RACE COMMITTEE AGENDA

FOR THE MEETING OF

October 30, 2005

11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Oceanside

 

 

 

 

1.                  Call or Order, Roll Call

2.                  Approval of the Minutes of the previous Race Committee meeting

3.                  SCORA Member Comments Non Agenda Items

 

 

Agenda Items:

Proposal I: change age division breaks to 40 for masters and 50 for senior masters.

Proposal II: require that co-ed teams race in Bradley Canoes (this proposal is suggested in the event that the Bradley Age Group rule is overturned)

Proposal III: to increase the minimum age for Sr Master women’s division to 45

Proposal IV: to change womens master category to 40 and older and senior master to 45 and older

Proposal V:  Change the age criteria of Golden Master Women to fifty (50) and above.

Proposal VI: eliminate sr. master coed division

Proposal VII: add Bradley division to Novice men and women

Proposal VIII: Allow Spec Class Canoes and Bradley Class Canoes to compete equally in all Novice, Coed, Master, Senior Master, and Golden Master race divisions.

Proposal IX: age group divisions can race in any certified canoe (2)

Proposal X: that all canoes racing Catalina Crossing be traditionally rigged

 

 

 

Action Agenda – Consent

The Chair will establish a Consent Agenda.  Any item will be pulled from the Consent Agenda if there is someone wishing to speak to the item.  The balance of items not on Consent will be discussed separately with testimony taken.

Accept submitted bids for races:
Hanohano

Hokuloa

 

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 


I

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

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Proposal:

Change age division breaks to 40 for masters and 50 for senior masters                   

 

Impact to Race Rules:

Makes for a more logical and appropriate grouping of age divisions

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:

More competitive age brackets

 

Intent of Proposal:

Bring SCORA in line with age brackets for the Kona and Molokai races

 

Pros:

Makes more sense to make the master?s age break and 40 since most 35 year old athletes are at the peak of their abilities and are very able to compete in the open division. At 40 the drop off in performance becomes more difficult to compensate. The same is true at 50.

It also allows SCORA clubs to train and compete during our race season in age brackets that they will be able to race in Hawaii rather that break up crews to conform to the age breaks over there.

 

Cons:

None

 

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)

None

 

 

Submitted by:

 

Name

Phil Shockley

Date

10/15/05

Club Affiliation

Hokuloa

Email Address

commserv@cablerocket.com

Phone Number

(805) 732-0187

 

 

Signature

Phil Shockley

 


II

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

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Proposal:

To require that co-ed crews race in Bradley canoes                      

 

Impact to Race Rules:

Rewrite rule 1.3.1 to read: oc6 novice co-ed Bradley, oc6 open co-ed Bradley

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:

     

 

Intent of Proposal:

To give us who have bradleys to have a division to race them in

 

Pros:

All coed teams would be racing with same equipment

 

Cons:

Clubs without bradleys would have to borrow to race coed

 

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)

A registration situation

 

 

Submitted by:

 

Name

Bob Woods

Date

10/29/2005

Club Affiliation

     

Email Address

     

Phone Number

     

 

 

Signature

 

 


III

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

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Proposal:

Paopao Outrigger Canoe Association would like to propose an amendment to the race rules under the Classification of Paddlers.  Our team would like to see the Women’s Senior Masters minimum age increased to 45.

 

Impact to Race Rules:

2.0        Classification of Paddlers

 

2.1               Age Group Divisions

 

2.1.7 Senior Master Women:  Any female paddler who will reach at least her 40th 45th birthday during the calendar year of competition.

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:

None that we recognize!

 

Intent of Proposal:

To increase the minimum age for the Senior Master’s Women’s division to 45 rather than 40! 

 

Pros:

  • Bring the association in line with other racing organizations. 
  • Provide for much more competitive competition.   The vast majority of the Senior Master Women at Paopao do not believe they are capable of having fair competition with someone much younger than themselves.  They believe their bodies have changed in such a way that makes this near impossible.
  • Looking at the demographics provide by SCORA it appears we have several entries in the Women’s Master division and fewer in the Women’s Senior Master’s division.  The change could possibly even out the entries in the two divisions.   Our particular association’s demographics show our team is getting older each year.

