World championships slalom conditions

[Splasheye]

I imagine they’re going nuts on BallOfRunning or whatever the runners go nuts on.....

 

Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich won the women's marathon at the World Championships as 28 of the 68 starters withdrew in gruelling conditions in Doha.

 

In a race that started at midnight local time, Briton Charlotte Purdue was among the athletes to pull out in temperatures of 32C (90F) and with humidity reaching over 70%.

 

Organisers decided to go ahead with the event in its scheduled slot despite fears that the conditions might not be conducive for marathon running.

[Drago]

@Splasheye Yes, that too. Elite marathon runners were literally sitting around. The start was moved to midnight-ish

[eleeski]

I feel bad for the collegiate skiers in the Western Regionals. Are they snow skiing or waterskiing? The weather channel forecast looks bad for them. Unusual weather conditions (at a usually reliable site) for sure.

 

The kid from Alaska has an unfair advantage - unless his time in Arizona has spoiled him. Good luck to all the skiers.

 

Athletic competition always has variables. The best athletes prevail.

 

Eric

[thager]

Unlikely to get hurt from random cold waves though!

[eleeski]

Floating ice can be very dangerous.

 

We need an indoor venue!

[Drago]

Heat stroke is dangerous.

I don't think that kid's been in Alaska for years

[sunperch]

Would this be an appropriate time to insert a global warming joke?? Especially since we are talking about CA :p

[eleeski]

World Championships in cycling, 46 finished out of 197 starters of the best professional cyclists. Wow, that's adversity. Cold, rainy with a shortened course and TV coverage limited by the weather. A huge event with major problems - but nobody is really complaining. The day's best rider won.

 

I haven't directly heard from any one at the Collegiate Western Regionals but they are doing valiantly. The Alaskan kid figured out the conditions. Congratulations Carter! @AKShortline has to be proud!

 

Eric

[DanE]

@eleeski Did the cyclists have to race on a dirt or gravel road along with rally cars having a race at the same time?

That would be an adversity what you're talking about is only weather, why would they complain about that?

[eleeski]

When 3/4 of the field of cycling professionals (including abandons from grand tour winners who are individually getting paid more than all professional waterskiers combined) crash out or abandon a race, it's adverse. When bicycles are kicking up a wake in water so deep the Weather Channel would say "turn around, don't drown" (with crashes directly attributed to the flood waters) it's more than just weather.

 

I'm just pointing out that meaningful competition can go on in less than perfect conditions. Even World Championships where huge money is at stake.

 

Perhaps we were too critical of Malaysia's efforts.

 

Eric

[DanE]

So to whom would the athletes complain about the weather? Yes it's still only weather totally beyond the organizers control.

[Jody_Seal]

I had a conversation with Regina yesterday and we talked about the conditions at the recent world championships. Her contention was that the world championships are a showcase world event for our sport and that every athlete involved should have the playing field set for all athletes to compete in conditions that produce world class performances and in conditions that were not conducive for injury.

 

 

I watched the event on live webcast. Keep in mind I have also been to that site. It truly is not a waterski site that is conducive to produce Performances on a safe playing field.

 

Hopefully the iwwf leadership is listening to the athletes and will stand firm with the resolution that they made in their meeting to make changes to provide for a world championship venue where high level competition in a safe environment will be maintained.

[Drago]

@DanE : maybe they shouldn't have worlds in Northern England where it rains pretty much every day?

Maybe they shouldn't have track and field worlds in Qatar where it is rarely below 100 degrees?

On the other hand, the crowds are lining the streets at cycling words for hundreds of miles.

Qatar has about 3,000 in a stadium built for 80,000 and the only athletes in Qatar are purchased from Kenya and Ethiopia.

So would waterskiing accept the rough conditions if there was a huge crowd, or do they just want perfect conditions, as it seems no location has both?

[vtmecheng]

@Drago I think the skiers would be much more accepting of less than great conditions IF the crowds were there. From talking with a few pros, the conditions sucked and there were few fans present. That isn't good for the skiers or the sport.

[Drago]

@vtmecheng -- that's my general opinion, too, but I'm OldSchool. We used drive around in circles before a set to prepare for tour weekends (usually just Friday for me :)

[eleeski]

IWWF tried to tap a new market. Not every effort will be successful. The outreach is more prone to failure with the outrage about the conditions that was posted here. (Didn't the Worlds in France suffer adverse conditions as well?) At least they tried.

 

All tournaments must be in Bakersfield!??

 

Eric

[DanE]

@Drago I agree the waterski worlds could very well be held at not so perfect sites if there is a crowd and some exposure.

Somehow they managed to run the last two worlds in crappy conditions with only the skiers onsite as audience.

Seems pointless to me.

[JackQ]

Eleeski, IWSF tried to tap a new market, in Malaysia! Really, in a country with a average annual income that just recent broke 5K/year.

 

IWSF selected Malaysia for the same reason FIFA selected Quatar for the next world cup, that got paid and will not release the amount of payment nor who received portions of it.

 

I have been to Quatar and Mayaysia and neither are appropriate for the events selected. I don't think you can compare having, less than ideal conditions in Paris with good attendance and marketing with holding the World's in a third world county with essentially no local attendance. Doesn't mean they did not try to put on a good even, just not an appropriate venue.

[Andre]

If IWWF wanted to go to Asia for the worlds,south Corea would have been way better as the sport is really picking up there.Those new skiers have money and would have showed up to the competiton too.Couples of years ago,Coreans were buying so much skis on SIA that it looked like fraud at first.Joel Howley is there often for coaching and not sure if Marcus Brown went there also.

[AKShortline]

@Drago Actually yes Carter has skied way more in Alaska than elsewhere. Just started at ASU and won the frigid Regionals! Thanks @eleeski .