Select to expand quoteSHQ said..
I heard theres a good Wavesailor that cooks a mean spit roast ?will he be there again ?
No windsurf racing events at all? 
No GPS Racing?
Or is that in but just not listed?
Well given the history, the location and the fact that there's no Speed Fortnight anymore, no windsurf racing at all would be a regressive step for Cup Weekend - don't you think felas?
Select to expand quoteBonominator said..
Well given the history, the location and the fact that there's no Speed Fortnight anymore, no windsurf racing at all would be a regressive step for Cup Weekend - don't you think felas?
Looks like they are trying to do things a bit different this year. Usually there are lots of people around but the races are not that well supported anyway so maybe a change in format is opposite to regressive if more get involved, and I wouldn't mind one of the experts to help me out with my heli's. Though I still like the idea of racing if conditions suit...
Sure if more people come that's a good thing, but why not do both? Windsurf racing in Vic is already seriously hopeless and this is potentially just another nail in that coffin. Look what they have in WA or NSW. Formula, Slalom, marathon, wave and GPS events. Well run. Fun. Obviously SHQ can't do this alone, but they can help stop the bleed while the state windsurfing body is so useless.
www.windsurfingnsw.com/
Select to expand quoteOld Salty said..
Hey Ado what was the racing scene like in the past in Vic
Not great, but it seems to be contracting over the years. In NSW, they've had a well run formula/slalom series for 14 years and now have a state GPS Freerace series. Rather than contract, NSW is developing and improving their organisation and events. Inverloch WC do a great job with grass roots events and fostering young sailors and families.
I'm heading to Sanctuary Point, NSW in November for the state slalom/GPS champs. Great events. Great people. Like windsurfing events used to be.
Not great because
Not enough racers
Not enough events
Poor organisation
Lack of organisers
Poor event location
Select to expand quoteOld Salty said..
Not great because
Not enough racers
Not enough events
Poor organisation
Lack of organisers
Poor event location
For sure Doug. It's all those things although I think you'll find if we got the last four things roughly right, the racers would come out of the woodwork and grow naturally in fleet size. That's why NSW gets it right. I'm heading to NSW to race and socialise. If VIC had a great events series, perhaps people from NSW would do the same just for fun and the social. Who knows? That's what the Sandy Point Speed Fortnight used to do. in 2009 we had over 40 competitors from memory, about half from interstate.
If we don't run many events, people lose interest and get race-soft and drift away from the sport. I bumped into a sailor I hadn't met before at my home beach Balnarring yesterday. We struck up a great conversation and I started to talk about all the cool stuff I like to do, including speed sailing and a bit of racing and a bit of travelling. He had formula gear which suited him and the predominantly light winds. We all need to get people like that excited about racing again.
In the meantime, I'm travelling to NSW and QLD to feel the love.
Select to expand quoteBonominator said..
Old Salty said..
Not great because
Not enough racers
Not enough events
Poor organisation
Lack of organisers
Poor event location
For sure Doug. It's all those things although I think you'll find if we got the last four things roughly right, the racers would come out of the woodwork and grow naturally in fleet size. That's why NSW gets it right. I'm heading to NSW to race and socialise. If VIC had a great events series, perhaps people from NSW would do the same just for fun and the social. Who knows? That's what the Sandy Point Speed Fortnight used to do. in 2009 we had over 40 competitors from memory, about half from interstate.
If we don't run many events, people lose interest and get race-soft and drift away from the sport. I bumped into a sailor I hadn't met before at my home beach Balnarring yesterday. We struck up a great conversation and I started to talk about all the cool stuff I like to do, including speed sailing and a bit of racing and a bit of travelling. He had formula gear which suited him and the predominantly light winds. We all need to get people like that excited about racing again.
In the meantime, I'm travelling to NSW and QLD to feel the love.
I have attended and and participated in every single SHQ event since it started (late 80's?)
The average sailor quickly loses interest in most types of formal racing/competition unless there is a strong social interest and the competitions are structured to cater for those who are not highly dedicated and committed racers with all the latest gear. I think this principle applies to SUP, Freestyle and Wave sailing as much as slalom and course racing!
If you can organise events well where the emphasis is on getting together and having fun and cater to those who are not elite sailors with stuff that is challenging but not too confronting, and still cater for the elite racers/competitors, you will make a big start. In the past, the SHQ events have done a good job of finding that balance. It still appears to be the aim. It is disappointing that a way cannot be found to engage people more in the slalom/racing side as well.
Select to expand quotered said..ginger pom said...
The state body could probably do with motivated volunteers such as yourself Mr Minator.....
Could you list the events for the flat water/race/gps events for this season so i can see what i could volunteer or at least attend?
So you want everyone else to do the work, just so you might volunteer or attend ?
Right. Thanks for clearing up the confusion.
[ Note that I am equally motivated. ]
Select to expand quoteBonominator said..Old Salty said..
Hey Ado what was the racing scene like in the past in Vic
Not great, but it seems to be contracting over the years. In NSW, they've had a well run formula/slalom series for 14 years and now have a state GPS Freerace series. Rather than contract, NSW is developing and improving their organisation and events. Inverloch WC do a great job with grass roots events and fostering young sailors and families.
I'm heading to Sanctuary Point, NSW in November for the state slalom/GPS champs. Great events. Great people. Like windsurfing events used to be.
You could always just choose to organise an event in your own state... that way the locals benefit !
Or should we wait for someone else to organise it?
Select to expand quotemathew said...red said..ginger pom said...
The state body could probably do with motivated volunteers such as yourself Mr Minator.....
Could you list the events for the flat water/race/gps events for this season so i can see what i could volunteer or at least attend?
So you want everyone else to do the work, just so you might volunteer or attend ?
Right. Thanks for clearing up the confusion.
[ Note that I am equally motivated. ]
Matt...it was a subtle dig at the complete lack of events being run by windsurfing melbourne ... sorry windsurfing Victoria. Plus being a shift worker it is difficult to commit to events due to uncertainty in my roster. ..
SHQ always a great social at the spit roast.
Caravan Park booked, two sites this year !
Plan is to take everything and have fun
Select to expand quoteJoffa3187 said..
SHQ always a great social at the spit roast.
Caravan Park booked, two sites this year !
Plan is to take everything and have fun
Quite right. That is my plan too!
We are going with kids. its a great fun weekend we have 3 girls and 1 boy all under 9 looking forward to the sup class. We have heaps of sups and shq have heaps come sup with us or if you are up to it come teach the kids to sail. see ya on the water or up on the sand dune
Select to expand quotered said..mathew said...
So you want everyone else to do the work, just so you might volunteer or attend ?
Right. Thanks for clearing up the confusion.
[ Note that I am equally motivated. ]
Matt...it was a subtle dig at the complete lack of events being run by windsurfing melbourne ... sorry windsurfing Victoria. Plus being a shift worker it is difficult to commit to events due to uncertainty in my roster. ..
Yep - I figured that [ I have a lot of respect for your blood'n'guts job ].
The main point was, it is the same people running the existing events, over multiple years. At some point, these volunteers will no longer volunteer -> others need to take over the workload.
... and getting back on-thread... SHQ do an excellent job of the Melbourne Cup weekend festivities -> the BBQ is the only thing they can guarantee to go off as planned, as everything else is weather-dependent.
Bloody hell a lot of hot air there 
need a cool change after reading all that whinging and whining glad I was just there cooking and having a good pow wow with the boys ????fwd to serious fun tomorrow in the waves coming Doug ?
Sadly off the water despite mouth watering Easterlys and a new puppy to try out. Wife home after two weeks away. Need some quality time with her to catch up. Eveybody enjoy
