BOC - Closing date

[DavidJ]

I see the following has appeared on the BOC website today:
"Entries for BOC 2010 Individual and Relay have definitely closed. We are sorry if some orienteers have missed out for whatever reason. There is no point in having closing dates (as envisaged in the Rules) if they are ignored and entries taken up to the last minute.
Please note: MOD Stafford closing date has been extended to midnight on Wednesday 21st April. Entry is via Fabian 4."

Is it just me, or do I detect a contradiction in these statements?

I should point out that I am actually in favour of reasonable closing dates and enforcing them so i am not actually criticising the BOC organising team - looking forward to the events!

[Duncan]

If you are referring to the MOD Stafford bit, then I think it is just you . The MOD Stafford event is neither the BOC Individual, nor the BOC Relay.

[DavidJ]

If you are referring to the MOD Stafford bit, then I think it is just you . The MOD Stafford event is neither the BOC Individual, nor the BOC Relay.

I accept that the specific facts are not actually contradictory but the principle being described (no extensions to closing dates) appears to be immediately overturned by extending a closing date.

[Arnold]

They could have probably found a slightly nicer way of saying it.

More generally though, I've always thought that we should accept entries up to the day for all events. We just need to price it at a really expensive level, say twice as much as the normal price. That way everyone wins. The runner who is desperate gets a run, and the club concerned gets a massive bit of extra revenue.

[Jon X]

Speaking as a team manager who has been trying to persuade people to come to BOC to make up relay teams - I guess they won't be coming now if the message to them is that they cannot get an entry for the individual too.

Yes I know there may be good reason for closing entries as many as three weeks beforehand. Although laser printing and waterproof paper do at least mean that final numbers for maps can usually be provided later these days.

Yes I know that late entries are a total hassle and usually involve the organising club in additional data entry (although the variation in contact from apologetic to presumptive to downright rude is usually quite entertaining!).

However I also know that personally I would prefer to run against as many people as possible.....and that the reference to the rules is a bit provocative as what the rules for BOC Long say are 'entry closing date as close as possible to the date of competition'

[EddieH]

I am staggered by this .

I have booked my train tickets so that I can go to the MOD event. The fact that it is pre-entry ONLY is NOT obvious. There is absolutely no link to anywhere from the BOF fixtures page, and, now that I look hard, the ONLY reference I can find to entering the event is pages down on the BOC entry page.

It never occured to me that this would not be EOD and I would imagine that this is the case for several potential punters. I'd have been somewhat annoyed to book my travel around the event only to find myself unable to run.

Thank you Nopesport, but I fear there will be a number of disappointed punters because of dreadful publicity. What is the point of putting the existence of your event on the BOF page with no DETAILS link if you are not allowing EOD Perhaps they don't want us.

[EddieH]

It gets worse. Entries are extended to today, yet on the Fabian4 website entries are definitely CLOSED

[Spookster]

It gets worse. Entries are extended to today, yet on the Fabian4 website entries are definitely CLOSED

I'm looking at Fabian4 now - entries are definitely open, and I'll be entering it later today.

[Oldman]

It gets worse. Entries are extended to today, yet on the Fabian4 website entries are definitely CLOSED

I'm looking at Fabian4 now - entries are definitely open, and I'll be entering it later today.

... and I'm looking at it now and it's not there either as a closed event or one taking entries

[Scott]

It's definitely there at the moment, and with entries open.

[EddieH]

Yes entries reopened shortly after my last post. I assumed there was some link between the two, or maybe it was coincidence.

I maintain my belief that the publicity for the closing date has been pathetic, and were I on a committee attached to it, I'd push for printing extra and allowing EOD.

[Soldja Boi]

The start times for the UK Cup event have now been published on the Fabian4 website.