Now it's Quiet

Well everyone, while it's quiet we can get a few things done!

Firstly the dates for the 2009/10 season are out and the MWSC will be holding the Barrie Beehag Ski race on Saturday 14th November.

The 2010 Southern 80 Ski Race Classic will be over the weekend of 12,13 & 14 February. Lots of people are confused with what is the correct date, so that's it. If you've booked accommodation for the wrong weekend, you better change it Now!!!

The MWSC committee are participating in the 2009 Clean up the Murray day on Sunday 31st May at Vic Park Boat ramp. We will be cleaning up from on the water along the river bank with a BBQ lunch supplied afterwards. If anyone would like to attend and assist, please contact the office to register numbers, (to assist with catering).

The MWSC are also working on having a display at the 2009 BIA Boat Show in Melbourne from the 2-6th July. Come down and say Hi to us on our stand and have a look around at all that's on offer inside.

The committee is working hard on planning already for the 2010 event with more info to be out soon on all that's happening.

WHAT A WEEKEND!

Well where do I start, what a weekend. With the extra hot weather it was always going to be a challenge over the weekend.
Wasn't the new venue for Cantech Engineering's Breakfast with the stars, a great spot. It was very pleasant to wander around under the gum trees and look at all those great boats.
Scrutineering went off great, except for those who failed to notice the"NO STANDING" Signs along one side of the street, a fine is on the way for those guys!
The very warm night didn't stop those attending the launch night from enjoying themselves either, but as it was still over 35 when I left at 11.00 that night I knew it was going to be a bad day Saturday.
From all accounts the static display was well attended with a lot of fantastic machinery on display for the crowd to enjoy.
The new social format running on Sunday morning was well received by those competing in it, Had a few hiccups with social skiers not taking notice of the fact that the river was closed, but we stopped them, and racing was underway.
The regular afternoon racing from 5 Mile went off well, with the Superclass guys showing what we've always said about our sport, that we're all a BIG family! They patiently waited at the top of the ramp to put their boats in while A team worked feverishly to get their boat going to tow a little tadpole. Thanks Guys, it was greatly appreciated but the little skiers Mum and she wanted us to thank you!
The new Top 40 format was well received, and all was going to plan till we had a boat loose steering and end up crashing into a houseboat, which brought out the first ever RED FLAG in the history of the southern 80. it only affected the last couple of boats in this event.
Sunday morning dawned but the cool change promised Didn't appear, even though the temp wasn't as extreme as the day before. the new format of all the expert running except for top 40, was going great and made posting of times easier for officials, as classes were able to be accounted for a lot quicker.
But while we were going along great, the rest of the state was in dire trouble, with the bush fires, which resulted in the government declaring a state of emergency and recalling our paramedics off the site to work elsewhere, so the Moama Water Sports Club committee had no other alternative but to Abandon racing and once again out came the RED Flags. whilst the majority of classes were completed, some weren't due to some of them being part of the Top 40, yet to start.
The committee will now have to consult with their Chief and Assistant Judges and SRA to work out what we decide to do re these classes.
I hope that every one has a safe trip home, and we look forward to seeing you all over the weekend of 12,13, 14 Feb 2010.

IT'S HERE AT LAST!!!

Well here we are, Friday morning of the 2009 Club Marine Southern 80 and it's going to be BIG.
WE have Big entry numbers, BIG number of Boats, BIG number of people and BIG BIG BIG Weather temperature forecasts.
With the forecast for Saturday to be around 47 and Strong winds, A bit like the Thursday at the Aussie Titles, I would like to ask that you all take care, drink lots to hydrate, use a good sunscreen, look out for each other and try to find a shady spot. BUT PLEASE.don't swim in the river during the race, it's TOO dangerous for the competitors!~
I would also like to ask that if you see any of the Moama Water Sports Club Committee over the weekend, take the time to Say 'Thanks' to them for putting on such a great event for you all. they all are volunteers and have given up many, many hours over the past few weeks to get this together and once you've gone home, they still have many more hours left working to clean up and Debrief with all the Emergency personnel etc.

Hope you all have a very successful weekend and travel safe over the weekend.

The Countdown continues

Another day and another day closer we are. Everything seems to be happening and at times I feel like I've got it all covered and then other times,I wake up at 2.00am and remember things that I haven't yet done and how short the time is really!!!

