How many World Champions?

It is very old problem to solve - number of World champions in powerboating.

Biggest problem here is to define minimum demands for World championship.

One suggestion is:

If there are minimum 10 drivers from two continents, then it is WC.
In case all drivers are from one continent, we need 5 parcipicating nations with minimum 10 boats.

If these demands are not reached, WC turns to the international race.
If there are not minimum 10 boats in class two years in row, this class don't have WC for next season.

To achieve minimum number of boats (10), drivers from two continents or 5 nations, it is marketing task for race organizers.

Here is one suggestion for the year 2012. These are classes to have in the World Championship list.

O-125
O-250
O-500
OSY-400

GT-15 (Junior class)
GT-30
T-550 (if we have "green class" to give to the drivers, then it. GT-60 for example)

F4S (replaces S-550)
S-850 (F4), may be replaced with SL-90
SL-250

F-1
F-2
F-1000
S-2000 (for endurance and national races)

P-750

Endurance pneumatics 3 World championship classes (now 10, PR and P), probably PR200HP etc.

Endurance 2 classes (now 3, S-Class 1, S-Class 2, S-Class 3)

Jet Sprint
RD

GP Hydro
P1 (two classes)

Offshore 1
Offshore 3 (3 champions)

Aquabike (max 4 classes)

There are also APBA classes.

It was only one suggestion. We have to discuss more.

Race results (protocols)

Race results has to be document for long time to understand, what happened at the particular race. Now it is not always so. You even can't understand, what competition it was. Please check from the year 2009 results from U.I.M. website:
T-850 European Championship
GT-30 World Championship

In first case there are no any glue, what competition it was (village championship or just international race?)

In second case there are no information in English about, what race it was and which countries were involved.

How we can send such information to the media, show to the sponsors and spectators?

For the U.I.M we need results in English. Race name has to be mentioned and countries are written in correct way. Best way for that is use IOC recognized way to write country names: POL, SWE, NOR, GBR, ITA etc. We need additional information to understand, what happened at the race. It is good practice to add letter "r" for restarts (example - Heat 1r) and also reasons for disqualifications (rule numbers) and given yellow cards as well. Also it is important to not keep information in results empty for heats, where driver not got result. Just add:
DNS for Did Not Start
DNF for Did not Finished
DSQ for Disqualification
DNR for Did Not Restart etc.

It helps to understand, what happened at the race.

For correct statistics we need on the results, sent to U.I.M. also number of total Entries and number of Nations. Just add it on the results.

Very often also names of drivers are written in wrong way. We have to respect drivers more.

U.I.M. Circuit Rule Book

U.I.M. Circuit Rule book is getting more and more confusing every year. It is not just problem with not clear and unfair rules, but also, that all parties of racing have to follow this rule book (drivers, organizers, race officials, UIM). Now unfortunately is not case here.

To make things better, we have to start with correcting of the structure of rule book. Then many things in there are getting more clear. Next step is revise texts. Some texts are not belonging to the rules, where they are written.

Part of Advance Program do not have points, which have to be written in there. These points are spread over the rule book (color of helmet etc.). And do we need such rules in Advance Program at all? We have to write in Advance Program: races are held under the U.I.M. rules. It includes all information.

World record rules are not clear and correct. Technical inspection rules are in too many different places in the rule book. Why we have different rules in Water Festivals for different classes? Special rules for F-500 and different ones for F-125 and F-250. Etc. etc.

In 2009 were adopted rules, which are not making racing more fair and safe. We added again more confusion. Check, why some proposals got only 20-21 votes. Most of them came from countries, which are not involved in particular racing.

We definitely need better rule book and we have to start follow it! We need commision (3 persons) to check of following of the rule book. We don't have it yet.

U.I.M. GA Timetable

U.I.M. General Assambly timetable is built up in not efficient way.

Cominsport, which has normally most things to do, has three meetings now: first day 2 hours. second day 4 hours and joint meeting at third day 4 hours. My suggestion is, that Cominsport has meetings: first day, second day and fifth day. Then we can have meetings, discussions and negotiations in two days between meetings. All meetings is good to have opened. If closed meeting is needed, reserve small room and have such meeting privately. Now many of problems, rised at Cominsport meetings in first two days are not solved in the end of GA.

To do so, we can move for example Formulae committee meetings to the Thursday.

There are also some other issues to solve in time table.

For calendar meeting we need project for calendar earlier, than 10 minutes before meeting. Now we had and still have problems with S-550, OSY-400 and junior classes.

Open Forum has to be open. We have to give for example 1 minute to the all candidates for elections to introduce himself. Etc.

Biggest problem in GA is still fact, that homework is not done. Most of delegates are coming to the GA without any preparation and commissions are having long discussions and argues because of that. We have to have for these meetings strict time schedule and only in case we have additional not used time, we can discuss matters arised at meetings.

Powerboating Nations GP (Cup)

It is may be good idea to start up new type of race to involve more countries to powerboating. There are no competition between nations up to now. All races are competition between individuals or teams. Now is time to start up real race, where individuals are not getting champion titles, but best nation in powerboating is going to be found.

Some ideas. At first, juniors have to be involved in that. Secondly it is wise to have existing relatively cheap U.I.M. classes involved in such competition. And finally at least three classes has to be included for so called Powerboating Nations GP.

One suggestion for format is following.

Include to the race three different type of boats: monohull, hydroplane and catamaran. In this way for example classes are GT-15 (juniors monohull), OSY-400 (hydroplane) and F4S (catamaran). In each classes every competing nation has national team with two boats. Total number for the team is six here. 10 best nations are going to the final and we are getting 20 boats in every heat, which is very spectacular. Race has two days. First day is for timetrials and qualification heats (2 heats for each class). 10 best nations are competing on second day in final (3 heats in each class). 6 best nations from previous year are going automatically to the final.

We can change classes even every year, but it has to be decided at GA at least two years ehead, which classes are involved. We can add classes P750, O-125, F2 or even small Offshore classes, but juniors have to be involved all the time.

If there are bigger interest from nations, we can change rules for number of finalists. For example at least 15 nations in final with one boat in each class.

If races are organized for example in other continents than Europe, local organizers or UIM (using promotors etc.) are making possible of availability of boats without need for nations to transport boats to the race site. If race is organized in Europe, European nations are using their own boats. For nations from other continents we have to find boats from Europe.

Why not to demand, that at least 3 nation medalists from last two seasons has to be members of the national teams.

Certanly there are a big number of other good ideas and formats to organize such Powerboating Nations GP. These ideas are welcome!

Let's try it!