The format of the JK

[Roger]

Keep the sprint.

Quite apart from the trouble of finding a suitable venue for an urban race (2500 competitors running around open roads in Cardiff, Aberdare or Brecon, anyone?), I suspect that having a 40-minute urban race on Friday would lead to people doing it as a loosener rather than racing hard. A sprint offers enjoyment, diversity and meaningful racing without being too much of a physical drain for the weekend races.

[awk]

Totally agree with Roger and andypat - I enjoy urban as much as anyone, but for me it doesn't fit into the JK format, and there are few enough sprints already. Also, 2000 people running around a town centre on Good Friday afternoon? Madness! The sprint is one of the highlights of the weekend for us. Unlike some, I really enjoyed this year's: it may have been 'easy' and not playing to my personal strengths, but it provided a great, tightly fought, race, where a few seconds of mistakes cost plenty of places (my ten second error on one control dropped me 7 places for instance); it just placed different demands on you, in this case the ability to get your pace absolutely right.

As for the middle/long debate, I have mixed views. Having moved to M55 this year, i don't find the two days of individual too hard - 60-70 mins both days is handleable - and thoroughly enjoyed them both. I suspect that the longer the courses (e.g. M21L) would see a greater proportion in favour of a middle on the Saturday. I don't think I'd enjoy a genuinely long race the day before a relay. I love middle distance racing, but, whilst at one time firmly in the Middle-Long camp, am fairly neutral now personally, but can see why those in longer classes would want middle, and would support it as a result for them. But how many people would get put off coming?

[sketchweppers]

Relay numbers are always lower - whether people have had enough 'O'; go and do other things, or dont like relays - so get rid of the Monday Relays / change format....

Out of the 4 JKs I have been to, the Relay day has been my favourite day of the weekend. There is usually a great atmosphere and it makes me feel valued by my club and really part of a team. Don't get rid of the Relays.

I also prefer the JK relay format to the BRC - the age classes are more flexible and it is much easier for more of my club to participate at their level.

I very much enjoyed the JK this year; my only complaint was the start times. I did not put a preference when I entered, and expected to get differing times - but ended up with start times on Days 2 and 3 being only 6 minutes different. I would like to see club start blocks in a similar manner to the multi day events. It seems much more sociable for the club and it means that the logistics of transporting tent and banner much easier.

However I would like to thank all those who were involved in the organisation - much appreciated.

[Mrs H]

Definitely sprint not urban - apart from the practicalities - sometimes it would be hard to justifying travelling any distance just for a sprint but being part of the JK makes it worth while.
If the format was changed to middle and long then I would not run short but some how it seems logical then that all 3 days should count to find the best all round orienteer in each class.
I too love the atmosphere of relay day and would not like to see it dropped.

[Gnitworp]

Sprint - not technical, far too easy.

Did you get all the route choices right and, more to the point, all the micro route choices right? I certainly didn't, and would have deservedly won if I had, just like many other people. Perfect sprint in my opinion. Slower runners can easily beat faster ones with immaculate route choice rapidly executed. Wonderful

[HOCOLITE]

Orange course days 2 and 3 - excellent, challenging courses

Possibly for adult colur coded entrants looking for a challenge but not for M/W 12's just moving up. Cold Ash was not an orange course within the guidelines. One of our juniors spent circa 40 mins looking for # 5. No real catching feature if you approached from path if you approached through terrain(not expected for orange) large OOB. An inexperienced orienteering friend of ours took well over an hour on the course . Fortunatly they were not put off, but it is very disheartening for the less experienced M/W 12 to be confronted with a course that difficult in an area with lots of indistinct paths and vehicle tracks mapped as rides.

[HOCOLITE]

Re format I personally would like sprint and middle and would do my short classic to complete the set. I enjoy the intense concentration of the sprint and middle rather than the endurance of the classic. Re the relays I would prefer not to have them at the same event as I'm always k****ered by then. Also the commentators were plugging the idea of fewer classes more competitors, but as in my start a chap fell creating a domino effect and people pushing to avoid trampling on him I'm not in favour. I'm selfish I like the forest to myself and not a fight for controls, or the gap to get through.

[ianandmonika]

Orange Courses - exactly what we said. Challenging - very good for an adult but probably too adventurous for many juniors stepping up from yellow or more routine orange courses. Would have been wary about using some control sites.

[rob f]

I was wondering if people think the elite has been diluted at all? It was interesting to see the number of elites that either didn't start or retired on Sunday. In my eyes, it would be a great honour to win the overall title, but others who are training for other things seem to disagree. It was a shame to see some of our best athletes (Scott, Craney) missing all together. I understand the reasons, just think it's a shame.

Regards the format, as is. JK is a classic event. A middle on day 1 would change it's dynamic, and mean that fatigue on Sunday is less of a problem.

[RS]

Do you really think it worth the effort and cost for Craney to attend a 4 day festival? Lots of top class orienteering in Oz.

[King Penguin]

Rob did say "I understand the reasons"

[rob f]

He also forgot Craney is now based down under.

[RS]

Thought as much

[afterthought]

The best day for the sport is surely the club-focused relays? There was a great atmosphere in the arena, despite the cold, this year. Perhaps they should take Easter Sunday leaving the elite long (which as noted is optional for several people in that class) and second individual day to the Monday?

This is very rough, but I thought it would be interesting to see from the results how many of those doing day 2 also do day 1 (sprint) or day 4 (relay). I looked at the M classes.

The conclusion is older men are more likely to only do the individual. Or that younger people are keener on the other events (perhaps because they are more social, as has been noted in other discussions on the appeal of the sport.)

Or concisely : many elites don't do Sunday, many older folk don't do Monday.

M10-18, junior relays: day 1 - 89%, day 4 - 65%.
M20-35, open relays : day 1 - 84%, day 4 - 109%
M40-50: senior relay : day 1 - 76%, day 4 - 39%
M55-65: veteran relay: day 1 - 69%, day 4 - 45%

[housewife]

I don't think it is many elites don't run Sunday, more that there are quite a few people that maybe are a bit injured, or less fit than in previous years, who want to run against the elite. They can do the sprint and the middle, but skip the long as it is a real test of fitness - otherwise they would be in no condition at all to run the relay.