I. W. S. F. Worlds Doha Qatar

[p__]

Finally somone with experience who agrees with me..

Well said Nick

[DaveD]

nick i guess you should know aswell as anybody that it can only be about the kudos and the self fulfilment

because its such a minority sport no one from the uk will make mega bucks out of the sport unless they emigrate to warmer climes

so everyone should enjoy whatever presents itself as anything else will probably just be a folly

[Nickel]

The problem is Nick you spend 50 grand getting your kid to a level where sponsors become interested and they supply you with 500 stickers (nice cheap advertising for them) and a couple of pairs of trainers. I am not interested in that. Money is what is needed. Or plane tickets.

[sim]

nick, just to clarify the points made by NM have no relation to freddy. I hope you had a fun trip and say hi to the munchkin from me!

The point is, why are we sending out kids who might have pottencial now, when the guys who were in that position five years ago and have worked their ass's off to get to a professional standard of riding, don't get invited to compete at a world class contest? It makes no sence to build up these kids dreams at a young age then not follow through on the majority of them because there's a new bunch of 12 year olds who 'might have pottencial'

Another point to remember is that not everyone who wakeboards or wakeskates feels the need to justify themselves to a bunch of judges or a selection commitee, so just because some federation say's they're the best doesn't make it true. For example the british wakeskate champ's would have had a very different outcome if the best riders in britain had any interest in competing.

[Nick.C.]

Hi Sim, I know it doesnt relate to Freddie but it seems familiar.I totally agree that we shouldn't build up the kids hopes and then drop them, which is what has happened, I would like to think we might be able to do something about this.
I do agree with N.M that there were riders in the worlds that really were not up to it, some comically so (one girl could land a back roll and a front roll and that was it she could not go wake to wake or even cross it.)
I think at this level maybe there should be a certain criteria, and i dont think there should be an under 11 group(which didn't run as there were only 2 riders)so they are put in juniors.
And the most important thing as sim says is that wakeboarding is not just about competing, far from it, .I have seen a lot of riders this week who have a load of tricks in their bag and zero style, this is from over coaching. so you have to go out and just ride for fun or competitions will be just about ticking a box.
Nickel . I will no longer let fred put stickers on his board, he gets photographed a bit now and i dont agree with using kids to get free advertising. i may even cover up the name of the board he rides who knows...

[Nickel]

Nick, we have been flying exclusively with Virgin back and forth to the states 3 or 4 times a year for about 5 years now. I asked them to help Nicola for when she needs to get back to the UK for Nationals, Worlds etc. What a mess. The guy turned me down flat(after a month of calls trying to get an answer) without even reading my request,looking at the photos or watching the DVD. I must of sent him 5 emails since asking for the stuff back and he hasn't ever bothered to reply,namely because he doesn't have it because he never even bothered to look at it in the first place.
That is what you are up against.You actually need somebody to sell your own kid for you. Companies do not want to deal with the parents.