BOC medalists

[EddieH]

For the remarkable number of people here that seem to think that ther should only be Elite recognition and that all the rest is a waste of time, just read the M40s in CompassSport.

It is really great to read the sheer delight that Alan has in winning, and the seriousness that Martin and Robert also took.

Yet there are those that want to scrap M40 altogether - why take away this pleasure and intensity? There are also those that say that the whole competition was worthess because it was where it was, and because it was in February. The date may not be ideal, but it was still BOC and it clearly means a lot to a lot of people - and the winners were worthy.

[graeme]

Who wants to scrap BOC M40? I never heard anyone say such a thing.

I ran BOC M45 - which was just as competitive and serious as M40, and slightly faster . After BEOC, it's the number two most important race of the year.

[LostAgain]

I have not read in these postings that anyone has suggested scrapping any of the age class competitions.

What I have seen is the suggestion that where there is Elite then the "L" winner is not a Champion and where there is Long (Classic) the "S" winner is not a Champion.

[madmike]

Just a thought but do you think Steve Wilson, Peter Sacares, Andy Sykes and Tony Udris et al were not considering themselves competitive and serious on M40S as well?

[Silva Surfer]

Just a thought but do you think Steve Wilson, Peter Sacares, Andy Sykes and Tony Udris et al were not considering themselves competitive and serious on M40S as well?

Yes - I'm sure they were, just as I was on another Senior "Short" class, but you have to put it in perspective. I would love to have won JK / BOC in my Short class - I trained accordingly ( injuries aside ) and treated the races with great importance, however, I would not have considered myself a "champion", it would have been enough for me to know that, on the day, I was the best in that class - winner - yes, champion - no - but still very "competitive and serious" all the same.

[madmike]

SS,
agree completely - I am not arguing that they were competing to be M40 Champion - I am arguing that at the top end of the short course it is every bit as serious as the top end of long course. I think we are violently agreeing here.

That said, I do have a piece of glass back home that is inscribed British Individual Champion that I was awarded for beating 4 or 5 other blokes on M35S

[graeme]

Just a thought but do you think Steve Wilson,

All I heard from Prof Wilson was a lament about injury, lack of training time, and wishing he could run properly again. (sounded like an echo...)

Maybe it would be different if there were mugs at stake I have a JK M21S one somewhere from narrowly beating that Lard feller: but it doesn't rate alongside my top-20 finishes, or recent silver-standard battles with peers, in elite.

[Silva Surfer]

I am not arguing that they were competing to be M40 Champion

I never thought that you were!

I am arguing that at the top end of the short course it is every bit as serious as the top end of long course.

Absolutley

[andy]

Maybe it would be different if there were mugs at stake

Winning mugs from doing well on short courses are what orienteering's all about!

[Mrs H]

Yes I agree - but personally I would try a lot harder if the mugs were made from china or porcelain - these builders' style mugs are a bit thick for my liking

[redkite]

If there's them mugs for top of M50S should also be mugs for the great battles i have at the lower end of M50L.

or perhaps i will just settle for the pint of beer that i am owed by a certain gentleman for the last race when my time of 90 mins gave me a great victory. who cares about the 57 mins achieved by someone at the top of the field.

[Scott]

Hear hear. If some bloke wants to go out and train and stuff in order to get round M21E an hour faster than me, then that's fine, but the important fact about Sunday's results is that I was two minutes faster than distracted.

Sadly, BEOC aside, the standard of competition on M21L/Black courses in general falls off much faster than it does for the M50s .

[andy]

Sadly, BEOC aside, the standard of competition on M21L/Black courses in general falls off much faster than it does for the M50s .

Closing date for Scottish Champs rapidly approaching and if anyone wants to battle for last place in 21E with me, feel free

[mappingmum]

. . . . . if anyone wants to battle for last place in 21E with me, feel free

Nooo Andy, you've got it all wrong! You're objective is not to be last.

[madmike]

Sadly, BEOC aside, the standard of competition on M21L/Black courses in general falls off .

So does that make my 5th (last) place on M21L alongside BEOC a good result then?

I thought walking around in over 3 hrs was pretty poor personally!