SE Regional Championships What do you think

[tony-amps]

Guy's

Here's the deal. For the last 5 years (as long as i have been in imac) The regionals has been a closed contest(Top ten in every class) why then are we considering making it an open contest ? The other question i have is why does our regional championship count towards the points title when they were two different titles or for lack off a better word contests ? I would like to hear your thoughts about the matter.

Tony Fandino

[prizzy]

If the regional contest didn't count toward the season long points championship, then it would be fair to be a closed contest. Since it DOES count toward the season long points championship it should be open to all pilots. My opinion is to have it count, and have it open. The contest needs to be run like nats, with 2 minutes to get started, and 1 minute to get in the box. No 3 or 4 passes then start.

[pcastine]

I don't understand why you'd have an open contest for the Regional Championships. If it's open to anyone, then someone who hasn't flown at all in the year (or maybe doesn't even live in the SE?) could come in, whup bottox, and take the regional champion title.

I think it should be something like the NATS - take your year long points under the current system, and then take the top 10 for the regionals. Re-normalize their scores going into the contest to give everyone a fighting chance, and let the top regional pilots duke it out for first place.

Just my 2 cents. That and 3.98 will get you a latte at Starbucks.

Pete

[prizzy]

	Quote: Originally Posted by pcastine
	I don't understand why you'd have an open contest for the Regional Championships. If it's open to anyone, then someone who hasn't flown at all in the year (or maybe doesn't even live in the SE?) could come in, whup bottox, and take the regional champion title. I think it should be something like the NATS - take your year long points under the current system, and then take the top 10 for the regionals. Re-normalize their scores going into the contest to give everyone a fighting chance, and let the top regional pilots duke it out for first place. Just my 2 cents. That and 3.98 will get you a latte at Starbucks. Pete

Never renormalize. That rewards whoever is hot that day, not consistency over the season.

[preston blake]

A "Regional Championship" could simply be the venue where the year end awards are made. The awards ceremony then has two parts...the individual contest results,then the year end results. One could give a small bonus for that last contest to encourage the year's top contenders to show up and be on their best game

[MattyMatt]

	Quote: Originally Posted by pcastine
	I don't understand why you'd have an open contest for the Regional Championships. If it's open to anyone, then someone who hasn't flown at all in the year (or maybe doesn't even live in the SE?) could come in, whup bottox, and take the regional champion title. I think it should be something like the NATS - take your year long points under the current system, and then take the top 10 for the regionals. Re-normalize their scores going into the contest to give everyone a fighting chance, and let the top regional pilots duke it out for first place. Just my 2 cents. That and 3.98 will get you a latte at Starbucks. Pete

I agree with Pete... Explain this to me.

So, we have a regional championship contest, but the regional champion may be some else based on points? If this is the case then, the regional championships are just another contest and really has no more impact than any other contest to determine the regional champion.

FOR EXAMPLE: if we had a national points system... that is just like having a NATS mid year, but then the person that won it may not be the national champion... but maybe someone else based on end of the year points. If that is the case, why even go all the way to Muncie?

If you were to have a "true" championship contest then re-normalizing is part of the game. Pride... every contest is about who is best THAT DAY period. It re levels the playing field... for example, I know a guy that had a mid air and then 3 weeks later lost his primary plane because it flew away. So, he didn't make it to many contests because of this.... so the guy that could have done very well through out the year has no chance at winning because of equipment failures even though he might be very competitive with the other guys that were consistently good throughout the season. Or, if you had someone that was working their butt off and improved a ton over the course of the year and could out fly his/her competition by the end of the season... then shouldn't they win? Again, every contest comes down to who is better that day.

Is this for this year, 2008 or for 2009 that we are having these discussions?

[Jim Woodward]

I'm not sure this post will speak "exactly" to any particular rule or not, but I would like to post my thoughts on the matter. As I understand it last year, the "Season Points Champ" and "Regional Champ" were different matters. Else, I could not have won the Advanced Season points trophy without having gone to the Regional Contest. I actually kind of like having the Season-Points awarded separately than the Regional Champion. This opens up the podium a bit and everyone likes that - it address the guys who "put in the miles" and hit the contest trail, while also awarding the actual "Regional Contest Champ" for the guys who attend that event, which last year was a 3-day event. Not everyone can get to a season ending, approaching Christmas, 3-day event, which is more like 4 days once you practice and such.

How this fits into discussion about whether to have the Regional-Contest additative to the Season Points I'm not exactly sure - But - I don't think its a bad thing to keep the efforts and rewards separate.

If you going to "count" the Regional Points as part of the final award, then your probably have to open it up given the the enormous impact those points would have on the final tally.

If you keep the "season points" and the "regional champion" separate, then you could keep it as a invite-only contest.

As dedicated as we would like to think we are, we are all subject to ebbs and flow in life. Some seasons you can go to more contests than others. The current system opens up the podium a bit, rewards guys for the yearly effort, and also awards the guys who could attend the longer regional contest and who flew the best that weekend. I think its pretty good.
Thanks,
Jim

- giving more people a chance at a piece of the pie is never a bad thing.

[Birdman]

My 2 cents worth.....

A regional championship should be just that......a championship with the top pilots from the season earning the right to compete. 32 teams don't go to the Super Bowl. This would mean a closed contest that does not count towards any seasonal "points champion."

I like the idea of recognizing a seasonal points winner as that pilot has supported IMAC by virtue of attending so many contests but I would not see that person as a "champion" so to speak.

