TOPERI CHALLENGE (comp to replace woodpecker)

[davo250]

Dear Tony and all the guys from the Conobalas Club

Thanks for a fantastic competition this weekend!
The tracks were challenging and the rules allowed for a great run at the events.
There was a good variety of stages that were very driveable to most cars with good navigators!
We really hope to make this an annual event for the club, although I think we may need to draw straws on who gets to drive it in the future - everyone wants a drive at it now!
Our spectating club members also wish to say thanks. They thoroughly enjoyed the action and found it quite easy to know what was happening and were well catered for with facilities.

Warm Regards

David White
President
All Coast 4WD Club
'Don't Back Off!'

[MrsForby]

Thanks for all points Jess.

I will ask though, why give the kids attending a bedtime??? They don't at other events, so why this one? And yes I can see you are joking but you must have a reason for stating the fact.

We don't take our 4 girls to any events, due to the fact that some of the spectators are not the best role models! This was the first time they have been to a comp and they had a ball (mind you I wasn't having a ball trying to get the mud out of the twins shoes!) I can't speak for everyone else there, but our girls were in bed just after 8pm (mind you with a DVD though! Hehe)

LOL, just a joke and I know I'm going to be flamed VERY hard for this! I don't honestly expect a club to enforce (or even suggest) a bedtime on the kids. Mark and I became increasingly frustrated at the number of kids at the night stage on Saturday who had a total disregard for those around them. I understand kids will be kids (and also that it's not the organisers fault either!) but parents were not pulling their kids up on it. I can understand the kids got a bit bored, but my toes took a beating as kids ran along the bunting trying to get splashed from mud. We ended up sitting that close to the bunting to prevent it from happening that we were practically sitting underneath it (the bunting).

I hope that no parents out there take offence to what I have said, as majority of the kids were exceptionally well behaved considering how many there were at the event. I can hear a few "you don't have kids, what would you know!" and you're right, I don't have kids, I don't know first hand what it's like to have a kids at a 4WD comp, but I do know a little manners can go a long way.

The initial comment I made was more a light hearted joke, rather than anything else.

Now I've said all this I have to reiterate that for their first event, Canobolas 4WD club well and truely nailed this event. The comments I make are purely to help the club improve on what was already a fantastic competition.

Turbo GU, I think it was your vehicle I was watching on Sunday.

[DIRTY ROCK STAR]

i would have to add to what jess said abit...
on stage 3 i was the 2nd car and while waiting at the start line there were 3 kids running back and forth in between the 1st and 2nd car a minute before we took off. was abit hectic keeping track of the 3 kids.
so parents out there have a go and keep an eye on your kids, it would not help the event or the sport if a kid was injured like that and it shouldnt be up to competitors to watch out for your kids.
+ some lil bastard dipped his foot in mud and flicked it at evan and me when we were waiting at stage 2..... you might be 5 yrs old but i will throw you in a puddle one day

[WICKED]

- Give the kids attending a bed time!!! lol. (j/k)

Bwahahaha Careful here Little Boy!! Some one will try and send you too bed!

[the gun]

Fisrtly well done to the Canobolas 4WD Club. For your first comp, you did exceptionally well.

Just a few points from a Spectator:
- Plenty of competitors. Not the ones I usually see at TTC and Willowglen. Was great to watch new competitors!
- Recoveries were quick. While I wouldn't say they were always the safest, they were very quick. As the competition becomes more popular, you may have a few issues though, needing to move the crowd to get vehicles off the course.
- Organisation needs to be tweaked just a little. The recoveries were nice and quick, and then we sat and waited while what seemed to be the drivers brief for that course was completed. I'm not 100% on the logistics of each course, (ie, the course cleric must oversee the recovery AND complete the driver briefing) but maybe the driver brief could be completed while the recovery is taking place? I noticed it picked up pace on Sunday, so maybe you sorted it out.
- No fires. I know, with the wind it was too dangerous. I also know it's beyond your control, I just love a good campfire!
- $$$. I know the cost will possibly go up next year, but $20 for the weekend was great!!! (Yes, I'm a tightwad )
- Same rules on each course?? I heard on Sunday one team were told on stage 3 not to put the wich cable inside the cab, yet they had done it on another course??
- I'm going to get flamed for this, but I'd like to see penalties for rear steer, just to even the field a bit.
- Give the kids attending a bed time!!! lol. (j/k)
- Starting the comp Saturday arvo and having the main parts on Sunday seemed to keep the drunken idiot factor down.
- Turn the wind machine off next year, eh?