 

Cons:

None that we recognize at this time!

 

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)

N/A

 

Submitted by:

 

Name

Michelle Cassel

Date

10/29/2005

Club Affiliation

Paopao Outrigger Canoe Association

Email Address

michelle@coastal-mobilenotary.com

Phone Number

949-292-2652/cell  760-722-3830/home

 


IV

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

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Proposal:To change the women's master category to 40 and older and senior master category to 45 and older.

     

 

Impact to Race Rules: It would be less confusing for paddlers from Hawaii, Northern California and Australia when they participate in SCORA races (Catalina) since the age requirements would be the same as theirs.

     

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:  It supports the mission statement by encouraging participation of women in their 50s who at present do not race because they are not competing with their peers ( at present, paddlers who are 15 years younger).

It would encourage camaraderie and participation among the clubs, by combining crews to race in the respective categories.

     

 

Intent of Proposal: To standardize the women's age categories, more in line with Hawaii, Australia and Northern California.

To acknowledge that as we get older, physiologic changes take place that separate a 35 year old from a 40 year old . For example: maximum heart rate decreases as we age; injury recovery is longer as age increases; may I mention hormonal changes in the 50 plus group? (I won't go there).

     

 

Pros: As our female paddler population ages, it is fair to let them medal in their respective categories because they are not competing with women who are 10 plus years younger.

Paddlers can always elect to race open or Sr. Masters can elect to race Master, if their respective clubs do not have the numbers to have a complete crew.

     

 

Cons: Not all clubs will be able to race Sr. Master if they have younger paddlers.

     

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)

No impact in fiscal, scheduling or management.

 

 

Submitted by: Elizabeth Toro ,  Annette Gilkesen

 

 

Name

     

Date

10/14/2005

Club Affiliation

 SBOCC    

Email Address

 etoromd@cox.net    

Phone Number

805 689-4214     

 

Signature

 


V

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

 

Proposal:  Change the age criteria of Golden Master Women to fifty (50) and above.

 

Impact to Race Rules:  Current age criteria of Golden Master Women is fifty five (55) and above. 

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:  Encourage continued participation of senior women in competitive racing.  This is necessary to be consistent with the changing demography of the general population and the paddling community. 

 

Intent of Proposal:  There is an extremely challenging five year period between fifty and fifty five where we are losing the women who would make up our Golden Master category.  Qualifying our women to participate as Golden Masters at age fifty would bring equality to the stratum of the women’s division.  This equality would ease the transition from Senior Master to Golden Master and thereby increase the retention of our senior women by encouraging them to continue to participate in SCORA events. 

 

Pros:  The current Senior Master division is a fifteen year span.  This stacks the Senior Master division, and weakens to the point of elimination the Golden Master division.  The fifteen year span also creates a Senior Master division that is more competitive than our younger Master division.  Bringing the Senior Master division into a ten year span would give an additional boost to the Golden Master while equalizing the Master and Senior Master age span. 

 

Cons:  None identified.  Affected women between the ages of fifty (50) and fifty five (55) who wished to, could still paddle in the Senior Masters Division, but would also have the opportunity to consider aging gracefully in the Golden Master Division.

 

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)  By strengthening the continuity of the women's division we will extend the life term paddling opportunity for the senior women.  As a result the contributions of those valuable women would increase.  This would be a priceless asset to SCORA.

