Sydney Bodyboarders comp rorting

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I was competing at and also there for the entire day and i couldnt not notice the blatant rorting of heats by some judges.

I am not going to mention which heats/ divisions, but it was way more than one.

I think the club needs to be a bit more serious regarding the judging side. It is way too easy to jump on judging duties during your mates heats and float them through to the finals, no matter what the other competitors do.

You may think that its not a serious event and its no big deal, but it is to some people. If they are constantly getting knocked out in their first heat due to dodgy judging when they know they shouldnt have, how do you think that makes them feel?? It frustrates the hell out of me.

Anyway, enough of my rant. I am interested to hear other peoples opinions on this topic...

[marcus]

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its nothing new, i used to whinge about the judging in cronulla bodyboard club 20 years ago, was exactly the same situation.
but i wouldnt do spinners.
ended up bailing because the island would be pumping when these meaningless competions were being held at some crappy beach break.

[link]

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its nothing new, i used to whinge about the judging in cronulla bodyboard club 20 years ago, was exactly the same situation.
but i wouldnt do spinners.
ended up bailing because the island would be pumping when these meaningless competions were being held at some crappy beach break.

Yea i know its not new, which sucks as it has been going on for a while, im just trying to maybe raise a bit of awareness so everyone has a fair chance.
Good point regarding freesurfing.

[jay spence]

Was that contest on today? I was thinking of entering but accidentially got grinding slabs at somewhere else today. Wish I could remember where it was.

[rex]

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its nothing new, i used to whinge about the judging in cronulla bodyboard club 20 years ago, was exactly the same situation.
but i wouldnt do spinners.
ended up bailing because the island would be pumping when these meaningless competions were being held at some crappy beach break.

As if comps are meaningless! Competing is the best/fastest way to progress.

[marcus]

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its nothing new, i used to whinge about the judging in cronulla bodyboard club 20 years ago, was exactly the same situation.
but i wouldnt do spinners.
ended up bailing because the island would be pumping when these meaningless competions were being held at some crappy beach break.

As if comps are meaningless! Competing is the best/fastest way to progress.

your kidding me right?
competitions dont mean shit.

so i would have "progressed" faster and better surfing the crappy crumbly rippy beach breaks of cronulla than surfing shark island?

are you one of those kids that likes to discuss whether they crossed theyre flippers on that last spin?

my brother and i were laughing about that while bodyboarding a reef in cronulla recently. on a rare day now for him to be on a bodyboard, he got pitted then paddled back out and said " did i cross my flippers on that one?" we both just cracked up laughing.
we were laughing at how as booger kids people took such stuff so seriously.

[we_like_to_boogie]

style is a big thing in the sport. its a major thing in ever sport, i think they sum it up perfectly in dogtown and z boys doco.


"going big only worked as long as you looked good doing it."
"style was the most important thing"
"style was everything"

"....if you had a bad style; right there you had one mark against you, cause you got to look at it, you got to watch someone, they were skating with a funky style, they were stinking up the area, after while you cant watch them cause the guy smells."



you are right tho they do need to look at the way they judge comps, not just local ones but international as well. maybe a system that rewards for going big and making it look good too.

thats my couple of cents

[rex]

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its nothing new, i used to whinge about the judging in cronulla bodyboard club 20 years ago, was exactly the same situation.
but i wouldnt do spinners.
ended up bailing because the island would be pumping when these meaningless competions were being held at some crappy beach break.

As if comps are meaningless! Competing is the best/fastest way to progress.

your kidding me right?
competitions dont mean shit.

so i would have "progressed" faster and better surfing the crappy crumbly rippy beach breaks of cronulla than surfing shark island?

are you one of those kids that likes to discuss whether they crossed theyre flippers on that last spin?

my brother and i were laughing about that while bodyboarding a reef in cronulla recently. on a rare day now for him to be on a bodyboard, he got pitted then paddled back out and said " did i cross my flippers on that one?" we both just cracked up laughing.
we were laughing at how as booger kids people took such stuff so seriously.

No i'm not kidding! You would of progressed faster while competing because you learn how to spin and roll faster than if your free surfing, those two maneuvers are the building blocks to any bodyboard move (ie roll + spin =ARS),

I bet you came last in your first comp and then blamed the judges instead of you inability to spin, and instead of soldering on you took the easy way out and quit.

theres a lesson in this kids doent chuck a marcus and quit! Keep at it and you'll be a comp machine

watch these, the first is ben player that crosses his legs and the second is sean virtue who doesnt cross his legs. then tell me that crossed legs arnt stylish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxAaqf7hOlk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPZ52VMnFM0

[Nicko]

I help run the comps. We're working on the judging but this is an amateur club - we can't be everywhere at once. We need each individual member to do their bit and SPEAK UP if you think there's an issue with any areas of the comp.

We have someone committed to watching the judging to try to ensure there's no funny business going on. Hell, we're even paying them to do it. Regardless there's always going to be (a) someone who rorts the system and (b) someone who thinks they're being ripped off. If you don't like it, don't winge about it. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. We have a committee meeting tonight and I'll raise the issue again, or better still others who have a problem could come along and donate some of their own time to make things better.

