Eligibility for Area Champs in 2009

[greywolf]

I hadn't realised English area champs weren't open. There are very few events in Scotland where anyone who wants can't have a run...Do English events just attract too many competitors so they need to restrict numbers?

don't think anyone's suggesting that entry isn't open to all, just eligibility for trophies

National events were brought in to replace the original 4 "regional" championships - all were open and with just 6 events in the year (incl BOC and JK), many people went to all 6 and very large numbers to 5.

woudl be interesting to see some stats to back that up...but in any case - back then, these were the 6 biggest events of the year - now we have multiple British Champs, WOC selection races, high profile urban races, chasing sprints and (maybe) more opportunity to orienteer abroad it's hard to see Area Champs regain their former pre-eminence whatever incentives are provided

[Tatty]

BAOC is registered with SCOA

[distracted]

Isn't the point that the Area Championships are events of the highest quality and therefore are intended to attract large numbers of people and hence strong fields? I can't see how restricting who wins the trophies is going to attract a Scot to the Southern Champs, say...

[graeme]

If I came to the Southern Champs I would likely fly with handbaggage on some peanut airline. In which case having to take a large metal object home (and return it next year) would not be appealing.

Graeme