Midland Champs

[SeanC]

Not rocket science to see where this is going.

Worth spelling it out though as it's easy to be in denial/not want to think about it. Extrapolating that data... roughly half the number of adult orienteers in 20 years time ... and therefore half the number of events (big events at any rate), half the number of clubs etc.

[IkeySol]

Sorry AWK sees it a retrogade to use pin punches for the Saturday event. The reason is that NOR is a small club and to put on a National event stretches all its resources on that day. Hence a do it yourself run with an SI start and finish.

Not just AWK, it was me who mentioned it first. Im sure the area is lovely but when I came back to orienteering 5 years ago one of the great things I found was the introduction of electronic punching and pre printed maps. Orienteering wise I have zero nostalgia for the old days at all other than the fact I used to be quite fast and a lot less fat when I was younger!

Id be interested to see the numbers that enter the first day, is it a lot less the the championships?

[Clive Coles]

The balance the argument ~ I am going to Felbrigg. It's a smashing area which has not been overused. And , with the BOF discount you can have a run for just £5. IMO well worth the effort. I am in fact giving the Championship a miss ~ someone else can contest the wooden spoon.

All clubs hosting an Area Championship face the challenge of staging an additional event on the day before so as to create an interesting weekend of orienteering. NOR could have chosen to stage an Urban or Middle distance race ~ this would however have been a greater organisational commitment.

The retro idea is something different. I personally have no complaint about using control cards and pin punches. It's the same for everyone. I am sure the planner will provide a good navigational challenge to make your courses interesting.

So why not just come and enjoy a day of fun together with a day of challenging Championship competition. Thank you NOR.

[awk]

All clubs hosting an Area Championship face the challenge of staging an additional event on the day before so as to create an interesting weekend of orienteering. .

Not necessarily. Indeed, I wouldn't expect a club to host a double header just because they are putting an area champs on. If one is needed (and it's certainly potentially attractive, although not if the fixtures list gets too loaded with them) then surely another club, perhaps in the same association, can host a Saturday race, and leave clubs like NOR to get on with their own event. In the 'old' days, the area champs were often put on by an association.

No disrespect to NOR - good for them that they are putting the event on. I for one was simply explaining why it wasn't one we had entered, especially as we are going down for the weekend. From feedback both today and last night, i don't think IkeySol and I are alone.

[Clive Coles]

We do in fact co-operate between clubs in East Anglia to stage multi-days, for example: Thetford Thrash ( CUOC & WAOC) and the Dumpling/Punch ( NOR & SUFFOC) The CSC regional round is always organised by the association.

For these events we utilise areas around Thetford and Cambridge , these being reasonably central for our region. This makes it easier for clubs to share the organisational burden.

The problem for the classic distance Area championship is that we believe it should be staged on technically challenging areas ~ with the best will in the world East Anglia has it's technical limitations. We cannot change that. The Cromer ridge is the exception, but this is right in the north of our region.

We therefore do the best we can with the geographical constraints of the region.

[EddieH]

I note that the pin punching event is registered as a level A event

[smf]

I note that the pin punching event is registered as a level A event

Thats a bug with the multi day events online registration system, they all have to be the same level eg the Scottish Six days rest day event is a level B.

[Gross]

I hear Oentries has improved it's payment gateway and added new features.
Event organisers should check it out: http://oentries.com/tour

Wonder where you heard that??????

[Clive Coles]

It's not a bug ~ it's a "feature". There is a fundamental design flaw in the BOF data model that has been there since the outset of the previous database.

The oversight was pointed out at the time; BOF were too involved in testing to have the time to rectify the situation before the system was launched. They have yet to return to correct the outstanding "features".

A) the model assumes that all events at a multi-day are staged at the same level. Day 1 - Felbrigg is not a level A event. That, I believe, is why Fabian is charging local BOF members the non-discounted rate for Felbrigg. ( you should be able to get your £2 back at the event !)

B) the model also assumes that multi-days are always staged by the same regional association. That caused an event registration problem when SMOC (EAOA) and LEI (EMOA) tried to stage a Midland Sprint and Middle Distance multi-day Championship last year.

Computers can, and should make life simple .

[SJC]

It's not a bug ~ it's a "feature". There is a fundamental design flaw in the BOF data model that has been there since the outset of the previous database.

Quite a useful bug though.

If searching for the Level A Sunday events it is useful to have the corresponding Saturday event automatically appear as well. Otherwise it is far too easy to miss them.

[Arnold]

A few random comments:
- I don't think the MW21/35 situation is all doom and gloom. Yes there are many fewer of them at your average badge event, but new style events (urban, evening) are still attracting a good share of them, as are Big Events like the JK. Venice has 800 21s out of 4,000 total. Orienteering will shrink a bit overall and in particular there will be fewer mid level events (big organisation, small numbers) but that's not a bad thing in my view
- I think all Big Events including Area Champs should have a Saturday race attached to them (as is BOFs proposal) but of course it doesn't have to be organised by the same club
- Last time I ran at Sheringham (British Nights maybe 07?) they used a different map for the Night race than for the Day race, because both planners decided to do their own separate map. One of them was a lot better than the other so I hope they go for that one as it's a lovely area...

[NFKleanne]

Online entry has been extended till 12th Feb.

[Timsands]

After reading the final details, I am concerned that my decision to make the long journey was correct. I have entered M60 to find I am running 7.2km, 375m climb with 26 controls. The number of controls and climb appear extreme. Not having previously run at Sherringham I can only conclude the planner has been driven to these extremes owing to shortfalls in the area. I am now debating if it is worth making the journey. Perhaps somebody with more knowledge of the area and reasons for the large number of controls and extreme lengths of climb can comment.

[mikey]

There's routegadget available for the most recent version of the Sheringham map. Expect lots of contours - lots of short legs across/around reentrants - mainly runnable wood apart from the famous rhododendrons.

It is a very nice area and IMHO well worth a drive (but don't blame me if you don't enjoy it ) (and I'm not involved in the organisation!)

[EddieH]

Without a doubt East Anglia's best area by some margin. Very enjoyable. I'd like to be there if it weren't 1000 miles or so round trip.