String Competitors

[mappingmum]

Do people who have recent experience of string courses feel there is a problem with inappropriate "participants" on string courses?

It is a subject matter which crops up time and time again in our household.

The string course is intended for young children to start experiencing orienteering as a fun activity and to learn the basic concepts of orienteering - finding controls, marking their visit and completing the course.

The string course is not intended for juniors who have already learned basic map reading skills and can navigate themselves around yellow and above sucessfully and with confidence.

The reason I raise this debate is that I have seen a group of juniors (with the same club top) running round a string course this weekend at competition speed grabbing control punches from under a 5 year old's nose. Not acceptable, in my opinion. The string course is certainly not a place for juniors to have a mini club competition. Also, many juniors on other occassions visiting the string course for a bit of a laugh, running around at speed, barging into, intimidating and showing no consideration for little ones and spoiling their enjoyment of the string course experience.

Of course, there are always exceptions. I saw a young couple walking round the string course today holding hands (ahhh). How bizarre! I wondered if they were uni students who had to plan a string course soon. Any junior walking round or accompanying a young child round string is OK. And anyone visiting the string course giving young children the time and space to punch and toddle around is also not a problem.

I think if the string course presents no navigation or development challenge to a junior, the string course team leader should be tactfully explaining the purpose and intended audience of the string course to the junior/parents at the point of map issue. Or perhaps as a starter we need to include some guidelines in the final details.

[AndyC]

I agree unacceptable behaviour -if they'd done their "sprint" when there were no youngsters on the course it would be OK but anything that harms or potentially upsets a small child should be stamped on.
You say they were wearing the same club tops? How about an email to the Club Chairman so he can have a word with the parents (most CC will have a good idea who it will be even if "results" aren't published)?