Late starters at major events

[Sunlit Forres]

Personally, as a bog average orienteer, it makes no difference to me when I start. I could start at the same time as half a dozen others and I'd still do my own thing and would expect to split up within the first few minutes. I'd actually quite enjoy the head-to-head element of the first couple of controls. How many times do you meet another runner on the same course during your run and before you know it they (or you, if you're lucky) are gone.

The top runners in each race are different. Maybe big events could allocate "premium" mandatory start times 3 mins apart (or whatever rules require) for say the top-20-ranked runners and then be relaxed about everyone else. Others should make every effort to start at the right time, but if not they could just go as soon as they get to the start.

[charles2]

There were atleast half a doz advisory signs on the M1/M25 advising of delays between Jcn 10/11 of the M4 on the way to JK Sprint. Plenty of time to come off early and re-route.

And also advising of delays on jns 4-7 of M4, so having seen all these signs we duly turned off on the M40 only to be told (once on the M40) of congestion there as well!
Arrived at car park a little later than planned, but we had built in a good amount of contingency time.

[Clive Coles]

You miss my point Mrs H ~ I am not trying to apportion blame or asking organisers to assume responsibility instead of the individual concerned. i am just advocating the application of technology we now have in the form of a punching start for late comers.

With the case that stuck in my memory, my 4 hour journey turned into a 6 hour slog. With a fair wind I should have made it to the event assembly with well over over an hour to spare. I had left home at 5 am, but i was stuck for an extra 1 1/2 hours on the approach to the Seven Bridge ~ there was no way of getting off the motorway once you ran in to the tail back. I guess my fault ~ i should have allowed more time and left at 4 AM

I could have taken a days holiday and traveled the day before but at the time I had other plans for my holiday allowance.

I just fancied a chance to orienteer at a ranking event in mid-Wales on an area where i had not been before. Although a so called "major event", it wasn't even a competition or a league event I wasn't competitive enough to expect a top 10 finish ~ I was just expecting a timed run.

It was the attitude to late arrivals that soured the day for me. " You're late ~ don't even suggest your start time might be adjusted". But I didn't create a fuss. I accepted that rules are rules ~ the club were entitled to apply them. Times obviously don't change.

[Mrs H]

I think you are being naive if you think people would not abuse a carte blanch policy that allows late starters an unpenalised punching start. What would you suggest the organisers do when half the field turns up in the last half hour claiming traffic jams and over sleeping or that they just fancied an extra hour to recover from the drive - it's totally unworkable.

[babs f]

I have to say that I like the approach of a certain competitor in M65L who got his start times for Day 2 and Day 3 muddled up. He actually took 2.06 on the first leg, not his published 19.06, so was the fastest runner in his class by some 2.5 minutes. He is happy with that knowledge, regardless of the published results.

[graeme]

If you miss your start, you have no chance of a reasonable result in a sprint. You are, in the most obvious way, non-competitive.

So it seems rather simple to me. You wait for an open slot, take a punching start (or get start official to note your minute), enjoy your run and you are listed as non-comp.

Then, if you want to get reinstated, you appeal. Appeals may be heard by the appropriate person(s) who have as much time as needed to decide, while the start team don't have to make stressful decisions under pressure.

Since most orienteers are scared to appeal, a well-organised organiser might even put together a group-action appeal. In this specific case, I would certainly re-instate everyone. The JK is meant to be a festival, and its meant to be fun.

Most people who attend major events never aspire to acquire top podium places. .... It's all become so "serious".

(a top-place aspirant) is happy with that knowledge (that he was the fastest), regardless of the published results.

[Snail]

wait for an open slot, take a punching start ..., enjoy your run and you are listed as non-comp

Initially seems attactive. Being listed as non-comp should (in the absence of any appeal) avoid distortions to ranking lists etc, for either the individual or anyone else.

However it requires either individuals declaring at download, or the start team declaring at intervals (and prior to prizegiving), or the software automatically detecting all those with non-comp status.

And what happens if you start say 2 minutes late, but still win the course? Admittedly unlikely in a sprint, but feasible in long classes. Perhaps for those you should only be non-comp if you are more than say 5 minutes late (or whatever the call-up time is)

[martin]

Could we allow punching starts for all late starters, but apply a fixed penalty in the results, say a 5 minute penalty for long. Allows some measure of competitiveness, but also discourages turning up late.

[King Penguin]

That sounds like a reasonable compromise.

[oo_wrong_way]

However it requires either individuals declaring at download, or the start team declaring at intervals (and prior to prizegiving), or the software automatically detecting all those with non-comp status.

I think the download team could cope with this OK. Just make every competitor non-comp who comes to the problem desk asking for their punching start to be used and let them appeal to the organiser. if their appeal is allowed they get re-instated.

What I found difficult at the JK was telling a W12 (who was in tears) that she had to appeal to the organiser to have her punch start allowed!