IUF Slalom Question: If a world record time is recorded in age group competition, can it be treated as an actual world record?
This discussion has an associated proposal but it has not been approved yet.Comments about this discussion:
Started
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Apologies everyone, I started this as a proposal when it's supposed to be here! Please read the proposal and then think of creative ways to admonish me for doing it backward. :-)
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Because not everyone can see your proposal, I will copy the backgrount into this discussion:
"This proposal starts with a question, because with electronic timing, we should not have a need to ignore record-breaking times if they occur during age group competition. A rider who breaks the world record during age group may not be able to consistently repeat this result in the Finals, but it happened, and was timed electronically. Probably the biggest possible technical reason would be that one or more cones were out of place, etc. But officials for a Unicon age group competition should be re-checking cone positions after any rider causes their bases to move. After all, age group final awards are based on this attention to detail. For the most part, the timing system covers the rest, unless something unusual happens.
It occurs to me that this proposal might belong in a World Records Committee, if such exists.
Last summer at Unicon 21, during age group competition, Mathias Bracke recorded a result of 17.67 seconds. He was unable to repeat this in the Finals, and ended up coming in third. That's fine, but we know times can be unpredictable in this event. Perhaps we need a system to validate record times if they happen during age group competition. This would require first, the realization that it's a record. Then, perhaps a procedure to follow to make sure that all elements of that attempt were done correctly; cones in proper position, timing system working properly, etc."
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However, I honestly don't understand your point - because world records can't only be set in the final and there are no rules that say that world records can only be set in a final. This applies not only to the IUF Slalom, but to all other disciplines. World records can be set in any competition attempt that complies with the rules.
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I reviewed the rulebook and world record guidelines regarding this. I see no specific barriers to an IUF slalom record in age groups per the rules. You would need to document the course layout and timekeeping equipment was in compliance and submit that documentation to the IUF if you expect to be recognized as the record holder.
I’m not sure there is anything to be addressed in the rulebook committee on this, but perhaps in the world record committee if there is some shortcoming that I am unaware of in the process
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Sorry, been out of town traveling. Thanks for that feedback! Maybe Matias or his dad will take up the task of requesting this time be noted.
There is also the possibility of allowing age group times to carry over to the Finals. The course should be the same, and ultimately the riding surface also, if it's done in a different location. But those times should not be any less official that the Finals, if the course operators were doing everything by the book.
In such a scenario, the riders that qualify for the Finals would have their best qualifying time as their "default" result, to be used if their two attempts in the Finals aren't as fast. Even if both are DQs. How would people feel about something like that? Only then would the very best times be recognized.
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> There is also the possibility of allowing age group times to carry over to the Finals. The course should be the same, and ultimately the riding surface also, if it's done in a different location. But those times should not be any less official that the Finals, if the course operators were doing everything by the book.
That would be a completely different concept for the final than what we currently use. I don't know if this is something that is right for the Main Committee, as it would mainly affect track disciplines. But also for the jumps such a concept would be conceivable.
However, I don't know whether it really makes sense to discuss such a fundamental change to the existing concept of finals so shortly before the proposal deadline. If so, then this should definitely be done in the sub-committees concerned and not exclusively in the Main Committee, as it has an huge impact on the concrete implementation of individual events.