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2 questions: First, have the indoor world championships been awarded for 2010?

Second, what's the difference between the World Masters Championships (2009 in Lahti, Finland) and the World Masters Games (2009 in Sydney, Australia)? Anybody ever been to both? Can't get the website for the Sydney games to launch.

Thanks.

The World Masters Championships are the real thing, compare the results!

I have seen nothing about bids for 2010 - and wonder if there will be another WMA Indoor Worlds - I recall hearing some rumblings in the past about going to a 4 year cycle. Since the WMA Indoor Championship is drawing mainly from Europe and the Europeans have a separate Indoor Championship - and participating appears to be declining - perhaps the one in Clermont-Ferrand will be the end of the series. Or if they manage to do another one - hopefully in someplace more appealing than an industrial city famous for a volcano.

Clermont Ferrand has a volcano? I thought it just has a tyre (tire) factory. Nice track though.

This might be a good omen. The only thing going for Linz was that it was a favourite place for Hitler. However the facilities and the championship iteself were excellent at the 2006 WMA indoors.

Hi Pat.

As to your original question, my understanding is that there's officially no connection at all between WMA championships, such as Lahti will be, and the World Masters Games (eg Sydney).

WMG is a sort of "mini Olympics" format, with a whole host of other sports taking part. I nearly did go to the last WMG, in Alberta, and would probably have been flattered had I done so. The standard is quite a bit below WMA in most respects in track and field.

There's a definite pecking order involved too. You'll have seen that the BMAF web site doesn't even list this year's first ever European Masters Games as an event, and, if last time is any guide, won't give much/any publicity to Sydney in 2009. Not completely sure what's behind that particular sniffiness.

Recently in a number of places, polls appeared asking whether there was room for the EVA European Champs this year and ther European Masters Games. Don't know the motivation behind that, but the answer was surely "Of course there is". The same seems to me to apply to WMG/WMA, provided they are sensitive about scheduling. After all, it's not as if we Masters are out on the international circuit full-time, is it?

See you on the train to Clermont Ferrand, if not before.

It was close to Vienna! And Clermont-Ferrand is 2 hours by express train from Paris and 2 1/2 hours by slow train from Lyon. So after visiting the tire company and the Volcano - hop on the train and head for -Lyon - quite a nice city to visit, or Paris - famous for something - cannot remember what - oh the lady who said "let them eat cake" - and too many are doing that today - hence the obesity crisis

The level of competition is better in the WMA championships than the World Masters Games. However, I've competed in the last three WMG and last five WMA meets and enjoyed both. The Australians put on great competitions. It's too bad the meets are scheduled so close together. It looks like 2009 is going to be an expensive year!

Do our WMA-affiliated national federations approve of us competing at 2009 WMG Sydney in our national vests?

"May BMAF member athletes wear the BMAF kit - tracksuit, vest and shorts - at 2009 WMG Sydney?"

BMAF Track and Field Secretary Maurice Doogan replied promptly:

"BMAF Track and Field Secretary Maurice Doogan replied promptly:

"Athletes can wear the kit where ever they want, they have purchased it.

However, please be aware, WMG and EMG do not comply fully with WMA/IAAF Rules so there could be repercussions."

I usually ignore the comments by the always irritated Anthony Treacher
but this time Mr. Treacher - you have posted "a good one".

Pretty amazing claim - so Mr Doogan is going to have "spies" at the WMG and EMG - and do what?
Fortunately the USATF generally ignores Masters - I do not anticipate any one from the USATF mothership being in Sidney or wherever the next EMG may be held to take note of who is running around in a USATF masters approved outfit. No "reperussions" for the Yanks!

good lord - too funny

Regarding lpalmers question of 'Where will the 2010 World Indoors Be?' that started this thread,

The 2010 WMA Indoors will be held in Kamloops, British Columbia in March of 2010. By all accounts, the facilities there are good.

Regarding the question of 'Is wearing one's National WMA-approved Track Federation duds at the 2009 WMG in Sydney' ok with one's WMA-approved National Track Federation?':

I suppose that depends on the particular National Track Federation. As was pointed out in a previous post on this thread, it's ok with the USAFT. I know it's also (unoffically, anyway) ok with the Canadian Masters Federation. It's probably ok with most of the Europeans too, as there were many who competed in the 2005 WMG in Edmonton wearing their colors.

An interesing thing about the 2009 WMG in Sydney is that if a participant wants to participate in a team sport and is not on a team, they can be matched with a team that would like another player, regardless of the nationality or nationalities of the team. Say if I, as a Canadian, wanted to get on a basketball team and a team from Australia or Croatia wanted another player, I could be on it. It sounds like the WMG is encouraging participation over Nationalism.

BMAF Track and Field Secretary Maurice Doogan sent me the following clarification this morning:

"WMA/IAAF are the ones who govern the sport so would be the ones to determine whether there could be repercussions or not, and what they would be - I am only passing on what was agreed at last years WMA General Congress in Riccione - WMA are to have no co-operation with WMG [which implies EMG as well] in any way."

That's a hoot -- since the late Torsten Carlius of Sweden, president of World Masters Athletics, was a paid board member of the International Masters Games Association, which puts on the World Masters Games.

In fact, I pointed out this egregious conflict of interest three years ago:
http://masterstrack.com/blog/000440.html

So now WMA is finally observing its own bylaws?

Where was WMA three years ago?

Ken, that is not the point.

The point is that it is offensive for WMA/BMAF to apply its bylaws in terms of "sanction" and "repercussions" against athletes. That is pressuring athletes not to participate and it is unfair to the WMG and EMG organisers.

All WMA Secretary/BMAF Chairman Winston Thomas and BMAF Track & Field Secretary Maurice Doogan need to say is:

"You do not enter via BMAF but you are free to compete in the BMAF kit. Good luck at 2009 WMG Sydney."

Of course WMA is not going to send out the troops to bail out a poorly run track and field meet run by WMG or EMG. That is really all this is about despite the poor choice of words by the Brit Masters Federation mouthpiece.
WMA has all it can handle and more to try to bail out poorly run WMA meets. And has demonstrated that it cannot do that. If one had participated in the NCCWMA regional meet in Clermont, Florida last month - you would have seen first hand a poorly run meet. Two WMA officials were on hand and complaints lodged with them about such things as -no finish line clock on the track, no age group identification on the bibs or back numbers with age-group identification - just for starters. The X-C races were hand-timed - or else we had the miracle of everyone crossing the finish line at XX:XX:00. Apparently one long hurdles race was not timed - the results show only the order of finish. One of the throws areas had a downhill slope -which is illegal I understand. There was no area to warm up for track events aside from a poorly mowed field. The shuttle service was a disgrace. People were told the tickets for the shuttle were sold out and there was no way for those without shuttle tickets - and staying at the grimy host hotel - to get to the track, the half-marathon course or the 10k road walk. This is the sort of thing one might find at an all-comers meet - or an underfunded State Senior Games meet. This was a regional WMA meet.
IF there are problems in Sidney or where ever the next EMG is held - the officials in charge can take care of things I am sure. And indeed they might just do a better job of it than the WMA has of late.