Swedish Championships 2004 Aug 28

[Hans Koraeus]

There is already a topic in Swedish. I thought this topic could be for non-Swedish readers.

The Swedish Campionships August 28 will have Prime Status this year. It will be a really tuff field. All Swedish top slalomers will attend. It will be OPEN. I.e no special class for Pros.

Giant, Straight and Special slalom in one day.

We will try a new qulification method. We will run a "Jam Qualification" during a fixed time. No practice. Instead we start timed qualification runs right away during 2 hours. Take as many runs as you can. There will be a call for everyone towards the end to make their last run.

The advantages:
1. More timed runs for majority of skaters making the discipline more worthwhile for people traveling to competitions. Not just a 2 run thing and then bye-bye.
2. You have time to figure out the course with timed runs and compare with your opponents.
3. You have time to try other boards, wheels or whatever you want to test.
4. You can't say you had some unlucky runs. The wind can't blow against you all the time.
5. More exciting for racers. You will be more aware of your position and what you need to do to advance.
6. You then only need to do a head to head with the 8 best. People have had their runs and enough chance to make the top 8.

More info on http://www.ettsexett.com.

[Paul Price]

Is it for Swedish riders only?

[Carsten Pingel]

That sounds interesting !! How about an LeMans Start ?

[Hans Koraeus]

It is open for everyone. Only Swedes can become the Swedish Champion though. If you want help signing up I will help you guys out. I think the sign up page is only in Swedish for the moment. Info as well. For those interested I will give all information needed here.

Now I'm soon away for the European Championships in Köln. Then I will have to really shape up for the even tougher Swedish Championships.

It will be an OPEN competition. Pros and Ams together. That's what I mean that it will be tougher, for me. Poor amateur. But of course if there are 8 or more pros coming I think we will have to reconsider things. Maybe a chance to try out the new PRO-OPEN concept. Right now we only have our 3 Swedish Pros Jani Söderhäll, Marcus Seyffarth and Peter Klang. But Anders Hellqvist and Henrik Madsen are two very strong amateures to look out for.

[Jani Soderhall]

The European Championships is the warm up. The real thing for me this year is the Swedish Championships.

We might be able to help you out with accommodation if you contact Corky. I've got family and friends in and around Stockholm so no need for a hotel.

See you there!

/Jani

[Jani Soderhall]

So, we guys from Cologne (Steve, Heiko and Me, probably Donald) should also come to Sweden to compete ?!

Yes, please do!
I'll be in Stockholm at that time and I look forward to this race. Beside the swedes you've already seen at races there will also be a whole gang of older riders from previous generations. This is the first time we'll have such a wide starting field. With some foreign participants this event for sure will be even better. Germany, Latvia, Russia is not too far away. Accommodation can be arranged. Cheap flights, like Ryan air, probably exists from a couple of different countries.

/Jani

[Hans Koraeus]

I will start to translate some of the info from the 161 web site that is only in Swedish so far.



Where
Brunnsviken, Wennergren center, Stockholm


When
Saturday August 28 2004
Sunday reserved if rain on Saturday.

How
We will try to squeze in 3 disciplines in one day. Giant, straight and special slalom.

Final registration on place (9:00-10:00) where the payment of SEK50 per discipline is made.

Food and beverages will exist on place together with some music and audience.


Times for the day
9.00-10.00 Registraion
9.30-11.30 Giant slalom JAM
11.45-13.15 Straight slalom JAM
13.30-14.30 Straight slalom final
14.45-16.15 Special slalom JAM
16.30-17.30 Special slalom final
Prize cermony
Party


3 disciplines in one day is normally not possible. We still think it will work because...
1. Only one OPEN class
2. No training. Instead we will use a JAM format. Times are registered right away for all racers. You take as many rides as you can during a fixed time span.
3. Giant slalom, single lane, will only have the JAM. No final.
4. Straight and special slalom head to head final will be drawn at 8 best riders.
5. We have not planned to have more than 25 participants. This is why it will be very important that people from outside Sweden announce us if they plan to come. If we start to reach 35 participants we have to check more in detail how much the JAM format durations can take.

I will soon post more specific rules.

