Martin Achter provisional pole - 2009 IFMAR Worlds

jimmy · #1 06-10-2009

Well, the 2009 IFMAR World Championships is already underway and in case you didn't realise - the event isn't attended by most large manufacturers in any capacity - a real shame for the sport which ever way you look at it.
Our man Martin Achter from Germany has been sending some reports and photos back - along with local hero Stefan Fourie.

We've still got some things to finish off on the report before we upload the initial stuff - which we'll then try to keep up to date. Over night going into the final day of the 2WD championship it's Martin Achter in provisional pole position with two round wins with 4/5 of the qualifiers run.

Only Albert Claassens and Australias Craig Laughton can steal the TQ away from Martin. More to come tomorrow - when the new IFMAR World Champion is crowned.

jaans · #2 07-10-2009

Quote:

the event isn't attended by most large manufacturers in any capacity - a real shame for the sport which ever way you look at it.

May I ask, why is this? Is there a reason for this?

bondy · #3 07-10-2009

Most Worlds will be remembered for the top 10 being seperated by a couple of seconds.

This one will be remembered for the top 10 being seperated by a couple of laps

I feel sorry for the guy who win's

losixxx · #4 07-10-2009

bondy, if you don't enter you can't win it, simple as that!

why feel sorry for someone who's world champion....I would take it however it was given

IceMike · #5 07-10-2009

its a shame cos the track does look kewl, i woulnt mind drivin on that

Welshy40 · #6 07-10-2009

I know they like going to Japan and the US all the time but when they do decide to do the world they pick the wrong countries. A monkey could have made a better decision.

I thought I would have some fun today and thought what the heck lets annoy IMAR, I mean I'm no longer doing the nats and havent seriously raced for eight years so wont be qualifying for the worlds so who cares.

So I sent an email to the Ifmar president saying that they are now a laughing stock, and whoever made this decision should be removed. I also said a few more little things just for the heck of it.

losixxx · #7 07-10-2009

very mature off you welshy!

Dawn Sanchez · #8 07-10-2009

Chazz - forgive my bluntness.... HORSE HOCKEY.

Its so interesting to read how some folks condemn so quickly. If you have issues with ROAR, then do it somewhere ROAR is and not told to visit to find out your own self gratifying comments of importance.

You know how to reach me.

YoungChazz · #9 08-10-2009

Whether Finland has a lot of F1 and Rally drivers or not (they do!) is immaterial. Finland also produced Jukka, a 2-time winner.

I stand by my points:

1) There is no way S.A. and Finland both should have two WCs while U.S. & Japan get one and U.K., Germany, Australia have none. Makes no sense at all.

2) All this amateur stuff is nice. But wouldn't it be far better to have a thousand fans paying $5.00 each for tickets to sit in the grandstand for every National? Perhaps entry fees would go down...

Wouldn't it be better for all kinds of products outside R/C to spend money on even E-main guys? (The back markers in NASCAR all have multi-million $$ sponsorships, and there are the Craftsman trucks along with with ARCA series.) Here in the U.S. there are local tracks all over the country, and every Tom, Dick, and Harry races there on Friday and Saturday nights. Those guys all get at least some help from their local auto parts store or pub.

Why can't we do the same? Why is this sport, perfect for TV with five minutes of action followed by a two minute commercial break, not on ESPN 2 every night at 2AM?

Yes, to start it takes somebody from that volunteer organization to write the press releases, and it's great one guy did that. Needs to continue! It takes somebody to invite the reporters out to the event and show them around, tell then where to get the best pix, help them understand what is going on. Maybe even let them drive a car during a break. These media guys are human, they want to be catered to. Those who do it reap rewards in the long run.

3) Dawn, I make reference to the 2003 Stock Nationals -- I am aware of no effort at all there to court the media as above. No press kit lying around in the hotel or at registration that I ever saw. And there were some long, carefully written posts on HobbyTalk where you and others dissed me pretty good. In at least one of them I volunteered to work free and asked to be contacted. Nobody ever did.