As for the comps vs. freesurf debate, I don't really want to get into it too much. I will say this though: I can name Dave Winchester, Max Arent, Chris James, Nick Perry and Ewan Donnachie for a few, all who were members of our club before they got noticed. Comps have got to do something for you. For me they have pushed me to learn to use the wave more (and yes to try to spin better) as well as working to make better moves on more critical parts of the wave - which is what will get you through heats. I started doing comps later in life and have enjoyed the team atmosphere as well as the feeling that I think I'm getting better by doing them.

As for the argument that "comps are only run in small surf. I can get barrelled somewhere else" on the day - comps have to have structure to work and it's only on one day a month. It's not like you're missing the best day of every swell. And we can't switch it depending on swell due to organisational, insurance and council issues. If someone would like to donate $20K then maybe we'd have some resources to hold it at reef breaks and wait for swells but right now we don't so you just deal with what you get.

If anyone wants to talk further about the judging issues or any specific complaints about particular people or areas just PM me - I'd rather take it off air. We're all doing this to advance our sport and I think both comp and freesurfers should appreciate that we're trying to put something back into the sport we take so much out of.

I'll leave you with a final question: What have YOU done lately to help the sport grow?

Cheers

Nick

[spongeInside]

No i'm not kidding! You would of progressed faster while competing because you learn how to spin and roll faster than if your free surfing, those two maneuvers are the building blocks to any bodyboard move (ie roll + spin =ARS),

I bet you came last in your first comp and then blamed the judges instead of you inability to spin, and instead of soldering on you took the easy way out and quit.

theres a lesson in this kids doent chuck a marcus and quit! Keep at it and you'll be a comp machine

watch these, the first is ben player that crosses his legs and the second is sean virtue who doesnt cross his legs. then tell me that crossed legs arnt stylish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxAaqf7hOlk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPZ52VMnFM0

jeeeebus... can we stop the crap about crossing legs? It's hard enough to get respect on a booger as it is without all these 'crossing legs' is style threads.. seriously who gives a shit. Being functional and fluid in your movements, using the right parts of the wave to generate speed, and choosing the right moves for the right parts of the wave is style.. Do you seriously think guys like MS, etc sit on the beach before a surf and chant to themselves "must cross legs during spinners... must cross..etc"?? Anyway, throwing spinner after spinner is just comp grovelling, not a representation of style... give most people a lid and after a week at most they'll be pulling spinners and rolls too (yes, even with their legs crossed!).

[wheresgibbsy]

Style is cool. Stinky style sucks. too many manouevres is goofy looking, but not quite as bad as a failed backflip(flop?) on a tiny mushy section. Stop it kiddies! its embarrassing.
Compete all you want, but don't be unstyley to do so. It will cost you your soul and your ability. Dont be attached to the results. Surf smooth no matter what.

[marcus]

I'll leave you with a final question: What have YOU done lately to help the sport grow?

Cheers

Nick

not much
i couldn't give a stuff if the "sport" didn't exist tomorrow. I'm just in it for me and my waves. over being labelled a bodyboarder or any sort of boarder.
I ride waves for fun, that's it.
I don't need anyone to sell me a lifestyle.

Many of my friends try to make a living out of riding waves and take it seriously, that's nice for them and they're prerogative.

but good luck to you, its obviously something you care about, I'm sure many kids have you to thank for your efforts.

[Nicko]

but Marcus, what would you ride without an industry? There would be no boards and no equipment. You'd be back to bodysurfing which is fun but it hardly gets you slotted at the Island, does it? You're obviously involved in the community to some extent - you're here aren't you? Therefore from my perspective if you're gaining some satisfaction and enjoyment of something it's good to put something back in. I spent years having no involvment in anything and I think I was a little selfish about it in some ways, so I decided to get involved. It's up to you how you spend your time.

[marcus]

I bet you came last in your first comp and then blamed the judges instead of you inability to spin, and instead of soldering on you took the easy way out and quit.

theres a lesson in this kids doent chuck a marcus and quit! Keep at it and you'll be a comp machine

nope didnt come last in first comp then quit, actually stuck around for about 8 or so years

comp machine?
god that brings back repugnant memories of a bz add in underground tapes 1.
spin to win kiddies

i should appologise and end my public display of distaste for competitions here, i wouldnt want it to ruin someones fun.

but for god sake please dont take it too seriously

[chiebee]

bloody legend marcus
every word is true

[offshore]

Why do they even bother having bellybeggar comps?

Every ride looks the same. A few silly spins, and the occasional "drop knee".

Drop Knee is the lamest thing in the surf other than goat boats. It resembles a heavily disabled person trying to get out of their wheelchair at a faith healing expo.

[rex]

Why do they even bother having bellybeggar comps?

Every ride looks the same. A few silly spins, and the occasional "drop knee".

Drop Knee is the lamest thing in the surf other than goat boats. It resembles a heavily disabled person trying to get out of their wheelchair at a faith healing expo.

I'd rather spin than do cutbacks every wave

[Partypooper]

i must agree with Marcus here in the fact that it all should be fun....if u lose, tough luck. you should ask yourself, was it fun. maybe try harder next time, or different things like spins or crossing your legs.....whatever goes for u

in the end....fun, i don't like it when ppl go off at you for the most small things and im sure you don't either.