British Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships

[SYO Member]

Em,

I was about to make my commitment on Sunday but then saw your post about it not being a fund raising exercise. I think we all accept this but still want to assist.

Treat it as a one-off. From what we've all read of your achievements last year and what you've been doing so far this year, you obviously have a great chance of a, dare I say it, gold medal at JWOC and potential medals at MTBO EOC and WOC. Whether it's foot-O or MTBO, it would still be good news for UK orienteering per se.

Problem with the practicality of accepting donations and not wanting to put account details on here? Let's do it via BOF! Although it's easier to do a direct transfer than a cheque, how about this?

You or a third party contact BOF having decided which method is preferred, and post here confirming it. Those interested send an email to BOF who reply (only to BOF members) with the relevant account details for a direct transfer, or an address if a cheque is preferred (or allow either).

It could all be sorted in a couple of days.

I don't think that, as mentioned above, people here just want to feel good about themselves, but instead genuinely want to help you achieve your goals this year.

[Jon Brooke]

Awk said

I get the impression, and somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, that standards are more rigorously adhered to in MTBO than in Trailquests.

You're wrong

Some standards are more rigorously adhered to in some MTBO than in some Trailquests

And vice-versa

[Jon Brooke]

Em said

MTBO is moving away from the TCA due to Trailquest'ers not being interested as they feel the sport encroaches on their turf!

Not sure that you're quite right either. I had done loads of Trailquests (and almost no O) long before I had even heard of MTBO and I went to do the European MTBO champs in Bordeaux in about 1994(?) having done, I think, one previous MTBO event, organised by Colin Palmer who was then chairman of the TCA. I believe at the time that BOF wasn't remotely interested in MTBO, probably as they thought it was encroaching on their turf.

Anyway, I now do more foot-O than Trailquests or MTBOs but have planned the event on Saturday. You'll also find that some of the better MTBO riders, like Steve Heading and John Houllihan (current chairman of the TCA) for example have a background in Trailquests/Polaris Challenge from way back - so lets not try to categorise people as MTBO or Trailquest types. I like both, and so do lots of other people.

[Mrs H]

I was about to make my commitment on Sunday but then saw your post about it not being a fund raising exercise. I think we all accept this but still want to assist.

I think Emily is exploring a few other options but may come back to us if there is a short fall. I hope she will keep us posted.

[Stodgetta]

Reported results from the Long Race..

Mens elite:
1 Andy Conn
2= Bryan Singleton
2= John Houlihan
4 Killian Lomas
5 Mark Stodgell
6 Jimmy Taylor

Womens elite:
1 Em Benham
2 Sarah Bayliss
3 Charlie Sommers-Cocks
4 Helen Clayton

I understand it was tight at the top of the mens race today, while Emily had a clear victory in the womens race.

Tomorrow is the Middle Race.

[kedge]

Provisional Results from today's Long race are available via the WIM website
http://www.wimborne-orienteers.org.uk/wim/homepage.htm

Infuriatingly, given the care I took to make sure all the older style control units we used today had adequate battery life for the event, unit 562 died half way through the afternoon.

Everyone had the sense to punch their maps and I don't think that it has affected any placings other than the fact that its possible the two guys who finished 2nd= on Course A might not have dead-heated.

For those studying the splits, Course A,B & C had two road crossings for which the split times are removed, and Course A had a section of six controls to be taken in any order after control 16 on their course, this to avoid direct racing on a bridle way, which is not allowed.

[ifor]

Thanks for the event and the quick results. I felt I was flying along but still just not consistantly fast enough and then messing up for 2 mins at 569 did not help. I don't thinck I can go any quicker for the middle tommorow but we will see.

[kedge]

The results for Sunday's Middle Distance event are now available via the SARUM website http://www.sarumo.org.uk/index.html

[mharky]

That has got to be one of the worst club websites out there. Sort it out SARUM.

[Homer]

Must agree with Mharky. I can't see those results anywhere..........

[xxx]

Will splits be entered on the results? Mine got soggy and I can't read them..

[Jon Brooke]

I'm sure whoever voluntarily looks after the SARUM website will be delighted with the constructive criticism.

[Marco Polo]

No waterproof paper in the splits printer- whatever next

[greywolf]

Ow, my eyes...
Mharky's being restrained - that is truely hideous!
If we have any change from the whip-round for Emily's WOC trip maybe it could pay for a web-design manual...

[Scott]

I'm sure whoever voluntarily looks after the SARUM website will be delighted with the constructive criticism.

Well, criticising constructively:

• White writing on a brightly-coloured background is notoriously difficult to read
• The garish mishmash of colours itself isn't particularly easy on the eye
• There's far too much stuff on the homepage, and there doesn't seem to be much structure to the layout, making it difficult to find what you're looking for
• Away from the homepage, some side-menus would make navigation around the site much easier