 

Submitted by:

 

Name

Elaine J Kelly for Bob Bones

Date

10/20/05

Club Affiliation

Makana Ke Kai Outrigger Canoe Club

Email Address

waterbum@adelphia.net

Phone Number

(760) 730-9578


VI

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

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Proposal:

Eliminate sr master co-ed division

 

Impact to Race Rules:

Change rule 1.3.2 

eliminate oc6 senior masters co-ed

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:

Keeps the masters co-ed division more competitive

 

Intent of Proposal:

Not enough masters/sr. masters co-ed to warrant having 2 separate divisions

 

Pros:

Less awards; more competitive better attended masters division

 

Cons:

The “easy” award for some would be eliminated

 

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)

Fewer awards

 

 

Submitted by:

 

Name

Bob Woods

Date

10/29/2005

Club Affiliation

     

Email Address

     

Phone Number

     

 

 

Signature

 

 


VII

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

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Proposal:

Add Bradley division for novice men and women

 

Impact to Race Rules:

Rewrite rule 1.3.1 to read:

Oc6 novice men Bradley

Oc6 novice women Bradley

Oc6 novice men SCORA Spec

Oc6 novice women SCORA Spec

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:

     

 

Intent of Proposal:

To bring back to the novice that was lost when the Mali division was elmininated

 

Pros:

Gives one of our largest groups(?) of padlers more opportunities to compete for awards

 

Cons:

More awards

 

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)

     

 

 

Submitted by:

 

Name

Bob Woods

Date

10/29/2005

Club Affiliation

     

Email Address

     

Phone Number

     

 

 

Signature

 

 


VIII

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

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Proposal:

Allow Spec Class Canoes and Bradley Class Canoes to compete equally in all Novice, Coed, Master, Senior Master, and Golden Master race divisions.

 

Impact to Race Rules:

This would result in clubs having Bradleys and Spec Canoes to be allowed to race them in more divisions.  This would allow clubs that are purchasing new canoes to choose either type of canoe without being penalized by racing rules.  This would allow clubs with no or few open paddlers to be able to use their Spec canoes in races.

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:

This would allow maximum use of canoes and maximum placement of paddlers in all classes without limiting clubs and paddlers due to equipment.

 

Intent of Proposal:

This is intended to allow clubs to use Spec Canoes and Bradley Canoes interchangeably in most racing divisions.

 

Pros:

Clubs can use Canoes that they currently own and Canoes that they purchase in the future broadly.  This continues to allow the most competitive class, Open Men and Women, to compete separately in either the Spec or Bradley Division, yet allows all clubs to use any appropriate canoe in other Divisions.  In 2004, clubs that had Spec Canoes and few open racers were forced to leave their Spec canoes behind during races.

 

Cons:

There may be a speed advantage in certain conditions which is favorable to teams racing in a Spec canoe and unfavorable to teams racing in a Bradley Canoe.

 

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)

None Identified.

 

 

Submitted by:

 

Name

Bob Bones, SCORA Representative (alt)

Date

10/29/2005

Club Affiliation

Makana Ke Kai Outrigger Canoe Club

Email Address

got3cats@cox.net

Phone Number

(760) 519-5798

 

 

Signature

Bob Bones

 


IX

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

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Proposal:

Age group teams can race in any certified canoe

 

Impact to Race Rules:

Change the current rule that mandates all age group divisions must race in Bradley Hull Designs

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:

This change would have a positive impact on the growth of SCORA by giving clubs more flexibility in the decision making process regarding purchasing of equipment and setting of crews

 

Intent of Proposal:

To allow age group division teams to race in their boat type of choice

Pros:

1.Clubs can decide to buy new boats based on quality, price, design and builder not the age of their paddlers which can change unexpectedly.

2. Coaches can make crew decisions based entirely on their available paddlers, not their available equipment.

3.  By reducing the restrictions clubs currently have in the "boat buying decision" clubs will be motivated to buy new boats to update their fleets, thus increasing the "used boat" market for new and/or small clubs.

4. Allow age group division teams to better prepare for races outside of SCORA by racing in hull designs of choice.

Cons:

Age group division teams would not be racing in like boats.

