Anyone do this ? My experience of Course 8, 5.0k, 150m (M65, W16, W45, W50) Pre-event blurb made it quite clear that both the dark green and open felled areas were impenetrable. So . . . this left 93% of the running routes to be on good tracks/paths, and the odd good ride. It gets better: The last 1K (yes 1K !) was uphill on a tarmac road. Is Orienteering.ie on a mission to get more old parkrunners into orienteering ? Not impressed. An answer: - Swap the 'middle' and 'classic' areas around, as the middle distance area had more useable terrain for a longer event. Or have a map exchange at the ..read more

The 12s I talked to liked their sprint course but of course it's not a sprint for them - they probably run it as they would any other course. If we want them to sprint it, it probably has to be white but I suspect it's better for their development left as it is. I did the same course as an M70 and thought it was an excellent course. There were interesting route choices throughout (except for the last few to the arena). My only criticism would be that the kites were too visible from the approaches.... I'd prefer to see the feature first and then find the kite just behind it. Statistics: Posted ..read more

[quote="Kitch"] Junior 12 sprint was as technically difficult as the elite races.... {/quote] This is how it is supposed to be (i.e. Elites are meant to be running orange standard courses) The real issue is did you think they were too hard. Im not sure the rules have ever been revisited in light of the experience of actual W12s. Statistics: Posted by graeme — Wed May 01, 2024 2:12 pm ..read more

Planning is everything I've run great courses on very unpromising areas and very poor courses on excellent areas. Planners and controllers have to work to make good courses. My reflections on the JK Junior 12 sprint was as technically difficult as the elite races.... Forest planning did well for the area and I enjoyed the Middle course(though obviously there were issues with controls). I didn't enter the Long and was glad I didn't - much repetition of the previous day and that some classes had the same first leg is something that I find unfathomable. It would have taken almost no effort to swa ..read more

I thought both days last weekend were excellent... shame I wasn't! Statistics: Posted by yted — Mon Apr 29, 2024 2:13 pm ..read more

Lard wrote: Aire did an excellent job of the British Middles. Excellent, clear, detailed map. Well planned courses, great parking, assembly field, PA, the lot. Only slightly marred by being unable to see the results for some time, no link or access to online results. Overall though - a brilliant day and a worthy area for a technical middle race. Thanks - will pass that on to the committee and organiser. Think that completes the set for AIRE JK2016 (with all the YHOA clubs of course) - with 2 of our areas used BOC2019 - Long, Relay and XSR BNOC2022 - Nights BSOC2022 - sprints and the XSR u ..read more

Aire did an excellent job of the British Middles. Excellent, clear, detailed map. Well planned courses, great parking, assembly field, PA, the lot. Only slightly marred by being unable to see the results for some time, no link or access to online results. Overall though - a brilliant day and a worthy area for a technical middle race. Statistics: Posted by Lard — Mon Apr 29, 2024 11:54 am ..read more

graeme wrote: buzz wrote:At the finish I asked if I could speak to the planner but was pointed in the direction of the organiser who told me to fill in a complaints form.... I don't know when you complained, but to be fair to Kristian the organiser he was in a difficult position. I didn't 'complain' - that was the point of my post, I just wanted to let them know that there was a control in the wrong place. Personally if I was the planner I'd want to know if there were any issues with the course so I could learn for next time. graeme wrote: Several years ago, the responsibility for tec ..read more

Orienteering is back on the tv. SBOC was approached in 2022 to be part of a tv programme featuring Joe Wilkinson and Katherine Ryan on bargain holidays. Some club members joined in and helped with the filming. They spent a morning with Joe and Katherine filming which resulted in about 10 minutes on screen. Joe took a particular liking to Mike in the club and they all had a great day. It's on Channel 4 Episode 4 (halfway through). It's a very light hearted programme and the sport does get a good mention at the end in the closing credits. Statistics: Posted by Dewi — Fri Apr 26, 2024 3:50 pm ..read more

I think that was needed. Too many recent international sprint events have had prolonged periods where the spectators become aware via the commentary that a protest has been made, but nobody is quite sure what it's about, who's affected, whether a decision has been made yet and, if so, what that decision was and why it was reached. It significantly diminishes the spectator experience. I think this goes back to the attitude that buzz has identified above: orienteering has a general tendency to pretend that nothing ever goes wrong and a strong reluctance to talk about it when it does. Other spor ..read more