Freycinet Challenge - Part 3

Friday, 25 October 2013

So anyway - back to the presentations.  We had rushed back over to the Lodge and arrived just after the scheduled 2pm start time. Then we waited, and waited, and waited, then finally after no information or signs of movement at 3.15 we decided to leave - we (like everyone else) had to drive back home and the wind was forecast to increase throughout the afternoon and we really wanted to be able to cross the bridge with the boat on top when we reached Hobart. We figured that like in 2011, the organisers would find a way to get our prize to us after the event. Oh how misguided we were!  

It turns out that the presentations didn't start until 3.45, and it was by all accounts a shamozzle.  In many classes only first and 2nd got acknowledged and in many classes, no-one got anything, not even their name mentioned.  Veteran Individuals got nothing, Junior teams got nothing.  For us with our third place in our obscure category (and many others in similar positions), we had no hope and I'm glad we left early.  When we were 3rd in 2011 we got 3 x $25 cafe vouchers and 3 bottles of wine - it was great!  In 2012 we were 2nd and we got 1 x $25 voucher as 1 bottle of wine. Clearly we should have seen the trend!   Out of interest we paid $420 to enter this race.  You'd recon they could have stretched to awarding *something to each of the 3 places in each category. 

Anyway - situations like these always make me think more about prizes.  I think organisers make the job of sourcing prizes harder for themselves by trying to organise big or expensive things (i.e. expensive outdoor gear, or trophies) . My favourite prize in recent years is the towel I won at orienteering in 2010 (modelled by my beautiful assistant):

 

My 2nd favourite is the Winter challenge apples (we've now got the full set!), and I also really like the mugs we got from the Tullah Challenge last year.   Every time I see or use any of those things I think of the event and that's a good thing.

 

Prizes which are not worth giving (in my opinion) are certificates, and badges. Aside from those towels in 2010 (which were an absolute exception), Orienteering does a disservice to itself by traditionally having the worst prizes ever - dorky cloth badges you can do nothing with.  I normally throw them away.

 

Also when sports are competing desperately to keep kids interested it seems clear to me that prizes which are both useful for the kids and actually market the sport are the way to go. NOT certificates or cloth badges.  There are so many easy options which would work - towels, drawstring bags, mugs, engraved glasses, all things which are not expensive to make in bulk (through corporate promotion companies) and kids could proudly show to their friends or use at school.

In the first year of the Icebreaker Multisport Race, Jon and I came 2nd and got a certificate (boo!). This year I won the Women's Veterans solo race and I won $200 (!!) which was pretty exciting. But I would have been just as happy with a mug, or a towel, or anything I could put somewhere and think - 'I earnt that!'.   As adult competitors we want something that is a souvineer of the effort we put in to train and reminder of of the day (and occasional suffering).  Ideally something that is unique to the event (so maybe incorporates the logo) and that other competitors can aspire to. A towel or mug or wooden apple or anything along those lines is fine. It doesn't have to be expensive at all.

The Freycinet challenge cost us $420 to enter.   Producing a towel or  mug for each 1st, 2nd & 3rd place competitor would have cost no more than $20 bucks each (for towel - probably only $5 for a glass or mug) and would have given the competitors who won them a chance to get come up and get some acknowledgement from other competitors & spectators. It would have been so easy to do.   So Easy. Instead they left quite a few competitors with bitter tastes in their mouths.  

Anyway.  That's my rant. I've organised many prizes in my time, I like to think they've generally been unique and pretty cool - I would certainly have been happy to win them anyway.  So. anyone who wants some help with organising prizes for an event, contact me, I'll help!

 

