2007 World Championships - Candidate Cities

[Marion Karr]

After careful thought and consideration and conversations with several key people in our sport the DHB have decided to announce our desire of hosting the 2007 World Championships of Slalom Skateboard Racing here in North Carolina the first weekend of October, 2007.

The 2006 2nd Annual DHB Dixie Cup will be a Main for this year but as we agreed we will relinquish that status on a rotating basis in the East to another deserving racing organization such as Luna, The Buckeye, Redclay, Chicago, St. Louis, etc in 2007 and will focus the majority of our efforts on putting together an amazing event that is worthy of such level that is the World Championships.

The mayor of Statesville has already committed full support to our efforts in bringing the World Championships to this part of North America along with our City Council and Police Department, not to mention our Main Street Program, Convention and Visitors Bureau, City Parks and Rec Department, and Chamber of Commerce (which by the way are supporting the 2nd Annual Dixie Cup as well).

We feel that our organization has the volunteer base, the organizational skills, commitment from our members, and and a variety of venues of which to choose that will make the 2007 Worlds and overwhelming success. We also feel strongly that we will be able to deliver the type of sponsorship both in dollars and in other ways, that will be make the trip here worth the while of the competitors regardless of the distance they will be traveling. We also are blessed with having outstanding weather typically at that time of the year and two airports, both of which have international flights, within one hour of our location. Travel to and from these airports is almost exclusively by interstate which greatly improves the quality of that trip.

We are asking you, the community of slalom competitors to support our bid to bring the Worlds to North Carolina in 2007 as we support its return to a European city in 2008.

Our ability to plan and develop organized, smooth running events for our competitors is developing significantly and we are highly confident that you will not regret attending and competing in the 2007 World Championships of Slalom Skateboard Racing here in Statesville, North Carolina.

Southern Hospitality. Great food. Amazing Racing. Killer Vibe. Exceptional Organization. What else could you hope for?

Thank you for your support,

World Championship Committee
Downhillbillies Skateboard Organization

[Karl Floitgraf]

Marion

I couldn't make it to the DHB Dixie Cup last year but heard it was an amazing event. I really like the sound of it but I do think before we go about picking the World Championships we figure how the World Championships will be decided. Last year Don was simply the first one and kinda grabbed the event (not to say it wasn't for the best, it kicked ass). Before that Jack had it so we don't really have a way for all of us to pick the event.

Shouldn't this be something that the ISSA cooridinates? How about a deadline like September 1st of the year before the championships in order to post up an initial request. Then one month of discussion and a week of voting?

Or we can decide not to make a process and just keep it informal, who ever sounds good, earliest gets it. Seems to me now is the time to set a system of decision making or it will come back to bite us years down the road.

[David Rudnianski]

French Pirates are quitely ok to do the trip to america for the World Champ, and i'll think it will be the same for some other European. October is a little bit late for us ( personaly I can't be there in october).
We were talking about Late july - August - the begining of septembre. ( Don't forget that some riders still in school or University)
Claude Regnier Idea was quite good : Create some kind of competition between citys to obtain the world, it should make the event bigger.

Whatever, I'll be happy to come and visit you

[Vincent Berruchon]

It seems that DHB have a great crew, that's something important to organize a great event.
But just a few thoughts about Worlds and important international contests :

A very important thing is also to have a big international airport not to far to allow people from all over he world to come easily.
What is the big city around? Easy access from there?

July/August is good but perhaps not the best period to get some cheap airfares

You'll need to have media coverage and big money

USA again? Worlds in Canada would be really exciting too.

[Stefano Bellingeri]

I would like to race in Canada as well!
What about that Claude?
Stefano

[Marion Karr]

Airports:
Our closest big city is Charlotte, North Carolina..Charlotte Douglas International does have international flights and multiple shuttles from all the major airports in the US. It's 45 minutes drive max from Statesville. It is highly possible if we can get a few several participants arriving within an hour or so we could arrange a shuttle from the airport to Statesville and returning on flight back date.

Greensboro/Triad Airport is also a great option that is an easy one hour drive from here.

Raleigh/Durham Airport is about 2 1/2 hours or so but is a great airport and has multiple international flights.

Media Coverage:
As Erik Basil intimated on a different , we are currently working on something with this year's Dixie Cup that could potentially be exceptional. Silverfishlongboarding.com is the official media partner with the DHB and our relationship with Concrete Wave, a Canadien company, is very strong.

If any of you have specific questions feel free to PM me or email me.

[Claude Regnier]

Marion & Everyone else.

Yes, Canada is interested in hosting the event in 2007. We have been working on it for some time already and will have a formal proposal or withdrawal out by the fall.

We have several cities interested in the event and are looking to continue the strong tradition the Worlds have grown too.

Ideally we think late August would be best for everyone.

[Marion Karr]

Claude, I respect your interest in hosting the Worlds. Like you, we have been putting our plan together for hosting such an event for several months now and have already secured support of the City of Statesville, North Carolina in our efforts. The DHB organization is committed to putting on a truly world class event regardless of what we call it.

Some detractors may see this process as detrimental to our sport. Personally, having several sites jockeying for the Worlds a year in advance is a great reflection of where our sport is going! This is awesome!!!!!! Let the STOKE BEGIN!

[Dominik Kowalski]

Yeah! Go Canada!!!

[Karl Floitgraf]

Might I suggest we have a seperate section for this decision making process so visitors can clearly see all different proposals and hopefully in the future polls?

[Chris Barker]

and hopefully in the future polls?

I would object to any polls on this website being the reason why one proposal is accepted over another. That is exactly how we have screwed ourselves with the East Coast mains this year. The Farm was voted a Main based on popularity by a few people on this website.
The Main status had nothing to do with the promoter's wishes, quality of field, prize purse, hill quality, number of events. Any logical approach would have made the Buckeye the Main. That's certainly the way I voted.