[Hans Koraeus]

<center>Swedish Championships 2004
Slalom Skateboarding
Brunnsviken, Stockholm Saturday August 28

______________________________________
Competition format and rules
______________________________________
</center>

General

1. General
These rules are an overview. For incidents that are not covered here please turn yourself to the head judge. The head judge and the competition committee will together handle all possible things that may happen. All decisions will try to follow the ISSA (International Skateboard Slalom Association) rules.
2. Sign-up and registration
You can sign up in advance on http://www.ettsexett.com. Registration and payment will be done on place between 9:00 and 10:00. Fee: SEK50 / discipline.
3. Protection gear
Helmet is a must. Knee-, elbow- and wrist protection is recommended.
4. Classes
The competition will be Open. I.e. Pros and Am’s are running together. Junior and female classes may be arranged if more than 5 participants. Prize ceremony after the last discipline around 17:45.
5. Course setting
The course will be set the days before the competition to save time during the actual race day. Start ramps (about 1 meter high) will be used.
6. Cone judges
We have not decided yet if special cone judges will be used. It may be that all the racers together will have to handle this themselves.
7. Rerun
If people or animals in the course disturb a rider or if cones are not placed correctly before the run you have the right to make a rerun. In the Jam you have the right to pass before the people in the line.
8. Insurance
The organisation has no insurance that covers any accidents. All racers enter the competition on there on their own responsibility.
9. Rain
If there is rain the competition or single disicplines may be shortened down. If there are qualification results they may count as final results. If rain all day the whole competition may be moved to Sunday.
10. Disqualification
A skater is disqualified:
a) if a cone is missed. I.e. passing on the wrong side.
b) if a foot touches the ground between the start and the finish line.
c) if the finish line is not passed.
d) if doing more than 1 false start.
A skater could also be disqualified for anti-sporting behaviour.
11. Protest
Protest can be done in writing to the competition committee latest 30 min after the cause.

[Hans Koraeus]

<center>Swedish Championships 2004
Slalom Skateboarding
Brunnsviken, Stockholm Saturday August 28

______________________________________
Competition format and rules
______________________________________
</center>

Giant slalom

When: 9:30-11:30
Where: Upper hill (Brunnsviken)
How: 2 hour Jam, 2 best times count

1. General
Giant slalom is run with longer cone distances and more downhill than normal. Cone distance is between 2 and 10 meters (average between 2,7 and 5 meters).
2. Competition format
Giant slalom will be in a Jam format. I.e. all racers make as many runs as they like during a given time frame. The time frame for giant slalom is 2 hours. A limit will be drawn towards the end of the time frame where all may make a last run. For 20 participants the limit will be drawn 20 minutes before the end. I.e. 1 min per participant.
3. Cone penalty
Cone penalty is 0.2 seconds for each cone that is fallen or pushed outside its circle.

Straight slalom

When: 11:45-14:30 (11:45-13:15 Qualification, 13:30-14:30 Final)
Where: Lower hill (Brunnsviken)
How: 1 1/2 hour Jam qualification, 2 best times count. 8 in head to head final.

1. General
Straight slalom will have a straight course with 2,2 meter cone distance.
2. Competition format qualification
Qualification is run in a Jam format. I.e. all racers make as many runs as they like during a given time frame. The time frame for straight slalom is 1 1/2 hour. A limit will be drawn towards the end of the time frame where all may make a last run. For 20 participants the limit will be drawn 20 minutes before the end. I.e. 1 min per participant.
All runs are done alone in a single course.
3. Competition format final
The 8 best riders will run a standard ”head to head” (1-8, 4-5, 2-7, 3-6). The riders will run parallel. 2 runs. One in each course. Best total time is counted. (Total of 16 races).
If time allows places 9-16 may also run some ”head to head” runs. They will then run 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16. These runs ( 8 ) will be done after the quarter and semifinales for the 1-8 head to head but before the two final heats for first and third place. Then a pause is needed anyway for the finalists.
4. Head to head
Start is decided with: beep-beep-beep-BEEEP! On the forth signal you can pass the start line. If you run over it before a signal for false start will be heard. If more than 1 false start you are disqualified. If a rider is DQ in the first run the second run should be done anyway. The other rider may get a DQ in the second run and then their best times will be compared.
5. Cone penalty
Cone penalty is 0.1 seconds for each cone that is fallen or pushed outside its circle.


Special slalom

Same information and rules as for straight slalom except...

When: 14:45-17:30 (14:45-16:15 Qualification, 16:30-17:30 Final)

Special slalom has an irregular course with cone distance between 1,6 – 4 meters (average of 2,0 - 2,7).

[Paul Price]

I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the race in Stockholm.

I am now back in London with some fantastic memories.
The jam format qualifying, timing system, food and cone judging were all excellent.
And when there was any doubt we just reviewed it on video!
The competition was really close - it was an intense day.

A big thank you to Corky for meeting me at the station and massive props to Peter Klang and his lovely girlfriend for putting me and the Latvian guys up. He kept us entertained, gave us beer and made us some great Swedish style breakfast. I could not believe you surf the coast of Sweden in the Winter.
Peter you are a diamond geezer. I hope to see you all at the races soon!