are competitive, the rest make up the numbers.

Slalom racing, is comparatively more exciting but needs +13 kt wind and a lots of equipment. A lot of time is spent waiting for wind. Again only a small percentage of participants are competitive.

Foil racing both course and slalom also need a lot of equipment but less wind but are seriously scary to go fast

GPS events like Burrum Windfest are reliant on tide and fickle wind and also need a lot of equipment.

All three need insurance, organizations, support boats and volunteers to run.

Hardly any sailors of dingy sailing classes just sail for fun. The big difference of windsurfing, wind foiling, winging and god forbid even kite surfing is that the majority of participants just do it for fun. They don't need an organized event to do it, just wind and access to water. That's why GPS sailing was so popular in its heyday. You could do it any time anywhere but even GPS sailing is in decline because of an aging demographic and the advantages of wind foiling and winging in terms of time on water.

Analysis of successful racing events / organisations would be instructive:
- LT Worlds / state titles / club racing - large participation, great organisation, very accessible, great social interaction
- Cervantes - unique location, wind, good organisation, great social interaction
- Lake George (Jan / Feb / Mar) - unique location, wind, flat water, large participation, great social interaction
- RQYS - Windsurfing school of excellence, organised lessons, great organisation and facilities
- Burrum Windfest - unique location, good participation, inclusion of foiling classes, good organisation, great social interaction
- Defi Wind - unique location, enormous participation, wind, great organisation, inclusion of foiling classes, great social interaction

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PhilUK said..
Thats the main criteria for fun racing, reliable wind.

That's been the eternal struggle for our (now) one annual full on regatta. We used to have three 25 years ago. We still do mostly longboards because we might get glass (0 kts) or 15-25. If you use a Formula/Foil kit, one year you are a hero and the next three, you are bobbing around while somebody on a 7.5 and Mistral Superlight (the original one) sails circles around you. About every 3-4 yrs, we get totally skunked and can barely get a race off over the weekend and that totally kills the momentum we'd built up over the preceeding years.

We have several challenges in growing or even maintaining racing locally
- The constant strain of almost every one here preferring short boarding/foiling for freeride but racing on any semi-regular basis requires a longboard. We've done our best to scavenge the great 90s boards when they become available and also charter almost a dozen Windsurfer LTs for our annual race.
- Getting shortboarders to get over their reluctance to give it a go once a year. For some, it's the PTSD of a long weekend and no wind. For others, the fear of being really bad at it.
- Weather. Did I mention weather? We live in a low wind area and it will forever be our burden to bear.

What helps:
- promote, promote, promote. We give away a couple of charters each year to encourage participation. We beg, plead, cajole. Still, it's a challenge each year especially if the forecast isn't encouraging.
- Find a way to get newbies on the water. I find some of the regional foiling events gatekeep by making participation with those with freeride gear impossible. There's almost no path from free-riding to racing outside of dropping major coin on race gear before you even know if you like it.
- Make it a social event, too. A big core of our guests come for the fun as well as the racing.
- A core of volunteers who do this for no logical reason. It would have been easy to pack it up years ago but our chief organizer just keeps making it happen.

I am proud to say that our past event in October was our 45th in a row. We're already making plans for the 46th this year.

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delmar71 said..

John340 said..
Classes like the Windsurfer LT need racing to enhance what is a comparatively mundane sailing experience. Its major advantage is that it can be sailed in any wind. Even then only a small percentage of participants are competitive, the rest make up the numbers.

Your first sentence is arguable. Personal preference and taste is a funny thing... I often sail the LT for fun (not racing) over my short boards. The LT in 20kts may not be cutting edge but it's anything but mundane!!

I used the phrase "comparatively mundane". I've sailed a Windsurfer OD, Mistral Super light II, Bic Bebop, slalom gear, wave gear and free foil gear in 20kts and I know what I'd rather use.

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John340 said..

delmar71 said..

John340 said..
Classes like the Windsurfer LT need racing to enhance what is a comparatively mundane sailing experience. Its major advantage is that it can be sailed in any wind. Even then only a small percentage of participants are competitive, the rest make up the numbers.

Your first sentence is arguable. Personal preference and taste is a funny thing... I often sail the LT for fun (not racing) over my short boards. The LT in 20kts may not be cutting edge but it's anything but mundane!!

