Junior Summer Tours 2010

[gingerflyer]

There has recently been a lot of talk over the Summer Tours in 2010. Firstly, I heard that Lagganlia was to scrapped. Then a few days later I heard that they would be taking 40 juniors to Badaguish. Finally today I heard that summer tours were only going to be for top year 16's and above. Does anyone really know what is going on??

[Spookster]

Does anyone really know what is going on??

I expect Sarah Hague and Jason Inman have the best information. Try asking them.

http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/about/staff.php#International

[Mrs H]

Gingerflyer - might not all those things be true? Time will tell!

[jab]

It is a matter of more than academic interest as the summer tours week next year is the same week as the O-Ringen and there may be a number of people who would like to know whether they should keep that week free or not.
Time will, indeed, tell but the number of rumours circulating isn't an ideal situation. There were a LOT of different rumours about what was happening to the Start Squad before we heard the announcement that there wasn't going to be one. Most of the rumours that reached my ears (and I'm sure that as a parent I only heard a small fraction of them) turned out not to be true at all.

[Scott]

I suggest everybody who is concerned emails someone at BOF (probably Sarah or Gareth). A single email will no doubt get a reply, but a lot of emails should hopefully result in a public announcement...

[Mrs H]

Jab - I know nothing but in previous years the tour selections would not have been announced until well into the spring - the next o-ringen entry date cut off is in May next year - I'm sure all will be clear well before then so I don't see that anyone is worse off than they were at this stage of any other year. Scott is right - the more people who petition BOF for clarity the better.

[HOCOLITE]

I'd say don't keep the week free hoping. Unless your child is a cert it can be dangerous to keep the time free in case as if they miss out .You spend a summer with a miserable child, and if the selections timing coincides with CGSE revision it can impact on that as well. Just assume that nothing is happening and plan to give your youngster the best O experience which I'm sure that the O ringen is.

On the plus side the disappointment doesn't last forever, they either give up O completely or realise that O can be done as a leisure activity and is fun and can be done alongside many other activities rather than at the expense of other activities.

[Dave]

I suggest everybody who is concerned emails someone at BOF (probably Sarah or Gareth). A single email will no doubt get a reply, but a lot of emails should hopefully result in a public announcement...

BOF have already said they are still finalising the new structure and will announce how the new talent/performance system will work in the new year, so I doubt nagging them now will make any difference.

[jab]

Jab - I know nothing but in previous years the tour selections would not have been announced until well into the spring - the next o-ringen entry date cut off is in May next year - I'm sure all will be clear well before then so I don't see that anyone is worse off than they were at this stage of any other year. Scott is right - the more people who petition BOF for clarity the better.

Oh I certainly wouldn't assume selection in advance. But there is a difference between making an informed decision to keep a week clear because selection is a possibility and keeping a week clear when there is no hope of selection because child will not be the right age for a tour. It's the availabilty of cheap flights that is a bigger issue than o-ringen entry fees. At Lagganlia this year the juniors were told that their target for 2010 should be selection for Badaguish, so at that point someone must have believed that there would be a 2010 tour for M/W 15s and that's the point from which fertile teenage imaginations will start.

I should point out that I am absolutely NOT complaining about the possibility that tour arrangements might change. I trust those responsible for delivering the new structure. If child can't go on tour next year then O-Ringen would be a great alternative. I just think a little more communication would be helpful.

[Scott]

BOF have already said they are still finalising the new structure and will announce how the new talent/performance system will work in the new year, so I doubt nagging them now will make any difference.

What they've said publicly is that the members of the new squads will be announced in the New Year. They haven't said anything about when we can expect more details on how the system will actually work...