UK Masters Cup 2011

[SYO Member]

Although the rules are now in place, as Graeme says, it would seem that those
who do run up won't be too concerned about their Master's ranking in their own age
class.

Even though as people progress through the age classes, they may be less likely
to run up, if they do, I hope that although EddieH has very altruistically agreed to include their scores in a younger class if they email him in advance (only once per year?), he doesn't find himself with a continuing load of extra work.

Surely nobody runs up at the World Masters do they, or is it not allowed?

[Spookster]

if they email him in advance (only once per year?), he doesn't find himself with a continuing load of extra work.

I guess a handful of people will email Eddie, some will say "count me in this class for the whole year", others may choose to run out of class in individual races. Of course some may choose to try to get two sets of scores, but it would be quite a challenge to compete in 16 events, and get 8 scores in each of two classes.

The races for 2011 are:

Jan 22 SOA EUOC Edinburgh City Race
Feb 05 WMOA British Night Championships, Tamworth
Feb 20 EAOA Midland Champs, Sheringham
Feb 26 NWOA MDOC Twin Peak Day 1, Middle Distance, Bleathwaite
Mar 06 WOA Welsh Championships
Mar 13 SCOA Southern Championships, Henley
Mar 27 NEOA Northern Championships, Northumberland
Apr 09 SEOA British Sprint Championships, Brighton
Apr 10 SEOA British Middle Championships, Crawley
Apr 22 NIOA JK Sprint
Apr 23-24 NIOA JK Days 2 & 3 combined
May 14 YHOA British Long Championships, Wharncliffe
May 21 NWOA LOC Middle Distance, Bigland
May 29 SOA Scottish Championships
Jul 31 SOA Scottish 6-Days Day 1, Oban
Aug 05 SOA Scottish 6-Days Day 5, Oban
Sep 10 SEOA SLOW City of London Race
Sep 17-18 SWOA Caddihoe Chase (both days combined)
Oct 22 EAOA CUOC Cambridge City Race

[EddieH]

I can assure you SYO Member that you are eligible to run in any younger class at WMOC, AND I know at least 2 people who have done so.

Now the rules are out here, please let's not have too much trying to rewrite them - I'd never have believed the amount of argument that was caused resulting in them looking very different from the start, even though in reality there is scarcely any change from the concept at the start.

[graeme]

Although the rules are now in place, ... if they do, I hope that although EddieH has very altruistically agreed to include their scores in a younger class if they email him in advance, he doesn't find himself with a continuing load of extra work.

I'm not sure you've understood the rule here. If I (M45) enter a course designated as a Master's Cup race for M35 and M40 then I'm automatically entered as M40 in Masters Cup. Only if I specifically want to run as M35 do I need to email Eddie. I'm not allowed to run as both.

I am now open to offers from any M35 / M40 / M45 wanting me not to to push down their score, or to push down their rival's in events they can't reach! Except at Edinburgh where I'm not up for running W50, even if MrsH has moved up...

[Mrs H]

I'm sure you're being rude to me but as I don't undertstand the rules it's gone over the top of my head

BRING IT ON!

[SYO Member]

Sorry Eddie, it was just an innocent observation and I wasn't suggesting any re-write
of the rules.

Graeme, I did know what you described, but I meant something more along the lines of if only M40 and M45 shared a course and you wanted to run Masters M40, you'd have to email Eddie, yes?


I don't think I've ever run up and don't intend to, even though as an M55 I ran the same course as GG and OJ at our event last Sunday, but this was not age-based and I was disqualified after mis-punching!

[graeme]

I'm sure you're being rude to me

Usually a fair assumption . Here I'm just alluding to the curiosity that M40 and W50 are allocated to the same course.

[AlanB]

I must admit that I wasn't enthused by the concept of a UK-wide 'masters' cup - I'm not that good (yet!! ) and, while I don't mind travelling around Scotland to orienteer, venturing further afield seemed a bit excessive. Looking at that fixture list, though, I notice that I am planning to do the four Scottish fixtures anyway. Also, as the first 50 finishers score points and I should, therefore, register my presence I am considering some of the other events*!

I notice that the next two nearest to me are
May 14 YHOA British Long Championships, Wharncliffe
May 21 NWOA LOC Middle Distance, Bigland

Just for information, what do 'Long' and 'Middle Distance' mean in the context of orienteering and in relation to the normal distances for age-group competition?

* Which, as I remember, was one of the goals behind the idea - encouraging more people to enter these high quality events.

