There are 5 spots up for grabs at nationals.

My Prrrrrrediction:

1. Sudbury (no I'm not insane, remember LOTS of premier paddlers missing)
2. Hydrophobics (again who else is there to contend?)
3. Verdun (Will be strong at home and have proven themselves this year)
4. Some team from out west (you gotta figure some west team will be in it)
5. I have no idea!

And so a new thread begins. Where will all this lead? A discussion about paddle specs, another DBC battle on rules, SRS boats, Mike Kerkman vs. somebody, disputable national team selection process...

I love the forum!

Is there a list of registered teams out there somewhere?

Don't think so but you can sort of figure it out from who we know are not going (ie. Mayfair, Beasts, FCRCC) and who has raced in qualifying regattas:

For mixed:
Big Fish
Alliance Hanalei
SRP
Verdun
Hydrophobic
Sudbury
Hammerheads
Chaos
Jetstart
Sudden Impact from out West

For Open:
SRP
Shaka
Alliance 2 (Alliance 1 are seniors)
Mahjongg Men

For Women:
OHDBC
Montreal Women?
Stratford Women?


Any others? Looking at the field, it almost seems like whoever shows up will get a spot.

Add Alliance Women as well to the women's spots.

Going by the other thread that combined time gaps it seems like Sudden Impact won't make much of one when they come over.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/135730/thread/1248214642/last-1248214642/Canadian+Ranking+Based+on+Alcan+and+GWN+Sport

Add BMO Montreal in mixed

Going from the list above, here's my top 5 for Mixed

1. Verdun
2. Sudbury
3. Big Fish
4. BMO Montreal
5. SRP Piranhas

Unless a faster team than Sudden Impact comes out from the west, it looks like it's going to be an all eastern/central Canada show.

Forgot about the Hydros

I would put them at 5 and bump off SRP.

What qualifying races have Sudbury done? I haven't seen them anywhere this year.

SRP won't be what we've seen so far. I hear they haven't combined the two teams yet so I'd expect the best of both Piranhas and Rouge will be pretty fast.

BMO Montreal.... hahahaha

BMO mtl will get an entry to worlds. BMO is a good team in a diluted field.

if verdun gets an entry so does BMO. They went toe to toe in both races this year.

Won't any of the national team women that paddle with any of the mtl teams already be in Prague? Or are they staying for the qualifying and then flying out Sunday night or something?

If BMO is at the same level as Verdon then they should in all likelihood also get a spot.

"For Open:
SRP
Shaka
Alliance 2 (Alliance 1 are seniors)
Mahjongg Men"

Good thing for all the Open Premier Paddlers that Alliance 1 are Seniors because they are the on top of their game after what we saw at GWN.

You realize Alliance 1 was beaten pretty handidly at the island right?

Don't forget about the Scotia Piranhas Open team... They whooped ass at the island.

Hydros aren't going to the nationals... so there's another space!

"You realize Alliance 1 was beaten pretty handidly at the island right?"

Alliance 1-CSDC finished First in the Open Heat on Saturday by a full second over the Piranhas and then lost in the Final on Sunday by 1.30 seconds. Pretty decent showing for a Senior team facing much younger crews. All I was saying is that Alliance 1-CSDC would knock off most, if not all, Open Crews when racing in Premier.

Montreal women have half of their crew on the National team. Should make for much tighter race at a nationals which they otherwise would probably have dominated.

The BMO women are staying for the race off and flying out after. Most think they won't be there, surprise!

Don't think Gavin will be very pleased if BMO women pull that crap. This is the World Championships we are talking about, not some little regatta in Pigs Knuckle Arkansas!

I would suspect any BMO women who does that, will probably already have been told that they are a spare and won't be racing as much as the rest of the crew.

Who knows other than them what was agreed or not agreed to.

I predict that any mtl woman who does this will be awarded lollipops and ice cream. See, I know just as much as you do.

Mojos, GSK and Chaos are making a run for it as well

The more the merrier. But it looks like its going to be tough slogging for those 3.

Based on what's listed (no particular order):
Sudbury
Verdun
SRP
BMO Montreal
Big Fish

Mofo's are also attending

What, i mean who is SRP?

I heard that too about the BMO women secretly staying for the race off. Interesting...

"Alliance 1-CSDC finished First in the Open Heat on Saturday by a full second over the Piranhas and then lost in the Final on Sunday by 1.30 seconds. Pretty decent showing for a Senior team facing much younger crews. All I was saying is that Alliance 1-CSDC would knock off most, if not all, Open Crews when racing in Premier"

Did you consider that Piranhas had a qualifying race, 3-4 race after the open qualifying race at the island?
Did you also consider that the "SRP Piranha Open" had only 1 practice together?

Dont be too sure, everyones favourite was CSDC Alliance 1 at the island, but who crossed the line first?
You might be surprised what underdogs can do.

That can't be tru about the BMO women. But if it is and they do it while all the other women go to Europe, what a scam!

wont help them...

Ummm are you retarded.


If BMO keeps 6 premier women it won't help them?

Then you add the fact that other teams would not have their premier women.

Yes you are most likely retarded.

I'm manning up and posting my name.

"Did you consider that Piranhas had a qualifying race, 3-4 race after the open qualifying race at the island?
Did you also consider that the "SRP Piranha Open" had only 1 practice together?

Dont be too sure, everyones favourite was CSDC Alliance 1 at the island, but who crossed the line first?
You might be surprised what underdogs can do."

Oh geez stop tooting your own horn. I was in the Alliance 2 boat and we also hadn't practiced together until that point. Yes Alliance I (CSDC), do practice more on a regular basis and therefore your showing at the island does speak volumes and we all recognize your potential. But stop posting these annoying arrogant rants.

better call the wammbulance

Someone should have said that after Rob made his case but people STILL kept chiming in.

Note to Piranhas - leave the speaking to Rob there is no need to rehash this BS again and again. Why is everyone else not allowed to cry but you people?

wambulance?

"Why is everyone else not allowed to cry but you people?"

You're implying those posts are Piranhas. How are you assuming this Jason?

to all my former piranha brethern didn't mean to offend you guys. That wasnt the intention. Forget the CSDC sh**!! I wasnt defending them or dissing them either. Just getting caught up in the Forum hype. Lets just paddle our asses off and make Cdn dragonboat scene strong. This goes out to all the crews in Canada lets push ourselves harder so that the best crews represent Canada in Macau next year and come back with hardware.

Peace

"Why is everyone else not allowed to cry but you people?"

Well that's the best example of the pot calling the kettle black in a long time. Look back over the last 3 years and see how much complaining we've seen from the pot. There's a reason you get trashed here my friend.

Sudden Impact may not grab a top 5 spot but they'll likely be able to make the trip to the Club Crews just because 2 or 3 of the "Eastern" teams will decide to not make the trip for whatever reason. Seems to happen everytime, so why not this time...just sayin'...

It'll be interesting to see who comes out from the west at next year's nationals, especially since they'll be held in BC. There are a lot of strong teams out here... like the always deadly Pacific Reach or Masters of Dragonzone... Without Warning can't be taken lightly either, and the young and upcoming kids in Dragon Hearts Magnum should continue to be a strong team next year if they keep up with drastic leaps that they've done this year.. And Pemberton Bald Eagles/Laoyam Eagles will also be strong too. And maybe next year we'll see both FCRCC A&B come out.

It's unlikely for many (any?) Eastern teams to go out west for a non-CCWC santion nationals. The ones that win bids likely won't because they will need to save money for Macau