Closing date app
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Closing date app
...would be very useful! Anyone??!!
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skyhigh - string
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:58 pm
- Location: Edinburgh
Re: Closing date app
As would an app to track your husband's whereabouts? 

From small acorns great Oak trees grow.
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Lard - diehard
- Posts: 681
- Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2004 3:19 pm
- Location: Dunblane
Re: Closing date app
I am always puzzled by the whole closing date thing...
Why leave it until the very last minute?
I can accept that you might want to leave it until the last minute if you are currently injured and not sure if you will be fixed in time. But that really only applies when the event date is closer to the last entry date. For something like the Scottish 6 Days when you will most likely have already booked your accommodation, you are committed, so why wait to the last day to enter?
For many large events the organisers would really benefit from people booking early. There are many decisions that are dependent on the number of people entered. The sooner they know the numbers, the less waste or shortfall on resources.
So do the organisers a favour and focus on when entries open and get in quick rather than leave them chewing their fingernails over low entry numbers until the last minute.
Why leave it until the very last minute?
I can accept that you might want to leave it until the last minute if you are currently injured and not sure if you will be fixed in time. But that really only applies when the event date is closer to the last entry date. For something like the Scottish 6 Days when you will most likely have already booked your accommodation, you are committed, so why wait to the last day to enter?
For many large events the organisers would really benefit from people booking early. There are many decisions that are dependent on the number of people entered. The sooner they know the numbers, the less waste or shortfall on resources.
So do the organisers a favour and focus on when entries open and get in quick rather than leave them chewing their fingernails over low entry numbers until the last minute.
- Paul Frost
- addict
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Re: Closing date app
Paul Frost wrote:Why leave it until the very last minute?
one family's reasons:
a) we are entirely responsible for a disabled and accident-prone relative and have lost many a run to last minute emergencies.
b) one of us works an irregular shift pattern and doesn't know the hours / days very far in advance and
c) one of us is very injury-prone and frequently ends up switching course - probably even more of a nuisance to the organiser.
These days, unless we are also committing to accomodation, we always enter just before the closing date, and often accept the hit in higher "late entry" fees. Not complaining, just explaining!
- Marian
- white
- Posts: 70
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 10:58 am
Re: Closing date app
I'm certain that if I Compare the price of EOD with all the times I pre-entered and didnt run I'd have been better off EOD all the time. Missing runs due to family issues and other commitments, not to mention injury is something I can ill afford!
Orienteering - its no walk in the park
- andypat
- god
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- Location: Houston, we have a problem.
Re: Closing date app
Paul Frost wrote:I am always puzzled by the whole closing date thing...
Why leave it until the very last minute?
I can think of loads of reasons......here's a few
1. It depends on the weather
2. It depends on if there is a string course
3. It depends on how far it is to walk to the start
4. It depends on whether you can get "proper" split starts (dependant on 3.)
5. It depends on if any of the children are ill that week
6. It depends on if I am injured
7. It depends on how far it is to drive (and therefore on 4.)
8. It depends on if there is anything else to do after e.g. beach, museum, tea shop etc.
9. It depends on what I did the day before (fell race, XC, or even night out

Usually it's Monday night of the week of the event that I start to think about this. I have missed several SoSOLs as the closing date was before this. Incidently I entered the ESOC chasing sprint on Monday night after having done the EUOC urban race on Sat. and enjoying it so much. The area is a Campus (e.g. no traffic), there is a kids course and we will combine this with a trip to a retail park with a Mothercare & Decathlon to get "Stuff".
Run (in) Forest(s) Run
Stupid is as stupid does
Stupid is as stupid does
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- white
- Posts: 79
- Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 5:51 pm
- Location: Clackmannanshire
Re: Closing date app
Many good reasons and I understand all of them, and I did mention injury issues in my post and I've had the relative care issue myself.
I was thinking more of the current batch of events with closing dates for reduced entry fees, 6 Days, BOC and JK rather than smaller events within the next week or so. Those where accommodation will probably need to be booked months ahead.
I know from past experience that there is a massive rush on the last day or so, right up to 1 minute before midnight (or 59 minutes after, for the person in another time zone). It just seems an unnecessary pressure and risk of missing the deadline. The fact that this post is about producing an app that could encourage leaving it to the last minute is why I responded.
