On yahoo-outrigger is an interesting discussion about cash prize money, there about the men/women thing. It got me thinking about cash prizes in general.
Hawaiian outrigger paddling is competetive, but mostly about tradition, ohana, luau, all generations on the beach together during regatta days etc..
The winners get a present and the recognition, the traditional T-shirt, the meal is the recognition for all participants.
Cash prizes - yes or no, good or bad, refuse or accept ... ?
Submitted by eckhart on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 1:57pm
Boy, that's a can of worms. Money will bring mainstream recognition that we are a "real" sport which will lead to an increase in the number of paddlers worlwide, which will lead to more races, which will raise the bar in competion, which will lead to more money... At the same time money will change the spirit of the sport.
Its kind of cool participating in a "nitch" sport. And anyways, I'm probably not going to win any of that prize money.
#1 Tue, 05/22/2007 - 3:46pm
haha after the molokai solo.. i watched the news at night.. and they showed like not even 1 min of it.. they just showed the surfski winner and den they went on to talk about base ball or golf or sumthing... and some stations dont even show um,...... and in school.. people just think that u "paddle" and it is so easy and anyone can do it and dumb sh!t like that..
#2 Tue, 05/22/2007 - 4:09pm
Eck
Cash prises are something I think this sport is going to have to deal with. Most paddlers would love to see this sport some day as an Olympic event. Money is whats needed to make that happen. Don't get me wrong I think that the importance of "tradition, ohana, luau, all generations on the beach together during regatta days etc.." is what makes this sport so great, but there are some of us young guys who have grown up in the sport and would love to make a living off of paddling (and not building boats, paddles, or selling outrigger stuff). Teach your Jr's in your clubs not just how to paddle but how to be good people and you wont lose this sport.
Tpop
#3 Tue, 05/22/2007 - 6:02pm
Tpop, you're right, it's going to change, no matter what we think.
Everybody would love to make a living off what they love. So I hope you get that chance. I'd prefer sponsorship over cash prices.
Currently its pretty nice and even: "more than hundred people paddled and the winner is Karel Jr. or Kai Bartlett ".
And Manny, all right.
But there is no envy and everybody is very approachable.
The moment you put $ 5000 into the winner's hand, everything has changed already.
The surfski world seems a step ahead in this, is it ?
Another thing I realized: 8 women paddled in the Molokai Solo, - congratulations - , no qualifiers. That is a pretty small number.
It doesn't take away from the performance, rather the opposite imo. But it is a small number. Men, some more, but not many either. I guess that the media look at these numbers. Where is Mufi ? He probably looks at the numbers as well.
Yet another thought, somewhat related:
The surfski circuit in SA groups the racers from group A to E, according to their performance relative to the winner, counting the two most recent races. You can drop or climb in these rankings. Rewards are given in each group. Found that interesting.
#4 Tue, 05/22/2007 - 8:32pm
I don't really care cause no matter how hard I train I'll never win any money. I'll just poop everywhere.
#5 Tue, 05/22/2007 - 9:07pm
I love cash prices. Although often prices are too expensive for my taste. If I had my way I would much rather win a prize than give a price every time I do well at something. Just my thoughts on the whole Price vs Prize discussion. So my vote would be to end cash prices, as I am a broke ass guy, and onward and upwards with big ginormus cash prizes.
#6 Tue, 05/22/2007 - 9:24pm
Eck,
Well I did get lucky and scored in the Kauai relay and got third with Mr. Ching, we each took home five hundred from that, and even though I wasn't at the after party for the Molo Solo I heard that Oscar wanted to raise 300,000 for next years solo. If that would be true then your going to have a much larger interest in the media for next year. Money and Media kinda go hand in hand it sucks... and I would totally love to have sponsorship money, but right now the boat manufactures need to get more product out to make more money to allow to pay guys to paddle, to in turn promote there product.
That SA Circuit I don't think could quiet work over here yet, I heard they have a couple hundred people at each race,(sorry if I'm wrong on the numbers) right now there just isn't the big enough spread of competitors.
#7 Tue, 05/22/2007 - 9:48pm
Hi Tpop,
great recognition for your performance.
If Oscar raises 300.000 for next year, then I take a $ 1000 - 2000 appearance fee. :).
It will be different. It will be interesting to see how such money will be distributed and how
many more people will show up.
PS: we had cash prises, prizes and prices so far, not too bad.
#8 Tue, 05/22/2007 - 10:26pm
I think cash prizes are good if I can win 'em. If I can't, then I really don't care - so, I mostly don't care.
Media coverage results more from (consistent) big money/corporate sponsorship, and to a lesser extent from racer/consumer interest - not necessarily from large purse prizes.
There are a lot of Olympic sports, even relatively new ones, that do not benefit from mainstream recognition. To become an Olympic event, OC paddling will need:
-organized worldwide competition governed by an international sanctioning body. (Thanks IVF!)
-endorsement by Olympic powerhouse, and Olympic host nations' Olympic committees.
-a racing format adaptable to the Games' established requirements.
-multi-national participation.
I actually think we're pretty close on this.
Do I have any credentials/special knowledge/experience from which to speak on this subject? No. But I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...
#9 Wed, 05/23/2007 - 10:04am
On a serious note, whats better than a cash prize is a cash giveaway. If you want a lot of people to enter a race then consider this.
Instead of putting up a sum of money for the winners why not randomly draw a name from the people that raced that day and give them the money. I bet that would make more people enter the race. Or do both, have a cash prize for the winners and then have a drawing with a big giveaway.
Do it!
Poops
#10 Wed, 05/23/2007 - 10:23am
I agree with you 100% on that one poops!!! Let all paddlers have a chance at some cash....
#11 Wed, 05/23/2007 - 2:45pm
Yeah man us losers deserve our day too. I'm tired of all these buff studs getting all the money, girls and attention.
Poops
#12 Fri, 05/25/2007 - 7:13am
I once won some money in a sixman race. I think it was a Beachboys Choose Your Weapon Race. But before I got a chance to collect it our steersman spent it all at the bar.........
#13 Fri, 05/25/2007 - 12:55pm
I have always liked the idea of spreading the wealth. If a race has come up with some extra money for a cash prize why not help everyone out. Hook up all the competitors with some trunks, sandals, sweatshirts or something we can use without raising the price of the event. Then distribute whats left to the elite paddlers.
#14 Sat, 05/26/2007 - 1:52pm