Stephen Park
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12602
Printed Date: 07 Jul 25 at 3:35am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Stephen Park
Posted By: pompeysailor
Subject: Stephen Park
Date Posted: 23 Dec 16 at 9:52am
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Stephen Park OBE has left his post as Royal Yachting Association
Olympic manager to become British Cycling's new performance director. The post has been empty since Sir David Brailsford's departure in April 2014 to concentrate on his Team Sky duties. “I
feel enormously privileged and excited to be given the opportunity to
take my experiences into working with another world-leading sport, and
look forward to building on the high performance culture at British
Cycling," said Park
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Formerly - OK 2145 Phantom 1437, Blaze 819, Fireball 14668, Mirror 54145
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Replies:
Posted By: MikeBz
Date Posted: 23 Dec 16 at 10:38am
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Blimey, well done Sparky!
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 23 Dec 16 at 10:54pm
More money in cycling, then?
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Posted By: zippyRN
Date Posted: 23 Dec 16 at 11:19pm
Originally posted by Rupert
More money in cycling, then? |
or it could effectively be a promotion ...
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Posted By: piglet
Date Posted: 24 Dec 16 at 7:59am
Originally posted by Rupert
More money in cycling, then? |
3 bike shops in my town. No boat or watersports shops though.
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 24 Dec 16 at 9:19am
Originally posted by piglet
Originally posted by Rupert
More money in cycling, then? |
3 bike shops in my town. No boat or watersports shops though. |
You don't live at Hamble, then?!
In reality, I can see many reasons why a move like this makes sense. The risks for him are bigger, but with that will come a greater sense of achievement, and it will stops things becoming stale, reigniting the fires.
There must be a very small pool of people with his level of experience.
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 24 Dec 16 at 12:03pm
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If press reports are correct you can see why they might want to get someone in from a sport with a different culture. Good luck to him, I wouldn't want to go near it.
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Posted By: FreshScum
Date Posted: 24 Dec 16 at 12:36pm
Originally posted by JimC
If press reports are correct you can see why they might want to get someone in from a sport with a different culture. Good luck to him, I wouldn't want to go near it. |
Different culture....? Is sailing not institutionally sexist and nepotistic?
Changing, yes, but so are all sports and life generally.
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Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 24 Dec 16 at 6:29pm
Originally posted by FreshScum
Is sailing not institutionally sexist and nepotistic? |
My impression is it isn't too bad. I can't believe, for instance, that someone with my sort of unconventional background would have been in the Portsmouth Yardstick group back in the 70s.
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Posted By: Chris 249
Date Posted: 24 Dec 16 at 9:09pm
Originally posted by JimC
If press reports are correct you can see why they might want to get someone in from a sport with a different culture. Good luck to him, I wouldn't want to go near it. |
There may not be anything particularly wrong with the general culture of the sport of cycling, as far as sexism etc goes; for example, I don't know of anywhere in cycling comparable with SA in terms of aggressively sexist culture on open display at a major site.
There may be a sub-culture of aggressively loutish Australian middle-aged male track cycling coaches. That's been a problem for decades now, but whether the whole sport suffers from that is another issue.
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sailcraftblog.wordpress.com
The history and design of the racing dinghy.
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Posted By: blueboy
Date Posted: 25 Dec 16 at 6:43am
Originally posted by Chris 249
I don't know of anywhere in cycling comparable with SA in terms of aggressively sexist culture on open display at a major site. |
Is it the sexism or the open display of it that grieves you? The attitudes are common and hardly restricted to SA or to sailing.
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Posted By: Chris 249
Date Posted: 25 Dec 16 at 7:33am
Both.
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sailcraftblog.wordpress.com
The history and design of the racing dinghy.
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Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 25 Dec 16 at 9:19am
Wonder how he will deal with cycling's performance enhancing drug culture ... sailing's drug issues are more recreational!
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Happily living in the past
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Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 25 Dec 16 at 10:57am
Originally posted by Chris 249
... anywhere in cycling comparable with SA in terms of aggressively sexist culture on open display at a major site. |
Appalling isnt it. I'd assumed it was a US cultural/social phenomenon, interesting - and depressing - if its unique to the one site. Very sad that what is on the one hand the best place to learn from some of the real thinkers in the sport is also home to this destructive misogyny. At least it doesn't seem to be the same people responsible for both. But in their own words their status quo blows. Goodness knows i'm the last to advocate politically correct thinking, but to misquote the greatest of them all, if you have no respect for a significant number of your fellow competitors...
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Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 25 Dec 16 at 11:09am
Originally posted by davidyacht
Wonder how he will deal with cycling's performance enhancing drug culture ... sailing's drug issues are more recreational! |
Or at least we hope they are. I've sometimes wondered if possibly the top amateurs might be more vulnerable to the banned substances than the pros.
There must be the temptation, if trying to find the time to get the body in shape for a major event and get far enough ahead in the day job to leave it for a months practive and event, to take a few smarties just to be level with where you would be if you weren't so damn busy.
