Australian Womens Championship

Discussions, newsletters about matters relating to women in trials.

Moderator: Moderators

kristie
Junior participant
Junior participant
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2007 7:03 pm
Bike: scorpa
Club: pacific park
Location: PENRITH

Australian Womens Championship

Postby kristie » Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:59 pm

Firstly, congratulations to Michelle, Brooke, Felicity and Ina for a great weekend of riding and to the Trials Club of Vic for putting on a top event.
Next I would like to get everyone talking about the womens class, why is it that we can get 17 women at the sherco womens cup early this year and only 7 at the Australian titles?? Where did every body go? Or is there something we can do now to improve entry numbers for the 2009 Aussie Titles?



User avatar
Neo
Expert participant
Expert participant
Posts: 444
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:27 pm
Bike: 06 Sherco 250
Club: TCC
Location: Central Coast, NSW

Re: Australian Womens Championship

Postby Neo » Tue Oct 14, 2008 5:59 am

Hi Kristie,

Just my two bucks worth.....

kristie wrote:why is it that we can get 17 women at the sherco womens cup early this year and only 7 at the Australian titles??

Just one reason I reckon.....Standing up for for women's rights. marketing manager, organiser, coach, motivator and cheer leader....Bev Anderson-Tranter.

kristie wrote:is there something we can do now to improve entry numbers for the 2009 Aussie Titles?

Maybe organise a women's bus (with trailer) to collect them all up on route and then work together as a women's team. Stay at the same place and support each other. Not only would this increase the fun. But there'd be a lot less show-stoppers all round. Things like "Daddy won't take me"....or "Hubby won't join me"...or "It's all too much money".


Best of balance.

Neo


"Nothing more and nothing less than the vision of success"..... Ryan Leech
"TRIALS....It's not life or death....It's much more serious than that!!".....

bigdamo
B grade participant
B grade participant
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:50 am
Location: Sydney,Australia

Re: Australian Womens Championship

Postby bigdamo » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:31 am

Or maybe they think that being the Australian Championships the sections will be set quite difficult.

As was said in another thread that the Australian Championships where for the top level riders and all the other riders should go and observe for them.

Thats why I didn't go.



User avatar
GassaGirl
C grade participant
C grade participant
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:34 pm
Bike: GasGas 125
Club: TCV

Re: Australian Womens Championship

Postby GassaGirl » Tue Oct 14, 2008 10:22 pm

kristie wrote:Or is there something we can do now to improve entry numbers for the 2009 Aussie Titles?


Hey Kristie i think we might of disscused this or maybe it was with Michelle about having 2 womens lines, i think this would be an awesome idea, to get more women involved and encourage them :D

i'm pretty cut about not ridding, but hey what can you do?

next year eyy :)

Chloe xo



motocentral
Dealer
Dealer
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:44 pm
Location: Canberra

Re: Australian Womens Championship

Postby motocentral » Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:03 pm

What about running it along the lines used at the Sherco womens cup. ie: the riders enter whatever grade they think they're capable of & then the results are awarded from the top grades down. For example if Michelle, Kristie & Brooke enter the same lines as masters (B grade) then the girls who normally ride C grade ride the same lines as vets & so on. If there's 3 girls in the hardest grade they automatically get the first 3 places then the girls in the next grade get the next places etc.
This could also possibly solve the problem for those riders between 21 & 35 who don't normally ride A grade but want to ride the aussie titles. The b graders could ride the masters lines & the C graders could ride the vets lines etc & the results be awarded down the line accordingly.


Play with Gravity

Michelle
Junior participant
Junior participant
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 12:12 pm
Bike: Gas Gas
Club: SMCC
Location: Victoria

Re: Australian Womens Championship

Postby Michelle » Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:20 pm

Hi girls
Some of us spoke about this over the weekend and most of us had the same response, its marked too hard for the majority of us. I wish I had a dollar for everyone who asked me on the weekend why wasn't I riding. I am apprehensive to say they need to be a little easier as this is the Australian Titles and it is not supposed to be easy. I don't think it is fair on the fellas if we were to have other grades for the girls when they don't have this option. I was dissapointed on the weekend not to be riding but I was surrounded by many others who were watching and helping that also didn't have a class to ride in so once again I thought this is the Aust titles and it is the best of the best.
As discussed with some others over the weekend, if you wanted numbers to increase perhaps they could run one womens class, one line and put a few harder + markers in for the higher graded riders, like Victoria mark c and c+.
Any way I don't want to take anything away from the girls that did compete you all did a great job well done.
Michelle Loone



kristie
Junior participant
Junior participant
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2007 7:03 pm
Bike: scorpa
Club: pacific park
Location: PENRITH

