New BOF Fixture list

[egocentric pothunter]

^^

Whilst I accept what you say above, but why should I have to faff about just to make something more simple. Why not have a simple list on a link with all the events and clubs in a list.
e.g
30th Feb 2009 Formby Sand Dunes, Lancashire. Local event. Suitable for the experienced,novices, families, dogs cats and hamsters. Adults £5 Students and Children £2.50 Full details here http://www.FOC.com

37th Feb 2009 Small Land, South Lakes, Cumbria. Regional event. Suitable for the experienced, some courses for novices, please leave pets at home this is haggis country. Adults £8 Students and Children £4. Full detail here http://www.SLOK.org.uk

This could easily be done on a ready made pro-former. It took me a couple of minutes! It could be uploaded like comments on a blog!

I was a novice fell runner last year, I have no difficulty understanding the FRA fixtures list.In fact you get a big fat book each year! I have now planned my fell running club championship races for 2009. In 10 minutes! With a highlighter! I then checked a few websites to get fuller details.

If we think a fixture list is full of jargon, then don't use it!

We were novices once, remember how difficult was it then? Some of us before the advent of the internet, we relied on printed fixture lists and flyers. It was clear in those days that so called come and try it and colour coded events were where beginners started. You then progressed to a badge event where you competed in an age class, and as it was your first event you did the B course as this was easier than the A course (showing my age). The progression was quite clear! Until you did your first 21 Long course at the Jan Kjellsrom international event (and took 4 hours! on day 1!!!)

I'm no Luddite I just want want simplicity! Is that too much to ask?

[awk]

^^
It was clear in those days that so called come and try it and colour coded events were where beginners started. You then progressed to a badge event where you competed in an age class, and as it was your first event you did the B course as this was easier than the A course (showing my age). The progression was quite clear! Until you did your first 21 Long course at the Jan Kjellsrom international event (and took 4 hours! on day 1!!!)
I'm no Luddite I just want want simplicity! Is that too much to ask?

So now you progress up the colours available at most events until you decide to do your first 21L course at the JK (and take 4 hours). Is that difficult?

[Clive Coles]

[quote][egocentric pothunter wrote:

The old list is still running at http://freespace.virgin.net/pat.martin/fixtures.htm

I'll still go there for the forseeable./quote]


But don't expect it to stay there for ever.

We are currently running both old and new processes in parallel . Association Fixture Secretaries will continue to do so until all club fixture secretaries have access to the new on-line registration system. Once it is up and running everywhere the parallel processing is likely to stop.

This means that the old fixture database ( which supports the generation of old style fixture list) will no longer be updated. So.... within weeks the old list will start to become out of date.

The new and old lists are already out of line with each other. The new list is being maintained on-line. You all see additions and amendments as soon as they are recorded. The old list however is only regenerated and published on the BOF web once a week. So don't expect the fixture content from both sources to be exactly the same.

But... What you see today is not the entire package of changes. There will be a reporting system that produces....... a "fixtures list" ! Publications such as Compass Sport require one; I dare say club news letter editors would rather like one too.

i have no idea what it will look like ~ no doubt a new thread will be required.

Hope is just around the corner.

[madmike]

^^

Until you did your first 21 Long course at the Jan Kjellsrom international event (and took 4 hours! on day 1!!!)

And I thought my 3hrs 59 mins 58 secs was the all time worst at JK

[mharky]

isn't the first day a sprint?

[egocentric pothunter]

[quote="]Clive Colesks the old list will start to become out of date.

But... What you see today is not the entire package of changes. There will be a reporting system that produces....... a "fixtures list" ! Publications such as Compass Sport require one; I dare say club news letter editors would rather like one too.

i have no idea what it will look like ~ no doubt a new thread will be required.

Hope is just around the corner. [/quote]

That is reassuring for old lags like me, and those who want to see the year in the round so to speak. I'm sure many not on this forum, like me, just want a straight forward list, it's not too much to ask is it?

[egocentric pothunter]

^^

Until you did your first 21 Long course at the Jan Kjellsrom international event (and took 4 hours! on day 1!!!)

And I thought my 3hrs 59 mins 58 secs was the all time worst at JK

OK so I took 3 hours and 50 minutes and some seconds!

[egocentric pothunter]

isn't the first day a sprint?

