AWDC XL Challenge 2011

[najw]

Following much thought and discussion the committee of the All Wheel Drive Club has decided to reduce the number of rounds of the 2011 XL Challenge series, resulting in the cancellation of 3 of the original fixtures.

The key factors behind this decision are a decline in the number of competitors who are prepared to travel a significant distance to a one day event which in turn leads to reduced economic viability at the type of sites needed to challenge competitors at the top level of the sport. In addition reduced entry numbers do not provide the competitors who do take part with the sense of satisfaction at their achievements which we feel is essential at this level.

Mindful of these factors the 2011 XL Challenge will continue as a 5 round series with the best 4 results to count.

The remainder of the 2011 series will run as follows:

12 June - Wern Ddu, Corwen - Cancelled

14 August - Cowm Quarry, Whitworth - Cancelled

11 September - West Harptree, Avon - sponsored by Frogs Island 4x4

9 October - Venue TBA - Cancelled

13 November - Slindon Safari - sponsored by Gigglepin 4x4

We apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause. Appropriate refunds will be made to competitors who have pre-entered the series or cancelled rounds.

Neil Whitford

AWDC Challenge Coordinator

[chris_oakley]

Following much thought and discussion the committee of the All Wheel Drive Club has decided to reduce the number of rounds of the 2011 XL Challenge series, resulting in the cancellation of 3 of the original fixtures.

The key factors behind this decision are a decline in the number of competitors who are prepared to travel a significant distance to a one day event which in turn leads to reduced economic viability at the type of sites needed to challenge competitors at the top level of the sport. In addition reduced entry numbers do not provide the competitors who do take part with the sense of satisfaction at their achievements which we feel is essential at this level.

Mindful of these factors the 2011 XL Challenge will continue as a 5 round series with the best 4 results to count.

The remainder of the 2011 series will run as follows:

12 June - Wern Ddu, Corwen - Cancelled

14 August - Cowm Quarry, Whitworth - Cancelled

11 September - West Harptree, Avon - sponsored by Frogs Island 4x4

9 October - Venue TBA - Cancelled

13 November - Slindon Safari - sponsored by Gigglepin 4x4

We apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause. Appropriate refunds will be made to competitors who have pre-entered the series or cancelled rounds.

Neil Whitford

AWDC Challenge Coordinator

Thats a real shame have always looked forward to the day i could compete in one of your events , and now the truck is finished was going to enter wern dud

Now i will have to wait till september to compete, so in turn i will look in to participating in another series

[treebloke]

That is unfortunate. The HW or XL events are well run with good sections to test the best, helps if your not colour blind but that's a minor point.

[zim]

It's unfortunate Neil.

I will see you next in November at Slindon.

Regards

Gordon

[redrodant]

It's unfortunate Neil.

I will see you next in November at Slindon.

Regards

Gordon

I really hope the AWDc's "XL" challenge dosen't become the AWDC's "X" Challenge . Something is definatly Out of sink or Broken somewhere , it has / had the backing of the Huge AWDC, Big Name Sponcers, dedicated "hat well and truly off to you Guys " officials.

[jil6939]

That's a shame. I had just been talking to Peter Jackson about entering this. Clearly it's all his fault.

[chris_oakley]

If there were Enough Deposits etc.

Would the guys not consider putting on the Next round on the understanding the minimum numbers are met,

WAS THERE EVEN LIKE A ROUND BY ROUND ENTRY POST- LIKE THE CHALLENGER/LRS/MUDMONSTERS. IF there was i apologise for asking.

I for one would Love to do this event and the rest of the remaining events.

chris.

[najw]

If there were Enough Deposits etc.

Would the guys not consider putting on the Next round on the understanding the minimum numbers are met,

WAS THERE EVEN LIKE A ROUND BY ROUND ENTRY POST- LIKE THE CHALLENGER/LRS/MUDMONSTERS. IF there was i apologise for asking.

I for one would Love to do this event and the rest of the remaining events.

chris.

Chris,

Clearly you are disappointed, so are we! Don't forget this is how us organisers and marshals get our regular monthly fix of the great outdoors as well.

However a decision has to be made based on certain factors, in this instance were there enough prospective entries to warrant the 6 hour round trip and 3 hours minimum on site planning and recce'ing this weekend? And was there enough prospective income to pay the landowner and other associated event costs?

The answer was no.

This is one of the reasons we have a driver's register so that those who are interested/planning to enter can register and we have contact details. I emailed all those who have registered/competed so far this year last week to ask if they were planning to enter Round 4. I received 2 negatives, 1 positive and plenty of silence which I also took to be no's.

All the details about the event have already been published in the club's newsletter and website in advance.

We are now entering the same cycle as the doomed Hillrallies of the past where organisers won't confirm an event until their are enough entries and competitors won't enter until an event is confirmed. It's a lose/lose situation and we need to try and break the cycle.

We love putting on events that are viable in all respects and will continue to do so IF we know teams want to come and do them.

[mr whippy]

just out of interest had you made a decision on where the 9th oct event was going to be held? maybe we might see some of the xl competitors at the remaining challenger events if they have the minerals that is.

[D3DPE]

maybe we might see some of the xl competitors at the remaining challenger events if they have the minerals that is.

LMFAO or maybe the ones who do that series with "minerals" sign up to the XL? Or haven't you got the minerals?