Re: Australian Womens Championship

Postby kristie » Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:22 pm

Everyone I have spoken to or herd from has basically said the same thing... That the level is too high...
I think the logistics involved in trying to run more then one line for a class is probably going to make it confusing for officials and observors, does anyone know whether we can do it within MA rules? Also I would like to know what everyones opinion is of the junior womens line? And wether there are any rules against running junior and open women on the same line?
I am pretty sure that myself, Michelle and Brooke would much rather ride and easy line and see the class develop more...



Steve Holzhauser
B grade participant
B grade participant
Posts: 76
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 8:48 pm
Location: Casino .

Re: Australian Womens Championship

Postby Steve Holzhauser » Thu Oct 16, 2008 10:21 am

This is a very good question you have put out there Kristie !

The entry numbers were disappointing and compared to the Sherco Womans Cup I was wondering were the girls had gone.
Chloe and Michelle, like many others have quite rightly seen the huge disparity between abilities in the Open Womens and the first thing that comes to mind is consideration of an A and B division for Woman. ( Veterans as well.)
C+ the A line,
C the B line. )This could also include the Junior women participants as well.

On day one of this years event I saw a number of excellent rides by Ailsa on what would have been a near perfect B line. After checking her results, even though she was not challenged, her scores certainly reflect her abilities and rightly earnt her the a National title she can hold with pride.
With the Open women riding the upper grade lines Ailsa had no help from other more experienced Ladies nor did she have the opportunity to learn fron her more experienced peers.

This situation is similar to that of the veterans except for much lower participation numbers, like Veterans there is such a wide spread of abilities to be catered for with the ladies as well. The higher skilled women riders could ride the upper level A sections (C+)and the others the B line (C). This may be a step down for Michelle and Kristies capabilities but as Kristie says you cannot run an event for just a few that are capable of the more challenging lines.
The biggest positive with this would be seeing all Open women competing on the same course where help and encouragement between riders is at hand over the course of the event.

Steve.



Tony C
C grade participant
C grade participant
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 10:11 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Australian Womens Championship

Postby Tony C » Thu Oct 16, 2008 6:28 pm

Hi girls & others,
I will be actively involved in section setting for the 09 Titles.
As Steve has said, there is a huge difference in ability of riders competing in Womens & Veterans classes.
We need to consider an easier weekend for these 2 classes in particular & review some other classes.
Say 15 sections were set, 10 be of a Clubman standard, 3 of C & 2 of C+/B standard.
This should cater for all abilities, those wishing not to ride the 2 harder sections would only lose 10 points but still hopefully have an enjoyable weekend riding the easier sections.
Those who finish on 0 at the end of the weekend could ride off for a place.
In the case of Veterans those who think this criterior is would be too easy can ride Masters.
We need to encourage all riders of any ability to enter and not set for the elite riders.
Why is there a preconception that the Titles need to be difficult, Open Solo aside.

Now that riders have had time to evaluate last weekend, we, the 09 organisers would like to know some of your thoughts for next year?
After all, the weekend is all about the riders.

Tony C.



DeanM
Junior participant
Junior participant
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 6:40 pm

Re: Australian Womens Championship

Postby DeanM » Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:40 pm

One must be careful about mentioning Grades for competitors at the Australian Trials Championships. After enjoying a wonderful weekend of competition in an event that was organised with military precision and timing, we attended the presentation dinner.

In a casual conversation, gradings were mentioned causing a confrontation between myself and some officials. I believed they should reintroduce the Open Solo B Grade (which was used at the 2003 Australian Championships) to cater for the 21 to 35 year old competitors who are unable to compete at the elite level, my comment was not taken kindly. The event is not for the best of the best as there are no qualifying proceedures in place, it is open to all riders.

As for the womens grade I thought it was unfair that not all five competitors were presented with a trophy unlike most other grades. My daughter rode in Junior Womens and loved the challenge in riding a more difficult line than normal. She would love the opportunity to ride with other girls to develop more as in Tassie there is only one other female rider.

I think many of the comments are quite relevant and Moto Central is certainly on the right track regarding ages & grades.

I am glad to see that I am not the only one thinking along these lines.

Once again the Organisers & Officials of the '08 Titles should be commended on their efforts.




Return to “Women in Trials”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests