Why does it seem like there is a major gap
between groups like the MCRA and amateur racers ?
There seems to be a “dead zone” of no cooperation
for the Minor Leagues of paddlesport races with
volunteers and no prize money; versus the huge
corporate sponsored marathon long paddlesport races.
It’s almost an all or nothing approach where if there
isn’t $1,000’s in prize money, no one extends an olive
branch to help foster the Minor Leagues of Paddlesports.
A Michigan perspective ; curious to hear others
maybe you can be the difference
Here in canton, ny, there is lots of good help and woderful comradeship. The 90 miler is different with fewer racers and mostly C4’s out to enjoy the ride. I got excellent help at gannonoque,ont icf club on how to go fast in my mohican ski. There are good people everywhere, it is our job to find them.
Cold shoulder
– Last Updated: Mar-06-12 5:46 PM EST –
NO prize money available = no desire to help
Since no novice will blow 5 grand on a canoe race boat,
they usually start off in the "little" races with
what they got laying around the house/cabin.
Seems like if there are no points for the season
to be acquired and no prize money for short races,
the "pros" would rather spend their time elsewhere.
PRO
HERE IN S C THERE ARE SO FEW PADDLERS I GET 12 TO 15 FOLKS FOR MY RACE!!!
SURE MISS THE NYMCRA HAVE TO GO TO THE 90 TO SEE OLD PADDLE FRIENDS. 2012 24 90S SEE YA THERE
hmm
I think it hard to compare The Marathon with other races. It’s basically the grand daddy…with. huge history, and sponsorship with brings in money.
There are.a lot of races in the country and many don’t have any price money yet many volunteers. Some don’t pay out like the Ausable either. The Watertribe race in Florida…winner gets a shark tooth! The MR 340 has over a hundred entries and no price money. The 1000 mile Yukon race…not to be confused with.the YRQ…zero money…yet few volunteers.
With canoe racing sort of a weird label…since “pro” is defined by the boat and not the class of the racer…I.e. A pro boat and pro marathon refers to a certain demention and type of boat more so than the fact the winner gets money. These guys don’t do this for.a.living like a pro basketball player does. It just happens that the race offers a prize…as a result of the racer using a certain boat.
I.think with amateur status…a racer has the ability to use a different style of.boat, as well as compete in certain National paddling events different than a Serge Corbin style venue.
The MCRA should be proud of.their…keeping.the.flame going with this.style racing and.tradition.
Not sure I.answered a damn thing.
if you think
A novice won’t blow $5000 grand on boats you haven’t been to a race in Texas, or really any race I’ve been to.
Ryan L.
And for what it is worth
Ninty percent of the amateurs don’t want to race against pros.
In NC, I can find a race almost every other weekend during the summer months and it is a lot more fun racing against weekend warriors than pros.
Many of the races have between 20 and 50 racers, and several have between 60 and a hundred.
Jack L
Fostering Paddlesports
– Last Updated: Mar-07-12 11:39 AM EST –
I guess I'm frustrated at the segmented clique
thing that separates and divides Paddlesports
instead of banding together as one cohesive unit
to further Paddlesports in Michigan.
Might all be a lost cause anyway with gas hitting
$4/gallon before Memorial day and people paddling
local instead of traveling around much.
Creating an amateur "circuit" seems doomed;
even in the Great Lakes State
In ny
NYMCRA has built a true amateur component into it’s organization. There is a pretty cohesive group of amateur paddlers that attend races here in New York. A nice intermediate level is found in the stock class. Some of the pro paddlers in New York have voiced a desire to restructure NYMCRA to mirror Michigan’s model and I hope they don’t. (what exactly does expert 1 and expert 2 mean anyway?) I think that in some cases once a paddler reaches a certain level of proficiency (pro level) he or she assumes that everyone aspires to the same level commitment and enthusiasm. Plenty of paddlers started out in the stock class or aluminum for that matter. Some jump up the the amateur class and race pro boats at that level and the level of competition is satisfying enough that they can compete and not feel like they have to move up to the true pro class.
Finally keep in mind that in USCA style racing, there are virtually no true professionals. All the pro paddlers that I know have day jobs and the money that they earn through racing offsets costs of equipment and travel for training and racing.
In NC
after I started winning a few rec races I was pulled
aside and told to step up to the next class. Other wise the beginners get discourage always losing.
Some guy in new York always races and wins in C1 stock. He should move up to the racing class and let
some one else win in the stock class.
In NC
after I started winning a few rec races I was pulled
aside and told to step up to the next class. Other wise the beginners get discourage always losing.
Some guy in new York always races and wins in C1 stock. He should move up to the racing class and let
some one else win in the stock class.