jobby Publicity

[gross2006]

OK... have avoided... but looked at BOF websaite & total outcome seems to be how happy BOF is that the organisers done..........

OK... overall atthleetes did jobbie toi mediocre, media wise event was crap... outsiders it was great...

Total bollocks & crap if that is limit of BOF efforts:(

[awk]

OK... overall atthleetes did jobbie toi mediocre, media wise event was crap
(

Have just got back from week away working following attending middle three days of World Cup.

Really quite amazed at the negative comments flushing around nopesport: the atmosphere at the event was totally different, especially the sprint final which was one of the best day's orienteering I've ever been to: great world cup competition with some inspiring British runs, an excellent youth festival which saw loads of youngsters participating and watching the stars (it was wonderful to see the British women busy signing autographs trackside), and the opportunity to take part in a form of orienteering that hopefully will develop more in Britain, 'cos it's great and well suited to our resources! Summed up by the taxi driver who took one competitor to the event who knew about the event from watching it on the TV, and the snatch of conversation I overheard whilst gasping my way round the public race afterwards:

Little girl (pointing at kite I was punching at): "Mummy, what's that for?"
Mummy: "orienteering, like you saw on the tele last night".

Personally I thought the organisers did a great job, well done to the whole team. (On a personal note, it was also great to see the FCC receive so much attention, and play its part in the weekend on its 10th running, a competition that Gross had a hand in getting off the ground successfully).

[Toni]

I have to say I am surprised too - at the B&B where we were staying they saw the sprint qualifier on tv as well. I don't know what was on after sprint final and middle distance but there were reporters there. When talking to Julie it was very clear that they didn't expect to get either the relay or classic on tv because of Chelsea - and to be honest we can't really expect anyone to promote orienteering so well that they knock football off the news on a big weekend. They had a few different reporters at the races over the weekend and did interviews with athletes, organisers, planners etc...

I was really impressed overall with the set up (apart from the lack of quarantine which I brought up at the time). The prize givings happened as promptly as possible, courses were great, meetings weren't too long.

[Blanka]

(apart from the lack of quarantine which I brought up at the time).

Was it because you were the only Irish female athlete and hence couldn't discuss the course with other competitors as other people might have done?

From what I gather from the website, this had nothing to do with the organisers - they were asked by IOF to trial the arrangements. So I guess they're the one to feed back to as requested on the web:

The IOF Foot-O Commission requested that the British organisers of the Middle Race at the 2005 World Cup Round should trial the following arrangement:-

• That there shall be no quarantining of runners before they start.
• That runners and other team officials shall be able to go freely in the assembly area and also visit the spectator control.
• That there is no restriction on runners and other team officials being able to communicate with each other; in particular, later runners are free to talk to early finishers if they wish to do so.
• The restriction that old maps of the terrain shall not be brought into the assembly field remains.

This questionnaire is designed to provide feedback to the Foot-O Commission and is to be completed by all team leaders and email it to me at the address below.

David May (IOF Foot-O Commission)

[Toni]

Although it says that they were trialing it for the IOF it was not the IOF's suggestions but that Tim Pugh I think. He thought that the athletes would not like the 3 hour quarantine before the event. There were varying opinions on it.

Personally I don't think it effected me (particularly as I got a tow! ) but even without that I was a late enough starter to have heard quite a few things about the course - you would be amazed what you pick up - simple things like when it gets technical you should navigate by the rhodedendrons because they are really obvious and that you should push hard in the early part as it is easy and then slow down as it gets really tricky (that said I made mistakes in the early part). However my main argument was that I felt that it added distractions before racing - you don't focus in the same way as for a normal world cup when you are on your own in a space without the public. It worked really well at the classic I think where they brought you near the assembly just before you started.

Apparently though it is here to stay (or at least that is what one of the GB coaches told me) but I think it is a step backwards and disadvantages early runners even more.

And the survey that they are asking people to complete was my idea - they had no plans to evaluate the new procedure they were trialling for the IOF before I suggested it at a team leaders meeting!!!