I used the phrase "comparatively mundane". I've sailed a Windsurfer OD, Mistral Super light II, Bic Bebop, slalom gear, wave gear and free foil gear in 20kts and I know what I'd rather use.

Sure. I think you make my point: *you* know what *you'd* rather use. One mans mundane is another mans engaging, not that one is mundane, even comparatively, in its essence. I know what I'd rather use: sometimes the LT, sometimes my short boards, regardless of conditions.

A sign of the times I think. I think human nature kicks in. New & exciting water sport toys are now on the scene, people get bored with the same old same old and want to try different things. Things that work better in light winds.

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len024 said..

Chris 249 said..

choco said..

bel29 said..

choco said..
100K in prize money should get people motivated

lol even PWA can't get that kind of money together anymore

That's correct, even obscure sports have bigger prize money, pro windsurfing scene needs to step up

And where is the money going to come from?

If "obscure" (ie smaller) sports have more prize money then it seems obvious that prize money doesn't increase participation. If it did, then those obscure sports with big prizemoney wouldn't be obscure, they'd be prominent.

Why would prizemoney increase participation? 95% of people know they won't win. Five percent of people think they can win and often put so much into it they drive the rest away because they can't compete.

Look at the wider world of sailing. The most popular classes have no prizemoney. The classes with prizemoney are not popular.

At my sailing club we receive 170$ Australian to start and finish a race since increasing the start and finish and placing money the participation has increased.

Yes, but we know where skiff clubs get their money from and boards don't get access to it. Most boat sailors in NSW also don't sail at the few clubs that give cash to sailors, so it's obviously not a major drawcard to the typical sailor.

Sailing itself (on actual boats) is a lot easier for causal people. There are at least a couple places that have once or twice weekly races (beer league) that casually, people can approach and show up at the marina and hop on the boat. I've done it, brought people along, made acquaintances with a couple owners...it's fun.

As others mentioned on East Coast USA, it's not so often. There are a couple big races a year, where you basically need IQFoil gear, within a short drive for me. There are kona or longboard races every now and then but I don't hear about them that far ahead of time. Apparently there's an open foil race near me in a month but I didn't hear about it until someone in person told me about it.

For IQFoil training, I wanted to train with the big names here as I live in the same city, but they practice during the week at like 3pm or something, and it's an hour drive in traffic, so I would miss work to practice, which I haven't done. They do Sundays as well but it hasn't lined up that well with my schedule unfortunately. Other than that, I am unaware of regular meetups for longboarding or otherwise. And most everyone has moved to freeride foiling over longboarding. Every now and then I'll see someone with a full kitted older equipe or something and demonstrate how performant they are, but it's rare. And one time, at a launch near me, there was an LT regatta when I rolled up to park, but I had no awareness of as it was a youth sailing squadron event that I wasn't keyed into. But, those are infrequent.
It'd be cool if there were regular weekly longboard or even freeride foil races for casuals with some kind of handicap system, or at least a way to separately judge race/freeridey foils. Seems like a few people here would be interested maybe, but it's hard to gauge. Probably a much bigger youth turnout than adult.

If you want to race, get out there and organize it yourself. Grassroots.

In Seattle they have Wednesday-after-work races in May and June every year. It's called the City League. It is the longest continuously happening windsurf racing event in the world. It is organized by the local windsurfers, all volunteer. They gather at a local park after work, meet to agree on classes and rules, sometimes have a local boater for committee, and race until the wind dies or it gets dark. A volunteer from the other side of the state (me) scores using the high points system modeled after the US National Racing Tour scoring.

It is a run-whatcha-brung type of event. Longboards, formula boards, and foilboards are all present since winds are generally light in late spring in the Puget Sound area. A typical race will have between 10 and 20 participants. All for fun. A lot of locals hone their skills by racing this way. Most don't care about their scores, but all really want to do well. Why race, after all?

At the end of 8 or 9 weeks a champion is crowned. His/her prize is an extra beer at the local pub.

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cammd said..
What doesn't work is public criticism and undermining of volunteers efforts in running events or clubs.

I have seen it happen more than once over the years and it is more toxic to organised windsurfing than a bad forecast.

Nothing turns volunteers off organising events more that "couch" criticism. If you've got ideas on how an event should run or how it can be better, don't shout about it from the sidelines. step up and help to make it happen. Otherwise you may find said event doesn't run again.

Rant over. Please carry on with the positive ideas on what makes for a great racing scene