Inspired by this summer's marvellous Grand Depart in glorious Yorkshire I got to thinking whether orienteering could "borrow" some ideas from Le Tour to create a bit more interest in multi-day races. Here's the idea...
We create classifications within each elite class (or even all classes if we wanted to) similar to those in Le Tour. General Classification (for the overall leader), Points Classification (for the best sprinter) and the [King of the] Mountains Classification.
The overall leader after day 1 would be invited to wear a yellow O-top on day 2, passing it to the leader on day 2 (days 1 and 2 times added together)
The King of the Mountains could be decided by the fastest total time for a small number of pre-designated legs on the course that involved some significant level of ascent. The leader would wear a polkadot O-top.
The Sprinter's Green O-top would go to the fastest cumulative time for a small number of pre-designated "fast" legs through open terrain.
Perhaps also tops for the leading junior running up to the elite class, and equally the leading veteran running "down"
Lots of potential for added spectator interest, and something else for the commentators to get excited about? Additional podium opportunities for each race day?
One might need a bit of sponsorship to cover the cost of the O-tops (good photo-ops for sponsors I would have thought though), some additional thought ahead of the races by the respective planners to pre-designate the legs for the Mointain and Sprint classifications, and preferably some tweaks to the SI software so that it spits out the results automatically. All throughly achievable I would have thought.
Adding some colour to multi-day events
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
On the TDF, the riders know in advance when a Sprint section or Climb section is coming and for those in contention can prepare themselves at/for different parts of the race.
As O courses are kept hidden until the actual event, how would a competitor know which legs have been designated the 'special' legs?
As O courses are kept hidden until the actual event, how would a competitor know which legs have been designated the 'special' legs?
- SteveE
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
SLOW has in the past had King of the Mountain competitions eg at SOW in Zermatt 2006.
The BRILLIANT "Sprint the Bay" event in New Zealand is a series of 6 sprint races where the current leader in the elite classes wears a yellow singlet.
The control description sheet could indicate special legs just as they might indicate a drinks / radio control. Or the circles around the controls either side of a special leg could be a different colour but that might open up printing / colour blindness / general legibility issues. Then just as with the rest of your course, your time to plan ahead starts on the startline.
The BRILLIANT "Sprint the Bay" event in New Zealand is a series of 6 sprint races where the current leader in the elite classes wears a yellow singlet.
The control description sheet could indicate special legs just as they might indicate a drinks / radio control. Or the circles around the controls either side of a special leg could be a different colour but that might open up printing / colour blindness / general legibility issues. Then just as with the rest of your course, your time to plan ahead starts on the startline.
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SJ - blue
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
Easy enough to include in final details against each course e.g.
leg 5-6 = king of mountains
leg 12-13 = sprint
There is alreay a "golden boot" sprint on the run-in at a number of events.
leg 5-6 = king of mountains
leg 12-13 = sprint
There is alreay a "golden boot" sprint on the run-in at a number of events.
curro ergo sum
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King Penguin - addict
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
Sprint the Bay uses all 4 coloured jersey's, with the white Jersey going to the best junior, Green for designated leg + run in,polka dot for a designated hill leg and it all works pretty well and yellow to the class leader, the jerseys are sponsored and are a good incentive once you fall down the overall classification.
- speedy123
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
The Deeside Night Cup often had a king-of-the-mountains leg for a few years, last one was at Balmedie this spring (a sand-dune area so not normal KotM leg!). Used to be amusing to check split times - the winner of the hill eg often then made a huge error on the next one!
- Big Jon
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
Several clubs hold their own competition at the multi Day events!
- Tatty
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
Sprint into Spring in Melbourne does something like this. The race I did a couple of weeks ago had nominated "king of the mountains" and "speed" legs which were written on the latter. There's then a leaderboard for those throughout the series and I think the winner gets the polka dot or green jersey.
Reckoned it'd be a good idea for the London ParkRace Series.
Reckoned it'd be a good idea for the London ParkRace Series.
- Jayne
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
This was done for some of the Scottish 6 Day festivals back in the day for the M21S class (I think). Someone resourceful got hold of a green vest for the run-in sprint leader, someone "had" a polka dot replica cycling top which was given to KOTM, and there was some form of old yellow top for the overall leader after day 1 and beyond.
