Team Ireland at the IFMAR Worlds 2011

[Legacy555]

Hi all,

Mick Bolger was the only Irish driver to take up a worlds place for this years event in Vaasa, Finland. It starts today and runs for a week or so.
It'll be a very tough event on dirt against the worlds top drivers.

Best of luck to Mick

[Darren Boyle]

Maybe Bloomfield should have become an "adopted" Irish Man for the next few weeks to have kept Mick company out there ;)

[Legacy555]

Maybe Bloomfield should have become an "adopted" Irish Man for the next few weeks to have kept Mick company out there ;)

Anyone representing Ireland in either the Euros or the Worlds has to qualify as part of the Irish National Series in the previous year.
It's not just a matter of "adopting" someone.

Plus, I'm sure the powers that be in the Irish governing body (RCCAOI) wouldn't want to be a part of any type of controversy at such a prestigous event.

[Darren Boyle]

Anyone representing Ireland in either the Euros or the Worlds has to qualify as part of the Irish National Series in the previous year.
It's not just a matter of "adopting" someone.

Plus, I'm sure the powers that be in the Irish governing body (RCCAOI) wouldn't want to be a part of any type of controversy at such a prestigous event.

I was only joking..... ;) :blush:

[trekkerkk]

i think somone may off got out the wrong side off bed,
it was a joke comment not to be taken seriously

trekkker

[Legacy555]

Sorry Darren/All

Didn't mean to sound grumpy. It's just that it was once said to me at a BRCA round that it would be "fairer" if Ireland gave all of its Euros places to the UK as we weren't up to standard and some competitive people could go instead. So I guess I'm always a bit on guard.

No offence taken, none intended.

Regards

Will

[dmcracing]

I dont think there is anything wrong with our standard anymore!

[mini_brian]

Yeah, I'm bleedin savage now.....down to 5-6 crashes per lap! Awesome :thumbsup:

[Mugenextreme]

Yeah, I'm bleedin savage now.....down to 5-6 crashes per lap! Awesome :thumbsup:

LOL:thumbsup:

Good Luck Mick, Remember A Final or else:thumbsup::woot:

[blade]

Best of luck mick hope all goes well:thumbsup:

[MiCk B.]

Thanks,

I'll try to do us proud!!

http://events.redrc.net/wp-content/gallery/2011-ifmar-ep-offroad-world-championships/sun-openingireland.jpg


I deffo 'rocking' the team shirt!!

Have to sleep now. 6am start, tranny in the pound by 7.30am. The first heat is on the track at 8am.

I'm in practice 2, 12 /14 car heats. So if I get a chance during the day I will update the situation.

Quick news / scandal from event, lots of people have had their lipos fail tech inspection. Lots of different brands fail, but appears to be very brand specific.

MiCk B. :-)

[Cardnim]

Hey guys, please forgive the ignorance, but why is there only one guy representing Ireland at this years Worlds?

Im (relatively) new in the sport, but have still heard of quite a few sponsored names from Ireland; and I assumed that the Irish Nationals would have produced more than 1 qualifier?
Or doesnt it work like that?

Again, sorry for the ignorance. Genuine question and no insult intended! :)

[Mugenextreme]

Cardnim simplest answer is nobody else looked at taking part in the event. Given that Mick is a quite capable driver as results over the years have shown and we would be happy to have him represent us in foreign events.

With regards Nationals if multiple drivers wished to attend a European or Worlds event depending on demand and how many places we received. The National association would use the previous year or two results to aid in determining who would be able to attend one of these events and represent the country.
Sponsorship to a company/shop doesn't determine who attends events.

[Cardnim]

I didnt realise that countries were allocated spots on the event.
So the simple answer is that Ireland was allocated one space; and no one wanted a second one?

[Mugenextreme]

That's right we could have applied for multiple places but nobody here wanted one.

[Cardnim]

Again, Im really not trying to offend or imply anything, but Im interested because I would like to know how much interest there is in Ireland for 1/10th off-road...

but, would that be an indication that 1/10th off-road in Ireland isnt doing so well? (and maybe a sad state of affairs for 1/10th buggies)

Certainly up here in the north, its very much 1.8th nitro and 1.10th TC that attracts the bigger numbers (although I would hardly consider numbers "big" when compared to what the sport was like in the 90's!)

