Hi Guys
I was thinking of running a freerace this weekend at Kyeemagh if the forecast Nor'Easter comes through. Curious to get an idea of participation numbers. The format would be pretty simple... it would run in the area west and north from the end of the runway, over an hour. Would look at having the standard GPSTC categories, but with an accumulative point scoring system like used in many of the KA72 groups. I might also run a handicap category too.
I would use Dylan's software, which gives us something similar to what Sean does in New Caledonia:
I'll be there on Sunday and I can lend my spare gps to whoever wants to partecipate. 1 hour is a bit hard for oldies like me and the average windsurfer, can you do 2 1/2 hrs like they do in the series? would you score all categories or just who does more kms...?
My calender on my phone says GPS event on Saturday! The poster says next week? I think a event is already organised, check with the marmong point guys.
Sunday looks good for it. Im free then. But im pretty sure the official event is saturday.
Select to expand quoteJustinL said..
My calender on my phone says GPS event on Saturday! The poster says next week? I think a event is already organised, check with the marmong point guys.
Sunday looks good for it. Im free then. But im pretty sure the official event is saturday.
Right on. Didn't realise there was something else organised for this weekend. Will ask James F.
The NSW GPS event is on the 22nd/23rd of October (next weekend). More information is in the thread here: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/New-South-Wales/201617-NSW-Series-Formula-GPS-Slalom/
I'm still going to run a Freerace this weekend. It's just for a bit of fun and really to test out how these work as I'd like to run more of them at Kyeemagh over summer when the forecast allows it. If you're interested in participating, PM me.
Cheers
Nigel
Im in.
Im keen for this sunday. I cant make it Saturday as i will be at a long board event at DAC.
A great way to do it, short notice based on the forecast.
Thanks nigel for posting 
Select to expand quoteJustinL said..
Google calendar on stormriders website is wrong. I let them know
Yep thanks for pointing out Justin, all corrected now on the Google Calendar. www.windsurfingnsw.com/calendar/
All the info on the series at, www.windsurfingnsw.com/classes/slalom/
Sounds like a fun idea Nigel.As George said 30 min is long enough.
Or bring the defibrillator.
Good stuff Nigel. Yes, as the others said we'll be running an event at Kyeemagh next weekend (either 22nd or 23rd), as we're tied up at Marmong this weekend running BBQ and learn to windsurf/SUP supporting the offshore powerboat racing event.
Let me know if you need any help with the KA72 freerace software, it can be a bit finicky to set up.
Great stuff guys and thanks for offering to help me with the KA72 stuff James.
I'll keep an eye on the forecast and make the call tomorrow night.
Happy to do 2x 30 minute sessions. It's a bit of extra work with files, but makes the comp a bit more interesting. First session will be lighter wind than the second so it should be fun.
Will post back here tomorrow with details.
Cheers
Nigel
Okay, guys. Making the call to run the freerace tomorrow @ Kyeemagh.
Format will be 2 x 30 minute sessions. First session runs from 2:30 to 3:00. The second session will be from 3:30-4:00. Hopefully this maximises the best wind.
I was going to limit the area to the NW corner from the end of the runway so we're all together and it's more social, but if you want to sail outside that, no probs.
The categories will be the same as GPSTC, but scoring will be based on the total of your results in each category. I will include a handicap division too.
If you want to participate, all you have to do is sail during those times and email me your file at the end of the day.
Look forward to seeing you all down the bay tomorrow arvo.
Cheers
Nigel
Hi Guys.
Well that was a pretty hectic session. Great turnout so it should be fun to see the KA72 tracks. Can you please add your name to your file and send it through to me: nigeljdawes@gmail.com
Photos and updates to come once I get all the files and run them through KA72.
Cheers
Nigel
Hi Guys
Well, what fantastically windy weekend!
It started off slow on Saturday and we all rigged big thinking it wouldn't get much over 20kts. 10 minutes into the first heat, however, it was gusting to 25kts and by the second heat we were racing in gusts of 27+ knots. The water was insanely choppy for a Nor'East wind and everyone was on the edge so it was great that everyone really pushed themselves through the 2 heats.
Apologies for the delay getting the results up. I was waiting for a couple of files and then spent hours trying to get the KA72 freerace software to work (long story but after blowing $44 for a one day license, I've given up on it 
. Terrible, terrible software!). All results are from GPSResults (a great piece of software with a never-ending license at a reasonable price!).
At the end of the day Remi took out first place overall. Rick came in 2nd, closely followed by Andrew Donovan in 3rd.
Mike was looking solid, but blew a harness line so didn't make the 2nd heat. Barks, was way over-cooked on an 8.4 and got blown off the water before the 2nd started.
Al-in-all it was good fun and great social day down at Botany. Looking forward to the next event.
HEAT 1:
HEAT 2:
RESULTS:
Select to expand quoteN1GEL said..
Apologies for the delay getting the results up. I was waiting for a couple of files and then spent hours trying to get the KA72 freerace software to work (long story but after blowing $44 for a one day license, I've given up on it . Terrible, terrible software!). All results are from GPSResults (a great piece of software with a never-ending license at a reasonable price!).
GPSResults license explicitly restricts it from being used for competitions. This was one of the reasons we created our own software.
I invite you to try running events on a laptop at the beach with 40+ competitors wanting immediate access to their results using GPSResults (even if you did manage to negotiate a commercial license for it.)
Of course it can be easier to take the files home and work on them later using other software (especially with a small number of competitors.) That's not the problem that the Freerace software is trying to solve.
Dylan
I'm sure your software has its place, but we're a small group of recreational sailors participating in a bit of low-key, friendly social competition to spice up an otherwise regular day of windsurfing at our local spot.
