Major races

[Big Jon]

So has there been a year with a poorer set of races for JK & BOC.

[SeanC]

2020?

[Big Jon]

2020?

Remind me of locations...

[yted]

I thought BOC was excellent... an epic. And the JK sprint was fine.

[Alun]

I agree with yted. I was going to start a string about what a great job Duncan Archer and his team had done in difficult circumstances when I came across this string.

And I thought the JK sprint was excellent too. But I was very disappointed by JK days 2 and 3.

[Big Jon]

I should have stated I didn't run JK sprint, but heard good things about it...

[Big Jon]

I thought BOC was excellent... an epic. And the JK sprint was fine.

You obviously didn't run M60L... - or maybe "epic" means different things to different people

[yted]

M70 for me and epic in the sense of physically and technically tough... but fair. I think anyone who won is a true British Champion.

[Homer]

I agree that JK and BOC haven't haven't exactly been classics this year. Perhaps it's indicative of how hard it is increasingly becoming to obtain permissions for areas? The wet winter hasn't helped either.

The one area I'd like to see BOF professional staff concentrate their time on is that of raising access issues. It feels like orienteering is very far down the food chain...

[housewife]

The JK relay was excellent. The JK sprint for me was spoiled by hedge confusion, but atleast I now know that sprint shade 410 means that I have permission to attempt to pass through the hedge, even if it looks like it ought not be allowed.

[Arnold]

It was pretty clear from previous maps that JK & BOC would be "bad" in the sense of very tough underfoot and probably not that technical, so I stayed away. I wonder how many others did too? It will be interesting to see how the Middle turns out, though the Sprints look promising.

I feel for the organisers though, as I know how much work goes into this and at the end of the day you want people to come away with a smile and positive memories. But so many compromises are needed to be able to use the "best" areas - I agree with a previous comment that access should be very high on BOF's list of priorities, as it is in other countries.

Perhaps we were just a bit unlucky in 2024, although I'm slightly scared of Wharncliffe and Grizedale...

[yted]

I think Mulgrave Woods is a great area. The map was excellent and, as for the few compromises the planner had to make, it is pretty easy to see the reasons for those given the location of the parking and the worry over the state of the rivers after the rainy winter. There are more technical areas of course but it's plenty technical enough for a BOC. I thoroughly enjoyed my course and was sutiably axhausted at the end. The landscape is so unusual that's it difficult to be totally settled and relentless concentration is needed for a clean run.
Looking forward to Danefield, Wharncliff and Tankersley... and hoping for kites in the pits not on the edges and visible from far away!

[awk]

I thought the JK sprint was good and the relays excellent. The organisation on all 4 days was excellent too. I was relieved and glad not to have entered the long - a pity we didn't do the same for the middle, the first time I can ever recall regretting my entry fee actually during a run! At the British, for various reasons (one being the area), I didn't enter the individual, and having seen our course and listened to feedback was relieved and glad not to have done so. The first two-thirds of the relay were great, but I can't say I was wowed later on by losing 4 minutes or so in a fight with unmarked 'fight' later on. Fortunately, it didn't matter as our first leg had had a nightmare, and it was a good club day out!

So, all in all, my answer to the Big Jon's original question is, not as far as I can recall. They've certainly contributed towards us rethinking our approach to major races, and be glad that by being more selective this year we have saved a couple of hundred pounds in entry fees and accommodation. However, the majors season isn't over yet, with the BMC the weekend after this and the BSCs in June, and both of those look promising.

[Lard]

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.

[rf_fozzy]

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 using one of our areas
BMDOC2024

Of course we are supporting SYO and the other YHOA clubs with JK2025 too...