 

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)

SCORA would not have to monitor the type of boat age group division teams are racing

 

 

Submitted by:

 

Name

Suzanne Serafin

Date

10/29/2005

Club Affiliation

Hanohano Outrigger Canoe Club

Email Address

kaiwiserafin@sbcglobal.net

Phone Number

(619)851-5097

 

 

Signature

 


IX.a

Hanohano will be proposing the following rule change:

The current rule mandates that all age group divisions must use Bradleys.

 

Age group divisions may race in any certified canoe.

 

Rationale:

Over the past 6 years KOA/SCORA has had many discussions and voted on rule/division changes that brought caution to clubs about purchasing open spec boats, and in many cases inhibited clubs from purchasing open spec boats, namely the Mirage and Striker. First there were questions about whether the design was legal in the “long boat” division, this was finally decided by dividing the long boat division into Bradley and Open Spec. Next, there was the promise of a new Tahitian boat that was going to be even faster than the Mirage and Striker, coaches waited almost a year for this boat and it never worked out. Finally two years ago SCORA voted in a rule that mandated all teams entering an adult age group division must race in a Bradley hull.  This rule was proposed to give these divisions “fair racing”, but an equally significant result was that it limited the use therefore the need for open spec boats. There is no doubt in my mind that all of these examples were conceived in the best interest of SCORA, it’s member clubs and the paddlers.

 

I believe that the rule requiring all adult age group division to race in Bradley hulls is having at least two negative effects on the growth of our association and our sport.

 

1. Clubs are in a no win situation regarding the purchase of a new boat.

The new Bradley canoes that have come out in the last two years have been described by purchasing clubs as substandard. Three clubs that bought new Bradley hulls as a direct result of the rule were disappointed with the quality of the boat. They all agree that they would not buy another one. Some of the complaints are: the boats are 80 pounds light, have a “noodle effect when shaken, have sharp gunnels, and the gunnels are pinched at the front and back. These clubs do not feel that buying a new Bradley is a good investment for the future of their club.

 

The current rules allow only one division to use open spec boats.  So, if a club buys a new open spec boat, they might be leaving it at the practice site on race day and taking the old boats to races. This brings into question the purpose for buying a new boat in the first place, If you can’t race it, it might not be a good investment.

 

If the member clubs aren’t buying new equipment, the Association isn’t growing at a satisfactory rate

 

2. There are no used boats on the market for smaller clubs that want to grow. At this time several clubs won’t even sell their Malia hulls, because they need them for practice and aren’t willing to buy new boats for the above-mentioned reasons.

 

 

Some other considerations:

•This rule puts coaches in the position of setting teams based on available equipment instead of best possible scenarios for paddlers.

•This rule doesn’t allow adult age groups to prepare for races outside of SCORA while racing in their divisions at the same time.


X

2005 Proposal for Race Rule Change

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Proposal:

That all canoes racing the Catalina Crossing be traditionally rigged.

 

Impact to Race Rules:

 

Impact on SCORA Mission/Vision/Goals:

consistent with SCORA goals of preserving tradition.

 

Intent of Proposal:

practice, training,  and trial and error for crews planning to race the Moloka'i Hoe where trad. rigging is required.  some crews/crews deliberately avoid rigging for expediency.  some tradition is lost. some non quantifiable "soul" is too.  (NAC sprint race with club supplied canoes: metal iakos and snap lashes were the source of the only mechanical failure I had this year).

 

Pros: levels playing field slightly.... all boats have equal chance of having problems with wooden iakos and rope rigging. 

 

Cons:

Expediency

 

Other Impacts: (fiscal, scheduling, overhead, management, time, etc.)

 

 

Submitted by:

 

 

Daniel Kowalski

 

Makana ke kai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proposal I: change age division breaks to 40 for masters and 50 for senior masters.

Proposal III: to increase the minimum age for Sr Master women’s division to 45

Proposal IV: to change womens master category to 40 and older and senior master to 45 and older

Proposal V:  Change the age criteria of Golden Master Women to fifty (50) and above.