I paid the $44 one-off license fee out of my own pocket because if I asked each competitor to contribute $5 or $10 then there probably be would be no competition. Unfortunately, I didn't do my research before purchasing a license and was disappointed to discover the software only provides the distance each sailor covered during the set time period, which I could easily get from GPSResults. The little dots chasing each other around the screen are pretty cool though :)
Even with your freerace software I still needed GPSResults to compile results for 2 sec, 5x10, alpha, NM, and then Excel to calculate the final numbers. If your software does that, I couldn't figure out how after spending quite some time fiddling around with it and watching the support video.
Anyway, my comment was not intended as an attack on you personally and I apologise if you have taken offense to my comments. I think you've done a great job with KA72 and appreciate the work you've done with that. However, the Freerace software didn't meet my requirements, simple as that.
Friendly Regards,
Nigel
Thanks for organising it Nigel, twas good fun. Just so happy it wasn't done yesterday cause I would have been blown off the water.
Select to expand quotesick_em_rex said..
Thanks for organising it Nigel, twas good fun. Just so happy it wasn't done yesterday cause I would have been blown off the water.
Not a problem Andrew. Thanks for participating. Looking forward to doing more of these over summer, when we get a good forecast.
Select to expand quoteN1GEL said..
Dylan
I'm sure your software has its place, but we're a small group of recreational sailors participating in a bit of low-key, friendly social competition to spice up an otherwise regular day of windsurfing at our local spot.
...
Even with your freerace software I still needed GPSResults to compile results for 2 sec, 5x10, alpha, NM, and then Excel to calculate the final numbers. If your software does that, I couldn't figure out how after spending quite some time fiddling around with it and watching the support video.
The point of Freerace is that it is a distance only event. It's always been that way. A freerace is an open water event where you sail as far as you can in the allotted time period (usually one hour.)
The extra categories make it more like a GP5 competition over a fixed period of time. The freerace software doesn't do that because it's for Freerace, not GP5.
The main reason other divisions are not included in Freerace (I think!) is that the kind of sailing you might do for a good 1hr speed is quite different than the kind you would do for a top 5x10 or nm (where sailing off the wind results in taking you away from the optimum position for maintaining a good 1hr speed.) Although your competition format has some merit, it would be hard to work out who was winning at any one point in time (which is part of the fun of watching Freerace replays.) Also you should probably come up with some modifiers for some of the divisions to protect from skew (this will become more obvious the more often you run these events.) If I was setting up an event like this these days I would probably do it via one of the Groups on ka72, rather than with a separate piece of software, as the groups support custom divisions over specific time periods.
So, horses for courses so to speak.
I didn't appreciate the sentiment that Freerace software is "terrible terrible software" when you are not using it for the right event though. Especially when you were promptly refunded for the license.
Well done Nigel for putting on the event. So bummed I couldn't be racing with you 
At the National Freerace Championship which has been on Green Island for 4 years they go on distance. The Marmong point guys do distance as well.
GPS 5 I believe was started in Tasmania but maybe the guys in Burrum also claim that one 
(doesn't really matter). Burrum Windfest have multiple categories.
I agree with Dylan in that the different scoring methods would have different strategies to win. And gear selection. Arguable smaller gear would give a better 2 sec and gybe and also 5 by 10 I guess. So with GPS 5 one might rig for the gusts.
In free race I rig for the lulls. 
I'll ask Kaleb in Tassie if there is much difference. Interestingly though Andrew won Heat 1 if it was Free Race. 
Even with Remi's super impressive speed!
Keep it going Nigel
And thanks to Dylan and his wife for everything they have done over the years for these easy to run competitions, it been great for our Wsurf communities
Select to expand quoteJustinL said..
Well done Nigel for putting on the event. So bummed I couldn't be racing with you
At the National Freerace Championship which has been on Green Island for 4 years they go on distance. The Marmong point guys do distance as well.
GPS 5 I believe was started in Tasmania but maybe the guys in Burrum also claim that one (doesn't really matter). Burrum Windfest have multiple categories.
I agree with Dylan in that the different scoring methods would have different strategies to win. And gear selection. Arguable smaller gear would give a better 2 sec and gybe and also 5 by 10 I guess. So with GPS 5 one might rig for the gusts.
In free race I rig for the lulls.
I'll ask Kaleb in Tassie if there is much difference. Interestingly though Andrew won Heat 1 if it was Free Race. Even with Remi's super impressive speed!
Keep it going Nigel
And thanks to Dylan and his wife for everything they have done over the years for these easy to run competitions, it been great for our Wsurf communities
Thanks for explaining Justin I wasn't really aware of the different event formats and race types. Will take all that into consideration for the next one and consult with everyone on what format they want to go with.
This is what our Tassie brothers are doing. Copied from a conversation on FB! They certainly have full commitment!! With the roaring forties and this dedication no wonder they are a strong state.
The main reason we went with GPS5 is so we can run an event for a full month and guys can travel anywhere in the state to target each category depending on conditions they find(no set location). We also use it for specific events such as Stanley weekend. Over 2 days guys can target each category at their discretion. Tactics come into play as you start looking at tides, wind directions etc. as the day goes on. It certainly makes competitors work bloody hard, but makes for a full on couple of days sailing. The main beauty of GPS5 is you can run an event state wide(sail anywhere in state) as some locations have great 2sec and alpha but not good for 1 hour, yet other locations are good for hour but not good for 2sec. So it basically evens out. What it has done is make guys push the boundaries of there locations to try for categories they previously would not go for.
Select to expand quotesick_em_rex said..
Yeah yeah it was freerace. I won I won!! 
^here we go. Can we drop one race? I came third!
Select to expand quotesick_em_rex said..
Yeah yeah it was freerace. I won I won!!
On Sunday you definitely won the best dismount 