[AndyC]

The races for 2011 are:

Jan 22 SOA EUOC Edinburgh City Race
Feb 05 WMOA British Night Championships, Tamworth
Feb 20 EAOA Midland Champs, Sheringham
Feb 26 NWOA MDOC Twin Peak Day 1, Middle Distance, Bleathwaite
Mar 06 WOA Welsh Championships
Mar 13 SCOA Southern Championships, Henley
Mar 27 NEOA Northern Championships, Northumberland
Apr 09 SEOA British Sprint Championships, Brighton
Apr 10 SEOA British Middle Championships, Crawley
Apr 22 NIOA JK Sprint
Apr 23-24 NIOA JK Days 2 & 3 combined
May 14 YHOA British Long Championships, Wharncliffe
May 21 NWOA LOC Middle Distance, Bigland
May 29 SOA Scottish Championships
Jul 31 SOA Scottish 6-Days Day 1, Oban
Aug 05 SOA Scottish 6-Days Day 5, Oban
Sep 10 SEOA SLOW City of London Race
Sep 17-18 SWOA Caddihoe Chase (both days combined)
Oct 22 EAOA CUOC Cambridge City Race

As Freefall hasn't mentioned it despite offering me the opportunity to visit the area with him tomorrow I'll inform you all that Entries for March 27 th are now open at http://www.newcastleorienteering.org.uk/flyer/rdmx/home.html

[Spookster]

I notice that the next two nearest to me are
May 14 YHOA British Long Championships, Wharncliffe
May 21 NWOA LOC Middle Distance, Bigland

Just for information, what do 'Long' and 'Middle Distance' mean in the context of orienteering and in relation to the normal distances for age-group competition?

Alan,

The "British Long Championships" could equally be called the "British age-class normal Championships". In fact it used to just be called the "British Championships". The only reason for using the word "long" is to differentiate it from other newer forms of the sport, such as Sprint (very short distance) and Middle (medium distance, between sprint and long).

Hope that helps, and we look forward to seeing you at Wharncliffe!

p.s. if you want a more detailed description of the different event types, you'll find them in Event Guidelines B and C here:
http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/page/rules

[madmike]

Just for information, what do 'Long' and 'Middle Distance' mean in the context of orienteering and in relation to the normal distances for age-group competition?

Some help here:

Cross-country competition held in daylight. One characteristic of a middle distance race is that the winning time for the usual competitors on each course should be in the range 30 to 35 minutes. Runners compete as individuals on courses designated by colour, Thus a Blue course might be 7km long at a Long Distance event, but 3.5km at a Middle Distance event on the same area. This ensures a consistency of course standards between events so that someone entering a Blue course at a Long Distance
event one weekend is encouraged to enter the Blue course at a Middle Distance event the following weekend in order to be running the ‘right’ course, i.e. the one which will produce the appropriate winning time for the competitors on the course.

I.E winning time is key but also the style of orienteering: in middle distance it should be about decision making all the time rather than having long route choice legs so normally much higher control density for middle vice long.

[AlanB]

Spookster & Madmike

Thanks, I've always wondered about that. So 'middle-distance' is the one that is 'out of the ordinary'.

Right, I shall definitely make the effort to be at both!

[IanD]

SSo 'middle-distance' is the one that is 'out of the ordinary'

I think it's a great shame that we haven't been able to come up with agreed names other than 'long', 'middle-distance', and 'short/sprint' for what are three very different styles of course. While it is perfectly true that 'long' courses are longer than 'middle-distance' which are in turn longer than 'short', anyone thinking that they are just different lengths completely misses the point.

The best succinct definitions which I have come across are in the Canadian Federation guidelines at http://www.orienteering.ca/pdfs/Course_Category_guidelines_2009amendment.pdf. The whole document is worth a read, but I am referring to just read three paragraphs, the 'Profiles' for each of the three race types.

[EddieH]

And I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Wharncliffe is a great area - not typically Scottish at all. Bigland is a gem of an area and ideally suited to middle distance style.

I would point out that Wharncliffe is definitely NOT your next nearest. There is another middle race in the Lake District at Bleathwaite (about which I know nothing) and the Northern Champs is close to the Border in Northumberland.

[Gnitworp]

What's wrong with 'Classic' instead of 'Long' (confuses with former Long O)? It's the original form of orienteering with a long pedigree making it truly 'Classic', and still the most popular and prestigious race to win in all Age Classes. It's a form where a controller can still advise a planner to leave a control out, to make a leg more challenging, with impunity.