I'd be sorely tempted if I knew there were some pills that might get my damn body working as well as some of my age defying contemporaries in the Canoes.
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Posted By: zippyRN
Date Posted: 25 Dec 16 at 1:49pm
Originally posted by FreshScum
Originally posted by JimC
If press reports are correct you can see why they might want to get someone in from a sport with a different culture. Good luck to him, I wouldn't want to go near it. |
Different culture....? Is sailing not institutionally sexist and nepotistic?
Changing, yes, but so are all sports and life generally. |
Sexism ? depends where you look ,
nepotism - swings and roundabouts with barriers to entry or more pointedly barriers to progression ... while there is no need to be an 'Optimist Parent' it;s not as as if the promising young singlehander sailor is going to be able to rely on lifts from others etc same as if they were playing scooer or doing dance classes ...
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Posted By: Presuming Ed
Date Posted: 26 Dec 16 at 11:09am
Originally posted by JimC
Or at least we hope they are. I've sometimes wondered if possibly the top amateurs might be more vulnerable to the banned substances than the pros. |
There is an issue in amateur cycling, but it's not as much of a problem as rugby. Particularly Welsh. http://www.ukad.org.uk/anti-doping-rule-violations/current-violations/search/P20" rel="nofollow - http://www.ukad.org.uk/anti-doping-rule-violations/current-violations/search/P20
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/another-british-amateur-cyclist-banned-anti-doping-offences-297031" rel="nofollow - http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/another-british-amateur-cyclist-banned-anti-doping-offences-297031
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Posted By: blueboy
Date Posted: 26 Dec 16 at 11:51am
Originally posted by JimC
Originally posted by Chris 249
... anywhere in cycling comparable with SA in terms of aggressively sexist culture on open display at a major site. |
Appalling isnt it. I'd assumed it was a US cultural/social phenomenon, interesting - and depressing - if its unique to the one site. |
It's common enough to hear similar sentiments in British all-male groups. No I don't find it amusing or endearing.
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 26 Dec 16 at 8:32pm
From what I've read, the problem in welsh rugby is often vanity, not performance. Body building drugs. Probably doesn't occur to them that steroids are illegal. Vanity not such an issue in sailing?
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Posted By: NickM
Date Posted: 27 Dec 16 at 11:30am
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Given the ageing demographic, probably not!
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 27 Dec 16 at 12:11pm
I'd venture the little blue pills are likely more relevant to sailors trying to keep their end up.
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Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 30 Dec 16 at 3:56pm
Brilliant news for a really nice but driven guy. Shows a healthy level of respect for what he's acheived personally and for the success of the sailing Olympic program that (arguably) the most successful BOA team have appointed him to replace a guy like Sir David Brailsford.
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 30 Dec 16 at 4:07pm
Could be a poisoned chalice with all the doping crap that's about to go down, I noticed Wiggins 'retired' the day before the announcement of the 'package' delivered to Sky that allegedly could have been bought at any chemist. They are all dopers, roadies are for the most part bent as nine bob notes.
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Posted By: ian.r.mcdonald
Date Posted: 30 Dec 16 at 8:15pm
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unfair and untrue, cycling has moved on.on a three week event where you move from the hotel early and end up 150 miles away in the evening, do you tie a hard working soigneur up finding a pharmacy or just hit the keyboard knowing the parcel will be at your prebooked hotel?
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 31 Dec 16 at 11:07am
Unfair, untrue or no, Mr Parks will have to deal with an environment in which 'asthma sufferers' are permitted to use proven performance enhancing medication that has long since ceased to be a treatment for said condition but remains a performance enhancer, in a world with a constant history of performance enhancing drugs, at a time when the spotlight is now well and truly on British cyclists and their almost unbelievable success in a number of Olympic events.
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Posted By: zeon
Date Posted: 31 Dec 16 at 10:24pm
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It's nearly as unbelievable as our sailing and rowing teams.
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Posted By: ian.r.mcdonald
Date Posted: 01 Jan 17 at 9:25am
Brailsford, Park etc have introduced a new outlook that winning is the target and not just trying hard, using every legal and allowable action. Seeing Nicole Cooke sad on the podium with silver at the worlds pre her Olympic gold was a flag to this new focus.
I am sure Stephen will not let us slip back into our old "valiant runners up" slot that we used to fill.
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Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 01 Jan 17 at 3:32pm
Having read David Walsh on Wiggins today, I could not help but think of the Elvstrom quote of no point in winning if you don't have the respect of your competitors ... there is no question in my mind that the Sky Wiggins Jiffy bag stinks, otherwise there you'll have been nothing lost by issuing a firm denial, which has never been forthcoming. Winning at all costs is not always acceptable imo.
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Happily living in the past
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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 01 Jan 17 at 5:51pm
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+1 I don't understand how anybody can gain any satisfaction from winning if they do so by cheating.
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Posted By: ian.r.mcdonald
Date Posted: 01 Jan 17 at 6:52pm
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Sky have surprised me by not responding well, and I suspect the rules on Tue will be tightened and revised. But I have not seen any suggestions of cheating, simp!y use of the existing regulations.
