Home Internationals 2018

[Gross]

Dolgellau Bowl

That's the place.... it was the year of Braveheart.... Dickie Jone's makeup ran.... it was a sight for sore eyes I remember the 'dramatic' entrance of the Scots to the social as we all had blue / white faces.... Hazel was the main make up artist


A great Mel Gibson shout of 'Freedom' as we entered..... those were the days

[peteT]

We were talking about the home internationals the other day. This time of year has become very congested over the last few years, especially for juniors. One thought was couldn't we combine the JHI, SHI and VHI into a single Home Internationals?

[DJM]

couldn't we combine the JHI, SHI and VHI into a single Home Internationals?

Accommodation for three times the numbers??

[Big Jon]

We were talking about the home internationals the other day. This time of year has become very congested over the last few years, especially for juniors. One thought was couldn't we combine the JHI, SHI and VHI into a single Home Internationals?

3 different scoring systems...

[Homer]

A great Mel Gibson shout of 'Freedom' as we entered..... those were the days

Ah, Mel Gibson, yet another Scottish ringer

[andypat]

We were talking about the home internationals the other day. This time of year has become very congested over the last few years, especially for juniors. One thought was couldn't we combine the JHI, SHI and VHI into a single Home Internationals?

Clare Ward running up?

[mharky]

...and Nick Barrable, Richard Robinson, Murray Strain, Darren Burke, Dan F-R, Kim Baxter, Heather Heppenstal, Jenny Williamson, Joe Wright, William Thomas, Eilidh Campbell, Ciara Silby, and possibly more.

Whilst it may superficially seem like a good idea to amalgamate the Home Internationals during a busy part of the season, there are several drawbacks.

As highlighted, all four nations rely on juniors and especially veterans to fill their SHIs team. This isn't anything unusual, WOC is full of veterans. Perhaps we should be having a discussion about the removal of the completely unnecessary M/W 35 category. Anyway...

The JHIs is a vital part of the junior programme. Adding it to the other events will massively detract from this. The juniors will be going form the centre of attention, to just part of something else. The weekend needs to be about them, and them only. The social aspect needs to be for them, and them only.

I can't comment about the VHIs, but for me the SHIs has always been a very good weekend. It's actually one of the few times a year where you get to run a decent length course. The standard is always pretty high as nearly all UK based elites will go when available. Compare the SHIs results to the BOC Sprint/Middle and you'll see that the SHIs was the better competition. It is often a higher standard then BOC Long as well.

The social aspect is also important to me, it's always a fun weekend. This would definitely be affect by combining it with the VHIs. I like the fact I know nearly everyone and am mates with most of them. Adding in the VHIs would change the dynamic a lot.

Combining the competitions would also put far more of a strain on the host club, and it would probably be much harder to find a club/region willing to put it on. Accommodation would also become a much bigger issue, close to impossible to have everyone in the same place, which ruins one of the main aspects of the competition.

I don't believe it really adds any more clutter to the calendar. The SHIs and VHIs can, and are, held in conjunction with normal events. BASOC put on a masterclass last year with the VHIs and the Highland WOLF. We would have all been going to the WOLF weekend anyway. Home Internationals may add clutter to an individual's personal calendar, as it is a competition they way wish to take seriously, but in terms of the BOF calendar, they only thing it adds is an opportunity for competition.

[buzz]

The JHIs is a vital part of the junior programme. Adding it to the other events will massively detract from this. The juniors will be going form the centre of attention, to just part of something else. The weekend needs to be about them, and them only.

Agree with that - we need more competitions designed with juniors in mind, not less.
The events themselves can always be open to local orienteers, parents and coaches, but the main focus and character of the event should be about the juniors.

A return to a dedicated British Junior Championships weekend would be a good start.

[graeme]

Agree with everything mharky said about SHIs + it is also a very rare chance to run a decent relay. (OK, it was )

VHI individual was never so much fun, not sure why, Maybe the classes are too small for good competition and the results were too predictable.

[andypat]

Agree with everything mharky said about SHIs + it is also a very rare chance to run a decent relay.

Well stop volunteering to plan them all then

[housewife]

And that was a cracking relay last weekend! Great planning both days from PFO.

[canol]

The clutter comes from other non-international races that have secured themselves set dates in the BOF calendar and cannot be clashed with. There has been a recent change requested for the VHI and JHI not to clash as many of the coaches and parents are competing at the VHI and also involved in the JHI. BOF Event Scheduling managed to make this change.

What happens is that other interesting races get edged out of the calendar by all the BOF events that are expected to be allocated a date. Also finding hosts for some of the BOF races is a never ending challenge- Harvester anyone? and schools championships. Would anyone really miss the British Schools Score Championships if it was not hosted one particular year?

[buzz]

Would anyone really miss the British Schools Score Championships if it was not hosted one particular year?

Well this lot for a start and hundreds more like them http://www.bsoa.org/home/gallery?ymd=20171014&sub=7&first=1&max=20&single=20

Would anyone really miss the VHI? Yes – a handful of experienced orienteers who go to events week in week out all over the country (and indeed the world).

The difference is many of the kids in the photo rarely get the opportunity to orienteer outside of their home areas, and they are the future of the sport - planners, mappers, organisers, coaches, and one day perhaps VHI competitors. As I said before we need more competitions focussing on juniors not less, for the benefit of the kids involved and the future of the sport.

[canol]

If only there were enough willing hosts for all the British Orienteering events rather than the arm twisting Event Scheduling Group often has to go to trying to find hosts each year. It feels similar to keeping all the plates spinning that we used to see on television variety shows in the olden days.

[DavidJ]

And that was a cracking relay last weekend! Great planning both days from PFO.

Perhaps I can point out that the planner for the two days was Martin Wilson of Berkshire Orienteers.