More Fixtures Madness

[Wendles]

Have I missed discussion of the fixtures clash on 12th September? The second fantastic London City Race is set against the Dales Weekend and the JIRCs in Northern Ireland!

[SJC]

vii.The 100 mile rule has been abolished.

Perhaps it should have been increased ?

[Mrs H]

ha ha ha - more nopesport points for me

[DavidJ]

ha ha ha - more nopesport points for me

Is there a nopesport ranking list then? How many posts count and is there a weighting given to 'Discussion' rather than 'Banter'?

[jab]

Even more bizarrely,the YHOA champs are at the Dales weekend when 24 of YHOA's best juniors will not be able to compete because they'll be at the JIRCS

[rocky]

Why are the JIRCs in September? They've been the last weekend in June/first in July for as long as I can remember (Longshaw and Martinshaw 6-7/7/1996 - for some reason I have the souvenier coaster on my desk in front of me!)

[ba-ba]

we've also managed to organise the ShUOC aviemore trip to encompass this weekend as well, which is a shame as I've just been looking at the rg from last year's race and really wanted to go.
AND the Stockport city race is on the Harvester Weekend! (I think...)
Might make the last race of the series - but only as we're hosting it
Still, at least I won't feel bad eating into the student loan before it arrives to get a train down to London!

[mharky]

The JIRCs is in September!? This is maaaaadnes!

[Spookster]

AND the Stockport city race is on the Harvester Weekend! (I think...)

Which makes it a convenient stop-off on the way back to Sheffield from South Wales (assuming your Harvester team has finished, collected its trophy, and left the event by 9am ).

Might make the last race of the series - but only as we're hosting it

Is that on Sat 21st or Sun 22nd November?

[graeme]

Certainly convenient on the way home, but why would you go via Sheffield to get your trophy back to Edinburgh?

[ba-ba]

one of our teams could have finished and picked up a trophy by 9am, but not the one with me in it! Shame, really enjoyed Stockport last year.
As for the Sheffield Race - not entirely sure what date has been set yet. Faz is organising it, all I have is 'chasing sprint?' on the 21st. I dare say info will come thick and fast once our exams are over!

[awk]

Have I missed discussion of the fixtures clash on 12th September? The second fantastic London City Race is set against the Dales Weekend and the JIRCs in Northern Ireland!

The clash between the Dales Weekend and JIRCs is not one Airienteers wanted. Indeed, we argued against it when the JIRCs were moved to our traditional date, but the decision was presumably taken at a higher level that this was acceptable. Certainly, they were aware of the clash!

In terms of why it was moved, Fixtures Committee's Mar 2008 minutes indicate that it is because of the Scottish school holidays, which start at the end of June/beginning of July, and the SOA rep stated that SOA couldn't host it as a result. I'm not certain why this has now become a problem, as it's always been this date since the event started in 1993, and SOA have successfully hosted before, but maybe something has changed? The Mar 2009 minutes also indicate some uncertainly as to whether the JIRCs will stay in September or revert to June/July - the chair was seeking clarification from the regional co-ordinators about an unminuted decision taken at their meeting at the last JIRCs. So it's definitely September this year, not certain at this moment beyond there. Ironic really, given that we have moved the Dales Trophy date in future to avoid this clash

Having said that, it will only affect a small minority of classes at the Dale Weekend. The YHOA Champs at the Dales Weekend is an issue for the YHOA committee , and maybe one that should be reviewed, although I gather there's not YHOA meeting until very close to the date.

Having the London City Race on the same weekend as JIRCs and/or the Dales Weekend, is not one that concerns me as Aire club chair, and it certainly hasn't come up for any serious discussion at club committee, apart from a few irritated grumbles from those of us who do enjoy both! The City Race isn't really aimed at the bulk of those taking part in JIRCs (the entry last year ties in with that), and the Dales Weekend is over 200 miles away, with a generally different market. A few of us have a choice to make, so it does affect me personally, but for many one or the other will be a comfortable priority, and I don't think either event will significantly affect the other. For the record, there were 43 members of the northern associations running at the London City Race last year, about a third of whom were from Airienteers.

All in all, I think the Dales Weekend could lose maybe 40 or so potential entries, mostly to the JIRCs, not something with which we are particularly happy, but something that we will have to learn to live with, recognising that the fixtures list is very crowded with attractive events.

[alanbrett]

For those coming to the London City Race on the Saturday, it is likely that the Sunday that weekend will see the Southern Score Champs.

[awk]

For those coming to the London City Race on the Saturday, it is likely that the Sunday that weekend will see the Southern Score Champs.

Are you able to say where? Quite a few of us will, I suspect, be travelling by public transport, and a big bonus of the last weekend was the super event that LOK organised on Hampstead Heath - easily accessible by Tube, and excellent courses and map. Indeed the course I ran would have been a strong candidate for best planning of the year, and certainly made it one of the best orienteering weekends in 2008.

[SJ]

Sunday 13th September is also the day of the SLOW trail challenge half marathon (also 12k, 6k and 2k mini for kids) at Ham Riverside/Richmond Park.
Usually attracts a good crowd, including a Runners World road runner last year who got lost in the bowels of Richmond Park...