Annual Awards – Fun Event, But Long Way to Go
With being at the mercy of only having access to the recorded UStream video of the H1 Unlimited Air National Guard Series Awards Ceremony last Saturday night in Seattle, I can tell the event was fun, but from an information perspective, I feel there’s still a long course to run.
The other shoe
But beyond what seemed like a fun event, the overall outcome has me a bit curious – and feeling like another shoe should drop.
First, there seems to be a surprising dearth of chatter around the web-o-sphere, particularly the Hydropage Forums, about the start procedure for 2012. After all, it was announced and discussed in detail in the public safety and rules meeting. Being proposed is a new GPS system that will monitor individual boat speeds on the course, and alert a driver when he falls below the pre-set minimum. You gotta love a sport when you get in trouble for going LESS THAN 100 mph, as is being suggested!
This should be a significant improvement as it will allow boats to have true “Fight for Lanes” starts. All boats will be able to secure a lane of choice during the five minute period leading up to the start. The minimum speed assignment is to prevent “trolling” at about 40 mph and then “leap frogging” in the straight-away leading up to the start line. That practice was viewed as unsafe and boring for fans. It appears both drivers and fans prefer “Fight for Lane” starts. Drivers because they get to apply some skill and strategy, and fans because it’s a lot more exciting to see six boats coming down to the start at 160 mph instead of trying to catch a sturgeon at 40.
Secondly, and in a somewhat related vein, is the occasional controversy surrounding the manner in which time is counted down to the start. Steve David complained publicly after the Doha final heat fiasco that the lack of a visible start clock contributed to his jumping the gun. Seattle hasn’t used the clock in at least five years, and it has never been used in Doha.
Mr. David’s issue?
Each team has radio communication with the boats’ captains, both from a spotter and from the corral to help with the timing ahead of the start. However, he contends that not having direct, visual confirmation of the remaining time ahead of the start, displayed at the start location, consistently at each race, is an omission. I’m inclined to agree – having an absolute reference to the remaining seconds should help prevent a false start. Remember, a lot of water is covered every 1/10th of a second when one is traveling 160 and just the length of a mooring line too early, and that driver’s adult beverage comes much earlier than his competition’s.
The challenge? The H1 display clock “machine” is a three-section behemoth, about ten feet square. I won’t venture a weight guess. The rhetorical elephant in the room is, “how do you get it placed at each race venue in a consistent manner?” As with the weight issue, no guess ventured.
Finally, a question.
What’s the prognosis for the sport’s future? None of the race dates on the H1 site have been updated from 2011 – does that mean the Web Site of the Year (award winner) has been busy? Maybe the 2012 venue and date planning is still “hydroplaning” and hasn’t gotten any traction. Or possibly, it could be worse.
Just like Presidential Debates, I have a follow-up question (and one that can help someone new to the sport): should I read anything into the fact that Unilever has not renewed the Degree Men’s sponsorship of the 88 Team? How frequently do sponsor’s move around? Is this normal? What should I make of that?
Just my luck – the sport of which I am becoming quite fond may be going through a contraction just as I get my feet… well… ah… er… wet. I recognize it can take a year-plus to get permits and contracts all aligned for racing in new U.S. cities, so if there’s any chance of adding new cities for this year, we’re already behind the game. I may just decide to move my bets to a wager on 2013 for a full season. However, China as a new venue just may have some legs since they have a whole different governmental landscape over there – and they seem motivated to bring the boats.
They just might be the destination for our “long way to go” journey.
Well, we have lost most of our manufacturing to China, and other countries account of the greed of corporate America. So lets take our boats all over the world, and keep making it a pain in the butt to create more races in the US.
I can only imagine the look on the sanction’s face when China asks them over. Probably like a deer in headlights! Who is going to pay for all of this, the sanction? Are we going to suck the monies out of the sport to go all over the world because certain people have gotten an arousal about the fact? If this helps to keep our boats alive, that’s GREAT but my gut feeling tells me there are alternative motives.
I, too, am concerned about the fact that the website has not been updated with 2012 race dates and sites.
It seems odd that the possible race in China is all they want to talk about.
Even news about teams and sponsors seems sparse.
I’m also curious about the impact to the sport if the 3 contenders (U5, U7, and U57) don’t race this year. Are there any buyers ??? With 3 major player (boats) out the field will get rather boreing it would seem?