[h0m3sy]

I thinks it's a sad state of affairs that there is no real off road track up here in the north for 1/10th electric buggies. I'm due to get my SX3 this week, my first buggy in 20years, and I'm going to have to travel south of the border to get any competitive racing.

[Legacy555]

Again, Im really not trying to offend or imply anything, but Im interested because I would like to know how much interest there is in Ireland for 1/10th off-road...

but, would that be an indication that 1/10th off-road in Ireland isnt doing so well? (and maybe a sad state of affairs for 1/10th buggies)

Certainly up here in the north, its very much 1.8th nitro and 1.10th TC that attracts the bigger numbers (although I would hardly consider numbers "big" when compared to what the sport was like in the 90's!)

Hi,
I was offered a Worlds place, think Derek McCloskey and Ian Hunter were too. I decided to do the Belgian GP and the EOS instead. I'll be more competitive (as its not on unfamiliar dirt) and the cost of doing the 5 alternative "weekender" events will not be too much more than doing 10 days in Finland.
1/10th Offroad is booming here at the moment and the pace is quicker than it ever has been - Derek was 2nd in the B Final at the EFRA Belgian GP - and race meeting attendences from September to June are greater than they ever have been.

[Cardnim]

Thats great news, and really encouraging to hear.
I struggle to know where anything is happening and meeting people who are actually racing - read about Derek for the first time in the oOple Belgian report and now heard about Mick through the Ifmar website live reports.

...but dont want to hijack this thread, so suffice to say - come on Mick! :)

[Legacy555]

I thinks it's a sad state of affairs that there is no real off road track up here in the north for 1/10th electric buggies. I'm due to get my SX3 this week, my first buggy in 20years, and I'm going to have to travel south of the border to get any competitive racing.

There are three racing venues and two model shops run by racers in the north - all racing regularly. Maybe they could start to cooperate with each other and come together to do something fantastic.

Until then, everyone and anyone is more than welcome to come racing in Lucan with the DMCC.

[Legacy555]

Thats great news, and really encouraging to hear.
I struggle to know where anything is happening and meeting people who are actually racing - read about Derek for the first time in the oOple Belgian report and now heard about Mick through the Ifmar website live reports.

...but dont want to hijack this thread, so suffice to say - come on Mick! :)

www.dublinmodelracing.com (http://www.dublinmodelracing.com) - see calendar, photos, twitter feed.

Irish RC Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/126522104069038?ap=1

IRELAND oOple forum - http://oople.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=89

RCCAOI Belgian GP Report - http://www.rccaoi.com/tenthoffroad/41-tenthoffroad/186-team-ireland-take-a-trip-over-to-belguim-gp-electric-off-road.html

[passy]

Bit of a tangent, so feel free to ignore me. Does anybody know if you have to be from a country to represent it at an IFMAR world championship? If I was from France but raced in the Irish National series because I happened to be living in Ireland, would I be able to take an Irish place and represent Ireland, as I would not have been able to qualify in the French Championship?

[Legacy555]

Bit of a tangent, so feel free to ignore me. Does anybody know if you have to be from a country to represent it at an IFMAR world championship? If I was from France but raced in the Irish National series because I happened to be living in Ireland, would I be able to take an Irish place and represent Ireland, as I would not have been able to qualify in the French Championship?

No, you don't have to be from Ireland to represent Ireland.
However, you have to be proposed (you can propose yourself) and seconded (generally by the RCCAOI secretary) to gain entry to the national series. If the powers that be judge that a "foreign" entry was counter to the good of the sport they could reject your entry. This has never happened though.

[Mugenextreme]

Bit of a tangent, so feel free to ignore me. Does anybody know if you have to be from a country to represent it at an IFMAR world championship? If I was from France but raced in the Irish National series because I happened to be living in Ireland, would I be able to take an Irish place and represent Ireland, as I would not have been able to qualify in the French Championship?

I dont think Ifmar or Efra have any issue with what country you are from once you represent the country you have a place from. One thing you cannot do is represent two different countries within the same year, this shouldnt happen. With this in mind there are a few rules and agreements in place to avoid say other countries trying to send drivers to events through an alternative country due to placement caps on those countries.
Here in order to quailfy for a place you would at minimum have to have competed in the previous year National series if not two years depending on the event/events you want to race at in order to get into a qualifying spot.This may vary from country to country depending on their local rule sets. The series finishing position etc may comes into place when picking who can go but In the end it would be down to the National Asscoiation Committee to accept/reject your entry for any event before passing a team listing on to EFRA.

