High entry fee for HH National event

[madmike]

I'd argue their (Elite's) requirements are not so different to Jo Average who also would prefer our Permier annual events to be on appropriate terrain. Shame self imposed constraints prevent this.

LA, I agree completely; moreover, I am not sure we actually have that much really good terrain in UK (cf what i've experienced abroad) so we should aim to save the best terrain for the Level 1 events.

Even running on "good" UK areas like Graythwaite I find the challenge much more physical than technically complex.

Now Loch Vaa that's an area that demands physical and technical skills with the test of navigation being decisive

[LostAgain]

The Trossacks ?
SOme of the Welsh 6-days were good, albeit a little samey after a few days

[EddieH]

Welsh 6 days - "samey"

If you found that I suggest you think twice before visiting a multiday in Scandinavia.

Variety is one of the great things about our orienteering, particularly in Scotland, and I thought at last year's Welsh.

The only multi-days I have been to that I can remember with more contrast were a Belgium 3 days and Switzerland (more than once). The NZ World Masters was similarish - every day was sand dune forest, but all quite different.

[LostAgain]

It's interesting peoples different perspective. I was running the same courses as you at the Welsh and did also go to the O-ringen.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Welsh 6-days and thought the terrain excellent. But if my memory serves me right, and of course it may not, age , 2 of the days were on the same terrain and the other very close. Which was 3 very similar days. If I remember another day was also quite similar. The very different day, forest, was my least favorite

The O-ringen 2008 was quite varied. But I'm guessing that this year will be very similar as they are virtually all on the same map.

[LostAgain]

Culbin
Penhale

would also be areas in the category discussed. But we are now in danger of hiJacking this thread with stuff previously discussed in depth elsewhere.

[awk]

awk - I didn't just mean this past year - the impression I have is that event fees have changed very little over the last 5+ years... you're still paying around £7-9 for your average badge-type event.

Maybe - but you did specifically state that you would bet that they hadn't gone up as much as food and petrol have in the last year alone. That's the bit that intrigued me.

Overall though, no fees haven't gone up massively: back in late 2003/early 2004, regional event fees looked to be pretty consistently at £7-£8, National Event fees were nudging the £10 level. They're now around 10-15% higher. But then so is fuel (or at least unleaded - diesel has gone up considerably more), so it looks as if rates of inflation match rather than event fees increasing less. Entry fees can look significantly more expensive nowadays because of the way BOF wants events advertised (discounts for BOF members) even when they might not be.

BTW, none of this is meant to be a criticism of organisers. My own experience is that organisers generally do their best to balance budgetary requirements and putting on events at a reasonable price. Yes, sometimes events make a substantial profit, but that's usually because of unexpectedly large entries, and the way events work, numbers above a certain level often only incur marginal costs - it doesn't take much to make a stonking loss as well. However, we still have to make decisions about whether events are too costly for us, however well reasoned the entry fee. As I said, that's life!

[ryeland of doom]

Why are you all on here moaning again? What's the problem? Why is there this inherent idea that event entry fees should be the bare minimum possible and just about cover costs? Why do orienteers have this strange mentality that an event entry two or three quid above what you might expect is suddenly good enough reason not to go?

Perhaps its because they have to watch their disposable income. Orienteering is affordable - we do not need to be dragged into an inflationary race with sports that are not open to so many folk - I mean the high fees charged elsewhere.

It begins to sound like some sort of status thing - look at what orienteering costs, must be a pleb's sport. Please do not fall into this trap. We need all the competitors we can get - like a new generation of W/M 21s for a start.

[distracted]

It begins to sound like some sort of status thing - look at what orienteering costs, must be a pleb's sport. Please do not fall into this trap. We need all the competitors we can get - like a new generation of W/M 21s for a start.

You might find your first statement above is exactly how a section of the potential M/W21s we want to attract would view things. And - shock horror! - they might not want to go orienteering every weekend like you do. Plus - they may not think twice about paying £10+ for a quality experience when they do turn up, even if running 5 or 10k on a map showing only major tracks and streams (e.g. the Orientator)

People need to see beyond themselves if we're going to go anywhere...

[awk]

You might find your first statement above is exactly how a section of the potential M/W21s we want to attract would view things. And - shock horror! - they might not want to go orienteering every weekend like you do.

I don't disagree - but if they aren't going to orienteer regularly, we need to consider whether we should be putting so much effort into attracting them.

[ryeland of doom]

"And - shock horror! - they might not want to go orienteering every weekend like you do."

So we all had better crawl back under our stones then. Two things
1) They will need to pay a lot more if us recreationals start rationing our events due to entry fees, or stick to smaller rival fixtures. Will the volunteers want to help out at events aimed at what used to be called yuppies?

2) The economy has changed (anyone noticed?) Now I was a keen M21 during the 1980s - I was also on the dole, for years. (Just been back too) Strange to say, I am not sure if all young folk are affluent - At least benefits kept you alive back then, and no student loans to pay back. You may attract a few bright young things, but who will you lose?

Besides, in your dismal world where elite does not mean who runs fastest in the right direction - is there enough terrain in South East England?

Folk have to think of everyone if we are to progress. SPORT FOR ALL!

[RJ]

For a few folk on this forum it will be different.....

But for MOST folk the orienteering that they do is LOCAL..... they orienteer with a club at local CLUB events with a fair smattering of District/Regional events. So long as their club is active and is creating events to suit them..... then the future is bright. If there wasn't a JK I wouldn't be too bothered..... but it is good when there is one!

So long as orienteers are staging events in their own area, with their own club, for other club members then the sport is safe. It is quite a large percentage of club members who only orienteer within a 100 mile radius of where they live. If the entry fee for an event is high then you are hurting your local orienteers. They will understand why entry fees are set at that level, and will accept them. So I don't really understand how an orienteer who decides to travel 200 miles to the HH event is in any position to decide the entry fee.