Worlds/World cup Race Design
Give pics of LV WC Q + SF/F
Give pics of Pau World Champs Teams + Q + SF/F
Give pics of Seu WC Final SF/F
Leading up to the race
In the time before I would watch previous races / World cups/Selections etc for design inspiration. In Pau for the World Championships in 2017 G1-3 were similar to 2016 French selection Race 2???? (have a look) (provide video of those sections?)
For the Lee Valley would cup week I came down for Monday to set gate placements for Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday morning sessions. I Tried to give a feel of potential moves that could be set (some moves were in some days trainings, (or adapted from)
Video - SF G11 – 12
Video SFG23 – 24 – in training had done an down to up – in this down to down.
This sequence has a similar feel but does provide different wave positioning – a down to up can be more on forwards due to wanting to be on top of the wave surfing down into the up.
G 19-20 and G 2-3 Lee Valley classic moves (provide video of those sections?)
Setting gates for these training can be challenging. I wanted to set as many moves and sequences of gates as you can, but not have the gates interfere with each other. Lee Valley has lots of line so you can create multiple course quite well.
After the last slot of the day on Tuesday and Wednesday, I would set up the gate for the next morning, moving lines and gates where needed to create again as many sequences as possible. My aim was to see all the nations be able to do several sequences of gates on each section.
When then water came on in the mornings at 7.30 that was time to tweak gates if needed and look at pole heights for each gate and adjust where needed.
Course Designing and Setting
Design philosophy – I like a course that is challenging, which makes you think about keeping momentum on the boat, with some tighter and more open sections and using features, such as waves and stoppers.
As course setting is done in pairs in most course setting I would speak to the fellow course designer about philosophy or ideas
Before settingI would often come with ideas on Course maps
In Pau/Seu I found and printed off overhead drone images (show pics) that I sketch move ideas on.
(include drone overhead and drone course map (draw new ones if necessary :P)
I would also design the Finals course 1st then design the Qualification course after.
Other things to consider?
6 or 8 ups? If 8 do you lose spin options?
Feature moves
Balance of course – C1L vs C1R
A Vision/Aim of the ICF is they want results to be instant at the Finish of an athletes run. This can effect the course design at the bottom of the course.
By widening G25 in the Semi-Final at Lee Valley this give room for error and helped reduce penalties on the last gate but not to influence the spin vs forwards option and still keep the bottom section entertaining for the crowd – commentators questioning - he is down on the split, with they go forwards or spin?
Once a course has been designed we will walk down the course a few times as a pair to decide on which lines we will actually use for each gate, discuss if these lines need to move, sometimes discuss the ramifications of a mistake, so if they were to drop off the wave what would happen? How much time would be lost. Is the wave stable and consistent enough for that move? Or does the water change too much – I guess this is all up to personal views.
Thomas Smidt gives his views on course design, and I especially agree with his views on gate placements in terms of stable water and pole heights
Include link to podcast spoken by Thomas Smidt in his Julian Billaut podcasts
Expand upon with Examples Lv fG4 in the trough of the wave
LV F G15 – made an error
One more thing, as canoe slalom is a whitewater sport, you can provide options on lines even without using too many gates. By setting Gate 1 at Lee Valley in the semi-final/final in the place there were three potential lines,RR LR LL??? This was then straight into a technical move, so you have to judge speed and mental composure into the first move move
Day of the race
On the SF/F day of Lee Valley we moved water on from 7.30 to 7 to give more time to have gate heights set to be ready by 8.
So gates heights set 1 hour before start of race.
This was again done with the board
I think the board confirms ????????????????????
8-8.40 Roam course (be visible) to be available to nations if they want to question gate heights (and gate placements if course has been previously pulled in.)
8.30 – 8.40 - Brief Forerunner on options and come up with consensus on who will do which moves, which way.
8.45 Watch Demos for pole heights and adjust if necessary
Keep and eye on pole heights during the race – for the last few boats will sometimes watch each section to notice any poles that look too high/low - Meet after fellow course designer after Semi-Finals or big gaps in races (between morning and afternoon racing)
to adjust any pole if needed based on observations from watching and sometimes other information- see pic with penalty counts below
Pic of results with penalty counts
after each stage of class I would go to the results to look at the penalty count. Where gates were touched etc. If a lot on one gate, would go to look at pole height of gate to see if touches were related to pole height or understand why pole was being touched.
