The IPF Leinster Open 2017 on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd of January is the IPF’s first event of the year and also the first event in our short history that we’ve split across two venues.

We were offered the opportunity to host the Saturday of the Leinster Open at the National Show Centre in Swords, Dublin (twenty minutes away from The ABS Gym) alongside the CrossFit Celtic Cup 2017 with 160 teams competing in a knock-out tournament and the OLY Clothing ‘Clang & Bang’ Team Weightlifting competition.

There are two main reasons we decided to take advantage of this opportunity and host the Saturday of the Leinster Open there:

1. As an experiment in trying to gain some additional exposure for the Federation and our Athletes
2. For us, as a Federation, to gain experience in hosting an event alongside another event in a shared venue as preparation for Nationals 2017 in the Titanic Centre, Belfast @ Irish Muscle Power 2017

There is one significant drawback though: as the CrossFit Celtic Cup 2017 is a commercial venture there will be an entrance fee for spectators on Saturday. Entrance will cost €17.00 at the door (€10.00 for under-16s).

This is the first IPF event that spectators will be asked to pay an entrance fee for and that’s obviously a big difference from our previous events. It’s also important to note that we, the IPF, don’t receive a cent of this entrance fee. We are getting the use of the venue for free which reduces our overall venue costs for the Leinster Open by about enough to do two additional drug tests this year.

Asking spectators to pay an entrance fee, even if we’re not the people actually asking or charging the fee, made some of us quite uncomfortable. Until now, entrance to our events has always been free and our spectators – your friends and family – have always made a fantastic atmosphere.

Our hope is that this continues on Saturday the 21st at the Leinster Open. The entrance fee will surely piss some people off, that’s understandable, but I hope this post explains our reasoning:

1. It’s an experiment and one that we hope will raise the profile of the Federation and the athletes competing on Saturday
2. We needed to gain some experience hosting an event in a venue like this in advance of Nationals 2017
3. The reduced venue costs for this event will allow the IPF to perform a small amount of additional drug testing this year

All athletes competing on the Saturday of the Leinster Open will receive one complementary wristband for access to the event for a +1.

All other spectators will have to pay €17.00 at the door (€10.00 or under-16s) to access the event.

Spectators will also have access to the CrossFit Celtic Cup 2017 with 160 teams competing in a knock-out tournament and the OLY Clothing ‘Clang & Bang’ Team Weightlifting competition.

Sunday’s lifting will go ahead in The ABS Gym, Dublin as normal and there will be no entrance fee.

I’m sure this post will generate a lot of debate and we’re going to keep all of that public in the IrishPF Discussion Group on Facebook so join the debate there.

Summary

• As Saturday’s lifting will take place in the National Show Centre there will be a €17.00 entrance fee for spectators.
• Athletes will receive one complementary wristband each at weigh-ins for a +1.
• This entrance fee is collected by the CrossFit Celtic Cup 2017 organisers not the IPF.
• The IPF is not making any revenue from this entrance fee.
• The entrance fee also gives spectators access to the CrossFit Celtic Cup 2017 with over 160 teams competing and the OLY Clothing ‘Clang & Bang’ team weightlifting competiton.
• Hosting the event alongside the Celtic Cup 2017 reduces our venue costs allowing additional drug testing and gives us valuable experience hosting an event like this which we need for Nationals 2017.
• Sunday’s lifting will go ahead in The ABS Gym, Dublin as normal and there will be no entrance fee.

Thanks,
Rob

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Rob Burke
IPF Vice-President & National Team Manager