Important Information About the Provincials!

[Eric Roussin]

As many of you know, this year's Ontario Provincial Championships were to be held on May 30th in Ottawa. For a while now I've been working on the possibility of holding the event at the Gloucester Fair. There's been an armwrestling event at the fair every year for almost 20 years, so I thought it would be a great fit.

I've managed to get the Fair to commit to sponsoring $1,000 towards prizes, however there is a hitch. I was under the assumption that the Fair was occuring over the last weekend of May as it did last year, but this year it has been moved up to the weekend of the 23rd. They also want us to run the event on the Sunday.
Although my preference would have been to have the event on the 30th as I originally intended, it is hard for me to turn this type of sponsorship down if I am to be able to give the prizes I want as well as the free entry fees to Nationals.

I am hoping that most pullers will be okay with this switch, and with the event still being 10 weeks away I am hoping that anyone who had made previous arrangements will be able to alter them in order to attend on Sunday the 24th.

Because the event would be on a Sunday, I would do everything I can in order to finish up early. I would run two tables and we'd be taking minimal breaks (if any) once the tournament starts. I am confident that the tournament would be done by 5pm, which would allow almost everyone to get home before midnight.

If the tournament is held on the Sunday, the referee seminar would be held on the Saturday.

Having the event on the 24th also has a few upsides in that it would create a five week break before Nationals, instead of a four week break. Also it will alow those who want to attend the Harley Pull the possibility to go to both events.

I'd like to get some feedback before officially announcing this date change, so please post your support or opposition on this thread, or send me a PM.

I apologize to anyone who may be inconvenienced by this change. It certainly wasn't my intention to disrupt the schedule.

[Deleted]

Personally I think the schedule was disrupted when the WAF allowed the change in the worlds date. This has created all sorts of problems with scheduling and such. Crap happens and I agree if the fair will sponsor it is all the better for the competitors. I personally don't have a problem. Obviously some may due to work and such and will voice accordingly.
The WAF should set in stone a date so all tournaments don't conflict, as we have already seen with Nationals moving out of Ontario this year.

[Jerry Milne]

Eric, you can't please everyone. With that kind of sponsorship, it's almost a no brainer.

Set it up. If people can't make it, they can't make it. Same deal as Guy above listed with the dates being changed affecting everything.

If people want to go, they'll make the necessary adjustments and compete.

[Conrad Rousselle]

Eric, how much will it cost me since I have to work that weekend in order to be able to go to the nationals? And Jerry, you can't please everyone but remember, don't mess with other peoples schedules since some of us can't make those "NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS". I had made those arrangements in advanced and now is impossible to change.

P.S. Good luck to those attending!

[Eric Roussin]

The current bye process is as follows:

Anyone who does not go to Provincials but wants to compete at Nationals can do so by paying $20 to renew an OAA membership, $30 to the promoter of the Provincials (for the entry fee that would have been paid), and $50 to the OAA as a sort of "penalty". A shirt would also need to be purchased (if the current shirt isn't already owned -- current price is $35). All funds must be received within one week following the Provincials.

Anyone who competes at Provincials, or helps out in an official manner (to be agreed upon with the event promoter), automatically qualifies to compete at Nationals.

I hope that those who are able to, do in fact come to compete, as it will be a great event.