WORLD CUP - ORINGEN

[Gross]

Interesting to note that of the 9 women selected to run in round 3 of the World Cup in Sweden next week - 7 of the 9 have withdrawn. GBR will be represented by 2 women.

Something far wrong somewhere if 7 selected athletes withdraw from the GB Team.

[candyman]

I disagree, there is something very wrong with the current World Cup system which provides very little encouragement for athletes to participate in single rounds.

Bring back a World Cup that gives athletes something to get excited about and you will get athletes competing again.

[Gross]

You're not disagreeing.... I said something majorly wrong somewhere... didn't say where

[Kitch]

I disagree, there is something significantly wrong if only 2 out of 9 are able to run.

[jondub]

The World Cup is a season long competition. There is no point in entering single races. National Federations shouldn't even be entering people unless they are able to commit to participate in the majority of the races.

With other sports such as skiing, there is no point in entering a single World Cup race. I'm not even sure if you are allowed to.

[Gross]

If you compete in WOC you automatically compete in WC... there is a point to 'entering' a one off race:)

[Kitch]

I disagree

[Gross]

I disagree with Kitch disagreeing

[Duncan]

I'm sure there are good reasons for some people not doing the World Cups, and maybe it is worth looking at for next year to make them more attractive for athletes.

However I agree it looks unprofressional when you look at the selections page to see all those withdrawls. At the very least the selectors should have a way of finding out availability before announcing selections, and athletes should be responsible for telling the selectors their availability. If that has to be conditional on some other factor (e.g. will only do O-Ringen if selected / not selected for WOC) then so be it. The selectors were going round asking about availability at the selection races, and at that stage everyone should have known the commmitment, cost etc. of doing the world cups. So barring injury, illness etc. there shouldn't be all these withdrawls, you just shouldn't say you are available in the first place.

[JEP]

British Orienteering is unhappy about the present World Cup structure. Representations will be made at the President's Conference in the Ukraine to encourage change. There is to be a review in any cae of the structure at the end of the 2007 series. The current series fails in one of its stated aims to encourage world wide development of the sport. It is currently heavily focused on Europe/Scandinavia and on well resourced orienteering nations.

At the very least it is hoped some changes will be made to the qualification system for A Finals. British Orienteering is supported by Austarlia and Canada and maybe others in the need for chnage.

[Simon E]

Live video available at http://www.lok.se/oringen/stream.html

[Becks]

Oooh, just got to the Men's in time, an exciting ten mins or so! Good runs from Dan and Nick, Speakey safely through, and a bit skin of your teeth for JD and Scotia who was last qualifier for the A final after an impressive finish. The white trousers a bit of a sartorial error in those condition though! Well done guys.

Are there any results for the girls anywhere, I'm struggling to find them?

[Dan]

http://www.oringenonline.com gets you all the live results

[mharky]

cheating swedes; one of the helpers in the orange t-shirts jumped on the way and pointed at the control for Millinger, but Bostrom and JD run past it...

[Jess]

JD on the podium!! 6th= (preliminary) what a result!