Peter and Mandy Temple wrote:
We actually have 19 entries in 15m/standard class and 8 in open 27 in total
This is very sad in the light of the experience of the last multi class
nationals which had over 50 gliders competing in all 4 (separate)
classes. It is also interesting to note that there are apparently some
60 entries for the Club Class Nationals at Benalla, so disinterest in
the national competitions does not seem to be the problem.
Alice and I decided some months ago that we were not going to the Gawler
comps because it is such a long way from here and the probability of
many days being affected by sea breezes is just to great to make such a
long treck worthwhile. I went to the club class in Waikerie in 2004
(having been sold on tales of 15,000ft days) and went through day after
day of sea breeze affected flying. After talking to a few people who
knew the Gawler site (which I do not), it sounded very much like sea
breezes were as likely (if not more so) there. Talking with many other
Qld and NSW pilots, they made the same decision for the same reasons.
We all know that there can be no guarantees regarding weather, but I
fail to see the sense in holding a national competition at a site that
has a well known and understood weather problem.
Please note - I am not criticising the people at Gawler for putting in a
bid or for putting in the very considerable effort necessary to run such
a competition - indeed they are to be congratulated. It is particularly
pleasing to see they have been able to garner some good names in terms
of sponsorship. It must be disappointing though to see their competition
so poorly attended, particularly in light of the very considerable
effort required to stage it. I do not know SA, but perhaps there is
another site away from the sea breeze that the Gawler club could have
used that would have attracted more pilots. It's worth noting that the
last multi class nationals was not held at the site of the club that
organised them (due to air space constraints).
However, the current poor subscription to the multi class nationals
particularly in the wake of the previous year's success must raise
questions about how the sites are selected. Gawler was not the only site
that put in a bid and yet it won the bid despite its known weather problems.
Why?
Looking at the National Competition Committee meeting (9 July 2005)
minutes all one can see is that the meeting decided on Gawler. No other
bids were listed (there was I know at least one other) nor are there any
reasons given for choosing Gawler over the other bid(s). This is a pity
as understanding how the NCC rates bids would assist people in putting a
bid together. It would also be useful to have the bid documents included
in the minutes as this too would help future bidders. (The discussion
later in the minutes about selecting venues certainly does not seem to
explain how Gawler was chosen but looks, it appears, to the future).
The two National competitions are our "Formula 1" events and need to
generate the same sort of excitement. Choosing sites that discourage
pilots from entering places these events at a great disadvantage.
--
Robert Hart [EMAIL PROTECTED]
+61 (0)438 385 533 http://www.hart.wattle.id.au
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