 

Each proposal was reviewed on its own merit and should be voted upon as 4 separate proposals. The committee came to the same conclusions and recommendation for each- so we pulled them all together for purposes of consolidation.

Pro

Con

Aligns with other association age grouping

Increases Open and decreases age group participants

Eliminates “youth” from infiltrating older age group brackets. Racing closer with like ages.

Numbers show that participation in age groups would drop significantly if we raised the ages at this time.

 

 

Recommendation: Based on the collected data available to us at this time, we do not feel that the associations’ demographics warrant making any changes to the age group divisions. We do not recommend amending our race rules or accepting any of the proposals as stated. We recognize the associations concerns, and will continue to review this proposal yearly.

 

 

Proposal II: require that co-ed teams race in Bradley Canoes (this proposal is suggested in the event that the Brady Age Group rule is overturned)

The author of this proposal was present and agreed to amend his proposal to read:

require that co-ed, and 19 and under teams race in Bradley Canoes (this proposal is suggested in the event that the Bradley Age Group rule is overturned)

 

Pro

Con

Keeps Bradley canoes racing during the inevitable “phasing out” process

Limits number of crews due to equipment

Maintains fair (like) racing in the division

 

 

 

Recommendation: we recommend adopting this proposal on its own merit.

 

 

Proposal VI: eliminate sr. master coed division

 

Pro

Con

 

 

Recommendation: we found no data to support keeping this division. We recommend passing this proposal and eliminating the division.

 

Proposal VII: add Bradley division to Novice men and women

 

Pro

Con

Allows for add’l awards in one of the largest paddling divisions, therby

More awards

Encouraging continued interest in the sport from new recruits

 

Recommendation: we recommend passing this proposal on a one year trial basis.

 

Proposal VIII: Allow Spec Class Canoes and Bradley Class Canoes to compete equally in all Novice, Coed, Master, Senior Master, and Golden Master race divisions.

Proposal IX: age group divisions can race in any certified canoe (2)

 

Discussion on the 2 proposals eventually determined that they are stating the same thing:

Currently we already allow for Spec and Bradleys to compete equally in Coed and Novice divisions. Therefore proposal VIII is asking the same thing that IX is asking- “to eliminate the restriction of canoe type in age groups: master, sr masters and golden masters divisions”.

Neither author was present, both were contacted via cell, and the outcome is that author of Proposal VIII agreed to amend his proposal to read::

Proposal VIII: Remove the canoe restriction from the Masters Division only

Pro

Con

Allows more freedom for management of equipment within clubs

Eliminates fair racing- like vs like is gone

Allows start-up clubs an affordable purchase of Bradley canoes

Devalues the Bradley canoe

Aligns with other associations

 

Recommendation: we recommend passing the proposal as amended.

 

 

Proposal IX: age group divisions can race in any certified canoe (2)

Recommendation: we do not recommend this proposal for reasons stated above

 

 

Proposal X: that all canoes racing Catalina Crossing be traditionally rigged

Pro

Con

Aligns us with Molokai rules

What is traditional rigging?

Keeps tradition alive

How can we enforce or police it?

Recommendation: we do not recommend this proposal.

 

In addition to the proposals, we discussed the 2 submitted bids from Hanohano and Hokuloa, we agreed that their races are on the calendar for 2006. We also framed the month of August adjusting to the SD Collaborative’s race withdrawal. Therefore the Paopao 9-man race is scheduled on the 19th. Leaving available weekends fore and aft that date. If a club chooses to bid a race for either of the open dates (August 12th or 26th) they may still submit a request to the RC prior to the December Annual Meeting.

 

We recognize the request from Carol to train add’l officials in use of the defibrillator that SCORA has acquired, currently Billy, Leslie Crandell and myself are trained to use it.

 

Race committee present: cheance, billy, bud, bobby, jeannette, leslie, john

Non race committee attendees: jill schooler, mike roberts, cathy weinberg, art buelter

Called to order at 11:00 am~ adjourned at 2:00pm