I suppose this is the reason I have not been involved in the Nats (besides the distance) since it's held mid year and is "open" I never thought it meant you necessarily flew against the best of the best, but mearly the pilots available and able to attend that contest, at that time, at that location. No disrespect to those who participate in it as I know with that much flying against that many pilots only top pilots emerge as winners. I just don't see it in a "national championship" light. I also understand the problems associated with having it be at year's end when climate / location becomes a problem. No matter where you have it many pilots will be challenged by the distance. But, unless the regional champions compete in a National Championship, is it really one by definition or in name only?

..........................or not.

[jtsails]

I think the regional championship contest should be open to anyone who lives and flies inthe region. Sometimes things happen that prevent a person from flying in as many events as they would like, ie, the two contests that were in my "backyard" got canceled. I had set up my calender to make 6 events but that's not possible for me anymore. I think the regionals should be the biggest and best contest, and as for a pilot having a hot day and winning it, well it's a three day contest so he would have to have a 3 day hot streak. I also like that regionals count toward the season standings and that it is weighted heavier.
James

[prizzy]

	Quote: Originally Posted by MattyMatt
	I agree with Pete... Explain this to me. So, we have a regional championship contest, but the regional champion may be some else based on points? If this is the case then, the regional championships are just another contest and really has no more impact than any other contest to determine the regional champion. FOR EXAMPLE: if we had a national points system... that is just like having a NATS mid year, but then the person that won it may not be the national champion... but maybe someone else based on end of the year points. If that is the case, why even go all the way to Muncie? If you were to have a "true" championship contest then re-normalizing is part of the game. Pride... every contest is about who is best THAT DAY period. It re levels the playing field... for example, I know a guy that had a mid air and then 3 weeks later lost his primary plane because it flew away. So, he didn't make it to many contests because of this.... so the guy that could have done very well through out the year has no chance at winning because of equipment failures even though he might be very competitive with the other guys that were consistently good throughout the season. Or, if you had someone that was working their butt off and improved a ton over the course of the year and could out fly his/her competition by the end of the season... then shouldn't they win? Again, every contest comes down to who is better that day. Is this for this year, 2008 or for 2009 that we are having these discussions?

Good points, but re-normalizing does not have to be part of the game. Nascar yes, golf no. As to being best, "That Day". That is not true unless it's a one day contest. Most contests are two or three days. It's like re-normalizing Saturday night of every contest. Enough about that though.

Tony, this thread was a great idea. Hopefully Don can direct the BOD to it, to see how the minions think/feel.

[Sukhoikid]

I know with all I did this year I dont have the time to make so many contest to get into the top ten. I was hoping to compete in a lot more contest this year but with school and sports it was hard. I plan to try to make three more this fall if possible.

I know I may not make regionals if they took the top 10 but I believe it should only be the top 10 pilots who should go.

We could always do it like the World Cup now ha ha.

[Plane Wrappers]

[prizzy]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Sukhoikid
	I know with all I did this year I dont have the time to make so many contest to get into the top ten. I was hoping to compete in a lot more contest this year but with school and sports it was hard. I plan to try to make three more this fall if possible. I know I may not make regionals if they took the top 10 but I believe it should only be the top 10 pilots who should go. We could always do it like the World Cup now ha ha.

How's that?

[Downhumpty]

At first I was leaning toward wanting an open invitation for the SE Regional. Only because of the points race. It was decide among the BOD sometime this year/last year whichever it may be that each pilot will receive 5 bonus points for each pilot they beat and the Regional will normalize to 1500 instead of the normal 1000 plus 5 bonus points per pilot beaten. The Regional points race will be decided with the best six finishes.

Well...IMAC is about competition. Totally forgot what competition is about. I was really just thinking like a good ole' boy wanting to please and not hurt feelings.

Some competitors may make every contest and have some to throw out and the next person may only have the required six. Then there is the the competitor that only makes four contest. Regional invitations sent out to the top ten pilots. (I wonder is this based on the best of 5000 or 6000?) The SE point standings reflect 4 sportsman and 1 intermediate pilots that have completed 6 competitions.

Well the way I see this is each competitor that wants to participate in the points race will have to make 5 local (or 3 local and 2 out of region) contest to qualify for the Regional points race. The Regional will make the sixth contest in which it counts 1.5 times the normal contest. Total possible points 6500 (or is it 7500?)plus bonus points accumulated by the number of pilots beaten throughout the year.

I personally do not like the rules this year for the Regional Points Race and Regional competition However I have not and will not loose sleep over it. The rule was made and posted. I do think for the future the rules need tweaking. Regarding the 5 bonus points per pilot beaten....Thanks in advance to the rules committee as I know that there has been a RFA signed and delivered.


I change my vote! Let's keep the Regional invitation only!

Let the COMPETITION begin!


Kent Porter
SE IMAC 3730
AMA 6724

[xtra330]

In my opinion - the points (from 6 contests) should be awarded to that individual who could afford to travel throughout the year- even if he is not the best pilot in his class, they should be the 'SE Regional "Points" Champion'. The person whos flying abilties 'shined' through the weekend of the Regionals, should be the 'SE Regional IMAC Champion'...based on his flying ability - not how many contests he went to.

I see the benefit of both sides - limiting the regionals to 10 pilots or leaving it open. Why not just take a poll from the SE IMAC pilots, and let the apples fall where they may, tradition or not.