Again, well done to the Canobolas Club and everyone else involved. Was a top weekend and can't wait until the next one!!

All coments are welcome and we appreciate the positive ones. Without feedback we can only guess what you people are thinking.
If the event is held again we have already discussed changes with stage 2 and the nightdrive. We knew after the first ten or so cars that the rain we had prior had made the stage very hard at the tyres. There was some discussion had to change the course but it would have disadvantged the teams that had already completed the stage.

We where really pleased with crowd behavor and the cleanup was minimal so thanks for making our job alot easier.

thanks
Glenn Gosper

[PKiel]

Hehehehehe

I had to speak to and gently pull a young boy from walking in front of Pete Antanac?? (Sorry for the spelling) and the bunting. Pete was assisting with a recovery yesterday (hilux on side), he was just about to start winching and the little boy didn't care. I got a dirty look for my efforts..... Kids of today???

Jess just because you don't have kids, it doesn't matter. You have an idea, and that is all that counts. The funny is, I totally agree with you and Dirty Rock Star (sorry I have forgotten name) Manners and respect do go a long way. I also believe kids should be in bed at a certain time despite where you are.

But enough of this as long as you all had a good time otherwise thats all that matters! End of story

[Pyrotech]

just a little something that may or may not work, in regards to driver briefing before each track, would it be at all possible to brief the drivers, while the cars before them are still driving?
i.e., Team 'A' is briefed and then they set off on the track, as soon as they cross the line, team 'B' is brought to the start line and briefed, that way they can start as soon as the track is cleared, this should keep things running quicker, and keep the spectators from moving to another track.

I noticed this was done on a few tracks, but was not consistent across the weekend, a few times, the track would be clear, and either no one was lined up or they were still getting briefed. This also comes down to the drivers, being aware of what teams are in front of them so they can get themself ready.

All in all it was a fantastic event, was a little more challenging then a few drivers first thought, a massive goes to the Conobalas Club. I will definatly be there next year

[CV Smasher]

Any results yet???

[MrsForby]

Oh two other things I forgot.

Toilets - Weren't too great but weren't too bad either. I only used two potty's over the weekend and guys, please stand closer!! It might be shorter than you think!!!

Bins - They were everywhere! Great job!! I saw very little rubbish on the ground all weekend.

(psst, who were the suits Saturday afternoon...?)

Something else I've just remembered - How is the guy from the Brindebella's Club with a suspected Heart Attack?? Hope he's all right!

[turbo gu]

Any results yet???

Pete and pete 1st(opw)
Mal V and Ant 2nd AT4
either brindies or southern table lands 3rd
4th ?
5th?
6th?
Shane and Me 7th AT4

[CV Smasher]

Any results yet???

Pete and pete 1st(opw)
Mal V and Ant 2nd AT4
either brindies or southern table lands 3rd
4th ?
5th?
6th?
Shane and Me 7th AT4

What about the rest?

[Coighty]

Quote Miss fourby- Same rules on each course?? I heard on Sunday one team were told on stage 3 not to put the wich cable inside the cab, yet they had done it on another course??

We had our first team go thru stage 3 and put the cable in the car with no probs by the marshall then when i went thru 1 team later went to put the cable in the car and a fellow competitor(thanks Coighty you are allways helpful) in the crowd yelled out to the marshall that it was in the car then the marshall said we can't do it. At the drivers briefing we were told we could as long as the cable was not loose and could not get tangled in the wheel.

Hey Charles
Sorry about that, i would of pointed it out no matter who it was, it's not a matter of the cable or rope as may be the case getting caught around the steering wheel but more the hunk of metal on the end of it which can fly around in the cab if something goes wrong. I know there is a huge lack of knowledge in the NSW comp scene about safe whinching pratices as most competitors have never used a whinch in a comp before, and as i pointed out to the organisers it's 1 area they will have to have a close look at as there was some some dangerous stuff happening there.

