BEOC Long / FCC Final

[mharky]

aye, fair point. you did cheat, but they can't DSQ you for it because the overprint was wrong, plus the fact that you managed to get lost probably means the tapes weren't taped enough

[EddieH]

Fabulous honesty. Without having been there and from what you say I cannot see that DQ would be fair. The descriptions should say how far to follow the taped route - if it didn't then I'd certainly see you as in the clear.

I am going to use a short taped section from te spectator control at the Scottish relays. Having discussed it with the controller we have already decided that there will be a double row of tapes for the runners to go between so hopefully no-one can make a mistake.

[mharky]

I remember the Scottish Relays at Bogendreip where you, along with many others, ducked under the tapes and didn't go to the start kite, Eddy!

[Tessa]

I'm not even sure if the line did bend round to be honest! But I'm thinking if it did I would have a beena right numpty to go straight. I'm not over-ly fussed if I am dq'ed, only that i slogged all the way around the 11km so I would like something to show for it! Someone will probably come on and tell me that the tapes were really obvious and the line bent round and I will figure that I was properly in my own little world out there. Anyway, shall await routegadget before making further pointless comments!

[mharky]

the lines on route-gadget always go straight, it also won't show any out-or-bounds areas or crossing points etc that were drawn on in the course file in OCAD

[mharky]

i'll be the first to put it on the line then...

JWOC:

1) Ralph Street
2) Hector Haines
3) Kris Jones
4) Matt Halliday
5) Peter Hodkinson
6) Ali McLeod / Jonny Crickmore

Reserves: Christ Smithard, David Abrams, Tom Beasant

1) Anne Edwards
2) Hollie Orr
3) Hazel Wright
4) Mairead Rocke
5) Rebecca Harding
6) Alice Butt / Vicky Stevens

Reserves: Anwen Darlington, Julia Blomquist

[RS]

Same as you but without Crickmore and Beasant and Anwen instead of Alice with Alice and Vicky as reserves.
I don't think JC has raced enough against the 18/20s but feel free to correct me, I'm sure some will

[Adrian]

I remember the Scottish Relays at Bogendreip where you, along with many others, ducked under the tapes and didn't go to the start kite, Eddy!

I wonder if I ever knew it's compulsory to go the start kite? It hardly makes much sense that the start is after the start... http://reentrant.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/wheres-the-start/

[Gross]

wonder if I ever knew it's compulsory to go the start kite?

7.2.13 Competitors shall follow in its entirety any compulsory route, including that leading
from the start or to the finish of the course.

Read the descriptions properly..... obviously you've not done that for the last 15 years or so!

[Scott]

Read the descriptions properly.....

How many planners actually include a taped route from the start to the start kite in the descriptions? I don't think I've ever seen it done (it wasn't today, and muttering from the start officials was that a certain British Junior Squad coach had decided not to visit the start kite).

[Gross]

it wasn't today,

Then that certain Squad Coach did nothing wrong

[Scott]

And on those grounds, I bet you'd struggle to find anyone who has ever done anything wrong in not visiting the start kite.

I've never really understood the compulsion to put the start kite almost-out-of-sight from the start line anyway. Today was a typical example - the kite could easily have been on the little ditch bend immediately after the start, rather than on the ditch/road junction 100m further down the hill. As Adrian says, it just seems to be done to unnecessarily bewilder the uninitiated. (The one exception would be for spectator friendly run-outs, eg. the JK middle races this year, but these tend to be taped so that you have to go to the start kite anyway.)

[Scott]

Thinking about it, I suppose it could be justified if it stops people following off the start ("Ah, so the first control is that way.") Hmm.

What would the correct control description pictorial for "follow tapes 100m from start to start kite" be, anyway?

[Roger]

O-Ringen 2007 had some long runs (200m+) to the start kite. If I remember correctly it was at that event that the run-out was bounded on both sides by plastic mesh fencing and competitors were told that they would be disqualified if they crossed it. But even so, neither map nor descriptions has any indication of a taped route.

Even once I knew that it was there, it took me a long time before I spotted the crossing-point symbol on the posted map segment.

[Scott]

I wonder what would have happened if somebody had hopped the tapes from the start platform and cut diagonally across the assembly field to the gate/start kite at the JK Middle this year...

Answer: they would have looked like a bit of a prat.