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Istanbul Challenge - The winner


andybarton

Please help to choose a venue for the "One Challenge 2014"  

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  1. 1. Please help to choose a venue for the "One Challenge 2014"



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As is now traditional, the book was passed round the gathered throng at the dinner in Wetzlar and a shortlist of three possible venues for next year's Challenge was drawn up.

 

The three suggestions are, in alphabetical order

 

  • Istanbul
  • Lisbon
  • Tokyo

 

This poll will remain open until 1st November 2013 for those interested in joining the Challenge for its eleventh event.

 

Thanks

 

For those new to the One Challenge, previous destinations have been

 

London

Amsterdam

Paris

Berlin

Krakow

Valletta

Venice

Palermo

Copenhagen

Wetzlar

Edited by andybarton
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Lisbon and Istanbul yes, but has anyone bothered to consider the cost and time it would take to get to Tokyo?

 

A quick search just now and the cheapest flight for next October is coming in at over £600, and we're talking 15hrs on a plane!

 

We should remember where the majority of members who usually take part are travelling from, IMHO.

 

Our friends in the US have organised their own challenges in the past, so if it's a case of being more inclusive then perhaps we need to organise 2 or 3 challenges around the world on the same weekend, then people can take their pick which to attend.

 

Whilst I'm all for 'left field' suggestions, I would have preferred a more viable 3rd choice.

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Lisbon and Istanbul yes, but has anyone bothered to consider the cost and time it would take to get to Tokyo?

 

Yes it was considered, and I have to say that I was surprised. However the top 3 are the ones that are selected for the vote, regardless of how practical they might be.

 

Looking at flights and hotels, the total cost could easily be well over £1,000 - most of the non-direct flights from Manchester next year were just under £700. A budget hotel seemed to be around £100 a night - though I'm sure there are cheaper choices than the ones shown on Expedia.

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Whilst I'm all for 'left field' suggestions, I would have preferred a more viable 3rd choice.

 

A few years ago, those of us who actually attended the current Challenge chose the venue for the next one, at the evening meal. There was a massive kick-back on the Forum from those did not attend that year, claiming it was unfair. Therefore, we decided to choose a short list in the evening of the current challenge, to put to the forum to choose. Everyone who is a member of the Forum thus has a vote in where those of us who actually attend go.

 

In Wetzlar, 5 people voted for Tokyo, and it earned its place on the short list for 2014.

Edited by andybarton
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Well, the Forum can't have it both ways. Either those that can attend choose where they go next year, or all members get to choose where to send those that do.

 

This year, the voting is open, so you can see who has voted to send people where. It would be nice to think that everyone who votes intended to attend, but life isn't like that.

 

I still think that those of us who attend should have a greater say than hose who just click "Vote" on a web browser.

Edited by andybarton
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A few years ago, those of us who actually attended the current Challenge chose the venue for the next one, at the evening meal. There was a massive kick-back on the Forum from those who could not attend that year, claiming it was unfair. Therefore, we decided to choose a short list in the evening of the current challenge, to put to the forum to choose. Everyone who is a member of the Forum thus has a vote in where those of us who actually attend go.

 

In Wetzlar, 5 people voted for Tokyo, and it earned its place on the short list for 2014.

 

Yes and I was one of those who was in favour of the 'open vote'. Maybe there should be some basic rules for choosing destinations. I don't think that Tokyo will be a serious contender here, but a more realistic 3rd option might have been.

 

Interestingly the two best attended challenges have been held in Germany.

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James. Like I said, you can't have it both ways.

 

The premise of the Challenge was that destinations should be readily available to as many forum members as possible. But with an Open Vote, Tokyo was one of the top 3

Edited by andybarton
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The cities on next year's "long list" were

 

Barcelona

Istanbul (1st place)

Seville

SW France

New York

Nice

Lisbon (2nd place)

Tokyo (3rd place)

 

Not everyone who was at dinner voted for next year

 

I will scan the page of my book, if you'd like to see it.