RFOL...this is now...that was then... sprint o hadn't been invented...we still used train ticket punches!

[egocentric pothunter]

^^
It was clear in those days that so called come and try it and colour coded events were where beginners started. You then progressed to a badge event where you competed in an age class, and as it was your first event you did the B course as this was easier than the A course (showing my age). The progression was quite clear! Until you did your first 21 Long course at the Jan Kjellsrom international event (and took 4 hours! on day 1!!!)
I'm no Luddite I just want want simplicity! Is that too much to ask?

So now you progress up the colours available at most events until you decide to do your first 21L course at the JK (and take 4 hours). Is that difficult?

No not difficult...but what about the casual orienteer, the husband or wife or kids of the more serious one... who, at present, do a light green/orange/yellow at colour coded price...at a regional event they will have to pay the same as the more serious partner...so probably won't bother to compete... any way this is a bit off topic isn't it?

Oh I have decided I am a bit of a luddite...sorry if that causes upset...before people change things that affect me, I do actually want to be asked an opinion/have the opportunity to make suggestions.

[seabird]

Seems the lure of the Regional Event is as strong as ever.

On Sunday I competed at the Claro "Local" event at Guisecliff with its set of 8 courses. Comfortably within easy travelling distance (30-40 mins) of the Aire homeland. Guisecliff is a splended area with a detailed and rock strewn deciduous woodland, an excellently runnable coniferous planation, and a complex moorland. In my opinion amongst the best areas in Yorkshire. But only just under 100 competitors in total.

Instead a perusal of the NOC and LOC results shows a considerable exodus of members from Aire and other clubs from the north end of Yorkshire. I can see the attraction in Bethecar, although with its variety of terrain Guisecliff gives it a good run for its money, but Clumber????.

Seems people are happy to travel far and pay more for entry as long as the magic word "Regional" is applied.

is this the outcome the working party were really after.

[geomorph]

Seems the lure of the Regional Event is as strong as ever.

Instead a perusal of the NOC and LOC results shows a considerable exodus of members from Aire and other clubs from the north end of Yorkshire. I can see the attraction in Bethecar, although with its variety of terrain Guisecliff gives it a good run for its money, but Clumber????.

Seems people are happy to travel far and pay more for entry as long as the magic word "Regional" is applied.

is this the outcome the working party were really after.

Agreed; Clumber is not a challenging area; my time was my stupidity. I would prefer Guisecliff-like areas.

BUT the Robin Hood Trophy has invoked a lot of rivalry twixt Aire and Ebor (and other clubs too), so I suspect that was the driver... not the term regional. It was also the EM champs.

[RJ]

.... Instead a perusal of the NOC and LOC results shows a considerable exodus of members from Aire and other clubs from the north end of Yorkshire. ........I can see the attraction in Bethecar.........

I would say that Bethecar was the 'essence' of what a regional/badge event should be. A class area that hasn't been used for quite a while, at this time of year in superb condition, giving the best running and competition it has to offer. A large entry then brings a lot of good orienteers together and produces the 'race' that we all want. Allocated start times gives the atmosphere of 'competition'. All Good!!!!!!

If all regionals had been 'designed' in this manner in the past then a need for an event restructure would not have been necessary. The Lakeland clubs know what they are doing, and often stage quality events on good areas when they are in the best condition. If you pay attention to the fixture list, and spot a LD event, it really is worth the travel, particularly if it is flagged as a 'regional' or even a 'downgraded national'!!!!!

[seabird]

BUT the Robin Hood Trophy has invoked a lot of rivalry twixt Aire and Ebor (and other clubs too), so I suspect that was the driver... not the term regional. It was also the EM champs.

Hmmm The Aire - Ebor rivalry has passed me by. I am conscious that Ebor have been in the running for the RHT in past years (may even have won it for all I know). Never heard the Trophy spoken of in Aire circles.

The EM Champs is not really relevant to the point I was making. I wouldn't expect people from the East Midlands to forsake Clumber for Guisecliff. And it is of no significance to anyone from Yorkshire.

[seabird]

Astonishingly RJ, the majority of the folk from Yorkshire seem to have overlooked the virtues of LD events which you extol so eloquently, and made their way to Nottinghamshire instead.

[Mrs H]

probably frightened of getting a lecture