I suspect that most of the people voting don't travel to any other races except the Farm so of course they want their private race to be the most important one.

It's time to blow up the whole system. Throw away popularity voting (everyone loves the Farm, ok we all know that, but it shouldn't be a main if the promoters don't want that). There needs to be a clearly documented means that promoters can submit their proposals. Corky has laid out some criteria in the past, but it was clearly ignored this year.

Let's not make the same mistake next year.

[Marion Karr]

Though the Dixie Cup did benefit from the poll taken regarding Main, Prime, and Basic, statuses I agree with Cbark that we need to look at a more formal approach to determining the designation of races.

For example, last year, when Dave Gale was unable to hold the West Virginia race the East Coast lost a Prime. The Dixie Cup was held in November with the help of Dave Gale but we were not able to obtain that Prime Status and were awarded a Basic instead. The Dixie Cup however was a race that was considered by the majority of the attendees as being one of the best of the year and had a field of skaters that rivaled most almost all of the big races in the US in 2005.

I believe that status should be assigned to races based on strength of field, venue quality, hospitality of racers, local/regional municipal support, sponsorship, and organization quality.

Regarding the Worlds, I do feel that there should be a formal bid policy that each association wishing to host the event must adhere to in order to state their case.

The $24,000 dollar or Euro question is: WHO MAKES THE DECISION THEN?

[Pierre Samray]

Yes. Big and important question! WHO?

We have the same problem last year and finaly nobody decide except Donald organizer of Brixxleg who declare himself he is the World championship.

I think it's important now to have a true decisional staff who take the decision.

First : we must have (I don't know the name in english) Cahier des charges in french. A book with all the condition require to be worldchampionship (and why not we can use for world cup too). This books can speak about : the track, the place, the accomodation, how many people in the staff, how many cone marshall, price money and dotation, media and animation covering, acces....All questions and problems that the organizer must answer to be choice
Then we can have several city which present its candidature before November by exemple.
The decisional staff can study all the proposition and decide who will be the next worldchampionship organizer. By this way we are sure to have really the best proposition and each organizer show the best of what he can do.

But we have to create the decisional ISSA staff.
by exemple : People coming from different country
3 from USA 1 from Canada 5 from Europe coming from sweden, russia, germany, uk, Italia, Switzerland, France, Letvia...; 9 people who have to vote.
It's some years we speak about this. Now it's time to do it

Know that I'm ok to be the voice for France (If France is ok that I represent it... just some mail with the french federation to have an answer).
CertaInly we have to create a special topic for this.

[Jani Soderhall]

We've had numerous Worlds in California, and now one in Europe, so the East Coast sounds like a good idea when the Worlds returns to North America. Canada (preferrably East Coast) would be an equally good idea. Good for Europeans and good for the East Coast that now has a very good scene. In general it's good when race locations change - makes for more interesting traveling.

Let the discussion begin.

The process last year wasn't really organized, but at least there was a lot of posts before it leaned so strongly to one side that there wasn't much competition left. If we could find a better method that would be good.

/Jani

[Karl Floitgraf]

Yes. Big and important question! WHO?
But we have to create the decisional ISSA staff.
by exemple : People coming from different country
3 from USA 1 from Canada 5 from Europe coming from sweden, russia, germany, uk, Italia, Switzerland, France, Letvia...; 9 people who have to vote.
It's some years we speak about this. Now it's time to do it

This sounds like a good idea. We could each have an elected represenative.

OR
Understanding the BS with the polls and stuff, why not try to have voting based on the Overall top 50 pro and Am slalomers.

On a certain date you just grab the list and everyone can vote. We got to do something. I really like the idea of electing a selection comitee but if we elect them before we have an idea of where the possible locations are. That way it's more objective. Good idea for next year.

[Hans Koraeus]

I hear now and then people saying that Donald's big mouth got him the World Championships this year. It's the same story every time and I think it's wrong to continue this rumour when it is not true. Suddenly other people are saying the same thing because they heard some one say this and that. Last year was the first Worlds that was publicly decided ever probably. Don and Pierre was the only showing interest. Don put some good cards on the table. Pierre also. There was a lot of discussion. Go back and read it again and you will see. It's open, it's public. Pierre finally gave up. So last year it was easy by sorting it out itself.

The hard case is when two or more good candidates show up who could both manage pulling off a respectable World Championship and are sticking to it during the open discussions. There is only one organisation who logically then would have to make the final judgement, ISSA. Since our sport is growing there is a need for it and that is what many of us have been trying to work for the last years. It's going to happen but it takes time, apparently.

Let's collect all the good ideas into ISSA and make things happen. But yes, then we first have to create that new ISSA of course. And that is what is underway right now. Once that is done we have a good base of taking on all the complexity we have in front of us with a growing sport. It's a rocky road for sure but it's the one all sports have taken and continue to take. If you think any other big well organised and respected sport have no problems like this you are wrong. It's just that we don't know about it most of the times. So far our slalom community is a very open one and let's hope it can stay that way as long as possible. But then we also have to be prepared to see the struggle and harsh words between different opinions. And hopefully in the end the part who got the shortest straw always then can blame ISSA and then make an end of that battle.

Like for the Worlds 2006. Let all who wants to state their case do so. Let people give their pros and cons. Often it will be sorted out by itself and in those rare cases where it does not, well a new ISSA will have to find a solution. There are a bunch of good ideas above but as long as they are not glued on to something they just remain good ideas flying around in the air.

[Hans Koraeus]

Use this topic to continue discussion about worlds 2007...

[2007] Region West Atlantic (World Championships 2007)