Ongoing Contest(Scores)

[NHills777]

Thanks that does help get a comparison. Unfortunately our team has some steep competition as one of the teams makes it to nationals and usually places every year, but it is fun to set the bar that high because if we beat them (in any event) then we can say we are competing at a national level

[ckssv07]

For anyone in division b, what scores have you been getting.

[theging]

What is considered a "good" score?

Depends on, among other things, where you are, the competition you're up against, and whether you think good is better than average, medaling, winning....
We know that last time booms ran, National winner was mid-sixes, so, a lower bound on "good."

Purely a guess- I'm thinking in most States (for a C-div boom), for Regionals, under 15gr (carrying full load)- 1,000 points - gets you into top 5; 12-ish gives you a good shot at winning (12-1300 points); by State, maybe a gram or two off those numbers.... It's going to vary a lot by State and Region

I was thinking for state (Ohio for me) that the winner would be around 2000 and the regional winner would be around 1500. I think any score over 1000 is admirable, though.

[iwonder]

Those don't sound like B division scores

And I know Ohio is pretty competitive, but a 7.5g boom to carry the whole load? That's getting in the range of the top couple nats places last time this event was run, if I remember correctly.

[Balsa Man]

I agree a 7.5 carrying full sounds.....pretty optimistic- B- or C-. Definately a Nationals medaling score.

While the level of building experience plays in, the lighter forces in B- (~3/4 that of a C- boom) make me think top-end B-booms may run a bit lighter than C-s. We'll see

[theging]

Those don't sound like B division scores

And I know Ohio is pretty competitive, but a 7.5g boom to carry the whole load? That's getting in the range of the top couple nats places last time this event was run, if I remember correctly.

Well I know the 2008 winner was in the mid-6 gram range and held everything. Assuming 6.5 grams, that gives that lucky person a score of just over 2300. I think they are a bit longer this year, so 2000 MAY be attainable by some of the elite teams (Solon). I'm not saying the scores like that will be flowing willy-nilly, but rather some of the past national winners could do it at state or nationals. Like I said before, though, topping 1000 is admirable.

[Balsa Man]

Those don't sound like B division scores

And I know Ohio is pretty competitive, but a 7.5g boom to carry the whole load? That's getting in the range of the top couple nats places last time this event was run, if I remember correctly.

Well I know the 2008 winner was in the mid-6 gram range and held everything. Assuming 6.5 grams, that gives that lucky person a score of just over 2300. I think they are a bit longer this year, so 2000 MAY be attainable by some of the elite teams (Solon). I'm not saying the scores like that will be flowing willy-nilly, but rather some of the past national winners could do it at state or nationals. Like I said before, though, topping 1000 is admirable.

No, the length is the same; 40cm. In '08, was only C- - with the same 15cm height as C- this year, with the greater height (20cm) (lower forces) for B-, theoretically a B- boom should be lighter than a C-

[theging]

Those don't sound like B division scores

And I know Ohio is pretty competitive, but a 7.5g boom to carry the whole load? That's getting in the range of the top couple nats places last time this event was run, if I remember correctly.

Well I know the 2008 winner was in the mid-6 gram range and held everything. Assuming 6.5 grams, that gives that lucky person a score of just over 2300. I think they are a bit longer this year, so 2000 MAY be attainable by some of the elite teams (Solon). I'm not saying the scores like that will be flowing willy-nilly, but rather some of the past national winners could do it at state or nationals. Like I said before, though, topping 1000 is admirable.

No, the length is the same; 40cm. In '08, was only C- - with the same 15cm height as C- this year, with the greater height (20cm) (lower forces) for B-, theoretically a B- boom should be lighter than a C-

I stand corrected. Sorry.

[Balsa Man]

No need to apologize.
I am curious how folk like Solon do- with their well established "winning ways."
Remember, that 6.5 in '08 was in the second year of a boom cycle. Scores get better with a second year of experience.
A key will be how much....institutional knowledge remains from 08. It's...relatively easy to get to ~10 grams - 1500 points (on a
C-boom)- getting grams off beyond that get much harder- and harder each gram. With historic/coaches knowledge/notes/test data much easier; without, a real challenge and a lot of work

[theging]

No need to apologize.
I am curious how folk like Solon do- with their well established "winning ways."
Remember, that 6.5 in '08 was in the second year of a boom cycle. Scores get better with a second year of experience.
A key will be how much....institutional knowledge remains from 08. It's...relatively easy to get to ~10 grams - 1500 points (on a
C-boom)- getting grams off beyond that get much harder- and harder each gram. With historic/coaches knowledge/notes/test data much easier; without, a real challenge and a lot of work

I know that many schools in Ohio (including the "big three") save EVERYTHING from previous years and try to recycle as much as possible. So, since the rules have remained more or less the same, I, personally, would expect close to similar scores as 2008. The winning designs that the major schools all around the country had in the previous cycle can be reused; therefore, the scores of the booms should be close. That's why I said that a 2000 is not out of the question at states or nats. However, we also must consider the fact that the great builders of last cycle are now gone. The people building the booms and their skill set matter almost as much as the design itself.

I would find it boring to do the same design every time and blow everyone out of the water each time like they did with towers. But, I guess that's what works for them.