[turbo gu]

Any results yet???

Pete and pete 1st(opw)
Mal V and Ant 2nd AT4
either brindies or southern table lands 3rd
4th ?
5th?
6th?
Shane and Me 7th AT4

What about the rest?

Sorry thats all i could remember.

[turbo gu]

Quote Miss fourby- Same rules on each course?? I heard on Sunday one team were told on stage 3 not to put the wich cable inside the cab, yet they had done it on another course??

We had our first team go thru stage 3 and put the cable in the car with no probs by the marshall then when i went thru 1 team later went to put the cable in the car and a fellow competitor(thanks Coighty you are allways helpful) in the crowd yelled out to the marshall that it was in the car then the marshall said we can't do it. At the drivers briefing we were told we could as long as the cable was not loose and could not get tangled in the wheel.

Hey Charles
Sorry about that, i would of pointed it out no matter who it was, it's not a matter of the cable or rope as may be the case getting caught around the steering wheel but more the hunk of metal on the end of it which can fly around in the cab if something goes wrong. I know there is a huge lack of knowledge in the NSW comp scene about safe whinching pratices as most competitors have never used a winch in a comp before, and as i pointed out to the organisers it's 1 area they will have to have a close look at as there was some some dangerous stuff happening there.

Hey Paul.
Its all good.
We were doing it because we were told we could as long as the cable was tight with no chance of fouling. Couldn't agree more about safe winching and the lack of knowledge. Comps where winching is used can open all sorts of issues. I will be putting horns on my bar before next comp where winching is allowed. just ran out of time before this comp.

[Pigroota]

Oh two other things I forgot.

Toilets - Weren't too great but weren't too bad either. I only used two potty's over the weekend and guys, please stand closer!! It might be shorter than you think!!!

Bins - They were everywhere! Great job!! I saw very little rubbish on the ground all weekend.

(psst, who were the suits Saturday afternoon...?)

Something else I've just remembered - How is the guy from the Brindebella's Club with a suspected Heart Attack?? Hope he's all right!

Peter O'briens Navi was let out of hospital at midnight on sat night ... alls OK there , thanks for showing your concern

[MrsForby]

Peter O'briens Navi was let out of hospital at midnight on sat night ... alls OK there , thanks for showing your concern

Good to hear.

[TD42GU]

Well done to the Canobolas Club for creating a new event, and a great event at that! Congrats to all clubs and teams competing.
A Big Thanks to Ant Haber for the new paint and no i didnt scratch it, as well as for teaming up with me in the event. Next time il have a longer winch rope!
Great effort for all the AT4 club for both results for the weekend. Top driving and teamwork Shane and Charles!
As said before well done Canobolas people!
Mal V.

[CAP51Z]

Any results yet???

Pete and pete 1st(opw)
Mal V and Ant 2nd AT4
either brindies or southern table lands 3rd
4th ?
5th?
6th?
Shane and Me 7th AT4

haha should read:

Pete & Pete 1st (OPW/Suzuki)

thanks to Tony & the Canobalas Club for a great first run event, I thought they did a good job & look forward to it again.

[the gun]

full results should be up tonite just waiting for the right format.

[AT4ANTHONY]

Top comp I had a ball well done guys very well run in my books. Mal V I'M just glad i did not smash into the back of you it would have been very painfull for me to be the first to scratch it. Oh and one for the Kids I am shaw my very young support team would have been very very upset if they were made to go to bed and missed my high flying act on saturday night. BIG THANKS TO Mal, Gio , Nick and all the AT4 guys , LUKEYS 4X4 CUSTOMS, COLDYS and ACADEMY MOTOR BODY WORKS . With out the help from people like that i would have been a no show .

[rocnut]

Toperi what a top comp, tracks were hard but hey who needs anything more than a good set of 35's on the Lux's with a female navi .. Lithgow came 5th overall and these are our daily drivers... with original panels.. We will be back again and watch out Pete! The Lithgow club would like to thank the Canobolas club for a great weekend, it was well run and most enjoyable. Hope its on again next year!