Dan

[mr whippy]

i dont know if we are worthy of such an event. after all we are "novices and do not wish to compete at a national level" (quote awdc web site re. challenger series 2011) should have read: the challenger 4x4 series is aimed at the competitor who doesnt take themselves too seriously likes a good atmosphere, drink, bbq and a good days off roading without breaking the bank and traveling to the ends of the earth.

[robhybrid]

Out of interest in which years did we have the maximum amount of people entering?

why change rules/regulations/event format ?

I am not against development but?

I think that there is a place for XTC type events with more people building buggies all the time, just a series of 2 or three events until it takes off.

I also think there is a place for challenge events as per 4 or 5 years ago (extreme modified not eligible for championship cup but instead having their own separate cup) maybe a series of 4? events, best 3?

Just my own opinion

I like the idea of a series and I like the idea of being able to dis-count one event.

I like the idea/kudos of competing on a national level which then involves travelling around the UK.

Maybe I shouldn't be saying anything as I currently don't have a running challenge vehicle nor is my AWDC membership up to date( I was going to pay up on the 12,I;ll have to post it now)Nor have I renewed my msa licence wanting to be sure I was going to compete before paying up.

p.s. how many competitors have run for more than 2years without having to virtually completely modify/rebuild £££££££££ their vehicles either due to damage or feeling the need to try and keep up with competition?

I used to be proud that I was doing well in a vehicle that had standard body panels and I was competing against numerous highly rated competitors in vehicles with standard body panels.

my opinion is that when the goal posts/(chance of winning) are put too far away the majority give up.

I can see there is something quite prestigious about hosting an event with the most advanced vehicles but if it puts off a large proportion of people from entering pretty soon there aren't enough competitors to justify an event...

[simon_s]

i dont know if we are worthy of such an event. after all we are "novices and do not wish to compete at a national level" (quote awdc web site re. challenger series 2011) should have read: the challenger 4x4 series is aimed at the competitor who doesnt take themselves too seriously likes a good atmosphere, drink, bbq and a good days off roading without breaking the bank and traveling to the ends of the earth.

I'm pretty sure that the Challenger Series was aimed at novices originally, hence that sentence. I don't think the AWDC is insulting current entrants of the series.

Just out of interest, have you ever competed or attended a Scorpion/HW/XL 'level' (whatever that means) AWDC event?

[mr whippy]

yep i did some howlin wolf in 2009 4 rounds if i remember correctly? how about you?

[baggy]

hi rob

[simon_s]

yep i did some howlin wolf in 2009 4 rounds if i remember correctly? how about you?

Ok just wondered! Up until I moved to the States I was one of the helpers/marshals/setter-uppers.

[Boothy]

and one of the best !!!

[kellyv8]

this is so off topic its a joke ......sorry if i,m not allowed to comment, as i haven,t competed in a awdc 'national event'

@ mods, can you please add a w.anker smiley

[simon_s]

Wow, you ask one innocent question.... Whatever. I'm done. Have fun guys.

[pigster]

and one of the best !!!

lol... don't tell him that...

besides for many a year I thought that his sister was his girlfriend - oops.. but you never know with these cider types..

[mark awdc scrut]

hi chaps i no the challenge series has had a slow start this year but what do you all want out of the events do you like xl or would you all rather go back to howlin wolfe format think niel could do with your feed back so we can kick start the series again i no some of you have told me howlin wolfe was the format you liked but its not me you need to tell , i miss you boys and the all the laughs and banter that goes on and helping you repair your cars in the pitts so lets have some feed back in what you all want cheers boys mark p

[mr whippy]

ive not done any xl yet this year not because i dont like the idea, but because of other commitments and the distance to travel. so i cannot say i dont like the format. the feed back from the guys doing it seems to be positive about the event, and im sure its a good event. it seems to be all about the numbers turning up. as of yet i dont think there has been an xl within 100 miles of me but there have been loads of other events, and thats where ive been getting my fix, i cannot afford to do an eight round series thats nationwide but a local series is within my budget. but i will not rule ou a long distance one off event every now and then. i know the awdc has members all over the country and concentrating in one area isnt fair on others but it would appear that a national series is not working, but why.

is it 1. the style of event

2. the traveling/logistics cost etc.

3. the awdc/ organisers

4. msa regs

5. other?

for me im happy to give it a go but only when its a bit more local.

[Nobbymogs]

hi chaps i no the challenge series has had a slow start this year but what do you all want out of the events do you like xl or would you all rather go back to howlin wolfe format think niel could do with your feed back so we can kick start the series again i no some of you have told me howlin wolfe was the format you liked but its not me you need to tell , i miss you boys and the all the laughs and banter that goes on and helping you repair your cars in the pitts so lets have some feed back in what you all want cheers boys mark p

i think there has been lots of feedback given to Neil, but i think the main 1 is down to cost ...... there is no getting away from it these events cost money as does all kinds of motor sport and to commit to a National series of 8 rounds is one hell of a commitment.

there are so many other good events out there that i think people just dnt want a series they just want to pick and choose what they want to do, but after our last event which was in March there has been a bit of a quiet spell but now all of a sudden there are about 8 events coming up that i wanted to do but simply cant do them so we have had to pick the ones we want to do or have already committed too

[Adrian Turner]

lol... don't tell him that...

besides for many a year I thought that his sister was his girlfriend - oops.. but you never know with these cider types..

sooooo funny mate! :lol:

[simon_s]

sooooo funny mate! :lol:

I'm studiously ignoring both of you.