Edited by andybarton
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James. Like I said, you can't have it both ways.

 

The premise of the Challenge was that destinations should be readily available to as many forum members as possible. But with an Open Vote, Tokyo was one of the top 3

 

I'm in favour of an 'Open Vote' as you know, perhaps if the suggestions as to the possible venues also came form open forum, the numbers contributing might tend naturally to 'iron out' aberrations produced by low numbers voting in a café.

 

Clearly there would always be the possibility of impractical or even malicious suggestions but that is what forum discussions and moderators are for...;)

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Robert. It won't.

 

It's easy to say "Let's have the Challenge in Timbuktu, or Bali, or Santiago" but those of us who actually attend ought, IMHO, to have a greater say in venues.

 

I don't see how a Moderator could intervene.

 

If this is the way it's going to be in future, I think I might give Challenges a miss.

 

It's bloody hard work sorting these things out, as others can attest. I can't do it in Tokyo (I can't afford even to go there), nor can I organise things in Istanbul or Lisbon. I am grateful to Stefan for helping with this year's evening meal. People just assume that a meal for 40 people just organises itself. It doesn't.. It needs a local person to help, or someone with knowledge of the city (I sorted the Venice meal myself, as I'd been to the restaurant several times before and knew it could cope with the number of attendees)

Edited by andybarton
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Being new to the challenge and not being fully aware of its history

I didn't know of any restrictions. Neither Lynn or I can attend next year

but didn't think that excluded us from voting on the night, did it?

 

I voted for Tokyo because of the places suggested it was the one I would

like to see pictures of when we come to vote next year. I gave no more than

a fleeting thought to the practicalities other than taking into account that

we had a member from Australia with us this year so assumed it was a

worldwide choice we were making.

 

A point was made after the selection of the three possible venues had been

made was that it should be a destination that eastjet serve, is this true?

To how many is that relevant if it is? I don't know that many got to Wetzlar

via them this year.

 

Sorry if my choice runs counter to the historical precedents but I really

wasn't aware of them.

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Likewise I could't afford Tokyo for a weekend, nor would I particularly want to spend two full days in the air travelling!

 

It's probably academic because it looks likely that Istanbul or Lisbon will be most popular.

 

A consideration should also be who is on the ground or knowledgable to help with organisation. I suggested the Krakow meet, having been previously, and was able to help with organisation for venues on the day.

 

I know it takes a lot to organise the One Challenge which probably isn't apparent to everyone. As I said above, some thought about logistics would be a good idea.

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There are no restrictions on locations, and "EasyJet" is used as a shorthand for "sensibly priced location". We used Lufthansa :) They have very nice seats.

 

And of course, everyone in that room was equally entitled to choose a location for 2014

 

Most people also use the Challenge as a long-weekend break, whether with partner, or otherwise.

 

John from Melbourne is an exceptional man, both in Challenge terms and in life. :)

Edited by andybarton
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Having formerly been a section secretary in the Alfa Romeo Owners Club

I am well aware of the effort that goes into organising events. I can only

reiterate the thanks that others have expressed to you, Andy, also Stephan

for putting together what was, for us, a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

 

We shall attend again but, for the reason we told you, cannot make it next

year. As we get more used to the format we are now less likely to make a

similar mistake again ;)

 

The atmosphere was very inclusive and that may have carried us away

when it came to voting for the next destination :D

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An interesting trio to choose from. But I do think Tokyo is just not on, in practical terms for a Challenge, even though I would love to go (never been - yet). At the moment I'm undecided between the others except to say that barring ill-health I intend to attend, and that both are good choices.

 

Those that attend should really give some consideration to practicality when suggesting locations!

 

As far as the method of choosing the venue is concerned I tend to the open method, rather than have decision by what might be considered by some to be a "clique". However having said that, perhaps some form of "weighting" could be given to the vote of those who actually attend Challenges, rather than vote with no real intention of going? More work I know, but in these days of spreadsheets not impossible, it's more the initial compilation of the record that will take the time.

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