Perth outpoints Poland as host of 2016 outdoor worlds
Poland is 0-for-2 today in major votes. Perth, Western Australia, will host WMA’s first even-numbered outdoor world masters championships in 2016 as a result of a late-afternoon vote in the Sacramento General Assembly. Perth beat B by a vote of 68-53. Delegates decided to vote on the 2016 world masters meet host today rather than put the choice off till 2013. The bid cities from Poland and Australia earlier told WMA President Stan Perkins that they could host the meet in 2016. Vote is taking place at 5:20ish. American delegates worried about lack of voting control, since Stan said either of two cards can be used to vote. Fear is of double voting. But nobody protested the process. The 5-member USA delegation backed the Bydgoszcz bid for the same reasons it voted for Lyon, France, earlier today: time of year and expense.
Vote reader at WMA General Assembly reads ballots for 2016 worlds.
6 Responses
Again it depends upon who is traveling from where. For our friends in Oceania – it is darn expensive to travel to either the US or Europe. I am happy for them that Perth won for 2016. Yes the fall is not a good time for those who teach but not everyone teaches and not everyone can go to every WMA meet. I missed the one in Japan some years ago for that reason. I had family in Japan who were very disappointed that I could not take part as they hope to come and watch. For those Americans who cannot afford a trip to Australia, just remember there are many fine masters competitors in Australia and New Zealand and elsewhere in that part of the world who cannot afford to travel to Europe or North America. I think the masters athletics world is better served by spreading the meets around and not focusing them mostly on one geographical area. There have been periods of time when the WMA meets seemed to be almost exclusively in Europe. While I recognize that it is partly a function of who bids, it is also a function of how the delegates vote when there are bids from different parts of the world.
I don’t believe it will draw a larger number of athletes that did Sacramento.
It has already been in Australia twice and New Zealand. Never in Eastern Europe.
Hungary will host indoors, which is good, but the two events should treated separately. It should not be about the geographic area, but the country and their ability to host.
Many in the US won’t compete.
Given the support Australian Masters have given the WMA over the years I feel it’s only right they get to host,at each championship,indoor or outdoor Australians show up in big numbers so it’s about time the rest of the world went there.
Looking at their bid for 2015 the stadiums were ideal and the time frame of early to mid October makes for good conditions,sure some will gripe that it’s late in the year but for those unfortunate to get injured this summer and miss Sacramento I bet they’d have welcomed a later start to Worlds
If I can somehow swing making it to Perth as a teacher, it will be a great trip, no doubt.
I do appreciate the U.S. delegates voting as a block in what are the interests of the majority of U.S athletes. That’s certainly how representative democracy is supposed to work. Clearly, cost and time of year (October) will make it difficult for several members of the U.S. contingent to make it to Perth.
Hope I’m one of them but I appreciate our delegates representing our interests with their votes.
I have personally wanted to go to Australia my whole life, so I was happy to see Perth get at least the 16′ bid. For those of you that complain about airfare expenses, you need air miles w/ the majors (United, American, USAir, Delta) so you build up air miles, then you have enough to get a free tickeet and only pay 10% of the fare which is the tax. That’s how I handled the 09′ Worlds in Lahti and it was only about $130 for the fare after my miles were redeemed w/ United. I understand why those who are in academic jobs can’t go, but it seems the Australians have their stuff together and would host a great meet. For Poland, maybe they need to tighten their bid up and then win the bid for 2018. Perth looks like a fantastic place to visit. For now, lets look ahead to 2013 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Maybe, just maybe, some gorgeous fox will adopt me in Porto Alegre. The problem with that is, “girl friend”, Liz Palmer, will throw a damned conniption fit. No matter what, I’m taking my samba shoes. If the dancing doesn’t work out, I can wear those S.O.Bs in the steeplechase. Smartty
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