i would like to see it stay the way it is,i like the idea of weight rankings as it gives a more 'apples for apples' comparison between sailors..but i can appreciate that this is a team challenge and weight would be of no real relevance also it may be difficult to implement and confusing for the ranking searches...may be a sailors weight along side his name would be more informative than how many k's he has sailed.
this wouild mean an updated more detailed profile page?
weight can make a big difference to performance..
the other thing i would likee to see is new comers being allocated to teams that may be lacking numbers (if all parties are happy).
with the point scoring the way it is, i recon more teams with lesss sailors is better than less teams with more sailors in them.
i would also like to see a shed load of prize money and also have it backdated to last year!
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.
I would be interested to see weight included ( as I am a lightweight) however some could be sensitive/offended and if that is the case I think the disadvantage would outweigh the benefit. Comments invited from people who would rather not see weight info
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.
Glad you said that sailquick, I was about to post for removing the 5 X 10 in favour of 500m. But I now see why that's not a good idea.
So I join the "leave as is" crew.
I think if you bring riders weight into it, would make sense to include added weight, which is going to be different for every session.
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!!!
After reading everyone elses opinions.....
1) add 500m and drop Nm or dist. (Int. standard)
2) add wt division (i am the lightest in our large team and struggle against the heavyweights )
3) average top 2 (our team is large, but only because all are welcomed to join, even if a beginner...thats what I like about our team!)
4)REMEMBER...THIS IS A FUN EVENT, SO DONT TAKE THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY!
I think Sailquick has detailed valid reasons why 500m should be buried, so lets bury that idea. Herby
keep the catigories the way they are !,but i like the weight idea and DONT get rid of the 2 sec!
It seems like everyone is fairly content with the divisions and from what i hear it would be hard to add another division and would upset the balance of the whole comp. I think everyone just wants a little improvement here and there and everyone will be content. That is just the impression i am getting
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 think the divisions have been a lot to do with what has made GTC such a success,so as is for me.
If I was going to experiment with a division,it would be the alpha 250 rather than the alpha 500,to make it more of a gybing comp than how fast you can go either side of the gybe.
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.
Could not agree more dave. Especially the thanks to Nebbian and Hardie and all the other guys working in the backround. Cant wait for next year but still have to remember that this year is not over yet and there is still lots of sailing to be had!!!!
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
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