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Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 01 Jan 17 at 7:48pm
Originally posted by ian.r.mcdonald
Sky have surprised me by not responding well, and I suspect the rules on Tue will be tightened and revised. But I have not seen any suggestions of cheating, simp!y use of the existing regulations. |
I can accept that the TUIs might not have crossed the line ... however Brailsford and Wiggins must have known what was in the Jiffy bag, and any medication, innocent or not, surely should have had traceability. In the absence of any clear denial, I can only think the worse, sad because I bought into Sky being clean, and Wiggins being a hero, having closely followed the Grand Tours and read his book. Sky, Brailsford, Wiggins and Cycling GB are inextricably linked.
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Happily living in the past
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 02 Jan 17 at 10:47am
Well the Russians clearly think calling hypocrisy is in order...
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Posted By: Dougaldog
Date Posted: 02 Jan 17 at 12:07pm
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Happy New Year to you all..... But now to business. I find it very interesting that the central theme of this thread quickly became focused on the issues in the sport that SP is destined for, but with little in the way of comment on the sport he leaves behind. It has been known for a long time that success in sport is cyclic (yes, even cycling!) - which suggests that not only is the Team GBR grasp on the top spot tenuous, but that there are a number of other nations that are fast improving. Given the time of year, if you were writing a 'state of the nation' report on the racing aspect of the sport (as against the wider, non-competitive participation) it would make for interesting reading. Cue the usual clamour of "we've got great youth activity at our club" but looking ahead - to 2020, then 2024, the situation facing Team GBR might well suggest that not only will success be harder to achieve, but it will come at a higher price. Unless of course we can learn to do 'more with less', as some other nations are doing, but as yet I don't see much evidence of this!
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Dougal H
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 02 Jan 17 at 7:25pm
I can't see 2020 being as successful as 2016, let alone 2012. I hope grass roots will be the opposite, and can see that happening, so long as we focus on sailing being enjoyable as well as competitive.
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Posted By: blueboy
Date Posted: 03 Jan 17 at 6:48am
Originally posted by Sam.Spoons
+1 I don't understand how anybody can gain any satisfaction from winning if they do so by cheating. |
Firstly. for some people, winning is a job requirement. Satisfaction is just a nice-to-have.
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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 03 Jan 17 at 10:00am
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Aah........ 'Professional Sport' It all started going to the dogs when they let Laver play at Wimbledon.....
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Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 03 Jan 17 at 10:54am
Originally posted by Dougaldog
Happy New Year to you all..... But now to business. I find it very interesting that the central theme of this thread quickly became focused on the issues in the sport that SP is destined for, but with little in the way of comment on the sport he leaves behind. It has been known for a long time that success in sport is cyclic (yes, even cycling!) - which suggests that not only is the Team GBR grasp on the top spot tenuous, but that there are a number of other nations that are fast improving. Given the time of year, if you were writing a 'state of the nation' report on the racing aspect of the sport (as against the wider, non-competitive participation) it would make for interesting reading. Cue the usual clamour of "we've got great youth activity at our club" but looking ahead - to 2020, then 2024, the situation facing Team GBR might well suggest that not only will success be harder to achieve, but it will come at a higher price. Unless of course we can learn to do 'more with less', as some other nations are doing, but as yet I don't see much evidence of this!
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2008 & 2012 obviously inspired and motivated a very large number of youngsters and coaches/helpers to get involved, this plays out at 2016 with an even better result for team GB. Funding cut-backs will hurt some sports and likely will have some impact in sailing. Momentum is momentum and many 2016 medalists will return or at least remain involved until 2020. As far as I know, there hasn't been any mass changes in the running of BOA or team GB/GBR other than leadership at Sailing and Cycling. So coming off the most successful games ever, IMO team GBR will have a good 2020 as well, there is sufficient strength in depth.
That said, overall, 2020 is likely to garner a lower medal haul than 2016; surely we can't go better than China again - I think their deeper pockets and sheer numbers will be telling given the level of hysteria our press whipped up about that this summer. Russia may also dig itself out of the hole it has so diligently dug itself into and provide more medalists at the next games.
So for me, the key becomes the reaction to 2020.
If funding is cut again after that games, then lasting damage is likely and that will hurt sports like cycling and sailing (and rowing and....) where expensive equipment is a key to successful campaigning. 2024 will also be a significant amount of time since 2008 when the ramp began in team GB fortunes so you could also predict that serious focus needs to go into passing on coaching and campaigning knowledge in the next cycle otherwise retirements will strip many sports of key resources. A nasty double whammy of lost experience and lower funding that will surely have only one outcome in terms of team confidence and results.
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Posted By: pompeysailor
Date Posted: 03 Jan 17 at 11:03am
would love to see a breakdown of how the millions are actually spent across the classes/sailors..
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Formerly - OK 2145 Phantom 1437, Blaze 819, Fireball 14668, Mirror 54145
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