Scottish Relays
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Scottish Relays
Just got back from the scottish relays and I thought they were excellent. A nice runnable area with well planned courses from Chris Godfree. A good close race was won by SYO ahead of EUOC and ShUOC - congratulations to Baker, Sprotty and Al for 3 solid runs. Despite many teams missing their star runners, the race was a close run thing with only a minute separating the top 3 teams from start to finish.
- middleditch
- off string
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Yeh, going around the finish lane at the start was weird. I know at least two people who got pushed over going round there. The open men got off ok with no one in front of them to get in the way!
Otherwise, great event and really enjoyed my run.
Otherwise, great event and really enjoyed my run.
- Matt H
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Matt H wrote:Yeh, going around the finish lane at the start was weird. I know at least two people who got pushed over going round there. The open men got off ok with no one in front of them to get in the way!
I'm an open man and I fell flat on my face. Serves me right for trying to read the map though.
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PeterG - diehard
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PeterG wrote:I'm an open man and I fell flat on my face. Serves me right for trying to read the map though.
or perhaps starting at the front peterg, we all saw you there
and thank you to whoever designed the handicap system. this worked exctremely well, with the leading 3 teams finishing within 30 seconds of each other and all having been in different handicap classes.
the relay day was definitely a great event.
The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.
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Supersaint - team nopesport
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mass start
it was really funny when those old women were protesting about going around the starting loop!
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soundman - string
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Cheers for the positive comments folks - nice to all our hardwork (myself, Graeme Ackland - Organiser and Ian Pyrah - Controller) appreciated
Handicapped system came from something similar Graeme had done over in the States - probably a few tweaks needed though.....
The start was to spread things out a bit before the narrow track from the start and just to give spectators a chance to see the start of the race a bit more.
Please give some feedback on the format of the relay here:
http://www.nopesport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3950
Chris
Handicapped system came from something similar Graeme had done over in the States - probably a few tweaks needed though.....
The start was to spread things out a bit before the narrow track from the start and just to give spectators a chance to see the start of the race a bit more.
Please give some feedback on the format of the relay here:
http://www.nopesport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3950
Chris
'If God invented marathons to keep people from doing anything more stupid, then Triathlon must have taken Him completely by surprise.' P.Z. Pearce
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Lil' God'rs - orange
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I know the questions were on the other thread, but as this is the one that seems to be active...
A brilliant idea, which seemed to work really well in practice too, on quite a few fronts. Firstly, it meant that we had a really good race - even running leg 3 (for a team including a W16, W50 and M45), I had plenty of competition all the way round even though we were well off the front. Secondly, we had some sensible distances, and with the greater flexibility of format, it was possible to match distance and ability/willingness so much more easily. This was perhaps one of the biggest pluses, but not commented on in the enthusiasm for the racing format. Thirdly, it allowed (encouraged) some real mixing and matching, and much greater flexibility in getting teams together. Personally, I'd say that this is something that BOF must adopt for at least one of its major relays!
Mass start is a must - without it the event would have been half as good at least, not least because it meant more teams were competing head to head - with one caveat. I could see the necessity for the run round to split teams up, but that could have been done in other ways with a bit of reworking of the start line. To spring the 'parade' on the starters wasn't a 'good' thing, as could be seen by the reaction of some participants (who in turn could have lightened up a bit!). Some warning would have ensured the more sensitive individuals could have chosen to run other legs.
Don't see what you mean - as far as I could work out looking at other maps, I didn't run the same first and last gaffles as all others. The common bit was in the middle. Didn't like the fact that the run-in was effectively from the third last control, given how all those I'd caught at that control could then steam past without ever looking at their maps, but that might just mean me having to get a bit (lot!) fitter!
All in all, Chris, a stonking event - well planned, great format, worth the trip alone. Has to be repeated. And don't lose that mass start (over 100 teams weren't there?!) , or the overall handicap competition, it's partly what made the event. Both adults in our family have been losing enthusiasm for relays of late - the formats/distances have been increasingly unattractive (this is actually the first relay I've been prepared to run this year), but this event fully restored that enthusiasm. Bring it on again!
For those of you who were there, can you give us a minute of your time to leave some feedback on the format of the relays?
Specifically:
1) the handicap system - a good idea or not?