I'd like to flesh out my ideas for improving the organization and sanctioning of this hobby with you in person, not here. The discussion between you and me needs to take place elsewhere, perhaps in Scottsdale in March.

For those who may not know, Dawn is President of ROAR.

Sure am glad this terrible attendance at S.A. has led to spirited discussion, and, I hope, to improvements in the way our sport/hobby/business is run.

jimmy · #10 08-10-2009

But on another topic entirely - Congratulations to Martin Achter, the new IFMAR 2WD World Champion. You have to be there to win it - Martin had the balls to go and race in a sport he clearly loves, what bigger promotion is there than that.

stegger · #11 08-10-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmy

But on another topic entirely - Congratulations to Martin Achter, the new IFMAR 2WD World Champion. You have to be there to win it - Martin had the balls to go and race in a sport he clearly loves, what bigger promotion is there than that.

What car was he running jimmy, it will be interesting to see if the manufacturer of that car advertises as winning the 2WD WC !!!

Dundermuffen · #12 08-10-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by YoungChazz

Whether Finland has a lot of F1 and Rally drivers or not (they do!) is immaterial. Finland also produced Jukka, a 2-time winner.

I stand by my points:

1) There is no way S.A. and Finland both should have two WCs while U.S. & Japan get one and U.K., Germany, Australia have none. Makes no sense at all.

2) All this amateur stuff is nice. But wouldn't it be far better to have a thousand fans paying $5.00 each for tickets to sit in the grandstand for every National? Perhaps entry fees would go down...

Wouldn't it be better for all kinds of products outside R/C to spend money on even E-main guys? (The back markers in NASCAR all have multi-million $$ sponsorships, and there are the Craftsman trucks along with with ARCA series.) Here in the U.S. there are local tracks all over the country, and every Tom, Dick, and Harry races there on Friday and Saturday nights. Those guys all get at least some help from their local auto parts store or pub.

Why can't we do the same? Why is this sport, perfect for TV with five minutes of action followed by a two minute commercial break, not on ESPN 2 every night at 2AM?

Yes, to start it takes somebody from that volunteer organization to write the press releases, and it's great one guy did that. Needs to continue! It takes somebody to invite the reporters out to the event and show them around, tell then where to get the best pix, help them understand what is going on. Maybe even let them drive a car during a break. These media guys are human, they want to be catered to. Those who do it reap rewards in the long run.

3) Dawn, I make reference to the 2003 Stock Nationals -- I am aware of no effort at all there to court the media as above. No press kit lying around in the hotel or at registration that I ever saw. And there were some long, carefully written posts on HobbyTalk where you and others dissed me pretty good. In at least one of them I volunteered to work free and asked to be contacted. Nobody ever did.

I'd like to flesh out my ideas for improving the organization and sanctioning of this hobby with you in person, not here. The discussion between you and me needs to take place elsewhere, perhaps in Scottsdale in March.

For those who may not know, Dawn is President of ROAR.

Sure am glad this terrible attendance at S.A. has led to spirited discussion, and, I hope, to improvements in the way our sport/hobby/business is run.

As most americans you are a patriot and nothing is good enought for your exept your own country. It is the worlds, and it is to be placed all over the world. And since Finland and S.A. gets it 2 times and USA only once, S.A. and Finland probably did a better job than USA the last worlds.

The fact is that american top drivers do not want to race in another country. When it was announced that Thailand would get the next 1/8th worlds the americans didnt like that at all and again, blamed it on the safety. Thailand is a very nice and safe country and they have no reason saying that.

Americans dont want to race outside of U.S.A. since the tracks are so different. In the rest of the world we dont build tracks whats all about full trottle and jumps, we build tecnical tracks which dont suit the american driving style. Instead of going there and taking the loss as a man, they blame it on safety reasons.