Just to add to the kids bit.. I had my two children at the comp and yes it is hard to watch them and be a navi with hubby driving. I believe they were well behaved as they have been brought up on this stuff and pretty much conceived and almost born in a lux.. If they played up I would love for someone to bring it to their attention and mine, but from all accounts I heard mine were not involved in any muck up and stayed pretty much where they were put. I myself pulled up a few other kids.. Looking forward to next year and maybe the hubby can navi and I can get a drive.

Come on girls, lets show the guys how to do it in the mud and in hard places. I'm gayer than aids! missus..

[dirtyben]

to everyone involved thanks heaps i had a great time and lets all hope for some of the same next year

[blade 929]

Quote Miss fourby- Same rules on each course?? I heard on Sunday one team were told on stage 3 not to put the wich cable inside the cab, yet they had done it on another course??

We had our first team go thru stage 3 and put the cable in the car with no probs by the marshall then when i went thru 1 team later went to put the cable in the car and a fellow competitor(thanks Coighty you are allways helpful) in the crowd yelled out to the marshall that it was in the car then the marshall said we can't do it. At the drivers briefing we were told we could as long as the cable was not loose and could not get tangled in the wheel.

Hey Charles
Sorry about that, i would of pointed it out no matter who it was, it's not a matter of the cable or rope as may be the case getting caught around the steering wheel but more the hunk of metal on the end of it which can fly around in the cab if something goes wrong. I know there is a huge lack of knowledge in the NSW comp scene about safe whinching pratices as most competitors have never used a winch in a comp before, and as i pointed out to the organisers it's 1 area they will have to have a close look at as there was some some dangerous stuff happening there.

Hey Paul.
Its all good.
We were doing it because we were told we could as long as the cable was tight with no chance of fouling. Couldn't agree more about safe winching and the lack of knowledge. Comps where winching is used can open all sorts of issues. I will be putting horns on my bar before next comp where winching is allowed. just ran out of time before this comp.

they did say you could put the cable in the cab but than after some discussion with the competitors they than announced that " the cables had to be wrapped on the horns or feed into the winch , no wich cables/leads in the cabs" . it was all said within 5mins of discussion during the breifing on winching on the sat arvo , some things were abit hard to hear as when something was said , people would all start talking amongst themselves and make it hard to hear the next thing said for everyone else due to the P.A system not showing .

great event canobalas fellas , was the most relaxed , friendly atmosphere of any comp ive been in and the courses were the most fun as well .
just a suggestion or 2

1) penalize winching even if its only 2 points , or don't penalise winching at all ? if one car has a winch and another doesn't than why should car with winch be allowed to winch 5 times and come out with no penalties and his team mate with no winch only gets winched by team mate 2 times (via snatch block etc ) and get slugged with 20points . both cars are using a winch both cars are being recovered , but the one with out the winch is hit hard ? i will have a winch for sure next year , but i think penalizing its use would make people attempt to drive things differently nooing that the winch is gunna cost em .

2) luv the 3 attempts and the stopping and the reverse as many times as you want , makes it a safer comp allowing people to pick a line as they would in the real world and if they fail the can try another line .

3)keep it as one class there weren't that many of us on 35" or less and it didn't make a difference any ways , just ask the fella in the big blue hilux running the claws that said to a guy running 33"s mtrs on his zook why is he still here the obsticles are to big for your car and than the zook got 100 and 80 there about on the 1-2nd courses whilst mine is so big broke at 20 on course 1 and i think around 30-40 on course 2 dude get some small rubber next time and learn how to use it before you go getting big tyres

4) loved the late start on saturday , and loved the one course ran at a time , got to see every one else drive that way ,

5)luved the lack of tlcc recovery team
(i know they mean well and its not as easy as it looks )

6)3 attempts at an obsticle or 3 attempts to move forward? if car is stuck hard on a big rock on rear diff and attemps to move forward 3 times but front hubs moved forward as rock was slowly being moved but still is stuck on rock now to me that is 3 attempts at an obsticle but he did move forward ? now after the 5th attempt was able to clear themselves of the rock , but going up a dirt ledge each attemt getting further and no penalties for reversing and hitting it again it is seen as 3 attempts if you are not over said ledge you are out (which i think is correct) as the obsticle was not overcome in 3 attemps even though forward progess was made with each attempt ? oh and the rig on the rock also backed up to hit it again and again etc etc just only a few inches . so what i am asking is it attempting the obsticle or the moving forward every attempt (for next year sake ) ?

