Free Beer II - or European Vet Champs 2009

[Spiderman]

I'm not ranting....I'm just posting here as I cannot get a reply by email thats all. When even the competitors who have attended the event on a previous occasion do not know why they paid money to the BCU I think I have a reasonable query that deserves an answer. You chipped in with your two penneth, thanks for that, but unfortunately your view seemed no better informed than that of the BCU. It cannot be that tricky to deal with me thinks....I just wish to know why I am paying the BCU for a non internation comp thats all. I do not see anything in the Yearbook that helps me and the information that has been pointed out to me is not relevant to the competition in question. My bad?

DJ - I measured the course on Google Earth and it seems shorter than Cardington! I think you are trying to use the 1970's style psyching of the competition here! I am not going to fall for that Erm...unless it starts 400m above and finished 400m below the main drop in true 1970's style! Gulp!

[jim croft]

I will not get into the why and wats on the web site or email I am always on the end of the phone or can give you any information you want at the Cardington Event 9/10 May
Jim

[djberriman]

"DJ - I measured the course on Google Earth and it seems shorter than Cardington! I think you are trying to use the 1970's style psyching of the competition here! I am not going to fall for that Erm...unless it starts 400m above and finished 400m below the main drop in true 1970's style! Gulp!"

Its not that long, a very tight course, they know how to fit as many gates as possible in a small space but there is sprint at the start and finish just to get the heart pumping. The last gates and finish were back in the main river, the start is perhaps 25m or so above the main drop.

My thoughts are its probably tees/washburn level but crammed into a much shorter length.

The only difficult move is the right eddy about 1/3rd way down the course, followed by the biggish standing wave just below it (caused by a slab of concrete right across the channel), and the hole behind it.

eddy - http://www.facebook.com/photo.p....3c1902c

wave - http://www.facebook.com/photo.p....3c1902c

hole - http://www.facebook.com/photo.p....3c1902c

Duncan

[Spiderman]

Thanks for the links DJ Those are the first pics I have seen of the actual event. I would imagine that with that facility, the Club has turned out some top notch athletes.

Jim, I am puzzled by your post here and I am afraid that your response is not very helpful. I spend quite a bit of my time in front of Her Majesty's decision makers following the analysing of facts and deciding the person I am representing has a valid point that the other side has either ignored, overlooked, misintepreted or is unreasonably interpreting. This means that when someone lays down the law in front of me, I do the same thing to decide if that person is right to do so. If they are (dammit) then I must comply. However, if they are unable to substantiate their demands or actions, then there is no reason to comply.

This matter protracted to the Forum as I was getting no response from either you or the Committee Chair when I asked why the BCU are involved and why I should make payment to it. Neither have replied to my emails to date although I do understand that this was during Tully week so maybe something will arrive in due course. However, I consider that seeking some answers from this Forum was another avenue and one that might also assist others who may wish to attend the event. For example, DJ's information has assisted me in this regard and he has supplied me with information about the event in general.

My conclusion thus far is as follows. I will consider the BCU's inability to substantiate both its involvement and its demand for payment regarding this local, foreign, club event as good reason not to contact the BCU further in this regard. If this conclusion is incorrect, then I would expect the BCU to supply me with adequate written information to the contrary. Your only written response of "I will not get into the why and wats on the web site or email" is simply very unhelpful to me and anyone else who may wish to attend this event. Sorry Jim, but all I am doing here is reporting the facts. No ranting, no big deal, not even an increased heartbeat....I am just stating the facts.

I note the advertisement for the event has been removed from the Slalom UK website, temporarily hopefully, but if anyone wants a copy of the event poster or entry details, I can email them it if required. Happy to assist

PP

[Spiderman]

Have now spoken to Jim on the blower who gave me the following verbal explanation.

If a foreign club invites entries through the BCU, then the event is "deemed to be a Class C International". However, if it invites paddlers independently and not through the BCU, then it is not. Jim said he has been notified by the Club of this event and it is therefore a BCU matter.

This raises two points. Where is it written down that it is "deemed to be a Class C International"? It is not noted down anywhere in any calendar as such and Jim could not assist nor point me to anything in writing anywhere. On this basis it sounds more like a view rather than a deemed fact. Secondly, I have a personal invitation directly from the Club via email, not via the BCU, and so it seems, on both counts, this is not something that the BCU needs to involve itself with. Indeed, the organising Club have informed me in writing "You can start without any nomination on European Senior Cup 2009 in Roztoky". I take this, together with the wording on the invitation I also have, as a personal and direct invitation from the organising Club. Unless there is anything else that overrides this conclusion, that about sums it up I reckon. If I am wrong, please advise further with adequate justification in support of any alternative conclusion.

PP

PS - once this is sorted I will get around to working out if I can actually get time to attend!

[TOG]

I'm still enjoying this......