Qualification
C1M Lee Valley G22 – pole height ok, touches were all from 1st 10 boats, I believe bows popping up. Later boats more accurate with bow placement and wither bows above or bows around (see article on ups on drops HERE coming soon)
Gate 14 C1M vs K1W 1 touch compared to 7 – why? C1M 2nd runs 1 touch so not related to gate height, but I think do the more to positioning over the stopper 12-13 – C1s being lighter over the stopper so better set up for the move.
Also with this list of results I would check in C1M lefty Righty balance in Qualification as well as in the Semi-Final / Final
Lee Valley Results were
Qualification
Top 10 5 R 4L 1Lswitcher Next 10-20 6L 4R
10-20
20-30
Semi-Final / Final
Top 10
10 – 20
30 - 40
Previously I have also checked the world rankings to see what the balance was in the top 10 – top 20 and top 30 to see if it was a 50/50 split of Leftys and Rightys, due to our perception of a fair race is a 50/50 split.
Results below
Top 10 -
Top 20 -
Top 30 -
Marking on lines and taking pics to line up gates to get them in same placements as days before.
Marking on lines to use and move to set up Semi-Final / Final course
Speak about tuning – and limited time to set courses
Pole heights with the marker (add pic of board being used?) – but also by eye too.
Work of gate maintenance people. These guys to some very good work, and a thank you to all of you from me. – often best if each person sticks to the same job, eg pole height adjustment, so they start to get an eye in what is happening. Practise beforehand I think for this is critical. Often with limited time, learning “on the job” is not easy.
Post Race
I will watch race video again (just being a canoeing geek, and also looking for coaching points for the athletes I coach)
Taking splits of key moves, and if possible ask others I know that have taken splits for there athletes so I can see where time was gained/lost and especially the L/R balance time gains/losses.
Give pics of LV WC Q + SF/F
Give pics of Pau World Champs Teams + Q + SF/F
Give pics of Seu WC Final SF/F
Leading up to the race
In the time before I would watch previous races / World cups/Selections etc for design inspiration. In Pau for the World Championships in 2017 G1-3 were similar to 2016 French selection Race 2???? (have a look) (provide video of those sections?)
For the Lee Valley would cup week I came down for Monday to set gate placements for Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday morning sessions. I Tried to give a feel of potential moves that could be set (some moves were in some days trainings, (or adapted from)
Video - SF G11 – 12
Video SFG23 – 24 – in training had done an down to up – in this down to down.
This sequence has a similar feel but does provide different wave positioning – a down to up can be more on forwards due to wanting to be on top of the wave surfing down into the up.
G 19-20 and G 2-3 Lee Valley classic moves (provide video of those sections?)
Setting gates for these training can be challenging. I wanted to set as many moves and sequences of gates as you can, but not have the gates interfere with each other. Lee Valley has lots of line so you can create multiple course quite well.
After the last slot of the day on Tuesday and Wednesday, I would set up the gate for the next morning, moving lines and gates where needed to create again as many sequences as possible. My aim was to see all the nations be able to do several sequences of gates on each section.
When then water came on in the mornings at 7.30 that was time to tweak gates if needed and look at pole heights for each gate and adjust where needed.
Course Designing and Setting
Design philosophy – I like a course that is challenging, which makes you think about keeping momentum on the boat, with some tighter and more open sections and using features, such as waves and stoppers.
As course setting is done in pairs in most course setting I would speak to the fellow course designer about philosophy or ideas
Before settingI would often come with ideas on Course maps
In Pau/Seu I found and printed off overhead drone images (show pics) that I sketch move ideas on.
(include drone overhead and drone course map (draw new ones if necessary :P)
I would also design the Finals course 1st then design the Qualification course after.
Other things to consider?
6 or 8 ups? If 8 do you lose spin options?