The office is starting to get calls from teams who want to substitute a boat coz theirs is broken down, or perhaps Stuck In Cairns and can't get out coz of the floods! While we will try to help as much as possible Please Remember, As per SRA's new seeding rules, We have seeded in Classes this Year! NOT overall seeding. This means, that you need to make a change suitable to your class. 'Like for Like'. If there is a spot we may be able to move your class BUT if there's not, You need to find a similar boat as a Replacement.
Also if your original boat was listed to attend scrutineering, then your replacement boat needs to attend instead. This will then help with any confusion as to whether you attend or not.
For those lucky enough not to come out in the draw to attend scrutineering, don't forget to present your log book at Briefing/Paperwork collection. I
f your log book had a note in it re fixing something, then you'll need to bring your boat so that the scrutineer can see that it has been fixed and sign off on it!

5 Days to Go

Well it's countdown time now, only 5 days to go and it'll be all happening here at the Southern 80 office.

I've just updated the latest email of info from SRA and my list of

'Incomplete entries' is still massive! If you haven't finalised all your stuff with SRA, get onto it today coz You are Basically too late already!

To those who have done the right thing and got their 'Act together' and got their entries completed, you'll be cruzin' through at Briefing/Paperwork collection time, while the others will be in the long Que Waiting, waiting waiting!!

Some things to remember, it's been VERY VERY VERY Hot here and looks like still being like that over the weekend.

Bring extra sunscreen and water.

Also as people can get a bit Frazzled when it's so hot, so Please bring your Good Manners, patience and common courtesy along as well.

Scrutineering

Well time is running out and the Southern 80 weekend is only a bit over a week away. The team captain of those who have been picked to attend scrutineering will have received a text re this yesterday and an email.!!!!!
Well this is providing you have supplied SRA a current Mobile and Email address.(Amazing how many emails bounce back, check your stuff when it comes back from SRA & let them know when somethings not right. Otherwise you don't get the important stuff sent to you!)
There is some concerns in the Scrutineering camp within SRA re the random scrutineering and the number to do. So be Prepared for a few more to get informed that they have to attend as well.
The list of entries that are NOT COMPLETE DUE TO OUTSTANDING PAPERWORK WITH SRA is huge!!!! ****Remember all info must be to SRA 5 days before an event or you will not be current.
AS well as we have notified many team captains via either the return email when your entry was processed or the actual paper copy in the mail, of Boat rego's and Drivers Maritime Licences that have or will expire before the race and need to sent a copy of new one to SRA.
If at Briefing/Scrutineering when you come to collect your paperwork and this isn't fixed-NO Race!!! All information must be up to date!

On a More interesting note, the MWSC office was contacted yesterday by DPI with regards to locusts in the area. For those who haven't been up our way over Xmas we have had Locusts travelling all over the area and there is now a concern that we will have them moving around our area over the race weekend. We will be updating the website with an info sheet from DPI as well as placing this sheet in the Competitiors pack. Main concern, all Drivers and SKiers need to wear goggles!!!! More info on this at a later date.

Numers and Start Times are out!

Well it's getting closer to the Biggest Weekend on the Ski racing Calendar, with only 2&1/2 weeks to go till the Southern 80 starts for 2009. All team captains that have supplied a current email address would have received their numbers and start times last week. And all the team captains that are current with SRA, giving us a current address will have received the same information by mail this week as well.
Now I have started to get a few questioning phone calls and emails as to Why peoples numbers are much higher than last year? Why is someone else's number much lower than ours etc etc. remember we Have had to do our seeding in Classes this Year as per SRA'S New rules. If your class number is a higher number than someone else's class your number is going to be HIGHER. As for those who think that someone in their class has a better number than them, You NEED to wait till you've seen the Final Draw, not what someone says that they know!!!! We have quite a few jokers out there who like to pull the legs of their friends, TOO bad that I'm on the end of those calls and emails from people who think we've put them in way behind others! Not many apologise for being blunt and rude to whoever answered thier call or received the email, when they find out what they think is right really isn't!
Don't forget time is running out for all those whos till have paperwork etc to fix up with SRA. Briefing and your paperwork collection will be much easier and quicker if you have completed entries with us. If you have TBA's on your entry, NOW is the time to get a name listed!