Entering Leagues and tournaments!

[Sparky]

Hi All,

I'm sure there are a lot of you who are sick of foreign teams coming over to your tournaments! but I'm interested in getting my team to do the same and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction!

We've a team thats about the same standard as one of your strong division 2 teams(I think!) and we would love to try get involved with some of your tournaments and if possible even one of the leagues! most of us have played at some of the bigger tournaments like the Hull and Liverpool open's.

Anyways...I'm looking for dates and details of tournaments (Div 2/ Div 1 we dont mind getting our arses kicked!) and how I'd go about entering, and we would be interested to find out how we might enter any of the leagues if at all possible...Theres not much happening over here in ireland!

Any comments or suggestions welcome!
Cheers

Sparky

[Unregistered]

Sparky,

sorry about posting under unregistered! I am the League organiser for south west div 4.

as far as you question goes, I believe (correct me if i am wrong anybody) that you are prevented from entering a team into the domestic competition as at the moment only 'Domestic' teams can enter i.e. those with affiliation to either BCU (British canoe union) SCA (scottish canoe Association) WCA (Welsh Canoe Association) or CANI (Northern Ireland).

Also later on in our rules it stipulates that for the 2003/2004 season foreign players not resident in the UK may only play in Open Div 1 or Womens Div 1 (which seems a trifle restrictive, but thats the rule!)

It also states that a club can only have a maximum of 2 foreign players.

Which would effectively again stop a foreign team from entering the league. I guess it's pretty much the same as football where you have the domestic competition and then the european champions league!

Hope that helps and sorry if it's not the answer you were looking for.

Steve

[keith]

I've not got any real answers, just a suggestion.

It is possible for anyone living in the south, to be a member of CANI, and consequently the BCU. (Which is to allow instructors working across the border with BCU qualifications to maintain them.)

If your team were members or your club was affiliated to CANI you would certainly fall under the catgeory of "domestic" as explained in the previous post.

I still don't know if that removes all the obstacles, but it seems a sensible idea, as England is close enough.

Good Luck,

Keith

[Sparky]

Thanks steve!

I can see why the rules have come in and I think thats the're fair enough. So can't argue! As for Keiths suggestion I've thought about it but I rather eneter fairly as oppose to just bending the rules!....Cheers Keith!

Since i dont think i can enter in the open womens, does anyone know where i could get dates etc. about entering men's open div 1. Likely to get our arses kicked but might learn a few things!

Cheers
Mark

[niall]

Sparky,
I don't see being a CANI member as bending the rules but as applying them to the letter. You would just have to check where the non-resident (2003-2004) bit might affect you so you would then bend the rules with a post box address in NI. I believe Banba have being doing this for awhile (playing in UK not bending rules). And as far as last year went, Banba is a CANI club.

[NigelPiggott]

:lepr:
Hi, as an alternative to trying to enter a British League would it not be possible to start your own?
3 years ago we started the West Mids League because we at Dudley CC were,nt good enough for the national leagues, we still aren't but some of the other teams who have entered over the last couple of years are now playing in Div 4.
Whilst this might not be the best answer for yourselves it may be worth looking into, after all you only need somewhere and someone to play.
Nigel