Feature moves
Balance of course – C1L vs C1R
A Vision/Aim of the ICF is they want results to be instant at the Finish of an athletes run. This can effect the course design at the bottom of the course.
By widening G25 in the Semi-Final at Lee Valley this give room for error and helped reduce penalties on the last gate but not to influence the spin vs forwards option and still keep the bottom section entertaining for the crowd – commentators questioning - he is down on the split, with they go forwards or spin?
Once a course has been designed we will walk down the course a few times as a pair to decide on which lines we will actually use for each gate, discuss if these lines need to move, sometimes discuss the ramifications of a mistake, so if they were to drop off the wave what would happen? How much time would be lost. Is the wave stable and consistent enough for that move? Or does the water change too much – I guess this is all up to personal views.
Thomas Smidt gives his views on course design, and I especially agree with his views on gate placements in terms of stable water and pole heights
Include link to podcast spoken by Thomas Smidt in his Julian Billaut podcasts
Expand upon with Examples Lv fG4 in the trough of the wave
LV F G15 – made an error
One more thing, as canoe slalom is a whitewater sport, you can provide options on lines even without using too many gates. By setting Gate 1 at Lee Valley in the semi-final/final in the place there were three potential lines,RR LR LL??? This was then straight into a technical move, so you have to judge speed and mental composure into the first move move
Day of the race
On the SF/F day of Lee Valley we moved water on from 7.30 to 7 to give more time to have gate heights set to be ready by 8.
So gates heights set 1 hour before start of race.
This was again done with the board
I think the board confirms ????????????????????
8-8.40 Roam course (be visible) to be available to nations if they want to question gate heights (and gate placements if course has been previously pulled in.)
8.30 – 8.40 - Brief Forerunner on options and come up with consensus on who will do which moves, which way.
8.45 Watch Demos for pole heights and adjust if necessary
Keep and eye on pole heights during the race – for the last few boats will sometimes watch each section to notice any poles that look too high/low - Meet after fellow course designer after Semi-Finals or big gaps in races (between morning and afternoon racing)
to adjust any pole if needed based on observations from watching and sometimes other information- see pic with penalty counts below
Pic of results with penalty counts
after each stage of class I would go to the results to look at the penalty count. Where gates were touched etc. If a lot on one gate, would go to look at pole height of gate to see if touches were related to pole height or understand why pole was being touched.
Qualification
C1M Lee Valley G22 – pole height ok, touches were all from 1st 10 boats, I believe bows popping up. Later boats more accurate with bow placement and wither bows above or bows around (see article on ups on drops HERE coming soon)
Gate 14 C1M vs K1W 1 touch compared to 7 – why? C1M 2nd runs 1 touch so not related to gate height, but I think do the more to positioning over the stopper 12-13 – C1s being lighter over the stopper so better set up for the move.
Also with this list of results I would check in C1M lefty Righty balance in Qualification as well as in the Semi-Final / Final
Lee Valley Results were
Qualification
Top 10 5 R 4L 1Lswitcher Next 10-20 6L 4R
10-20
20-30
Semi-Final / Final
Top 10
10 – 20
30 - 40
Previously I have also checked the world rankings to see what the balance was in the top 10 – top 20 and top 30 to see if it was a 50/50 split of Leftys and Rightys, due to our perception of a fair race is a 50/50 split.
Results below
Top 10 -
Top 20 -
Top 30 -
Marking on lines and taking pics to line up gates to get them in same placements as days before.
Marking on lines to use and move to set up Semi-Final / Final course
Speak about tuning – and limited time to set courses
Pole heights with the marker (add pic of board being used?) – but also by eye too.
Work of gate maintenance people. These guys to some very good work, and a thank you to all of you from me. – often best if each person sticks to the same job, eg pole height adjustment, so they start to get an eye in what is happening. Practise beforehand I think for this is critical. Often with limited time, learning “on the job” is not easy.
Post Race
I will watch race video again (just being a canoeing geek, and also looking for coaching points for the athletes I coach)
Taking splits of key moves, and if possible ask others I know that have taken splits for there athletes so I can see where time was gained/lost and especially the L/R balance time gains/losses.