If you are wondering why seeding Westshore and Hampton and not seeding Phat Phish and V02 will have an effect on outcome think ahead to the second round Extreme will then face Phat Phish in the second heat if Phat Phish have their real team that could be a tight race if Extreme take it then Phat Phish will get two second place finishes dropping them to a much lower division then where they belong or if they take Extreme then they both will then get dropped to a much lower division based on pts (there will be a large number of teams with two firsts) The Westsore and Hampton wood heats are much weaker heats so potentially having two much slower heats getting two firsts bumping them to a much higher division .This also could apply to V02 Max who will race RGL in their second race . Either way Hampton Woods and Westshore (usually)could not place above these 3 teams head to head (Phat Phish ,V02 and Extreme)
Since I am racing this weekend and hope to get into Platinum reading this thread made me look a bit closer at this.
First off, I would not compare times between races, especially on tidal water, too many variables in my view.
I think we should all be out there paddling that is where you can show what you are made of not sitting behind a computer looking at stats. If stats were always true then the Canucks would have a cup in their office.
Looking at the race grid, Tao are ranked as the 2nd best team in their heat which is probably correct. It looks like two second places for Tao would put them into diamond which is probably where they should be (they were 6th in Rec A at Alcan and did not do so well at Nanamio).
I looked at results for Victoria going back for 3 years and I am not sure what you are getting at, Westshore has been Platinum for two years and Diamond the year before. They seem to be ranked about where they should be (if they are like other years).
Hampton Woods has always been pretty good but being a traveling team they may or may not but we won't know until Saturday afternoon.
My friend who is on VO2Max indicates they are Jade division at best. I think they may surprise a bit but even they say they are not that good.
We will have to see who has picked up whom. I know the team I am racing on has picked up a couple of paddlers and that may bump us up but the organizers don't know that unless they have spies on every boat
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Predictions:
1. GD
2. RGL or Navy
3. Navy or RGL
