Area Sprint/Middle Champs

[Scott]

Given that we're going to have (are having?) a BOF Competitions Framework review: should there be English Area (Southern/Midlands/Northern) Sprint and Middle championships?

I know that some English associations are starting to organise regional sprint (and middle?) champs, but the number of proper sprint and middle races with a decent level of competition is still pretty low, especially now that the Age-Class and Elite British Sprint (and Middle) champs are going to be combined.

What do you think? Would these be (a) three more high-quality weekends of sprint and middle racing a year, (b) six more events that nobody will want to organise, or (c) the straw that breaks the back of our over-congested fixtures calendar?

[graeme]

Judging by previous discussions here, I reckon anything the Scots are doing you should just copy.

Mind you, it would be a really bad plan not to come and learn about best practice at...
Scottish Sprint Championships Sat. 6 Mar. 2010 (warm up for the BNC).

[RJ]

Depends on whether we carefully set them up for target audiences.... or do the usual thing and make them open to all and sundry, possibly by having other events tagged on at the same venue.

I go for the former. For example.... the Peter Palmer Relays is a wonderful event. The audience is smallish and caters for a 'minority'. True there is a high volunteer input. But even so I am more than happy to plan a minority event if I then get other events I can go to.

One of the ways to improve the sport is to have all the different disciplines on offer. You can't go to them all.... there just isn't enough time. But you choose those venues that are close, if travelling is a problem.... or the long distance courses because you want value for money, etc. etc.

[mikey]

There'll be Midland sprint and middle championships next year courtesy of SMOC and LEI.

[greywolf]

Framework review: should there be English Area (Southern/Midlands/Northern) Sprint and Middle championships?

Yes by all means...but don't make the same mistake as was made with the Area Long Champs and inflate them to L1 / National events

[Scott]

There'll be Midland sprint and middle championships next year courtesy of SMOC and LEI.

Awesome! Are they going to be on the same weekend? (Not implying that they should/shouldn't be, just curious.)

[Clive Coles]

Yes ~ currently registered on BOF Fixtures website for 23/24th October. SMOC hope to use OU campus for Sprint & LEI hope to use Irchester for the middle distance.

Sadly we cannot show it as a Multiday event on the BOF system at the moment as the folk who defined the data model never envisaged clubs from different associations actually working together to stage a weekend of orienteering. Something on the web development "still to be done" list.

As for whether or not this will become an annual fixture.... who knows ?

We don't have any body where Area Officers regularly get together. The Federation is run through Regional Associations ~ we never meet as an Area.

In this instance LEI & SMOC took the initiative and EAOA and EMOA committees backed the idea. Annual Multidays are however a commitment. Whether email contacts will suffice for building a sustainable fixture remains to be proved. For 2010 however plans are moving ahead.

Other clubs need to pick up the challenge for 2011 and beyond. I cannot imagine LEI & SMOC want to organise this fixture every year !

[Scott]

Excellent - I shall endeavour to be there...

Another idea (I'm full of them this evening): Area Relay Champs? Maybe paired with the Area Long Champs? We could steal the Scottish Relays format...

[Scott]

but don't make the same mistake as was made with the Area Long Champs and inflate them to L1 / National events

I know it's not always going to desirable (with terrain being in season at different times etc), but in theory is there anything to stop two L1 events being held on the same day? I wouldn't really see the Southern Champs and Northern Champs - or Midlands Champs and Scottish (yes, I know it's not technically L1) Champs - being on the same day as a clash, given a bit of common-sense coordination so that (for example) DEE don't organise the Northern Champs in the same year as TVOC organise the Southern Champs.

The main problem I can see is when one or other of the Area Champs gets designated as an FCC/UK Cup/selection race...

[greywolf]

is there anything to stop two L1 events being held on the same day?

might be better to have them all as L2 and then they can be on the same day if thats what the organising clubs come up with...it was a fanciful and nostalgic BOF notion to think that a) we needed more L1 races (given the proliferation of British Champs etc) and b) L1 status would be a guarantee of quality - in fact all L1 adds is an M21E race and this year you'd've had more chance of finding better terrain / stronger field /proper length course at an L3 event ....

[Arnold]

Strangely there is a South-Eastern Spint & Middle Champs weekend (has been held for 2-3 years), but no Southern one.

The SE one suffers from quite low attendance (150-200 people) so might be worth upgrading to Southern? But would it really attract that many more people (this year's was in Kent, so would people really travel from Devon, Bristol, even Oxford)?

[SeanC]

Even orienteers from the other end of Kent can be reluctant to make the 45 mile trip from the M25 to Canterbury so those attendances aren't too bad. Definately making a two day event helped, and hopefully this year's event will enhance it's reputation and make it more popular next year.

Not sure if the plan is to always combine the SE sprint champs it with a SE middle distance champs? Last year it was combined with the SE relays.

[Clive Coles]

Back in March, when the idea of a Midland Middle distance /sprint weekend was being considered we took guidance from Major Events as to what level the Sprint compitition should be. We( EAOA & SMOC) were worried about expectations, and whether we should follow the British Sprint Champs model.

Should it be Open or should medals be restricted to Midland Club members. Do we need to award medals ~ where is the funding. What is the demand ~ will there be a high attendance etc.


Mike Forest thought that the initial event at least could be staged to L2 guidelines. The sprint event will be more informal than the British. No medals ~ just come and enjoy the race and make a weekend of it by taking in the Midland Middle Distance Championship on the Sunday.

We need to test how many folk will travel to area based sprint championships. We will not know this however unless we stage one.

[SJC]

We need to test how many folk will travel to area based sprint championships. We will not know this however unless we stage one.

The cost isn't just the travel but also the accommodation (or two long day trips).
Any thoughts about doing both in one day ?
Sprint starts from 10:00 to 11:00.
Middle starts from 2.00 to 3.00.
Although I guess this would involve finding somehere suitable for running both events at the same place, or two venues very close to each other.

[awk]

Yes by all means...but don't make the same mistake as was made with the Area Long Champs and inflate them to L1 / National events

What's the problem with them being L1? National level competition (or at least supra-Regional) and all that?

In answer to the original question - yes! And I agree with you too RJ!

Well done to SMOC and LEI - looks a very interesting weekend.