JK Start Times

[rocky]

Are online - but buried deep in the SI website.

https://www.sientries.co.uk/list.php?ev ... 285&page=1

[Mrs H]

I was just looking at those Rocky and scratching my head - there are some very unbalanced times in there. Young Neville has two 10.40ish starts which don't tie in with ours or the rest of Shuoc's. Don't see that it can be a seeding issue as his and ours are not championship courses - lots of people seem to have two start times more or less the same - I wonder if there is a reason for it.

[Vidalos]

Yep it seems there is no consideration of balanced start times for the masses and you got what ever you asked for ! So the people who asked for late or very late start times have got them !

[Mrs H]

But Neville was on our entry form and asked for the same things and yet is not in our start blocks. Ah well at least I might get to see him run in for once.

[Spookster]

I can't see start times at all on that page.

[entries-sec]

Sorry, folks - we'll be taking the start times off the web for today.

We want all the Elites to have a run on Day 2 (ten would have been selected off, which would have spoiled the competition) so we're extending one of the Starts to get them all in. Plus we forgot to allocate times for parents on second split - whoops.

Christine

[DJM]

Contrary to popular opinion, there is no requirement for balanced starts at the JK:

Entrants should be allowed a choice of early/middle/late start times (for the JK
this should apply to each day separately, e.g. an entrant may choose late starts
on both days). Each entrant should then be allocated a start time at random
within the appropriate band, except for seeded competitors who should be dealt
with as under 2.2.1 above.

Appendix L: Selection, Seeding and Start Lists

[IanD]

Contrary to popular opinion, there is no requirement for balanced starts at the JK:

It would be interesting to see whether popular - or at least Nopesport - opinion thinks there ought to be a requirement for balanced start times at the JK? Personally, I think there should be.

[SJC]

there ought to be a requirement for balanced start times at the JK? Personally, I think there should be.

Why ?

What is wrong with giving everyone the start times they ask for ?

[seabird]

Previous threads have contained the suggestion that there is evidence that the later the start the more advantageous it is.

Personal and anecdotal experience would suggest that very early starts are disadvantageous, i.e. you are breaking the trail! (Or am I just trying to explain my slow orienteering speed?) Not sure whether anything beyond a very early start, continues to diminish the advantage of a late start.

The last time this was discussed that I can recall was over the White Rose only being prepared to give prizes to runners with balanced start times. I think we concluded that was their right.

Must admit I haven't put a start preference as I assumed they were balanced. If I'd realised, I'd have put an early start down for both days - solely on the grounds that my non-orienteering entourage hate hanging around long into the day.

[graeme]

It's well documented over many years that a lateish start time is advantageous, so its clearly unfair. On the other hand, giving people what they want makes it more enjoyable. I think the clue is in the title: JK Festival of orienteering - enjoyment overrides fairness.

I'm sure this rule was changed quite recently, does anyone know why?

[Pat M]

I'm not sure about everyone getting the start times they requested - we asked for late and have got 11am, which will be a challenge. At least there shouldn't be too many tailbacks on the M5 at 6am...

[Mrs H]

I'm still left wondering where on the scale of fairness and enjoyment does ours' and Neville's divergent starts times lie more time to sit around chatting I suppose

[mappingmum]

and eating cake . . . .

[EddieH]

It's weird that we beat ourselves up about almost everything, yet our allocation of starts is really appreciated by Scandinavians when they come here. Over there every class has a 2 minute (no gaps) start interval. Thus my mum for example may be in a field of 2 who will both be given start times 2 minutes apart, possibly early afternoon whereas M55 might be the early starters - there i no attempt to give groups close starts.

Yes I agre with IanD - great to give people a choice on the Saturday. I asked for late that day because we are staying near Sunday's, on the assumption that we'd be early on Sunday. (I haven't seen the start lst to see what I've actually got as it doesn't seem to be there now.)