Europeans team sheet

[justwatersports]

This is the BWSF annual report for 2007 holds some details of the funding etc and regional news This may help people with regards to the TASS grant structure as limited funding does seem to be available.


http://www.britishwaterski.org.uk/UK...nualReport.pdf

Maybe Jez would consider an info dedicated area for helping new talent & information zone prehaps ?

Lesley

[j3r3m7]

I think in general a bit more transparancy would be good on the old funding side... especially if the information is public knowledge anyway, and it also might put a lot of the whinges into perspective. On a related note I'm just crafting a job description for a volunteer website press release editor, will post the job on the wanted/for sale board shortly.

[p__]

Originally Posted by Nickel

Do you really want to know what the skiers get compared to the wakeboarders? I don't think anybody really wants to know. I am aware of some of it and I really don't need to know the rest. The mind boggles. If the parents of the wakeboarders did not have money, we (UK Wakeboard), would not be represented at any International competitions. Simple as that.

Yes I do, go on tell me what it is..is it that bad??? give me an idea at least.

Question: are wakeboarders bottom of the pile when it comes to funding or does barefoot, kneeboarding and race sking get less.

I happened to be at Princes last year on the day of a cable ski comp, it was totally empty, why?

[j3r3m7]

The official team listing is now online at: News - Wakeboard UK

[lukey]

Originally Posted by p__

Yes I do, go on tell me what it is..is it that bad??? give me an idea at least.

Question: are wakeboarders bottom of the pile when it comes to funding or does barefoot, kneeboarding and race sking get less.

I happened to be at Princes last year on the day of a cable ski comp, it was totally empty, why?

Don't want to stir to much, but here is the funding situation as i understand it. Most wakeboard events are at least partially funded, so maybe comp entry and flights but no accom, however sometimes (EAME) there was none, im guessing this was because of the 07 france europeans and the other europeans this year.

The ski team is far far more supported, they will normally get all expenses and sometime even with a team physio sent out with them. One reason for this could be that skiing holds more competition licenses than wakeboarding.... but why? I think this is most likely because the comitte described wakeboarding as a 'fad and it will pass'. now they have been proved wrong on this they are pissed off they were wrong, and so wont provide extra funding towards wakeboarding.

Im sure Nick C will help me out with this patchy explanation

Luke

[Nick.C.]

I am sorry i haven't responded sooner but unfortunately work has superceded wakeboarding this week. I beleive the wakeboarding is a fad and will pass was a comment made by a bws member some time ago , there is a thread somewhere about it , but that is history, it was one persons comment , and cannot be labelled as the beleifs of every bws official. I am going to take neutral ground here, so a few things to mention . the Lascelles grants given out to the juniors this year were very favourable towards wakeboard disciplines, good news the young talent is being recognised both on cable and boat. There was not as much funding as we would have liked for South Africa but the commitment of the riders (and their parents ..yes me ..) meant that we had a really strong team, and came back with a big bag of medals. This is good news for future funding i am told so watch this space.
There are still way, way , more skiers competing than boarders, i don't know the figures, but every one that competes has to have bws membership. membership and affiliation to bws in 2006 to 2007 has an income of £282,000. and i understand there are approximately 100 wakeboarders who are members. so bottom line is if we don't put much in , we won't get much out. So where do we go? There isn't a great deal of spare cash to come from the wakeboard industry, possibility of a bit of sponsorship from outside of the industry, but not a great deal, or if we could get every wakeboarder in the U.K. to join the bws.... Now there's a thought.. we would be able to fund the team, and we would have a voice....


WELCOME TO THE BRITISH WAKEBOARD SOCIETY (BWS)

(sorry i got a bit passionate, must be the bottle of 'old vines garnacha' i just polished off)