NAC "C" Pittsburgh Review

[Army Fencer]

I have to say that I was impressed with how things ran for the first day.

* They moved check-in half an hour to accommidate for the snow.
* One flight of fencing for a 202 person event
* 30 minutes between rounds (!)
* Beautiful building
* Excellent lighting
* Location in a nice part of the city
* Plenty of good vendors, including f.net
* Pool, hot-tub, and, work-out facility at the host hotel

The only problem that I saw was the fact that it was held in Pittsburgh at the beginning of the winter season. I understand that this was probably done to cut costs, but a few people couldn't make the tournament because of the snow storm that rolled through. (Oh, and the food was really expensive at the host hotel. $16 for breakfast??)

I give the tournament 4.75/5 stars.

[Peach]

I was at the convention center a few weeks ago for an English teachers' conference, and was impressed then. The hotel is fine though the beds have way too much extra padding (they seem proud of this feature). The parking and restaurants are too expensive, and their wireless didn't work for my computer.

As for the tournament, we had solid referees in the Div I WS and except for one pool which had to wait for a strip and one pool that was having equipment problems, it ran fairly quickly. We were missing a huge number of people because of travel problems so an already small event got even smaller. Fencing.net has a booth and I said hi and played around with the Podzniakhov Pro sabre blades just a little too long and had to buy a weapon because even if the blade is way too expensive it feels very consistent and well-balanced.

Today the Vet-40+ WS got started on time (I guess around 1:30). They ran it on a block of strips with four good referees (Tass, Glon, Cantin, Nazarenko) and except for the final three bouts, which were fenced in a different block, we stayed there with those referees. It finished up and medals were given out around 5:00, which isn't bad.

We'll see if the 50-59 goes as well. I hope so. So far it has been well run and things are finishing early enough for most of us.

Not much of a "goodie" bag. The event T-shirt isn't bad, though plain (a play on the Steelers logo).

[penguin_2000]

Pittsburgh is abound with cheap food... I guess the goodie bag should have had a list of cheap restaurants to eat at. There's ton's of restaurants within 5-6 blocks, and even more 1-2 bus stops away... you guys must have walked into all the expensive ones!

Having never actually been in the convention center until this weekend, I was most impressed with the accustics... wasn't overly loud, and you could actually understand the announcements.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

One of the only complaints I heard was about that delayed start to the Div 1 WS. Some of the competitors were stuck in Chicago, and when unable to get a new flight to Pittsburg until just before close of registration, or reach anyone from the USFA to see if there would be a weather delay, they booked flights home instead of continuing on the next morning.

In several cases, the people could have made it to Pittsburgh in time for the delayed start...but the decision wasn't made until the morning of the event, not that long before the original close of registration.

Perhaps this points up the need for an automated recording line or something for the USFA to use to communicate delays or changes.

Hartford in February? Think there's any chance of more weather problems?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Originally Posted by Capt. Slo-mo

Hartford in February? Think there's any chance of more weather problems?

I think there is a very large change of a weather problem. The chance of snow is above average.

[fencergal33]

I had to fly directly over a tropical storm to get to Miami.......several people got stranded for Pittsburgh.....there's almost a guarantee of snow in Hartford.

I'm glad that these "off-season" destinations are saving the USFA money, but it may not be worth it......Is someone going to have to die?

[Fencing Mom]

Originally Posted by fencergal33

I had to fly directly over a tropical storm to get to Miami.......several people got stranded for Pittsburgh.....there's almost a guarantee of snow in Hartford.

I'm glad that these "off-season" destinations are saving the USFA money, but it may not be worth it......Is someone going to have to die?

First let me say that I have no reason to defend the USFA. I have my own beefs with them, but I think it is too much to expect them to schedule national tournaments around weather probabilities and not significantly raise entry fees. Is raising fees as big of a problem as difficult travel conditions? Do a search on this board on USFA fees for that answer.

So yes, there was snow in Pittsburgh this weekend and there may be for JOs in Hartford. The answer is to cut out the northeast where the majority of fencers live for snow season – Nov 1 till about the middle of April. Then we can eliminate hurricane season from June 1 til Nov 1 – that’s from NC down and around FL and west as far as TX. Now we’ve got the midwest, southwest and west coast, right. Oh wait, the midwest gets snow, too. Anyone have a South Bend story to share? Well at least there’s the balmy northern California weather anytime of the year. But did you hear the horror story about the group from Pittsburgh on their way to Sacramento for Summer Nats this year? That was the first week of July but it was thunderstorm season. Flight out of Pittsburgh to Minneapolis outright canceled, rerouted next day thru Atlanta, flight overbooked had to stay overnight in Atlanta, then sent to Minneapolis. Flight delayed and finally got in to Sacramento wee small hours, two days later than scheduled. Of course events were missed. I have two horror stories about getting to Salt Lake that I won’t bore you with. Anyone remember the blizzard right after JOs in Colorado Springs? People couldn’t get home for days.

Stuff happens to everyone – flights delayed or cancelled, not getting enough sleep, stuffy noses, and injuries – on and on. Life is the great equilibrator. It’s not easy to b e a fencer on the national circuit. The fact that people persevere is a tribute to both the character of the sport and the fencers.

[CvilleFencer]

Nice post fencing mom. I was going to say something very similar. Weather happens. With the changing climate extreme weather will happen more often. I am pretty quick to call the USFA on anything I think they should have done better (not having an established and easy to find "late entry due to weather" policy being a great example of a simple that should have been handled better) but in this case, weather is weather and travel is not always a chauffeured backroads cruise in a Rolls Phantom bumming grey pupon.

