2010 Nav Rally Calendar and Rule Change Suggestions

[STeveD]

RSO wants to develop the 2010 Calendar at the next meeting. Rule changes will also need updating.



22.6b) Events over 400 kilometres in length should have minimum one-hour stops no more than 400 kilometres apart. Rest stops should be chosen to ensure reasonable facilities are available for male and female crewmembers.

Stephen's suggested change:


22.6b) Events over 400 kilometres in length should have minimum one-hour stops no more than 400 kilometres apart. If the distance does not exceed 400km, but the event is over 3 hours in length, it should have a minimum of one 20 minute rest break. Rest stops should be chosen to ensure reasonable facilities are available for male and female crewmembers.

[Opal]

I'm ALL FOR that change. It's cruel and unusual to go more than 3 hours :(

[TrevorH]

Shouldn't this be time based rather than distance? Something like a minimum of 20 minutes out of every 3 hours. The distances covered are really irrelevant to a fidgety navigator not wanting to ask for a time allowance at the next bushy CP.

[STeveD]

TrevorH wrote:
Shouldn't this be time based rather than distance? Something like a minimum of 20 minutes out of every 3 hours. The distances covered are really irrelevant to a fidgety navigator not wanting to ask for a time allowance at the next bushy CP.

It's a carry-over from the "Ironman" style of day long rally. Did you notice the text in bold in my second Quoted section?

[STeveD]

Also need to implement the bulletin from last year for tie-breaks:

From:



25.12 c)

the tie-breaker for determining event awards only shall
be as follows:
i) most zero penalties at controls;
ii) most consecutive zero penalties at controls;
iii) most one point penalties at controls;
iv) most consecutive one point penalties at controls;
etc.
v) fewest TA’s used.

To:



25.12 c)

the tie-breaker for determining event awards only shall
be as follows:
i) most zero penalties at controls;
ii) most consecutive zero penalties at controls;
iii) most 0.1 point penalties at controls;
iv) most consecutive 0.1 point penalties at controls;
etc.
v) fewest TA’s used.

[TrevorH]

STeveD wrote:

It's a carry-over from the "Ironman" style of day long rally. Did you notice the text in bold in my second Quoted section?

I did, but the distance is still irrelevant. I could think of contrived conditions that would make for extended crew discomfort within these rules (399km rally at a CAS of 50kph = one 20 minute break over 8 hours).

If the rule is time based only, then there are no escape conditions.

[Opal]

Given I don't get the shrubbery option... 1x20 min break every 3 hours makes sense to me - regardless of travelling 300km or 30km.

[STeveD]

Just an update... Nuwan and I were at the meeting last night.

Trevor: Your suggestion for earlier migration from Novice to Intermediate was long discussed, but wasn't seen as beneficial to novices. Forced early migration has scared people out of rally often in the past.

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The whole bio break idea was long debated as some rallies would not easily support it (think Open Road) However, it seems that this will happen. The good idea came up of making a break "Optional" where the organizer would let you know where along the route a bathroom is located and provide time to use it. They don't have to make it back at rally HQ or make arrangements with the owner, but you'll know where/when it is before the rally starts.

All competitors could get an ET in that area that would accomodate a stretch or trip to the washroom. Competitors would know in advance where to find it. e.g.: at the driver's meeting, you might find "At EOS 4 you have a 15 minute ET before the start of Section 5. There is a XXX donut shop / gas station / etc. one block south if you need refreshment." etc.

So they may not have made an arrangement with the owners, but just as if you were stopping on a road trip, it's available to you.

It won't HAVE to be done that way... it would be the organizer's option to put in two legs, or handle it another way. But at least now, you shouldn't have to go longer than 3 hours without knowing where a bathroom can be found. You will also have time to use it without having to take a TA or it affecting your maximum late time. Don't need to use it? Fine, just stretch, rest your eyes, or work ahead on notes.

Some organizers have been good about this in the past; KWRC has built breaks into the SNATR series and their ORRC events. I recall a summer rally using a 20 minute break at a gas station as well. Others using a break in a town. Some may have to work harder to incorporate it into their rallies. And no one wants it to make it to force an extra 60 minutes to finish the rally either.

But it should make things a little more family friendly and safer; so that no one has to choose to dehydrate themselves for four hours in summer heat while doing the challenging task of driving.

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My suggestion for including a Touring Class in 2010 with simpler notes that would be scored as a separate class in the championship didn't pass. It would require separate green crew review of the notes, and add cost with additional trophies for competitors that might not even enter. So it was left at encouraging organizers to offer it, but not requiring it.

My suggestion to new rallyists interested in Touring is to Email organizers long in advance and ask if they'd be offering it. Then they'll know in advance if there will be desire for it or not and they can make the decision on if they want that business or not.

At the very least, the January Jaunt, MLWR, and probably Spring Run Off should all have simpler Novice instructions than other rallies throughout the year. Not that the MLWR should be considered a "beginner" rally, but for instruction difficulty, it shouldn't be difficult this year.