Tourney: WHBPC 2010 Berlin - 13-15.08.2010

i don't know if this effects your argument, but mid-april to mid-august is only four months

In case anyone gives a toss what we think in Cambridge , we've got 3 teams in the Nationals and the general consensus here is we're happy to let that events outcome decide which teams play at the worlds . A load of us are going to Berlin anyway this summer, regardless of whether we're in the competition or not, its going to be an amazing event whatever the outcome .

they were in leeds, yesterday. sorry you missed out.

aha ah excellent

The UK champs seem like a no-brainer (imo) as a feeder tourney.

Qualifiers for the World Cup ended last year. 4 months, pah! ;)

I've kinda changed my mind on my stance of this. 1st of all, I forgot all about the form on the league of bike polo that teams who were interested in attending filled out.

Of the 36 teams in MCR tourney, there are 11 separate cities (19 teams are London-ish). Do all these people know about this discussion? Do they care? Why not divide the 6 slots proportionately, send out an 'express your interest' letter, going by Berlin's interest form, from the LOBP forum, to these cities/teams and let them work out who is going to represent them in Berlin.

Personally, I think going by Berlins form of teams that have expressed interest in the worlds is the right way to go. Not by a tournament that is not related and wasn't related at the close of registration.

I sort of agree with Mike, the ideal process for me would be:

Tourney announced,
Teams/players express interest in playing,
Slots allocated,
Qualification tourneys organised and played as needed,
Teams allocated their slots.

The whole "express interest", then "allocate slots" process could be done ad infinitum on a progressively smaller scale.

you both kinda sorta changed your minds.

I'm still not sure though, can we have a re-think?

you both kinda sorta changed your minds.

Yea, I guess I've totally changed my mind.

;1287228']... I forgot all about the form on the league of bike polo that teams who were interested in attending filled out.

...
The whole "express interest", then "allocate slots" process could be done ad infinitum on a progressively smaller scale.

What was that catchphrase in the '90's? "Think Globally, act locally"

I think the UK champs are the perfect place to decide who goes to the Worlds.

The problem this year is the timing of the UK champs (5 months before the worlds) and that it wasn't announced beforehand that it will be a qualification tournament.

Next year we will have to make sure that we schedule the UK champs a month before the Worlds and make everyone aware that it will be the qualifications.

This year we may just have to live with the fact that it is an imperfect situation that will be rectified next year.

+1 andy. Polo is developing, and year on year, it will be better/more transparent/clearer/fairer etc etc. But for now, I think it's the best way. Also, like i said, people may not have known it was the qualifiers for the worlds, but they knew it was to find the best of the UK, so it's pretty much the same thing...

^ Good point and again, unless there's someone who has a specific issue with using the UK Champs as the qualifier then there's no problem...

Puts more pressure on ELKs v La Schmess game, ah well, time to start playing properly.

I have a specific issue with lumping all of the UK in one pot. I'm betting London will take at least 5 of those 6 spots. Not really representing the UK is it? What about Edinburgh or Glasgow? No offence to them but they probably won't make top 6 in MCR...

And who even knows if they're interested in going to Berlin?

But surely, we should send the best 6 from the UK to the worlds.

So the first question should be ... should the UK be sending its best 6 teams to represent at the Worlds? (at the main tourney, others can represent there too...)

If yes, then the UK champs seems the perfect solution in this case.

oooh, Gabes, you're quicker than me!

I think surely communities who have expressed interest to Berlin about participating should send their best with number of teams being determined by size of community.

So the first question should be ... should the UK be sending its best 6 teams to represent at the Worlds? (at the main tourney, others can represent there too...)

If yes, then the UK champs seems the perfect solution in this case.

*If no, *then we need to have a re-think. (or just a think in the first place)

What about we send the best 6 from the UK, and others who are interested go to Berlin and play in the preliminary tourney to get one of 6 wildcard spots?

I suggest this as I think quite a few people have expressed interest in going to the Worlds regardless of whether or not they are guaranteed a place to play.

Yep, I forgot they were doing that as well...

also manchester is in the middle of the uk and therefore a more 'even' place to hold tournament. if you didnt know about the uk champs, or didnt think you were good enough to play in them, will you care about the 'worlds' where you need to have more interest and be better?

The bigger problem stems from the whole 'after-the-fact' announcement. Some things take priority.

Scenario:
Ned plays polo and plays it well.
Ned really wants to play in Berlin, expressed interest and has began organizing his life around it. Including a plane ticket flying in on the 12th.
Ned has something that's been planned for ages the same weekend as the UK champs so Ned didn't express interest and will not be attending.

A couple months later, the idea comes up and is quite popular that only the top 6 teams from UK champs will go to Berlin. Ned is fucked by no means of his own.

Ned is a fool for buying a ticket before knowing how the selection process is working.

I think we can have this discusion for hours, and no agree at the end.
A lot of people how play polo doesn't rise their opinion, so only a few give input.
we need a vote where all the players from UK can vote, about the main question:
"does the UK Champs decide who goes to Berlin, yes or no"