Should National Events be restricted?
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LostAgain wrote:Why did it change?
Don't know. From an M15 point of view the old system seemed to work pretty well, with most of the top competitors turning up to most of the 6 races. I think with the introduction of National events it was thought that we would just get more of the same, but more races has meant a dilution of quality. National events used to be numbered and there should have been 10 of them every year or something but it hasn't been sustained.
- Guest
i'm all for having an area championships if it means getting a much better turn-out. somehow i am the 2004 northern champion, having beaten just more than half a dozen other people, only one of whom got a gold standard. these events should be attracting much higher quality competitors, and maybe by having fewer of them could achieve this.
The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.
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Supersaint - team nopesport
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As a junior the regional championship system was a great incentive.
The races meant something, people made an effort to go and strove to win.
That fell by the wayside almost immediately when National events were introduced.
I guess that now the competitive value is provided by UK cup for 21s and FCC for juniors -
but that still leaves the more mature orienteer with less focus.
The races meant something, people made an effort to go and strove to win.
That fell by the wayside almost immediately when National events were introduced.
I guess that now the competitive value is provided by UK cup for 21s and FCC for juniors -
but that still leaves the more mature orienteer with less focus.
If you could run forever ......
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Kitch - god
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Kitch wrote:
I guess that now the competitive value is provided by UK cup for 21s and FCC for juniors -
but that still leaves the more mature orienteer with less focus.
Which considering the age profile of our sport and the continual move of the curve as the baby boomers approach death then the current system does not cater for the majority.
"If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut" Abraham Lincoln
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LostAgain - diehard
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When National Events were first brought in the sport was much stronger. The Lake District had a backlog of areas to be used and we were often restricted in being able to stage one by Fixtures Committee.
But the lack of quality and quantity of our top class event structure is a direct result of the fall in membership, and the constant shrinking of the sport. If we are to survive past the 'baby boom bulge' reaching M60 then we must attract new people in serious numbers.
The answer is to concentrate on club informal events and District level events. When we have five times as much activity there we are likely to have a self sustaining sport, but until that happens we are looking at a slow decline.
But the lack of quality and quantity of our top class event structure is a direct result of the fall in membership, and the constant shrinking of the sport. If we are to survive past the 'baby boom bulge' reaching M60 then we must attract new people in serious numbers.
The answer is to concentrate on club informal events and District level events. When we have five times as much activity there we are likely to have a self sustaining sport, but until that happens we are looking at a slow decline.
- RJ
RJ wrote:If we are to survive past the 'baby boom bulge' reaching M60 then we must attract new people in serious numbers.
Can't argue with that.
RJ wrote:The answer is to concentrate on club informal events and District level events.
Can't argue with that either, as far as recruiting new orienteers goes.
But we also need to have a decent number of high quality competitive events or we are going to lose experienced orienteers who become disillusioned with a sport that ceases to provide competition. The top level events need to be more focused rather than apparently randomly spread throughout the year with no relation to each other, and huge variations in quality of terrain, planning, map and competition.
- Neil M35
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Quite agree Neil, and I would also add that having a glamourous national scene as well as a thriving local scene is important to attracting new people.
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FatBoy - addict
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When we first started O ing in 1994 we soon got into going to National Events and went to all except those in Scotland as travel times etc did not permit.
Now we tend to look at the area and whether it is a selection race before we consider going. It could be the been there done that got the T shirt syndrome or it could be we're sick ofd travelling up the M5 & M6.
We still might do a lakeland one but it's 3.5 hours each way min and we will only do Yorkshire and North if it's selection or a really good area.
Now we tend to look at the area and whether it is a selection race before we consider going. It could be the been there done that got the T shirt syndrome or it could be we're sick ofd travelling up the M5 & M6.
We still might do a lakeland one but it's 3.5 hours each way min and we will only do Yorkshire and North if it's selection or a really good area.
Diets and fitness are no good if you can't read the map.
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HOCOLITE - addict
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LostAgain wrote:Why did it change?
Ironiically, as a response to widespread concerns that these events were too often not of sufficiently high quality, .leading to a paucity of "quality events". The idea was that the National series of 6-8 events on terrain specifically vetted (maybe more at that time?) would provide that. (If the Northerns were held in YHOA, the Midlands in EAOA etc. it could well turn out that only the Scottish was a 'technical' event).
I suspect the National events would be far more worthy of the name if there was a national competition based on them. But now the UK Cup, FCC and interminable selection races etc. have all come in, their role has been somewhat superseded. Maybe 'National' status should simply be allocated to those events hosting UKC, FCC or a Master's series (something I think Peter Guillaume tried to kickstart at Nationals).
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awk - god
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