best comp ive ever had the pleasure in competing at and loved the variety of vehicles from modded luxes and zooks to total stock cruisers like pete's daily driver and mal's tourer , wouldn't be the same if we weren't driving against vehicles like that .

and the officials and marshalls all friendly and helpful as well as being competitors themselves(usally) made a big difference
carn't wait till next year

[slinky mav]

The Albury Wodonga Team would like to thank the Canobolas 4WD club, their supporters and sponsers for a great event on the weekend. We look forward to the next one. It turned out to be a very long weekend with the distance and time we had to travel, but was worth it.
Congratulations to all the other drivers, navigators and teams for making it a great weekend.
Regards Hugh.
Albury Wodonga 4WD Club.

[fool_injected]

(ie, the course cleric must oversee the recovery AND complete the driver briefing)
-

"I bless this snatch strap and I bless this course and those who wheel upon it"

Congrats Pete and Pete
Go the Zuk, well done Pete H
Even though I didn't attend (working, grrrr) sounds like congrats to Conobolas Club for a comp well done

[thunder]

Well done to the Canobolas 4WD club.We at Bong Bong had a fantastic time.Any Questions we had were answered from friendly members of your club including.

We asked on the UHF for the showers to be turned on at midnight and 5 minutes later they were on..excellent thank you
look forward to the next one..

[Jcas24]

yeah big kudos to the Canobolas club, awesome effort for a first event. The only real downer I thought was running late on time, but I sure it will be sorted by next time round. Next year will be gold.

[brighty]

I'll add my 2c worth and also say a HUGE to the Tony and the rest of the crew for setting up some awesome stages!! What a well organised and run event.... especially for the 1st time ever held!!

I had a ball as team manager this time, instead fo driving or navi'n. and was able to enjoy a few ales while watching and cheering the boys on!!

Who was the dude in the suit and the bird with him??? Looked like an official from Council or something checkin things out. Here's hoping it'll be on again, thats for sure!!

Only problem I had all weekend was some drunk *&%# (from a certain club I won't name) on the night stage that kept bumping into me whilst taking pics of my club mates competing. Even had a marshall tell him to keep the language down as there were kids about... but not after throwing ice on me from his drink which missed his mouth!!! Just lucky I'm a patient, calm type of fella!! But I guess there's always gotta be one in the crowd huh!!

[DIRTY ROCK STAR]

yeah can i add i think a winching penalty will make the event abit more entertaining...
but thats the words of a man with no winch. next year im aiming to have 2 of them and a looooooong cable.

[Pigroota]

I'll add my 2c worth and also say a HUGE to the Tony and the rest of the crew for setting up some awesome stages!! What a well organised and run event.... especially for the 1st time ever held!!

I had a ball as team manager this time, instead fo driving or navi'n. and was able to enjoy a few ales while watching and cheering the boys on!!

Who was the dude in the suit and the bird with him??? Looked like an official from Council or something checkin things out. Here's hoping it'll be on again, thats for sure!!

Only problem I had all weekend was some drunk *&%# (from a certain club I won't name) on the night stage that kept bumping into me whilst taking pics of my club mates competing. Even had a marshall tell him to keep the language down as there were kids about... but not after throwing ice on me from his drink which missed his mouth!!! Just lucky I'm a patient, calm type of fella!! But I guess there's always gotta be one in the crowd huh!!

The dude in the suit everyone is asking about was the local mayor who called in the check things out ( he also lives directly over the road from Tony ) .... the mayor is all full of praise for us putting it on , the issue was with a few of the other neighbours.
It would definatly be appreciated if those clubs that did attend over the weekend , weather competing or just spectation , could perhaps take the time to put pen to paper & lodge in an official letter of support for the event . When we get back to the local council for a debreif , we would certainly like to be able to show the council what outside support this event would have if we are able to hold it again & again in the future years to come . I know personally i got a lot of enjoyment out of helping out with the event as did all the members of the Canobolas 4WD Club that were there .