British Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships

[LostAgain]

How come when the JK or Scottish 6 day has an MTBO added to it we get a huge entry but other events only draw 40-70 competitors ?

Because in my experience too often events have a control in the wrong place, or the map is incorrect or some other issue arises somewhat spoiling the event. This could be avoided by having a controller. These issues spoil the event and certainly ensure that we do not travel far.

Happy to do it when connected to something we are travelling to, or it is on our doorstep on a Saturday. Nopt soemthing we would skip foot O for because of the above.

[DJM]

Maybe these problems will be resolved in due course ...

From the last Board minutes:-

1. MTBO: How to develop mountain bike orienteering and integrate it into British Orienteering activities

Board members went through papers outlining the past agreements and meetings with the TCA. The meeting discussed the various commercial organisations currently associated with mountain bike navigational events including MTBO.

Board members decided to initiate the formation of a working group to look at the TCA agreement, the links between British Orienteering and MTBO, and the possible opportunities and risks associated with MTBO for British Orienteering.

Board members agreed that JP would Chair the working group as she has experience of running MTBO events. Board members gave authority to JP to populate the group with 2 or 3 other suitable members. JP agreed that the working group would report back to the next Board meeting in July.

Action 3: JP to report back to next Board meeting with recommendations from the MTBO Working Group. (JP, by 8th July)

Action 4: MH to look into the insurance implications of including MTBO in the British Orienteering Public Liability Cover. (MH, by 8th July)

JP = Jenny Peel; MH = Mike Hamilton

[awk]

How come when the JK or Scottish 6 day has an MTBO added to it we get a huge entry but other events only draw 40-70 competitors ?

My experience of trailquests (yet to do an MTBO) is that they are great fun, but the use of annotated 1:25k maps, non-standard controls, no controller, and general all round vagueness of siting etc, means that I can't take them that seriously yet. Too many events where local knowledge has helped route choice and I've scrabbled around for minutes looking for obscure/hidden controls in the circle. I suspect that those who go regularly are quite content with how they are organised, and there's no reason why they shouldn't be, depending on what they are looking for, but I don't think they are geared up to attracting orienteers.

Urban racing was pretty much in the same situation for a while. The big change started when mapping standards improved dramatically (advent of ISSOM), and a more regular programme of national quality events got going (previously, urban-O was generally limited to scratty maps for local events).

I would love to try MTBO, as opposed to Trailquest, but the events are very few and far between, and if something prevents me getting to one, then there's not another for ages, and it's almost always a long way away. By contrast, if you're already at the Six Day or JK, it's effectively a 'local' event.

This is no criticism of those organising MTB events - far from it, I very much appreciate their efforts. Just an attempt to partially explain why numbers might not be on the up, and an illustration of why at least one receptive individual treats them as a break rather than as a priority (whilst urban-O is now a priority!).

[EddieH]

scratty

[mappingmum]

Scratty: An object or person with a scruffy, dishevelled, unkempt or cheap appearance.

from urbandictionary.com

[mharky]

Because in my experience too often events have a control in the wrong place, or the map is incorrect or some other issue arises somewhat spoiling the event.

Aye, you never get controls in the wrong place or crap maps at foot orienteering events like the JK, or BEOC/FCC final, or THE Scottish Champs Individual on Tentsmuir...

The difference between having a controller and not having a controller means that the week after, when people take the races on nopesport, someone can come on and go "blah blah blah volunteer"...

The reason might be that there are not many MTB orienteers, but their are many orienteers with mountain-bikes, so when the events are together they will go, but they won't go out of their way to go to stand-alone races

I think the real problem is that no one seems to know who the governing body is. BOF don't really want it and the Trail Cyclists Association are, well, they are NOT British Cycling, and i'll leave it at that.

[DJM]

mharky wrote:

I think the real problem is that no one seems to know who the governing body is. BOF don't really want it

Did you not read my post a few posts above this one??

[Scott]

<unnecessary cynicism>Indeed, it's very much in BOF's interest to be recognised as the NGB of a discipline where the UK appears to stand a pretty good chance of winning some medals over the next few years .</unnecessary cynicism>

[awk]

Aye, you never get controls in the wrong place or crap maps at foot orienteering events like the JK, or BEOC/FCC final, or THE Scottish Champs Individual on Tentsmuir...

No comparison - don't even get close (even Tentsmuir!).

[DaveK]

Yes, but how far do you go? I really enjoy MTBO, but Horse 'O', Canoe 'O', Ski 'O'(?) ? Are these really areas that B.O. should really be straying into?

[Scott]

but ... Ski 'O'(?) ? Are these really areas that B.O. should really be straying into?

Don't forget that GBR's first ever WOC medal came at Ski-WOC 1975 - Bronze in the Women's Relay.

Third of three teams to finish, and only 94mins off silver.

[mharky]

don't you mean Britains first ever Ski-WOC medal

[awk]

Yes, but how far do you go? I really enjoy MTBO, but Horse 'O', Canoe 'O', Ski 'O'(?) ? Are these really areas that B.O. should really be straying into?

Disciplines that are recognised by the IOF would seem the logical route.

[Jon Brooke]

In response to a PM I said I would give some more info on the courses for the Long MTBO on the Saturday.

By my reckoning they come out something like this: Course, Optimal distance, Number of CPs.

A - Men's open, 27 km, 28 CPs
B - Women's Open, 21 km, 20 CPs
C - Vets/juniors 17 km, 17 CPs
D - Novice score 90 minutes, 24 CPs

But the number of CPs on the point to point courses includes a pair on either side of a road which has to be crossed twice, so really 2 less. The score course doesn't cross any roads.

Haven't worked out climb, but for men's open might be in the order of 300m in total. Others proportionally less.

[mharky]

not very mountainous