There can be few things more annoying for either fans or participants of elite sport than a clash of two events they are interested in.
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Fair enough if events from different sports clash, but when one sport dishes up a double booking it needs to take a long, hard look at itself.
Take a bow cycling and hockey.
The upcoming cycling clash in Tasmania is partially excusable as it involves different disciplines, but particularly frustrating given the events are backed by the same sponsor.
Since it began in 2002, the Stan Siejka Launceston Classic has established itself as one of Tasmania’s unmissable annual sporting events, luring the likes of Tour de France stars Chris Froome, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O’Grady and home-state comrades Richie Porte and Matt Goss to put on a stunning spectacle.
Last year, the world-class Blue Derby mountain bike trails earned global endorsement as the first ever Australian host of an Enduro World Series round, attracting hordes of followers to the North-East despite torrential rain.
This year’s classic forms the opening round of Cycling Australia’s National Criterium Series. It’s being sponsored by Shimano and is being held on Sunday, November 11.
This year Derby is hosting the opening round of the EWS’s Asia-Pacific Continental Series. It’s being sponsored by Shimano and is being held on Sunday, November 11.
The clash is especially annoying for the state’s loyal band of cycling followers who would happily support either but will find it difficult to do both without challenging Porte’s Strava record for the Sideling.
A similarly annoying double booking had hockey aficionados fuming last month.
The Australian Hockey League is the only time the nation’s top players get to represent their home states.
In an eminently sensible move, Hockey Australia took this year’s early rounds away from a centralised location and back to each state.
But, in an eminently stupid move, Hockey Australia scheduled a national training camp slap bang in the middle of the tournament.
This meant that while a couple of thousand spectators turned up at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre on October 6 to watch Commonwealth Games champions Eddie Ockenden and Jeremy Edwards play for their state against Canberra Lakers, neither was available for the second fixture against NSW a fortnight later because they were on national duty.
The timing of the camp was disappointing for Hockey Tasmania, which was denied another rare chance to showcase its global stars, Tasmanian hockey fans, who were denied another rare chance to watch their global stars and the global stars who were denied another rare chance to play in front of home state fans.
There’s nothing wrong with the Kookaburras holding a camp ahead of their upcoming World Cup defence in India, but there was no need for it to clash with the AHL. This week would have been a better time.
Cycling and hockey have long been among Tasmania’s most successful sports, enjoying both strong participation and support in the state. But those supporters will be wishing their sports’ national bodies paid more attention to their calendars.
Cycling collision
Shimano National Criterium Series (road)
- Round 1 (Sunday, November 11) Launceston Cycling Festival
- Round 2 (Friday, Saturday, November 16-17) Sydney, Criterium White Bay
- Round 3 (Sunday, November 18) Wollongong Criterium
- Round 4 (Sunday, December 16) South Melbourne Supercrit
Shimano Asia-Pacific Continental Enduro Series (MTB)
- Round 1 (November 10-11) Derby
- Round 2 (December 1-2) Mount Buller
- Round 3 (February 9-10) Nelson, NZ
- Round 4 (February 16) Christchurch, NZ