Learning from lessons pt. 3

Fair to say I was nervous for North Island Champs V2022. All well and good to note the lessons from last year… didn’t count for much if there weren’t actual changes, and I was still remotely planning a large event in a venue I’d never been to. Two major things I think were at the heart of the progress….

First, it helped that we knew to plan for a dual platform event from the get go- no scramble for extra equipment in the final hours, and a venue we already knew was set up to support it. I also remembered to ask where the power points were.

Next, and I think most importantly, I stopped trying to be a one man band (maybe a bit of ego attached to that hun?). It was so much more a team effort in so many aspects, and low and behold it made a difference. Particularly during the competition itself; there were simply more people in the know who could manage any issues or changes.

The competition management system actually ran offline so that whole fiasco was avoided entirely, and by opening asking everyone involved for the additional gear and equipment when it was needed, I already knew going into the weekend that there was enough.

I didn’t compete this year. This was a little bit to do with wanting to handle the event more successfully, and a little bit managing my ongoing knee issues. While I really don’t want to run events at the expense of my own involvement, this did make a big difference to how much energy I was willing to give. It allowed me to put my efforts into being a not scary intense person without the distraction of trying to ensure I was in a position to lift well come Sunday afternoon. I still sped walked everywhere (lol- I’d start walking with someone and immediately be 10 metres in front of them)… otherwise, think I did OK.

The event was not without issues, and there is most definitely a list of improvements and changes noted for next year. But the vibe is good, you know? So so so many people went out of their way to express their thanks, and saying how much they enjoyed it. More than any other event to date, I felt a sense of collaboration from throughout the community. I’m not alone trying to put these events on and make them better, there’s actually a lot of people who want to support that. It’s made me excited to see what can happen in future years. Safe to say that wasn’t quite the emotion after last year.

So yeah not bad. See you next year, catch me on the platform again FINGERS CROSSED.