You, Chazz, are a pathetic patriot.

Gayo · #13 08-10-2009

I see nothing patriotic on Chazz words. What I see is that you are a US hater.

The Worlds have to be on another block (continent) every 2 years. So it's one time on North America (usually the US), once in Europe, once in Asia, once in Africa and so on.
SA being the major RC country in Africa, I see nothing shocking in the fact that they hosted the WC 2 times in 10 years.

Darren Boyle · #14 08-10-2009

I have to agree with Jimmy that this is not really the time nor the place for this type of discussion, it is about the worlds that DID take place and well done to Martin with his win.

However, I think many of the "off topic" comments and critiscms on here are "harsh" to say the least regards individuals opinons and the organisations.

Chazz's main point is agreeing with most of you but you all seem to miss his it IMHO. He is stating that if it is a "Worlds" then it needs to move around the "World" more frequent. To have two meetings in one country (twice - SA and Finland) in a relative short space of time when other "larger" countries have had just one or in the case of his examples (Germany and UK) have had none does seem strange. I do not agree that we should go to the USA five out of ten times thgough, however they probably do deserve 2 or 3 from 10 (these could still be thousands of miles apart due to the vast size of the US, almost like racing in different countries).

I dont see the point regarding Finland as a dig at them as a country at all, but I think the main point is that Finland have "had" their chance recently and now that oppurtunity needs to pass to another EU country top have their "turn" the next time around and so on. Italy also had their chance recently too so we should look to another (superb) EU country who can offer its services to lay on a meeting to the same high standards as those provided already by Finland. That is NOT a dig at Finalnd, its heritage, its racing history or anything like that....

Lets not forget where the worlds "Have" and indded "Have not" been already, over the 24 years that the worlds have run (this years is the 13th championship) it has only visited 7 countries (not exactly all over the world - USA 4 times, UK/Japan/SA twice each, Australia/Finland/Italy once each so far) Is it not about time we see soem othjer fantastic coutnroies other than going back to the same ones - Germany, Spain, France, Canada, New Zealand etc to name just a few..

A reminder of where the worlds where and who won etc

1985 - California, USA (J Halsey/Stock AE - G Losi Jr/Mod Yokomo)
1987 - Romsey, UK (J Johnson/2wd Kyosho - M Hirosaka/4wd Schumacher)
1989 - St.Ives, Australia (M Hirosaka/2wd AE - M Hirosaka/4wd Yokomo)
1991 - Detroit, USA (M Hirosaka/2wd AE - C Lett/4wd Yokomo)
1993 - Basildon, UK (B Kinwald/2wd AE - M Hirosaka/4wd Yokomo)
1995 - Yatabe, Japan (M Francis/2wd AE - M Hirosaka/4wd Yokomo)
1997 - California, USA (B Kinwald/2wd Losi - M Hirosaka/4wd Yokomo)
1999 - Rauma, Finland (M Hirosaka/2wd AE - J Steenari/4wd Losi)
2001 - Pretoria, SA (M Francis/2wd Losi - J Steenari/4wd Losi)
2003 - Florida, USA (B Easton/2wd AE - R Cavalieri/4wd Losi)
2005 - Collegno, Italy (N Cragg/2wd AE - R Cavalieri/4wd J Concepts)
2007 - Ishikawa, Japan (H Matsuzaki/2wd AE - J Tebo/4wd AE)
2009 - Pretoria, SA (M Achter/2wd AE - 4wd????????)

To agree with Chazz, to follow that sequence it should really be the USA next, followed by Europe then Asia etc, but a different country each time in my opinion too where possible.

But lets not forget.........

WELL DONE to the NEW 2009 2wd WORLD CHAMPION !! CONGRATULATIONS MARTIN !!!

Dundermuffen · #15 08-10-2009

Oh, I forgot that too: GRATZ TO MARTIN!!

If your not in - you cant win.