London City Race

[mikey]

The two events above look like a really unfortunate clash.

[Slowtochide]

We knew about about the Edinburgh PWT race next year so we were already planning that City of London Race would definitely not be on the weekend of 11/12th September. Our best candidates at present are one of the following two weekends or 2nd weekend in October but for us a lot depends on what else is going on London. We seem to find ourselves in the 'positive but challenging' situation of having a flurry of urban/sprint events being planned but wth co-ordination being in short supply.
Alan L

[paul]

sounds like you need a fixtures committee...

[awk]

or 2nd weekend in October

I really, really hope not!!

[mike g]

A belated thought that I've had as organiser is whether, since it was a level 2 event, we ought to submit the results to the ranking list. I notice that there are no other urban events in the ranking list except for the JK sprint (for which, bizarrely, I have been given points on M35L rather than M35S). What are people's views on whether urban events should be included in it?

[Homer]

What are people's views on whether urban events should be included in it?

Urban races should be included if they are level 2. Hopefully this will encourage more organisers to register their events at level 2.

Not sure how the classes relate to the usual range of courses on offer though. However this won't mattter when the new ranking scheme is in place...

It seems obvious to me that under the present system, the points for the JK Sprint should be given to the relevant long class (rather than short) as there is no option to run (down) to a short class.

[Mrs H]

Yes - I agree on both counts and was just about to make the points before you beat me to it

[graeme]

Hopefully this will encourage more organisers to register their events at level 2.

In the original formulation where Level 2 was about the quality of the experience, big City races were obviously in. Now that BOF think Level is about competitions, and therefore fairness I have some concern.

L2 should be a fair event, but all city races involve road crossings, which are intrinsically unfair. I don't want to encourage people diving in front of cars. Now, you could argue that the unfairness is smaller than forest problems like map vagarities/tracking up, but its different when the solution is to do something dangerous. And it's not just the competitor who is affected, it is the driver too.

I'm not sure whether I buy this argument, but then again I think if L2 is be about quality, the competition takes care of itself.

[distracted]

Now that BOF think Level is about competitions...

Really - what gives you that impression?

I would have thought it is more related to marketing and the intended audience. At the moment, almost all urban races attract a more far-flung audience than you might usually expect, partly because of their relative scarcity. But as they are becoming more popular we're getting more of them, many of which are lower-key, aimed at the "local scene," forming the lower levels of a natural hierarchy which would have the big city races at the top of the tree. The latter will obviously be aimed at a regional, if not national audience.

With numbers of participants growing rapidly, is there a chance that the big races can get too big too quickly? We've already got Cambridge putting restrictions on numbers because of permissions of certain areas... Can a big city race handle 700+, 1000+ people?

[Spookster]

Now that BOF think Level is about competitions...

Really - what gives you that impression?

Yes, that's just what I was wondering...

Can a big city race handle 700+, 1000+ people?

Well, JK2009 had over 1,200 in Newcastle.

As you suggest, we need to put on more local urban races, not just the "big name" city races. I reckon we have nearly enough different bits of Sheffield ISSOM mapped for a "Sheffield Urban League" next year.

[redkite]

There are already quite a few clubs that put on urban race series. SWOC have one a month during the winter, maps vary from sprint standard to pretty basic.

First race this year is in Blaenavon, that well know welsh town, on 21 Oct using a new map drafted by Rhodri, who is also planner and organiser.

[King Penguin]

HOC have a winter midweek Night Street League

[LostOldTimer]

So there are plans for 'something special' for the London City race in 2012 - could it be as part of the Olympics?
Surely it would be great if the City Race could be held around the Olympic stadium / village? Great for the actual orienteering, and great publicity for the sport.
I guess this may be too problematic re. security these days though?

The Final Sprint in the WMOC in Sydney looks good though, as they get to run around Sydney Olympic park, site of the 2000 Olympics.

[andy]

As you suggest, we need to put on more local urban races, not just the "big name" city races. I reckon we have nearly enough different bits of Sheffield ISSOM mapped for a "Sheffield Urban League" next year.

http://adalgleish.net/urbano/

not the best turnout ever, but was fun and will probably be expanded on next year

[paul]

So there are plans for 'something special' for the London City race in 2012 - could it be as part of the Olympics?

I think there are a couple of clubs eyeing up the Stratford environ - especially as a lot of it will be largely car-free...