FCC 2009

[mharky]

JWOC Boys:
Hector Haines
Matt Halliday
Peter Hodkinson
Kris Jones
Alasdair McLeod
Raplh Street

JWOC Girls:
umm

[Gonzo]

Are the boys more predictable than the girls?

JWOC Girls:
umm

So --- the boys are more predictable than the girls!!??

Anyone care to lay their thoughts on the line (not me!).

[Tatty]

Disappointed to see that an M14 has been allowed to enter. This is not who it is intended for, nor is it appropriate for him

[Lard]

Disappointed to see that an M14 has been allowed to enter. This is not who it is intended for, nor is it appropriate for him

Why are you disppointed? Scared he'll beat your son or something?
The FCC Final is an open event - anyone can run if they chose, they just have to run off the front. The race will probably be shorter than any other classic race he's run this year, good luck to him. Given his excellent results so far this season I guess he'd like to compare himself against the bigger guns. I'm sure his parents/coach have discussed this with him already, no need for anyone else to help him decide. I'm pleased that the rules allow him to make such a choice.

NB - he's not entered in the Classic race, before anyone shoots me down.

[NeilC]

Indeed the race is hardly longer than the M14 races at the JK. Hardly inappropriate for a top M14, and a healthy attitude in my opinion.

[Tatty]

Why are you disppointed? Scared he'll beat your son or something?

Not quite - he's a bit too old now for FCC. One of my gripes is that when he was a top ranked second year M16 he wasn't allowed to run, and now they're letting 14 year ods run!

[jab]

The M14 has entered the Middle Race because it is a Middle Race. He has not entered the Long nor would his parents have allowed him to (and they control the cheque book and credit card). It is actually shorter than the M14 race on the Sunday and, were there not a middle race, he would almost certainly be running Blue, which is longer still. Chances to run "real" middle races are rare and this one seemed too good a chance to miss.
As the Men's Open Middle is exactly the same course he could have entered that with no restriction (it was described on the flyer as an "Open Middle Distance Race"). There was discussion with the Entries secretary as to whether the Open Middle was the more appropriate class but it was decided that it would be better if the juniors' results were all together. I think what swung it was the fact that another class is running the same course and entries to that other class were unrestricted - I don't believe the M14 cared which class he was put in, he just wanted to be able to run the course.

[RS]

Think I know what you mean, Tatty. Over the years, things have changed. If I remember correctly, in the dim and distant past, only the actual qualifiers ran the FCC race with no-one starting before the finalists and I think at most of the qualifying races as well as the finals, the running order was according to how you had done in last qualifier or your position in the tables.
The top 15 in each class also received written invitations and at least on 2 ocassions were announced at the relays, I think at JK or BOC, whichever was the last race in the qualifiers. I think that helped to raise the profile as well. I just feel that the competition has lost some of its 'wow' factor.
There again, perhaps I've missed something

GOOD LUCK TO ALL FINALISTS and enjoy your runs, irrespective of outcome

[Jess]

Just heard some very provisional results from the forest...noone's downloaded because of remote start/finish for FCC, but this is on someone's timing:

Boys:
1st Ralph Street
2nd Hector Haines (+1min)
3rd Matt Halliday (+1.08)
4th Kris Jones (+2)
5th Ali McLeod (+4)

Girls:
1st Anne Edwards
2nd Becks Harding (+2min)
3rd Alice Butt (+2min...)
4th Hollie Orr (+2min...)
5th Mairead Rocke (+3min...)
6th+7th Jo Halliday and Julia Blomquist (+3min down as equalish)

They're on the trek back now, so perhaps some more accurate results soon!

Jess Halliday.