I'm sure that most people would prefer not to have to pre-enter at all, all the reasons above are valid and common. But anyone that has been involved in organising an event large or small will be aware that not knowing who's coming is a major headache and adds cost. You either print too many maps and order more toilets just in case, or not enough and then get complaints.
Perhaps the solution is to make the price differential much larger, so those who do commit early get a much better deal and perhaps helps balance out the times that you can't make it.
In orienteering we have the advantage that there is usually no limit to the number of participants, so extra resources can often be called up at short notice (at a price). I've started doing triathlons, and these nearly always have a limited entry, so if you don't book early you don't get in, and they often sell out 6-9 months before the event. I've recently had a knee operation and haven't a clue when I'll be able to start racing again, but if I don't enter anything until I'm sure I'll be fit there won't be any places left.
Considering the amount of pre-event work and costs required for an orienteering event (mapping, planning, controlling, toilets, parking etc.) we have very late closing dates and often EOD compared to many other sports, and we are lot cheaper than most. So I understand all your issues, but I just ask you to think about the organisers issues as well.
I was thinking more of the current batch of events with closing dates for reduced entry fees, 6 Days, BOC and JK rather than smaller events within the next week or so. Those where accommodation will probably need to be booked months ahead.
I know from past experience that there is a massive rush on the last day or so, right up to 1 minute before midnight (or 59 minutes after, for the person in another time zone). It just seems an unnecessary pressure and risk of missing the deadline. The fact that this post is about producing an app that could encourage leaving it to the last minute is why I responded.
I'm sure that most people would prefer not to have to pre-enter at all, all the reasons above are valid and common. But anyone that has been involved in organising an event large or small will be aware that not knowing who's coming is a major headache and adds cost. You either print too many maps and order more toilets just in case, or not enough and then get complaints.
Perhaps the solution is to make the price differential much larger, so those who do commit early get a much better deal and perhaps helps balance out the times that you can't make it.
In orienteering we have the advantage that there is usually no limit to the number of participants, so extra resources can often be called up at short notice (at a price). I've started doing triathlons, and these nearly always have a limited entry, so if you don't book early you don't get in, and they often sell out 6-9 months before the event. I've recently had a knee operation and haven't a clue when I'll be able to start racing again, but if I don't enter anything until I'm sure I'll be fit there won't be any places left.
Considering the amount of pre-event work and costs required for an orienteering event (mapping, planning, controlling, toilets, parking etc.) we have very late closing dates and often EOD compared to many other sports, and we are lot cheaper than most. So I understand all your issues, but I just ask you to think about the organisers issues as well.
- Paul Frost
- addict
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Re: Closing date app
I like to enter my next event on the Sunday afternoon/evening - after that day's orienteeirng. Again, its to do with injury. Am I injury free after todays event? If I am injury-free then I enter next week's event.
It's also to do with Sunday being 'the day for thinking about orienteering'!
It wasn't too long ago when nearly all events had their closing date (or price hike) on a Sunday. But I have noticed a new trend for the closing date (or price hikes) to be on some other day of the week - it catches me out every time
And in answer to your question - yes - I would love a closing date app!
It's also to do with Sunday being 'the day for thinking about orienteering'!
It wasn't too long ago when nearly all events had their closing date (or price hike) on a Sunday. But I have noticed a new trend for the closing date (or price hikes) to be on some other day of the week - it catches me out every time

And in answer to your question - yes - I would love a closing date app!
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HarryO - orange
- Posts: 124
- Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:52 pm
Re: Closing date app
This app might also be a good way to promote events. Or you could have an app that picks up results when they are posted on the BOF website? Or calculates team results based on event results etc etc.
Do BOF have an API* so that developers can reliably access their fixtures or results database? It could lead to lots of interesting websites and smartphone apps for IT types who want to practice their IT skills and do something useful for the sport. Without an API I imagine the only other option for developers is "screen scraping" which seems tricky on complex webpages and is unreliable (when BOF change their website).
* For the non-geeky, an API is an "Abstract Programming Interface", which is a piece of code that goes on the BOF system which enables any other computer to talk to the BOF system and find out useful things (like get the closing dates of all forthcoming events).
