Systems and Solutions.
Those who know me may say that I strive to design and execute systems that work and seek solutions to problems. I make no apology for trying to implement both systems and solutions into the Moto Trials world. Of course there will be those who believe there to be better systems and solutions and they could well be right but I endeavour to give your sport the best efficiencies within workable parameters. One of these efficiencies has been the introduction of championship events being administered by SWAN and entered online. SWAN is software written by Andy Poad and John Ravenscroft. John also offers his personal services and equipment at events.
The ‘streamlining’ of championship administration has allowed you, the organiser/rider to focus on issues such as sections and observers knowing that entry, scoring and results will be catered for with minimal input from your club members. You will also have the benefit of instant results played onto a large TV screen. Something we would only have dreamed about 10 years ago. John has offered to continue with entry and results for 2014 and will be able to provide even greater service as he now has a van and will arrive with a ‘mobile office’.
However, he has costs which I do not expect him to cover. Nor, I suspect, would anyone else expect John to give the many hours and Kilometres of service without some reimbursement. To this end I will be talking with the Island coordinators to discuss the merit of funding John from a rider levy. It was left for individual clubs to reimburse last year but that turned out to be a little ‘hit and miss’.
To achieve an electronic system [as we are trying to do] requires other factors to align because the system is dependent on:
– Adequate ‘lead in’ time for entry and for ‘sorting’ anomalies that may arise
– ALL NZ competitors having a current MNZ licence
– An absolute minimum of One Event Licences [these should only be sparingly sold by organising club to special cases only who are competing in support classes. No OEL should be available on day of competition]
So I ask you all, for 2014 and beyond, to get your events permitted and open for entry AT LEAST 90 days prior to competition date. Can I also ask that your MNZ and ‘Local’ Club licence is ALWAYS current? Could you also ensure that you have the correct licence? You need a full licence to ride championship classes [Expert, President, Junior, Women and Twin Shock]. An MNZ “Club” licence is sufficient to ride support classes [A Grade, Intermediate, Clubman]
The consequence for not complying with aforementioned requirements is that your event will struggle because of the extra stress it places on Stewards, COCs and John Ravenscroft’s admin ‘machine’ and in future it may even result in riders who are non-compliant being excluded from the event. At present I know that there is a fair bit of leniency from administrators and stewards where the only consequence that may occur when a rider signs on with a non-compliant licence [i.e. An unsuitable licence] is that his/her name will not appear on official results which are forwarded from SWAN to MNZ.
Let me write about one event licences [OEL] and MNZ ‘club’ licences: SWAN and MNZ do not recognise the entry of non MNZ riders in championship events. To compete in MNZ championships NZers must be an MNZ member. However, you can ride a non-championship support class [at a championship event] on an MNZ ‘club’ licence and OEL. As commissioner I am prepared to give championship points to MNZ members whether they have ‘full’ or MNZ ‘club’ licences but I refuse to allow NZers with OEL to gather championship points.
Overseas riders are entitled to enter and win our championships with authorization from MNZ. However as yet it is not possible for them to enter online
Because the riders of our support classes are assessed on accumulated championship points, OEL holders will not have points awarded and consequently be absent from official results compiled by SWAN. Your commissioner and Island co-ordinators have discussed SWAN processes with owners John and Andy and we are satisfied that results produced are in accordance with the rules. We therefore accept these results as official and are at ease with direct posting of results to MNZ for ratification.
Why am I writing this? I am trying and convince you to comply with MNZ requirements to make the roles of all administrators much easier. Electronic admin was initiated to take out some of the mundane tasks of setting up and running an event. One person who does not comply with the “SYSTEM” takes about as much ‘time’ as processing up to 50 compliers. Please consider this as it will be someone like John Ravenscroft who will be ‘sorting it out’ for little reward so that you can have your fun!
Jim Henderson