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Post by sculler1 on Aug 11, 2010 13:19:25 GMT
It seems (me being the same) that in thought the 2 champs was a good idea but in practice it is HORRIBLE!!! Trying to get your ass up and train after already rowing the July champs is just tough!!! MY head is not in it at all like others I am beginning to hate the sport!!! I have a feeling in the next AGM the vote will be reversed! Everybody I talk to is NOT happy with it...! I feel the exact same but i still think the old system of july champs was not working. I agree with mhughes and his mid august champs that gives us juniors and students three weeks to take holidays. Im all for change but i think 12 months of training just is not feasible. I believe in 2008 there was a senior and junior champs (not to sure on the year). What was wrong with that ?
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Post by Oldreliable on Aug 11, 2010 16:17:00 GMT
Sculler 1 - I was a junior when the Junior and Senior Championships were seperate events and I thought there was nothing wrong with it. In fact before that there was no such thing as a non-championship event at the National Championships.
I think it was 1993 that all Junior races were moved to Portora and a seperate Junior Championship was set up and included the running of non-championship events. Over the years with the creation of the NRC the two Championships have been reuntied and have brought with them the non-championship events. On the subject of seperating the junior and the senior championships you could be opening up a whole new can of worms.
I mentioned it on another discussion about a year ago and I got a response that it's not fair on the juniors to be seperated from the seniors, because having them involved with the senior championships is inspiring them to keep going on to row in the senior ranks. Not that it is the sole reason why the Championships are together but that explanation was a load of bull if you ask me. I never raced with the seniors and it didn't stop me and others from going on and winning Inter and Senior Championships.
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Post by chromehearts on Aug 13, 2010 17:40:31 GMT
Personally I don't have a problem with a September championships. It will encourage people to train when they would otherwise to nothing. I'm sure for some it may be a difficult thing to do, but no one said rowing was an was easy sport. What I am sure will happen, is that the people who train as normal through August and September will be in a better condition at the start of the season allowing for a good winter training cycle. The people who finish after July will face a very bleak future in terms of future successes as the bar will be raised. However if people want one rowing championships, I think it would be better for the athletes to keep it out in September, for the reasons above, but also it would allow those involved with international rowing to row for there respective clubs.
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Post by strokeside on Aug 13, 2010 21:22:14 GMT
The situation prevailing up to 2009 was essentially that you rowed until the championships in July and then either took a break or did a bit of cycling, hillwalking or whatever takes your fancy. In Sept it was back to the grind with junior 18's getting ready for trials. In that environment we had a horrific fall off between Junior and intermediate. My fear is that if you now tell the juniors that they are essentially training all year round, there will be fewer progressing to the senior grades.
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Post by chromehearts on Aug 14, 2010 14:51:45 GMT
The fall off of juniors is a problem. I wonder if the new intermediate category's have kept more in the sport? Or are people just choosing to race Inter I regardless of ability? Maybe that would help the situation perhaps.
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Post by waughboy on Aug 14, 2010 15:46:08 GMT
The inter II grade was a complete flop in my opinion, it did nothing for the sport really i dont even really recall seeing it this year.
People deserve a break especially in rowing, its very strenuous in fairness a few weeks off to relax have a few beers without worrying about dying of a hangover for the next mornings paddle over the summer was laways something we looked forward to.
Theres one massive pro i can see with it, the improvement of our athletes and as such our international performances will improve. I'm simply going by the logic if you train more you get better(duh). One big negative i can see is people being repelled by the sport because never having a break is pretty unattractive. I could of course be wrong but dont think im too far off with that one. Sooooo...I can see it improving our athletes performances but not growing the sport and even lessening it. A double edged sword it would seem.
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Post by strokeside on Aug 14, 2010 23:00:34 GMT
Waughboy, you may a very important point. The extended season may benefit those that will go on to wear green but at what cost to the average Jane or Joe who are the backbone of our domestic season. Should we allow that benefit to outweigh the "potential" damage that the extended season does to club rowers ? After all, if they are in the HP system they will not be rowing domestically anyway.
Regarding Inter II, it was starting to take hold last year but as it is not included in the Grand League it has dwindled this year. Interestingly Junior 18B has flourished since it was included in the GL.
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Post by chromehearts on Aug 15, 2010 14:58:28 GMT
At the heart of it, all that really ever matters is the continuous turnover, development and success of every rower. Those who would be ''repelled'' by the reality of having no break would need to question there dedication to the sport. The event in question is a Championships, so the event should be attracting a certain caliber of rower. A break of 10 days post sweep championships should be more than enough for anyone wanting to contribute constructively to the sport. All the average ''jane or joe'' need to do is increase there standards and raise the bar. Currently it is set too low domestically. Challenging yes, but is that not why we row? ************** IT would appear the board has been locked. SO to the person below me who doesnt agree with my views I have a few things to say As long as there a people willing to train hard, thats all that matters. The rest, do not exist, they dont win .Do you think I'm interested in you opinion? no. Do I think you will ever contribute significantly to the sport no. All I care about and anyone should care about is two things. First of all winning, and secondly what direction our sport takes. If you arn't mentally tough enough to train 12 months of the year with a few days rest now and then, that makes it all the easier for to be beaten by others. Its your decision. Next time you are 2 lenghts down at the finish, and consider yourself hard done by, the peope ahead of you are tougher and heve done more training. This is what is going to happen in the current set up. There are people in the middle of a full training cycle around the country right now, do you hear them whinging? Theres not many of them true, but not many people win. These are the people that will win. Ova and out
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Post by imkindablonde on Aug 15, 2010 22:19:59 GMT
Chromehearts... How can you have any turnover and development if the people who have the ability dont shine because after their first year rowing they HATE the sport because it took over their life and was a 12 month sport with NO breaks. A 10 day break after the July champs may be enough for people who have no other lives barr rowing...But people who row for the love of the sport and the fun and the wanting to be part of something that they can do to which ever level they wish then it is no good! Yes, the domestic standard is lower than our neighbours but I dont think forcing people to row 12 months will improve it...! Your theory will make both the sweep champs and sculling champs possible to run in 1 day each due to low entries!!! England have a higher level of domestic rowing because they have a much larger membership base...The more people the higher the standard will be! Force the base of irish rowing out and you have....The high performance squad and that is it!!! I dont know about any other club but the amount people training from our club for the sept champs is dismal and feels like there is nobody around...! The river seems empty and the atmosphere is terrible! People are NOT happy with the reality of the 2 champs! Also if Im not mistaken the majority of the people who just won medals and competed in all the international events have gotten where they are by following the "old system" of 1 champs and training the 10/11 months of the year! This is what made them shine brighter than the rest and thus got them to their current programme of possibly 12 months per year! But how do your propose to find these gems if you have nobody willing to row? If you want to up the anti in domestic rowing then you need to either let the HP squad race or have some pre-qualifiers for champs or something...dont just dismiss the people who "repell the reality of having no break"! In 2002 they had the junior/novice and senior/inter champs...they were only a month apart or something and was much better...! But here is a question...Why/how can Gb run their champs in 1 champs with a MUCH larger entry and Ireland cant? ?
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