Improvements We Like to Have

[wassuprai]

People,

There are a couple of good ideas and feedback floating around the forum and 'm trying to consolidate them into a single thread for simple mode of sharing. I've mentioned before that the new SDBA President is very pro-people and so SDBA will be launching some new inititatives as well as revamping the older ones.

For starters, he'd already formed the following:-
a. Safety committee, to raise the standards of safety in all aspect, be it during training or competition
b. Competitions committee, to make sure that all competitions are standardize as much as possible (following this years' rather poor SRR organization)
c. Technical committe, to look and re-look at the rules and regulations

To improve data and information sharing with all, SDBA will be changing their website. The new website will hopefully be more user friendly (to SDBA) and more dynamic to us. A proper dragon boater will helm this website so hopefully we'll get to see more dragon boat related matters rather than the trival announcements, warnings and all that.
 

[wassuprai]

Race and venue wise, it will pretty much be the same for next year. I don't have the dates yet (it will be revealed later, SDBA need to check with the authorities first). But these are the likely ones:-

a. National Schools
b. S'pore INTERNATIONAL Dragon Boat Festival (SIDBF)
    - in June, Nteam and Yteam will be participating to blood them before the World Champs in August
c. AustCham 10km
d. 5-crew Race (this one is an important initiative to help bring water sports to western Singapore hence why we keep having this race altho we know a lot of teams stayed away - its for the community folks)
e. Singapore River Regatta
   - in October again, to avoid the SEA Games period in November

SIDBF will be in Marina Bay (floating platform to MBS venue) so it should offer deep water although we suspect strong surface tail or headwind (because of the mass of buildings paralleling the proposed race course). As it is technically a dead-bay (ie water flows in and will get stuck at the far sea-wall), there could be heavy water at the sea-wall side.

[wassuprai]

The River Regatta will be continued, at least till next year. As mentioned, it will be held in October to avoind the SEA Games period in November. Folks, SRR days are numbered. SDBA knows that the venue offers no more options for improvement. Once SDBA can find a better place, SRR will be closed down - that is the most radical proposal for SRR that the various SDBA's committeess will study. Lets just wait and see how this turns out.

In the meantime, we can expect some very radical change to next year's SRR. SDBA sucked in this year's version. They are very, very aware of that. Some of the very extreme measures they're thinking that can improve the SRR on the whole is to further limit participating teams so that they can improve the operational flow. The root cause was that SDBA could not cope with the volume of participants.

Number of events are currently deemed necessary in the spirit of national initiatives to foster community bonding (PA races), government sector integration (Public Service races), healthy lifestyle for workforce (Inter Corp races), etc. This is in-line with the government's vision for a Sporting Singapore and all NSAs need to do this. It affects funding and therefore, the NSA's survival.

Anyway again lets see what the new Competitions Committee will come out with. 

[wassuprai]

For the High Performance component, a dedicated Youth Team (Yteam) will be formed by Dec this year. The main purpose is to serve as a feeder for Nteam. Singapore also have that World Junior crown to defend. SDBA were promised funding for this and so it will happen.

Teams are encouraged to broaden their experience by participating in as many dragon boat races as possible. In-country, we have the SAVA Races which are well organized and reputable. SDBA see SAVA as a serious partner that can help push the standards of dragon boating here. Hence why SDBA tried not to have the same racing distances as SAVA's in order to provide more competition experience over varied distances. Another alternative race would be the PA Paddles-up races, which is usually the annual curtain raiser dragon boating event.

If you want to go out-country, please seek sanction from SDBA. They'll look into the safety and technical preparations of the target race and will advise you whether it is safet to go or not.

The times, they are a-changing

[boatingkid]

inserting the Nteam and Yteam into races at the SIDBF.
i don't think it's a good idea because everyone would know, or at least expect the Nteam to win.
and if they do, does it mean they'll take the Gold?
and if they don't, it'll be embarrassing.
i think it's only better if those two teams are put in separate events from at least the local club teams.

just my two-cents.
 

[whack it hard]

In the meantime, we can expect some very radical change to next year's SRR. SDBA sucked in this year's version. They are very, very aware of that. Some of the very extreme measures they're thinking that can improve the SRR on the whole is to further limit participating teams so that they can improve the operational flow. The root cause was that SDBA could not cope with the volume of participants.

Number of events are currently deemed necessary in the spirit of national initiatives to foster community bonding (PA races), government sector integration (Public Service races), healthy lifestyle for workforce (Inter Corp races), etc. This is in-line with the government's vision for a Sporting Singapore and all NSAs need to do this. It affects funding and therefore, the NSA's survival.

Anyway again lets see what the new Competitions Committee will come out with. 

"   The root cause was that SDBA could not cope with the volume of participants.  "   did it get more this year??

it uses to be more ...
1, Active Ager, 
2, when team can send more then 2 team ,  Safra  Team -A B C D E F G,
3, one more is the  race for  Eurasian, floor ball, SCF.

Every year we have almost the same volume of participants, how come suddenly become like this??
I think , "   The root cause was that SDBA - have no ABLE people --could not cope with the volume of participants.  "

[watchman]

To clarify, Nteam and Yteam will be put into the international categories. SDBA targetting the SEA nations & if the budget permits, perhaps the Chinese National Team.

[watchman]

Bro Whack It Hard, you are right to say that SDBA could not cope for lack of able people to do the job. Actually that was what I meant. My apologies for not sounding clear

[wassuprai]

Bro Watchman,
I know who you are already. Sigh...you very the loh soh leh. Might have just tell me who you are Upfront. Would save me the saliva talkin to you haha, you excited about the plans we discussed this am rite? No wonder I found your information too accurate to be chance. Bro, actually Uncle Would be more appropriate you are right about N & Y Teams. About that SDBA thingy, lack of people is just one of a few problems. 

[watchman]

Wassuprai,
Busted! Don't worry, I didn't release any secrets, yet!
Anyway it's good that you and 'The Movement' do this. If good, we say congrats. If bad, must wack so that can become good. That's what the forum is for what. Anyway that's your intention right, to feel the ground. You the one who shouldn't hide. By the way, I like the comments in TNP today. Sure or not.. Haha