During the Final of the FEI Indoor World Cup Driving Event held in Gotenburg, Sweden, over last weekend, representatives from the Indoor Organisers and Drivers met together to look back on the recent season and to discuss developments for the future.
Whilst there was full agreement that the 2005/6 indoor season had been a success there were differing opinions on how the series could grow in the present environment where major sponsors are difficult to find.
There was a wish by the Indoor Organisers to reduce costs in running the Indoor Competitions whilst the Drivers, accepting the need to review the overall competition structure, stressed the need to maintain the available funds used to meet the transportation costs of attending and the available prize monies on offer.
After detailed discussions the following principle agreements were reached:
- Funding in terms of travel, accommodation and prize money remains unchanged.
Indoor Organisers can, if they so wish, now charge an entry fee of up to Euros 500 per driver.
- The FEI would revise the draw system whereby Qualified Drivers, at the end of the Outdoor Season, pick their Indoor Events. This with a view to ensuring a balanced number of entries to the Indoor events both in terms of Nationality and Top Ten positioning of those qualified.
- The FEI would revise the rules to reduce the number of Officials needed to be present at an Indoor Driving Event by one thereby reducing costs to the Organiser.
Everyone attending the meeting felt that the new system used in the 2005/6 season whereby Drivers competed during the Indoor Season for a place in the Final provided for an exciting finish to the season. The fact that all of those Qualified Drivers in the Final started from scratch added to the atmosphere and provided all those who watched the event with a wonderful competition driven at the highest level.
Discussions are under way to add further events to the Indoor Series for 2006/7 and there will be a new Organiser of the Final next year.
2006 also sees an increase in the number of Outdoor Qualifying events, although the number of competitions that count to the Driver’s points total remains the same at 4. The number of qualifying events in any one Nation and the number to count for points during the 2007 Outdoor Season will be the subject of discussion at the next meeting of the FEI Driving Technical Committee due to take place in the Autumn.
Those at the meeting, whilst accepting the need to continue to find ways of attracting sponsorship to the FEI World Cup Driving Series, did feel that there were promising signs for the future.
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