Do BOF have an API* so that developers can reliably access their fixtures or results database? It could lead to lots of interesting websites and smartphone apps for IT types who want to practice their IT skills and do something useful for the sport. Without an API I imagine the only other option for developers is "screen scraping" which seems tricky on complex webpages and is unreliable (when BOF change their website).
* For the non-geeky, an API is an "Abstract Programming Interface", which is a piece of code that goes on the BOF system which enables any other computer to talk to the BOF system and find out useful things (like get the closing dates of all forthcoming events).
- SeanC
- god
- Posts: 2272
- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Kent
Re: Closing date app
The app could also provide EOD info (yes/no/limited). E.g. some level C events are EOD only, and some offer discounted pre-entries with notionally unrestricted EOD.
- Steve
- orange
- Posts: 135
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- Location: Herts/Bucks badlands
Re: Closing date app
There is no API available from British Orienteering.
There is an RSS feed with limited data and not split into separate fields, so not easy to extract the bits you want.
There is now also a JSON version, but I haven't looked at it yet to see if it's any better.
There is an RSS feed with limited data and not split into separate fields, so not easy to extract the bits you want.
There is now also a JSON version, but I haven't looked at it yet to see if it's any better.
- Code: Select all
http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/fixturesjson.php - Like the RSS feed, it can accept parameters for the club, association and level, e.g.
- Code: Select all
http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/fixturesjson.php?level=d – returns all forthcoming level d events.
- Code: Select all
http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/fixturesjson.php?level=int,a,b – returns all forthcoming international, level a and b events
- Code: Select all
http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/fixturesjson.php?club=havoc – returns all events and activities where the club is HAVOC
- Code: Select all
http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/fixturesjson.php?assoc=eaoa&club=havoc&level=d,act - returns level d events and activities where the association is EAOA and the club is HAVOC
- Paul Frost
- addict
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Re: Closing date app
It would be nice to flag entry-fee price rises too for major events.
The British Champs fee goes up after today - not that you'd know from the minimal event details in the BOF fixture list.
The British Champs fee goes up after today - not that you'd know from the minimal event details in the BOF fixture list.
- Nimby
- orange
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Re: Closing date app
As I see it, the biggest problem will be where to get all the up to date data for every event.
- Paul Frost
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Re: Closing date app
I think the key thing is for organisers to advertise these as much as possible and flag up here there and everywhere.
As Paul says the point of pre-entry is to make things easier on the organisers. But you cant expect the punters to do it just for that reason. When pre-entry is only a pound or so cheaper - or even the same in some cases - wheres the incentive. Its simply unrealistic to expect peopel to pre-enter out of the goodness of their hearts.
I've said before its a down side of fabian4 that you cant tell when the event closing date is from the listings.
As Paul says the point of pre-entry is to make things easier on the organisers. But you cant expect the punters to do it just for that reason. When pre-entry is only a pound or so cheaper - or even the same in some cases - wheres the incentive. Its simply unrealistic to expect peopel to pre-enter out of the goodness of their hearts.
I've said before its a down side of fabian4 that you cant tell when the event closing date is from the listings.
Orienteering - its no walk in the park
- andypat
- god
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- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:58 pm
- Location: Houston, we have a problem.
Re: Closing date app
Nimby wrote:It would be nice to flag entry-fee price rises too for major events.
The British Champs fee goes up after today - not that you'd know from the minimal event details in the BOF fixture list.
But is does say on the entries page, as a BO news item on the BO front page and in
another thread on this forum.
andypat wrote:I think the key thing is for organisers to advertise these as much as possible and flag up here there and everywhere.
See above -- all the fliers etc have given the web-site address
andypat wrote:I've said before its a down side of fabian4 that you cant tell when the event closing date is from the listings.
But there is a link to the event/club page so that people can see when the closing date
is or when the rate change dates are. I don't think (but have ducked just in case) that
any of the other entry systems have rate change dates (and the changes) listed.
Not sure if I can recall seeing closing dates on them either (just put the kevlar on).
For events with "rate changes" the problem would be putting all the rate change dates
on the listing plus the final closing date (regardless of which entry system is employed).
You would still need to check the event/club website to get the different rates in order
to decide if the increase in cost outweighed the possible loss of the early entry fee
should non-attendance be an eventual outcome.
With a closing date "app" you would need to know this info as well (i.e. is it
the closing date you want or the rate-change dates etc)
- MIE
- green
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- Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:05 pm
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