British Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships

[SeanC]

Don't know if this is true of the SARUM website but I know that other club websites were built in the last century when such web design fashion fau paux were commonplace, not helped by the limited tools for building websites that existed then.

The SARUM website person and others might appreciate some advice about the best software for building a quick, simple and easy to maintain website. There are probably some experts reading this. Or could this job even be outsourced to a private company at a rate affordable to clubs?

[Mrs H]

I was going to say maybe it was something BOF could offer a template for like with the publicity material - but on second thoughts given the problems with their own still to be completed website - maybe not!

[Wayward-O]

I note that the selections for the World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships have been posted on Brit-O website with a whole 24 hours to reply!

Also, Brit-O appear to be taking the lead on these selections as response is to Hilary whereas previous responses have been to the TCA.

[Spookster]

The SARUM website person and others might appreciate some advice about the best software for building a quick, simple and easy to maintain website. There are probably some experts reading this. Or could this job even be outsourced to a private company at a rate affordable to clubs?

Joomla seems good. I'm just converting an old static website into a new dynamic one, using Joomla. It's easy, and it's free.

[stodge]

Getting back on topic here is a race report (mainly from my point of view)
http://www.stodgell.co.uk/?p=611

Thanks to the organisers of both days for all their hard work, and supplying more seasonal weather than the previous weekend !

[stodge]

Oh and don't forget to follow the Great Britain Team at next weeks European Champs.
We fly on Saturday and Sunday, Races start on Tuesday.

http://www.eocmtbo2009.dk/

And why not become a fan of 'British Mountain Bike Orienteering Team' on facebook.

[RS]

Wayward-O [quote]Also, Brit-O appear to be taking the lead on these selections as response is to Hilary whereas previous responses have been to the TCA.

Very surprised to read that as some selections would not appear to be potential medal winners and in foot O would not be considered by BOF.

[kedge]

RS wrote

Very surprised to read that as some selections would not appear to be potential medal winners and in foot O would not be considered by BOF.

I'm sure that stodge and the rest of the MTBO team will be really encouraged by your supportive comments.

If we take your suggestions on selection to its logical conclusion, how many athletes would we be sending to this year's World Champs? A Men's relay team to the Foot-O and Dave Gittus in the Trail-O, perhaps.

[mharky]

Anyone know where the Europeans are next year?

[stodge]

apparently Worlds and Europeans are switching to Bi-Annual, so no Europeans next year, Worlds are in Portugal.

[AndyC]

RS wrote

Very surprised to read that as some selections would not appear to be potential medal winners and in foot O would not be considered by BOF.

I'm sure that stodge and the rest of the MTBO team will be really encouraged by your supportive comments.

If we take your suggestions on selection to its logical conclusion, how many athletes would we be sending to this year's World Champs? A Men's relay team to the Foot-O and Dave Gittus in the Trail-O, perhaps.

Don't forget John Crosby in the Trail-O he would be a medal hope again.

Maybe the theory in the MTBO is that lots of people could have mechanical difficulties and a "lucky rider" from down the field could end up on the podium -or exposing people to an opportunity to develop? Anyway I'm sure the team will do us proud

[RS]

As usual, someone misinterprets posts again (Kedge this time ). I was not casting aspersions on Stodge et al and Em is as near to a certainty to win a medal that you can get.

[kedge]

RS,
I took your comments on selection to mean that there was little point in sending someone to a World Championships unless there was a very real chance of them gaining a medal. If that's not what you meant, perhaps you could explain.

Are you suggesting that GB shouldn't enter teams unless they are nailed on certainties? There will be a fair number of GB Foot-O selections who won't medal this summer. They will probably be, however, the best elite orienteers we currently have. Are you suggesting we don't send them?

The MTBO team were selected as a result of their performances over the season, including last weekend's events. They are the best we have available.They have trained hard for this, will be proud to represent GB in Israel, and will be spending a lot of their own money to do so. They deserve our support, not aspersions about whether they are good enough to go.

And you never know. You can always dream. A few years ago, I was a member of the GB team which won the Paralympic Team trophy at the World Trail-O Champs in Japan. I was only in the team because Dave Gittus,usually our star performer, was the IOF controller for the event. We weren't expected to win, but we did.

[RS]

Kedge,
I was thinking that it looked like BOF might come up with some funding and instead of spreading it thinly, give the majority to one of the people who can least afford to go but has the best chance of a medal...and that's Emily. By all means help the others but particularly those who have had to fund themselves in previous Eu/woc champs.

[kedge]

I think, sadly, that much as British Orienteering would like to be able to help support all competitors selected for international duty, it simply doesn't have the funds.

British Orienteering gets money for international Foot-O from the various funding bodies, but any support for for the minor disciplines of MTBO and Trail-O has to come from its own income which it gets from things like the levy, the JK surpluses etc.

Consequently, although they will always pay entry fees and some part of costs like accommodation & travel, the individual inevitably has to pay a substantial part of the cost of representing their country.

Over the last few years my appearances in the GB Trail-O squad used up most of my holiday budget for the year - not a hardship for a single person, and I was always able to add the odd extra day or two to the end of a trip to explore a bit of the country I was competing in.

But not everyone can do this and I'm sure there may have been cases of folk making themselves unavailable because they couldn't afford to go if selected.

It looks as if the MTBO selection is the bare minimum to keep the costs down - 3 senior men, 3 senior ladies, with no reserves plus the two very promising W20's.