Autumn Sprint Races

[freaky_phil]

Help needed... I have convinced my club to put on some sprint races this Autumn instead of running round the same bit of wood we always do. So what have other clubs done, what format have you used, what distances should the course(s) be, are there any guidelines on Sprint racing, could only find stuff on the British Sprint Champs. Do you use the BOF handicap ratio to adjust the race times e.g. a M21 v a M45 running the same course, the M45's gets adjusted down by 0.69. Do you have 1 race then reverse the order and the winner of the first race goes off last on the second race, as with the winning time of 12-15 mins you need 2 courses to make it value for money. Do use use SI/EMIT, the clubs is not happy about using SI in parks incase they get knicked, but how else can you accurately record a time when seconds will count. Have you used specatator controls or are the courses to short and they can give the game (course) away.
I am sure there are other things I need to ask but can't think of any at the moment. (Sorry about no ?'s, bad grammar I know)

Diolch yn fawr.

[NeilC]

Our sprint races are very simple. One course, no handicapping. SI in public parks, but where possible SI units hung rather than on stakes. I use a system where a piece of cord has a big washer on one end, the loose end passes through the SI unit and is tied to a tree/fence/seat etc. The washer doesn't pass through the dibbing hole and also prevents people from dibbing in the back of the unit. We also use the small training kites. Only charge a couple of quid so good value for money, though a well planned sprint course shouldn't be any less value for money than a bog standard blue in a bog standard area. Races last less time so more opportunity to meet in a pub etc afterwards.

About 30 club members ran the sprint course on Saturday aging from M12 to W65
http://www.aqvc64.dsl.pipex.com/PK0205.htm

[Blanka]

Since 2003, WAOC have run an annual Chasing Sprints event. There is a prologue race in the morning and a chasing start in the afternoon (the second start is based on a base time, eg. 12.30, plus your time from the first race). As we only started doing those two years ago, there was a bit of experimentation involved. But what seems to have come out of it:

5 classes are available:

A: open
B: M40+ M16-
C: Women's open
D: W40+ W16-
E: Junior

Usually 4 TD5 courses plus a White and Yellow are sufficient, i.e. say

A: run course 1 in the morning and course 2 in the afternoon
B/C: run course 2 in the morning and course 3 in the afternoon
D: run course 3 in the morning and course 4 in the afternoon
E: run yellow in the morning and white in the afternoon (or vice versa)

The courses all vary between about 2.5-3.5km, with the second course shorter and a winning time of around 30-35 minutes. WAOC tend also to have a W, Y, O course available.

In 2003 and 2005 we've used SI for the whole course. In 2004 (in an area much used by public where we were worries about the safety of SI kit) we used pin-punching for the course, but SI for the start and finish so you get the accurate time to set the second race off.

For a bit of a plug, the 2006 Chasing Sprints are planned for 23rd May, the day after the British Sprint Champs, in Rowney Warren, maybe 20-30 minutes away from the Sprint Champs area, so you can make it a sprint weekend!!

Phil, PM me if you'd like to find more details - I can send you the email of the person who planned two out of the 3 WAOC Chasing Sprints.

[Gillian]

Interlopers have been doing Sprint-O's round the local parks and streets. 1 course, about 6k ish, with a cut-off for Juniors. Only costs £1! We hold them from different people's houses with some sort of food and drink provided to try to encourage social interaction afterwards (- unusual at O events, I find).

This year we've been using (thanks to Chris!) mini-kites with a pin-punch, all threaded on to a piece of garden-wire, held together by a padlock. Having had controls go missing regularly in previous years, we haven't lost one yet, and they're very easy to hang and collect.

Next one is Wed 13th, 6:30 to 7:15pm, around King's Buildings, the Science campus at Edinburgh Uni - best O area anywhere near Edinburgh, with really tricky route choices! Meeting at 17 Lussielaw Road, if anyone's able to come along.

[FatBoy]

You can get steel baseplates for the SI stations with a hole in to allow to be padlocked to something. I've been trying to find a picture of one but can't seem to. Contact Martin Stone I know he can get them. http://www.sportident.co.uk

You could otherwise use the SI for just start and finish then use pin punch for the actual controls.

[Nails]

Alternatively thread the wire through the big gaping hole in the middle!

[rob f]

on numerous tours they place the unit below a mini kite, and its normally obvious enough for the competitor. As for courses generally i have seen at od wednesday evening events a good format of a short sort of 1-2km course with winning times between 5-15 minutes, and a 3-4km course with around 20 minutes winning times