A brilliant idea, which seemed to work really well in practice too, on quite a few fronts. Firstly, it meant that we had a really good race - even running leg 3 (for a team including a W16, W50 and M45), I had plenty of competition all the way round even though we were well off the front. Secondly, we had some sensible distances, and with the greater flexibility of format, it was possible to match distance and ability/willingness so much more easily. This was perhaps one of the biggest pluses, but not commented on in the enthusiasm for the racing format. Thirdly, it allowed (encouraged) some real mixing and matching, and much greater flexibility in getting teams together. Personally, I'd say that this is something that BOF must adopt for at least one of its major relays!
2) everyone starting at once - too many people or an exciting race to run in/watch?
Mass start is a must - without it the event would have been half as good at least, not least because it meant more teams were competing head to head - with one caveat. I could see the necessity for the run round to split teams up, but that could have been done in other ways with a bit of reworking of the start line. To spring the 'parade' on the starters wasn't a 'good' thing, as could be seen by the reaction of some participants (who in turn could have lightened up a bit!). Some warning would have ensured the more sensitive individuals could have chosen to run other legs.
the gaffling of the courses with all the adults running the same first and last gaffles?
Don't see what you mean - as far as I could work out looking at other maps, I didn't run the same first and last gaffles as all others. The common bit was in the middle. Didn't like the fact that the run-in was effectively from the third last control, given how all those I'd caught at that control could then steam past without ever looking at their maps, but that might just mean me having to get a bit (lot!) fitter!
All in all, Chris, a stonking event - well planned, great format, worth the trip alone. Has to be repeated. And don't lose that mass start (over 100 teams weren't there?!) , or the overall handicap competition, it's partly what made the event. Both adults in our family have been losing enthusiasm for relays of late - the formats/distances have been increasingly unattractive (this is actually the first relay I've been prepared to run this year), but this event fully restored that enthusiasm. Bring it on again!
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awk - god
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awk wrote:Don't see what you mean - as far as I could work out looking at other maps, I didn't run the same first and last gaffles as all others. The common bit was in the middle.
I have posted a spreadsheet showing how the courses were contructed on to the results page(at least how they were put into the results software). It made sense to me eventually.
- SIman
- brown
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Thanks SIman, now I understand: courses A-D all started the same (one of three gaffles) and finished the same (ditto) - the differences being in the middle.
To respond to Chris's question then, this looks a really good idea. A couple of the A course runners commented on the constant appearance and disappearance of those on different courses!
To respond to Chris's question then, this looks a really good idea. A couple of the A course runners commented on the constant appearance and disappearance of those on different courses!
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awk - god
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I thought it was great and really enjoyed my run and the whole event and the handicap system was a great idea.
I can't decide what i thought about the "parade" at the start. on the one hand it was great to watch - i enjoyed watching it. On the otherhand i generally thinking gratuitous things put in to improve it for spectators whilst affecting the runner's experience are a bad thing. an example of this is when they had lots of run-throughs at swiss woc and simone won the middle distance because of this fact - someone else was faster on the orienteering part.
i asked some of the first leg elites and they didn't care but the older women didn't like it one bit. i think all in all spectator things are good but our sport is orienteering not running or even terrain running so maybe in future it would be good to have to actually find controls in front of the spectators rather than just running around following tapes.
from doing stockholm city cup last year i know that having to find controls in front of lots of spectators adds something to the orienteer's experience as well as the spectators.
anyway i don't mean to be negative because i thought it was a great event!
I can't decide what i thought about the "parade" at the start. on the one hand it was great to watch - i enjoyed watching it. On the otherhand i generally thinking gratuitous things put in to improve it for spectators whilst affecting the runner's experience are a bad thing. an example of this is when they had lots of run-throughs at swiss woc and simone won the middle distance because of this fact - someone else was faster on the orienteering part.
i asked some of the first leg elites and they didn't care but the older women didn't like it one bit. i think all in all spectator things are good but our sport is orienteering not running or even terrain running so maybe in future it would be good to have to actually find controls in front of the spectators rather than just running around following tapes.
from doing stockholm city cup last year i know that having to find controls in front of lots of spectators adds something to the orienteer's experience as well as the spectators.
anyway i don't mean to be negative because i thought it was a great event!
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harry - addict
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