Testing of new spreading system: Runners Choice

[King Penguin]

MDOC John o'Goats at Lyme Park each New Year is similar to Billygoat, but that's a charity event and the number of controls to exclude varies by age class to achieve a form of handicapping.
Its a great event but that doesn't mean its a good way of determining the world champion.

[Kitch]

Do you have to run all 3 choices eventually, or only the one you choose ?

When I planned the BUSA courses on Achray I was considering allowing the choice of whether you did the big section on the 1:10 map, or the short section on the 1:5 first.
Didn't though

[Kitch]

Considering this though
assuming its only 1 of the 3 choices that must be completed then it seems either pointless
or unfair.

To be fair the implications of each choice must be absolutely clear and apparent from the map.
If they are not and one choice turns out to be the worst ( say there is some unmapped windblow for e.g.) then thats plainly unfair.

Assuming they are fai then it should be apparent which is the fastest and everyone will take it.
If its not apparent which is fastest then all routes are equal and its pointless.

The only thing it allows is for runners to choose to play to their strengths, e.g. long way round fast and easy navigation vs short way via slower intricate nav.

Its really just the same as route choice (but with flags along the way.)

[harry]

I think you just run one of the 3 and I think they do make them quite equal.

[Adrian]

ridiculous

I agree. For a fun event it's a fun idea, but for serious races? You can't be serious.

[Gnitworp]

Its really just the same as route choice (but with flags along the way.)

..or choice of multiple compulsory crossing points, which is also to be avoided in my view.

[frog]

Isn't orienteering complex enough, especially to a newcomer?
Understanding sorting out the SI results for an ordinary xc o event is enough for many of us without having to learn how to do all sorts of complicated stuff.
As an occasional fun event with someone SI savvy processing it it may be an interesting experiment, but I'll definitely swap to cycling and running if the technology gets more complex.

[Spookster]

Isn't orienteering complex enough, especially to a newcomer?
Understanding sorting out the SI results for an ordinary xc o event is enough for many of us without having to learn how to do all sorts of complicated stuff.

The SI results for this scenario are no more complex than for a course that has butterfly loops - and the software already copes with that.

[frog]

The softwear may be able to "cope" with it, but if I had to run an event with butterfly loops it would mean chats with SI man to understand how to do it.
I thought setting up routegadget for butterfly loops was more complex as well.
We are trying to get more people in our club organising and planning events and using the technology. Making using the technology more complex won't help this.