2013summary
K.I. Day 3 Saturday, 28 December 2013
K.I. Day 2 Friday, 27 December 2013
K.I. Friday, 27 December 2013
Belair National Park Wednesday, 25 December 2013
Special Talents Monday, 23 December 2013
The K2K Sunday, 22 December 2013
Takeaway Sunday, 22 December 2013
Morning Paddle Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Before and After #28 Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Milestones Sunday, 15 December 2013
Run-Sheet Sunday, 15 December 2013
Gingerbread Houses Sunday, 15 December 2013
It must be December.. Sunday, 1 December 2013
Not at all the plan..not even a bit Sunday, 24 November 2013
in other news.. Thursday, 21 November 2013
Winners are grinners! Saturday, 16 November 2013
Before & after #28 Friday, 15 November 2013
Triple Tops Mark IV Sunday, 10 November 2013
Lake Rosebery Paddle Sunday, 10 November 2013
Tullah Challenge Saturday, 9 November 2013
Assumptions Friday, 8 November 2013
Halloween Orienteering Sunday, 27 October 2013
Chocolate Saturday, 26 October 2013
Fine and Windy, with a chance of Sulkiness Saturday, 26 October 2013
Archives.. Friday, 25 October 2013
Freycinet Challenge - Part 3 Friday, 25 October 2013
In safe hands Friday, 25 October 2013
Freycinet Challenge - Part 2 Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Freycinet Challenge Part I Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Dogs and Babies Saturday, 19 October 2013
Mt Amos Sculpture Trail Friday, 11 October 2013
Contrasts Thursday, 10 October 2013
Walking Machines Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Fishing Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Mt Graham Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Restraint Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Overnight Hike Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys Part #4 Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys Part #3 Monday, 7 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys Part #2 Monday, 7 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys - Part I Sunday, 6 October 2013
McComb Swimming Carnival Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Fishy Update #3 Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Lift Lounging Wednesday, 2 October 2013
not so much riding Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Sensational Sydney Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Fishy Update #2 Tuesday, 17 September 2013
It's Back! Saturday, 7 September 2013
one of these things.. Saturday, 7 September 2013
Piñata Update Saturday, 31 August 2013
Fishy Update #1 Saturday, 31 August 2013
Home-Made Friday, 30 August 2013
We should have gotten meerkats Friday, 30 August 2013
Rainbows and Puppydogs Monday, 26 August 2013
Redbanks Sunday, 25 August 2013
Soccer Season Saturday, 24 August 2013
Bookweek.. Friday, 23 August 2013
Jon in the Winter Challenge Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Well this is quaint.. Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Winter Challenge 2013 Sunday, 18 August 2013
Preparation. Saturday, 17 August 2013
Proclamation Day Saturday, 17 August 2013
Inevitabilities Sunday, 11 August 2013
Saturday Afternoons Saturday, 10 August 2013
Sunrises Saturday, 10 August 2013
Re-surfacing.. Saturday, 10 August 2013
look! Saturday, 10 August 2013
Magic Melbourne Thursday, 1 August 2013
Sunday Paddle Sunday, 21 July 2013
Saturday Paddle Saturday, 20 July 2013
The novelty is over Saturday, 20 July 2013
Happy Birthday Me! Sunday, 14 July 2013
and in other news.. Saturday, 13 July 2013
Egg Island Circumnavigation Saturday, 13 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part IIIIII - wrap up Tuesday, 9 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part IIIII Tuesday, 9 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part IIII Monday, 8 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part III Monday, 8 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part II Monday, 8 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part I Sunday, 7 July 2013
Nerves Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Frosty Toes Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Going Up Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Aurora Chasing Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Monster Cake Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Dark Mofo Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Mona Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Working in Miniature Sunday, 16 June 2013
Wheels.. Friday, 14 June 2013
Aurora Chasing Saturday, 8 June 2013
Tas Sprint Champs Saturday, 8 June 2013
Beautiful Bicheno Saturday, 8 June 2013
Saturdays Friday, 7 June 2013
Soccer Buddies Friday, 7 June 2013
Utensil Update III Friday, 7 June 2013
Doing the Hard Yards Friday, 7 June 2013
Small Change Sunday, 26 May 2013
Sunday Morning Paddle Sunday, 26 May 2013
Work Friday, 24 May 2013
Not great value Friday, 24 May 2013
Today was not a good day for Mr Fish.. Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Utensil Update II Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Utensil Update Friday, 17 May 2013
Having fun with the children.. Thursday, 16 May 2013
Mini Cupcakes Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Ye Olde Hobart Sunday, 12 May 2013
Dog People Sunday, 12 May 2013
Early Mornings Sunday, 12 May 2013
North West Bay Sunday, 5 May 2013
Tip Trip Sunday, 5 May 2013
Sculpture Trail Friday, 26 April 2013
New Bike Monday, 22 April 2013
Wombat 100 Part 3 Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Wombat 100 Part 2 Monday, 15 April 2013
Wombat 100 Part 1 Monday, 15 April 2013
Disco Zali Sunday, 14 April 2013
Spirit of Tasmania Saturday, 6 April 2013
Last Day.. Saturday, 6 April 2013
Mt Buller Summit Friday, 5 April 2013
What we're not doing this winter.. Friday, 5 April 2013
Jon's Ride Friday, 5 April 2013
you win some, you lose some, and then you get sick.. Friday, 5 April 2013
You win some, you lose some Friday, 5 April 2013
Luna Park Friday, 5 April 2013
Metropolitan Meerkats Friday, 5 April 2013
Bendigo and surrounds Monday, 1 April 2013
Cape Huay and the Three Capes Project Monday, 25 March 2013
Tarn Shelf Walk Sunday, 24 March 2013
Canberra Sunday, 24 March 2013
Capital Punishment 50k Monday, 18 March 2013
The Best Bike Bag Ever Friday, 15 March 2013
Lovely Kids Saturday, 9 March 2013
Beach Shadows Saturday, 9 March 2013
The best leg Monday, 4 March 2013
Summer Survival Monday, 4 March 2013
Sunday Night Dinner Monday, 4 March 2013
Bruny Island Paddling Weekend Sunday, 24 February 2013
Cuteness Friday, 22 February 2013
For Dr Evil Thursday, 21 February 2013
Almost Perfect Thursday, 21 February 2013
Lucky lucky lucky Thursday, 21 February 2013
Complaints Thursday, 21 February 2013
My thoughts exactly! Thursday, 14 February 2013
Lunchtime Ride Thursday, 14 February 2013
Our new pet Sunday, 10 February 2013
Modern Family Sunday, 10 February 2013
Blue Dragon Part 2 Sunday, 10 February 2013
The Blue Dragon Part 1 Saturday, 9 February 2013
Wardrobe! Thursday, 31 January 2013
Mad Monday Monday, 28 January 2013
Jetty Beach, Bruny Island Sunday, 27 January 2013
Thursday night paddling group Sunday, 27 January 2013
News Flash Thursday, 24 January 2013
Sunday Paddle Sunday, 20 January 2013
I have perfect eyebrows. Thursday, 17 January 2013
Little Adventures Sunday, 13 January 2013
Maria Island Friday, 11 January 2013
Face painting Friday, 11 January 2013
before & after #27 Friday, 11 January 2013
bang for your buck Monday, 7 January 2013
Surfing at Maria Island Sunday, 6 January 2013
Slide of Doom Sunday, 6 January 2013
Picture Perfect Sunday, 6 January 2013