Where have all the Div 1s Gone?

General slalom chatter...rant about the bad, rave about the good
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Dee
Posts: 1444
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 8:34 pm

Where have all the Div 1s Gone?

Post by Dee » Wed Jan 26, 2022 2:39 pm

Div 1s are usually in a hurry to get their entries in, but this year they are noticeably slower. There are only 3 div 1s currently open for entries and none of them are about to become full!

I'm hoping this is just a delay in paddlers entering and not an overall decrease in numbers. Anecdotal evidence anyone?

Please do not leave it until the last minute to enter - organisers need some idea of numbers to plan. Added to which you will get hit with late fees!
Kit Washer, Entry Clerk, Chauffeur, Reluctant Organiser, Online Entry Advocate .....
Anything I post under this user is my personal opinion; I am not posting as a member of the Slalom Committee!

Steve Holmes
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Joined: Mon May 21, 2018 11:05 am

Re: Where have all the Div 1s Gone?

Post by Steve Holmes » Sat Jan 29, 2022 7:25 am

Natural drop off over 2 years, extra Covid drop off, either due to lethargy of training for so long with no races, or inability to train under numerous lockdowns, movement to other sports that got competitions going a lot sooner (not a criticism, just an observation). Add to that the fact that exam years are still worried about exams being cancelled so any mock exam in the build up to GCSEs and A Levels could count, alongside a tripling of the number of such exams. Less promotions from div 2 over the last couple of years.
Hopefully the increased numbers attending races at div 2 and 3 will feed through…

JimW
Posts: 570
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Location: Pinkston

Re: Where have all the Div 1s Gone?

Post by JimW » Mon Jan 31, 2022 7:26 pm

Maybe waiting until they are told they can apply for their bibs?

Dee
Posts: 1444
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 8:34 pm

Re: Where have all the Div 1s Gone?

Post by Dee » Mon Jan 31, 2022 8:28 pm

JimW wrote:
Mon Jan 31, 2022 7:26 pm
Maybe waiting until they are told they can apply for their bibs?
Did cross my mind, but it’s never stopped Div 1s in the past! :D :D
Kit Washer, Entry Clerk, Chauffeur, Reluctant Organiser, Online Entry Advocate .....
Anything I post under this user is my personal opinion; I am not posting as a member of the Slalom Committee!

Mike Mitchell
Posts: 180
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:44 pm

Re: Where have all the Div 1s Gone?

Post by Mike Mitchell » Mon Jan 31, 2022 8:38 pm

81 Entrys to date for Symonds Yat. So the Div 2/3s are getting there's in.
The event has a 130 limit.

djberriman
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:19 pm

Re: Where have all the Div 1s Gone?

Post by djberriman » Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:50 pm

Natural ebb and flow of the sport, when they are fully booked people book early, when there is less demand people leave it until the last minute, we've also discouraged advanced booking to some extent with spread 'open for entry' dates, plus covid effect, people possibly less likely to plan far in advance.

But to confirm you don't need your bib until race day, you can enter without having it to hand.

Dee
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Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 8:34 pm

Re: Where have all the Div 1s Gone?

Post by Dee » Sat Feb 05, 2022 5:06 pm

There seems to be a lot of ebbing rather than flowing!

We are now only four weeks before the LV Div 1 and numbers are still well down (later div 1 races are even worse so it's not just an LV effect). Late fees will kick in 2 weeks before the race so I'm not sure that this is people just leaving it until the last minute now.

Really pleased to see the 2/3 numbers though, hopefully these will give the sport a boost
Kit Washer, Entry Clerk, Chauffeur, Reluctant Organiser, Online Entry Advocate .....
Anything I post under this user is my personal opinion; I am not posting as a member of the Slalom Committee!

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