The KOTM was usually based on the leg which looked the most challenging uphill, be it a 75m hike straight up on a 300m long leg, or a long long trek with a lot of climb.
All just a bit of fun but not knowing where it would be meant you nailed it on the uphill legs incase that was the one chosen... and you nailed the run-in too, but we do that anyway don't we?
my memory may have one or two of the details a bit off
The KOTM was usually based on the leg which looked the most challenging uphill, be it a 75m hike straight up on a 300m long leg, or a long long trek with a lot of climb.
All just a bit of fun but not knowing where it would be meant you nailed it on the uphill legs incase that was the one chosen... and you nailed the run-in too, but we do that anyway don't we?
my memory may have one or two of the details a bit off
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plain lazy - blue
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
oh and the tops were not to be washed all week either...
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plain lazy - blue
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
We had a club knock-out. Each day you got drawn against one other person (until you lost), and compared something head to head ...
Shortest time
Highest Position
Run in Split
Most people beaten
Most controls/min
Mins/km
Obviously certain classes had a big advantage in certain categories, but not every day and its far from clear who would win, which was all part of the fun.
Shortest time
Highest Position
Run in Split
Most people beaten
Most controls/min
Mins/km
Obviously certain classes had a big advantage in certain categories, but not every day and its far from clear who would win, which was all part of the fun.
WOC2024 Edinburgh
Test races at SprintScotland (Alloa/Falkirk) and Euromeeting (near Stirling).
Test races at SprintScotland (Alloa/Falkirk) and Euromeeting (near Stirling).
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graeme - god
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
plain lazy wrote:This was done for some of the Scottish 6 Day festivals back in the day for the M21S class (I think). Someone resourceful got hold of a green vest for the run-in sprint leader, someone "had" a polka dot replica cycling top which was given to KOTM, and there was some form of old yellow top for the overall leader after day 1 and beyond.
The KOTM was usually based on the leg which looked the most challenging uphill, be it a 75m hike straight up on a 300m long leg, or a long long trek with a lot of climb.
All just a bit of fun but not knowing where it would be meant you nailed it on the uphill legs incase that was the one chosen... and you nailed the run-in too, but we do that anyway don't we?
my memory may have one or two of the details a bit off
RAFO have done exactly this at a number of 6 days with tops kindly donated by Ultrasport - I even got abused by Mharkey on commentary when wearing the green jersey! Fortunatly Little Geoff always wore yellow so he got his own pong for the week
hop fat boy, hop!
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madmike - guru
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
It sounds like there could be an interesting project for someone wanting to practice some IT skills, to write a little application that imports splits data and can produce winners of each course using different criteria (eg fastest last leg).
It would also be good to have a competition that gives all a realistic chance of winning. One might be a "least errors"/consistency prize, for the person who is nearest the straight line on a splits browser graph, though of course this could just be "makes the same amount of mistakes on each leg" .
It would also be good to have a competition that gives all a realistic chance of winning. One might be a "least errors"/consistency prize, for the person who is nearest the straight line on a splits browser graph, though of course this could just be "makes the same amount of mistakes on each leg" .
- SeanC
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
I often construct an informal competition from results that sometimes boosts my ego as follows:
the winner is the competitor with the best worst leg position. It's better if non-technical legs are not included such as short simple last legs or run-ins. It really does favour consistency over speed. You can console yourself if you made only one significant error but won the best second worst leg position competition Beyond that strains the bounds of credibility a bit though
the winner is the competitor with the best worst leg position. It's better if non-technical legs are not included such as short simple last legs or run-ins. It really does favour consistency over speed. You can console yourself if you made only one significant error but won the best second worst leg position competition Beyond that strains the bounds of credibility a bit though
- Gnitworp
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Re: Adding some colour to multi-day events
madmike wrote: RAFO have done exactly this at a number of 6 days with tops kindly donated by Ultrasport - I even got abused by Mharkey on commentary when wearing the green jersey! Fortunatly Little Geoff always wore yellow so he got his own pong for the week
Ahh, I remember it well...
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mharky - team nopesport
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