Nationals Date...?

[ED_AISH]

Just heard a rumor that the nationals might be shifted forward a week... Anyone know anything about that?

[waldo]

Is that so we can get on the hammer for the Rugby world Cup final? Bad timing there by the NZFBB. :pfft:

[MasterTel]

Dont' worry, guys - the Nationals will definitely be held on the scheduled date of Oct 20. There was consideration given to moving it forward to Oct 6 or 13 (to reduce the gap between the last qualifiers on Sept 29), but it's not going to happen now.

Being the same weekend as the Rugby World Cup final shouldn't be a problem - the Nationals should finish early Saturday evening and the Cup final kicks off at 7am Sunday. Waldo - that gives you time to fit in some night-clubbing before settling in for the rugby!! :pfft:

[diamond]

hey T Bird, whats the story with such big gaps between cni, nats and the nakis?

[MasterTel]

Yeah, it's not ideal having a 3 week gap before Nationals, plus having the last two qualifiers (South Island and CNI Champs) on the same day (Sept 29).

The reason is lack of suitable venue availability for all three shows (incl Nationals) on other dates. Normally we would have 3 qualifiers in the 3 weekends prior to Nationals, but it wasn't possible this year.

The Naki show is also normally one week after Nationals, but is two weeks this year - as it also was 2 or 3 years ago.

One significant issue is making sure we time Nationals so that it doesn't clash with the IFBB World champs. As the date for the World champs is usually not decided unti mid-late November of the year before, it means we can't really decide on our calendar until late Nov at the earliest. Plus the date for the Worlds can change, as it did early this year!

Hopefully we'll get back to a more suitable calendar in 2008!

[2guns]

iv heard there is no drug testing at the cni? is this true?

[michaelk]

More importantly, is it still going to be held at the Auckland Girls Grammer as usual...once more...again.

Isn't it time we started looking for a venue that better reflects our National Championship event instead of a school, as well as having better facilities for sponsors (decent room for displays), competitors (bigger tan and pump up rooms) and spectators (parking and local food and drink facilities).

Surely NABBA have been able to find the places, why don't the NZFBB?

My 2cents is that the Bruce mason theatre on the north Shore fits all the criteria.

[MasterTel]

That's a good suggestion, Mike - and the Bruce Mason Theatre was mentioned as a possible alternative venue if the NZFBB Nationals was to be moved forward from Oct 20.

As always, availability is a big issue, but also cost. The NZFBB is focusing very hard on reducing our debt - which has reduced by over $30K in the past 12 months and probably by another $5K to $10K once the profit from the Auckland Champs is calculated. We are looking good to out of debt by the end of this year - not bad when we were about $55K in debt mid-2006.

Sure - Auckland Girls Grammar is not the best quality venue around, but it is very good value for money.

Hey - we've got an awesome venue (The Opera House) in Wellington. I've organised two comps there in the past two years and hopefully we will be given the green light to host the 2008 Nationals there next year! :nod:

[MasterTel]

iv heard there is no drug testing at the cni? is this true?

Sorry, 2guns - you may have been listening to the incorrect "NZFBB are dropping drug testing" rumours flying around.

The chances of drug testing being held at the CNIs is the same as at any other comp in recent years - almost certainly "YES"!