It was great to run in a small but beautiful deciduous forest last Sunday (Sandall Beat) and well done to the youngsters who posted fast times for their teams in the Yvette Baker competitions, especially as, at least in Yorkshire, they have had precious little forest experience recently.
Since the BMOC in NI, we’ve had Shibden Hall, York, SW Sheffield, Scunthorpe, Wakefield, Mirfield, Sheffield Uni and we’ve got Knaresborough and Harrogate to come followed by an urban weekend in Leeds! All great events I’m sure but long gone are the days when I could race every Sunday in a forest somewhere in Yorkshire.
But good things come to those who wait so soon we have the Scottish 6-Days (4 wonderful forests and colour coded entries still open), the White Rose (6 forest events in the fantastic terrain of Newtondale, originally being saved for the covid-cancelled 2020 JK – entries dearer after midnight 16.7.23) and, in September, Dales limestone (Conistone South) and complex sand dunes (South Gare), not forests I know but great running!
Forest events return!
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Re: Forest events return!
Of course several of the Yorkshire events were moved into summer slots from their 'traditional' ones this year. Including York!
All I can say is that the Fat Rascals will boast what one national squad member has called the best sprint area in Britain (allegedly) in Holt Park and the brand new map at Whinmoor should be an extremely testing urban, with full length courses.
For the full east Leeds experience, I encourage you to run the black course!
All I can say is that the Fat Rascals will boast what one national squad member has called the best sprint area in Britain (allegedly) in Holt Park and the brand new map at Whinmoor should be an extremely testing urban, with full length courses.
For the full east Leeds experience, I encourage you to run the black course!
- rf_fozzy
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Re: Forest events return!
yted wrote:It was great to run in a small but beautiful deciduous forest last Sunday (Sandall Beat) and well done to the youngsters who posted fast times for their teams in the Yvette Baker competitions, especially as, at least in Yorkshire, they have had precious little forest experience recently.
Since the BMOC in NI, we’ve had Shibden Hall, York, SW Sheffield, Scunthorpe, Wakefield, Mirfield, Sheffield Uni and we’ve got Knaresborough and Harrogate to come followed by an urban weekend in Leeds! All great events I’m sure but long gone are the days when I could race every Sunday in a forest somewhere in Yorkshire.
Two reasons in our case:
1. The terrain is vile by the middle of June - forests have changed over the years as (I think) has forestry practice.
2. We can't get permissions anyway - "ground nesting birds" is the usual reason, even in areas where dogs are allowed to roam freely (and, as a bird recorder, cause far more damage than any orienteering event could do). Almost all our areas are unavailable between March and the end of September. I suspect fire risk may start getting added to that equation as the climate heats up.
In other words, the alternative to these urban events would, at least in our case, be no event at all.
As an urban aficionado (I love terrain too!), there aren't many urban races (at least in Yorkshire) outside the summer season: the first Yorkshire Urban League race was towards the end of May (Shibden), there are just two after this weekend: one in mid-September, and provisionally one in October. Sprint races (my favourite discipline) are in short supply full stop (although this year has been better than most, so I'm hopeful).
In other words, it looks like the seasons have changed: mainly urban in the summer, mainly terrain in the autumn to spring. Frankly, I rather welcome the change: more variety. Constantly reusing a limited range of forests was getting rather monotonous. I'm enjoying terrain all the more nowadays because of the urbans.
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awk - god
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Re: Forest events return!
When I first started orienteering all events were in forest, then we started using open fell, then parks, then urban terrain. In my opinion each step opened up a wealth of new challenges which enhanced the sport. Whats the next evolution?
Virtual orienteering using computer simulated terrains briefly came to the fore during the Covid lockdown maybe that's the next step? Certainly a few of us had a lot of fun.
Virtual orienteering using computer simulated terrains briefly came to the fore during the Covid lockdown maybe that's the next step? Certainly a few of us had a lot of fun.
To oblivion and beyond....
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buzz - addict
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Re: Forest events return!
buzz wrote:Whats the next evolution?
Indoor.
- rf_fozzy
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Re: Forest events return!
Been doing indoor-o for quite a number of years, long distance, complex courses like Stockholm, or shorter , sprint length in various countries, Latvia, Helsinki,
Next month, one in Lille, and October in a York school (Eborienteers),
I think permission in the UK one obstacle and a keenness. Something everyone should experience, though obviously nothing like forest terrain.
Next month, one in Lille, and October in a York school (Eborienteers),
I think permission in the UK one obstacle and a keenness. Something everyone should experience, though obviously nothing like forest terrain.
- nooomember
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Re: Forest events return!
I also enjoyed the Virtual Os as a complement (not replacement) to real ones - shame that apart from the occasional Torus Temp-O competition, they've all died away again.
I thought there was even talk of a world champs in virtual O but it's all gone very quiet over the last few months.
I thought there was even talk of a world champs in virtual O but it's all gone very quiet over the last few months.
- Arnold
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Re: Forest events return!
Nothing wrong with all the other formats but surely hard to beat what we've just had in Scotland... York Indoor will have a Lossie-like section (pitted ground symbol in the cellar!!).
- yted
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Re: Forest events return!
yted wrote:Nothing wrong with all the other formats but surely hard to beat what we've just had in Scotland
Totally agree - that was special.
... York Indoor will have a Lossie-like section (pitted ground symbol in the cellar!!).
Intriguing!
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awk - god
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