Lets not make to much of a deal out of it. I would much rather do a little bit of planning to account for the possibility of weather than I would be to pay double or triple to fence at some resort area in the peak season. Not to mention having to deal with throngs of tourists to get to my venue. I am there to fence, not vacation. As long as it is not snowing/raining/whatever inside the venue I don't care about the weather.

[mlr2fence]

Nah....its just dealing with the throngs of marathoners in Houston next month.....ever try to cross a street closed down for 18,000 runners????

[Inigo_Montoya]

Originally Posted by Army Fencer

The only problem that I saw was the fact that it was held in Pittsburgh at the beginning of the winter season. I understand that this was probably done to cut costs, but a few people couldn't make the tournament because of the snow storm that rolled through.

I was one of those people who could not make it to ME. I think the USFA should take weather into consideration when booking places for NACs. The roads on thursday were very dangerous and someone could of been seriously hurt attempting to make it to the tournament.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Originally Posted by mlr2fence

Nah....its just dealing with the throngs of marathoners in Houston next month.....ever try to cross a street closed down for 18,000 runners????

there's a marathon that goes through my hometown every year, and it completely cuts off my neighborhood. my neighborhood is blocked by water on two sides, and the two other sides are blocked by runners........

and the size is MUCH MUCH smaller......

i quake in fear for houston.

[edew]

Originally Posted by mlr2fence

Nah....its just dealing with the throngs of marathoners in Houston next month.....ever try to cross a street closed down for 18,000 runners????

Sounds like the CenCal Division scheduling the JO qualifiers on the same day as the Big Game at Stanford. "What were they thinking!?!" is primary on most people's minds. It was mercifully moved to a different location.

[scarlet_woman156k]

Originally Posted by Army Fencer

(Oh, and the food was really expensive at the host hotel. $16 for breakfast??)

That was insane...but I realized the best bet was to order off the regular menu what I would have taken from the buffet. It ended up costing me a little over $10, that included tip.

[Fechter1]

Originally Posted by Inigo_Montoya

I was one of those people who could not make it to ME. I think the USFA should take weather into consideration when booking places for NACs. The roads on thursday were very dangerous and someone could of been seriously hurt attempting to make it to the tournament.

True, the timing of the snowfall was unfortunate, and made the approach thursday night more than a little interesting. But do you seriously fault the USFA for that? How could they have known that there was going to be a snowstorm coming through right at that time? Refer back to FencingMom's post for a more detailed argument here.

(BTW, if you can tell me what the weather's going to be for the April NAC, I'd appreciate it so that I can account for it in my travel plans...)

[edew]

April NAC is in Sacramento, CA. Should be fine.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Originally Posted by edew

April NAC is in Sacramento, CA. Should be fine.

the weather will, in all probability, be gorgeous in sacramento.

but how will it be elsewhere?

namely, in the places that people are flying OUT of?

will there be a very late snowstorm? will people's plane be delayed on the other side??


(yay devil's advocate)

[oso97]

Originally Posted by Peach

We'll see if the 50-59 goes as well. I hope so. So far it has been well run and things are finishing early enough for most of us.

Can't wait to hear your review of that event

[Peach]

Originally Posted by oso97

Can't wait to hear your review of that event

From Peach, the reviews of the 50-59 WS are uniformly positive. The referees were shining beacons of light and justice, the field was incredibly strong and well-trained, and the bout committee did an extraordinary job of coordinating the event, showing the appropriate amount of respect and courtesy to all concerned

That said, the 50-59 WS was definitely a stepchild--the Division I MS was going on at the same time, unlike the day before when there wasn't nearly as much sabre going on. Our little event of 15 people was spread out on three strips across the whole room and flighted to boot. We did have two experienced referees, however, and we honestly did not have to do much waiting around.

I will say that I was very pleased at the way the 60+ WS was handled--there might have only been four competitors, but they were treated with respect, kept on the same strip, and given a referee for the whole event. It provides the necessary experience to develop a strong national team in Vet-60 WS. And their ref (Bruce) commented that he wished the 60+ ladies could go give a seminar to the Division I guys on good strip behavior.

[oso97]

Actually, the vet 50 WS event wasn't really "flighted." What did happen was that one of the pools was sent out to strip 1, where they were fencing the 60+ WS event at the same time. Oops, mistake, and so, we just moved over. I myself enjoyed refereeing that event immensely - espeically since it was the only sabre event I got to do all weekend. Somehow it seems that the FOC has decided that they're giving me the chance to develop skills in each of the weapons - this weekend it was epee until my eyes bleed! Albequerque they pushed me in foil until I begged for mercy. I'm hoping this means that Houston will be a sabre-heavy weekend for me...

Anyway, though, I do want to appologize to the ladies who were subjected to that young referee. He wasn't just bad, he was scared and completely subject to the mildest suggestion. He needs CLUB level practice refereeing, and a lot of it. A world team point event is not the place for him to learn about being a referee. When I saw just how out of his depth he was, I immediately went to the FOC and told them that there was a problem. Like you said, DivI Men's was going on at the same time, and attention was being focused over there (because of the usual shenanagins by the usual suspects). I perhaps should have been more emphatic. I about dropped to the floor in surprise when they sent him out to do DE bouts (albiet under "supervision).

But the semi's and gold of that event were quite enjoyable to referee. I always love it when there are tactics displayed on strip!

[Peach]

Originally Posted by oso97

He wasn't just bad, he was scared and completely subject to the mildest suggestion.

I'll say--I was petrified I'd get him because I would have eaten him alive, no matter how good my intentions.