[Legacy555]

Nice video from free practice.
Interesting to see Lee Martin taking very smooth lines to reduce the need for forward traction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gC64TSrVU8

[h0m3sy]

There are three racing venues and two model shops run by racers in the north - all racing regularly. Maybe they could start to cooperate with each other and come together to do something fantastic.

Until then, everyone and anyone is more than welcome to come racing in Lucan with the DMCC.

I currently race touring cars with the UMCC, this along with 1/8th Nitro seem to be the most popular racing formats up in the north. I know there is a couple of clubs that race buggys indoors 1 at Craigavon and 1 at Fivemiletown. I thinks buggys should be raced outdoors but thats just my opinion. It's for this reason I intend to travel down south and race with the DMCC at Lucan. I have been reading about and talking to Derek Mcloskey about the off road scene down south and I liked what I learned. I'm just getting my gear together at the minute and collecting my SX3 kit on Saturday so hopefully wont be long till I meet you all. I'm really looking forward to it.

[mole2k]

There are three racing venues and two model shops run by racers in the north - all racing regularly. Maybe they could start to cooperate with each other and come together to do something fantastic.

Until then, everyone and anyone is more than welcome to come racing in Lucan with the DMCC.

That would be awesome but I get ever more and more skeptical... :(

[Cardnim]

Why skeptical, mole?

[kartstuffer]

:DJust to get back to the point of this thread ,Looking at the picture of Mick in the oople report from yesterday it looks as if it is time to call it a day for the trusty stick set ?????;)
and
Good luck to-day with qualifying Mick:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[MiCk B.]

Hey,

Had a lousy qualifying day today. It's 5 rounds with the best 3 to count. 4 rounds were today, with the 5th tomorrow.

I broke in round 1 the other rounds I could string a clean run together, mistake after mistake!! Off the pace of what I was able to do in the practice heats.

So I'm very far down, much further then I would hope to be.

So looking forward to 4wd, can only get better at this stage.

MiCk B. :-)

[dmcracing]

Hard luck Mick,Whats the forward traction like?Looks fairly good from the vids but hard to tell.

[Legacy555]

Hey,

Had a lousy qualifying day today. It's 5 rounds with the best 3 to count. 4 rounds were today, with the 5th tomorrow.

I broke in round 1 the other rounds I could string a clean run together, mistake after mistake!! Off the pace of what I was able to do in the practice heats.

So I'm very far down, much further then I would hope to be.

So looking forward to 4wd, can only get better at this stage.

MiCk B. :-)

Hard luck Mick, it was always going to be hard with only the track in Lucan to practice on. You'll definitely go better in 4wd.
How about sticking the 6.5 and a big pinion in for the final round and at least get some good "airtime"?? :thumbsup:
Best of luck

[blade]

Hard luck mick but new day tomorrow balls out

[MiCk B.]

Thanks for all the kind words.

It's after 2am here the sun has sort of gone in. It's dark, but not pitch dark, like 9pm at home, so very different. Very cool.......

The track stayed together for the meeting very well, only the mogules broke up a little, but it didn't effect the cars too much.

The traction was good when the track was dry, So poor traction in the early morning practice, but got better as the day got warmer.

Different to other dirt tracks I've run on, weight was needed on the cars to get them to handle.

Later.

MiCk B. :-)

[Mugenextreme]

Good look for the 4wd anyways. Hope u get a better run now you have a feel for the track.

[Legacy555]

......weight was needed on the cars to get them to handle.

Only having discussions on the AC and Losi forums about this. Looks like 1650 - 1750 grams is the "ideal" weight for most cars on most surfaces.
And of course, the more the car weighs the more powerful motor you can run. Whilst 7.5 and 8.5 motors were commonplace a couple of seasons ago with the heavier cars you mostly see 6.5 now in 2wd.

[Eiremaxx]

Best of luck over there mick:thumbsup:

[MiCk B.]

4wd practice over and done with today.

Track changed a bit as the grip came up.
I spent a lot of time getting turn-in. Then near the end rear end was needed.
Few changes and should be sorted for the qualifying tomorrow.

I'm getting the back double and the quad in one. So if I can get them every time in qualifying it all should be good.


MiCk B. :-)