Are our Elite spoiled brats or prima donnas?

[frog]

It was good in showing orienteering as something where you keep moving, so perhaps alot of standing around discussing route choices would have ruined that. At the SOL on Sun very few of us were stationary. It would have been nice to have routegadget type dots following the bit of Mark's course like in ? the Jukola (tend to get this and Tiomila muddled never having been to either) but probably too complex for a 5 minute slot.
Why do sportscotland give a monkeys about whether Scotland gets 2015woc or not? Aren't they going in Salmond's bonfire of the quangos, or have they been reprieved?

[andypat]

Asked to say and not say by who?

clearly by someone who had heard of Mharky.....

[mharky]

Frog > It's Event Scotland, not Sport Scotland. They are two completely different bodies. Event Scotland support the staging of major events within Scotland. For example, the Edinburgh XC, the World Duathlon Champs last year in Edinburgh and the MTB World Cup / Champs at Fort William are a few of their sporting events.

[frog]

Sorry, getting my Scottish quangos muddled.

[AndyC]

Asked to say and not say by who?

clearly by someone who had heard of Mharky.....

If I remember my grammar coreectly shouldn't it be "whom" ?

[frog]

Shouldn't you be on mumsnet with comments like that?

[AndyC]

I was in pedant mood and had just been listening to Alan Partridge arguing about that issue

[andypat]

If I remember by grammar coreectly shouldn't it be "whom" ?

I just don't know where to begin.......

[Kitch]

at the little red triangle

[DeerTick]

I was in pedant mood and had just been listening to Alan Partridge arguing about that issue

I beg your pardon!! I did not say a word!

AP

[harry]

YES we are spoilt brats. In a way. We've made an alternative lifestyle choice and despite the costs we feel lucky to live the dream!

Example: Olav Lundanes has recently been reported as living below the poverty line in Norway - which probably means that in most of the World he would be classed as quite well off - but he feels that he is living in paradise.

It's sad that the attitude to "elites" is so bad within UK orienteering. There are still plenty of British orienteers who champion the "elite" side of the sport but in general "young" ie <35 yrs-ish orienteers trying to push their limits and improve and compete nationally and perhaps internationally seem to be much less supported (than in Norway). How many UK orienteering clubs have an "elite" budget/ coaching team/ goals/ plan? -Luckily most at least have this for juniors but maybe not seniors?

My club in Norway has 3 main goals which seem to be more or less equally important:-
1. Put on quality orienteering events
2. Attract newcomers to the sport
3. Compete ie active junior & senior team achieving nationally and internationally.

All members of the club help and work together to fulfill these 3 goals. We are all expected to help at events, organise training and participate in club activities.

Of course the Veterans in the club also compete but in general the recognition of their results and the resources they get to improve are less.

Is this outrageous?
How would you rank the importance of the 3 goals above for your club?
Does your club have other goals? (I'm actually interested not just stirring the pot)

[SeanC]

I would add point 4) Keep people in the club (mainly through coaching and good communication).

Personally I have never heard an anti-elite comment in the 8 or so years I have been in my club. However I think there are lots of people who don't have much or any idea about elite orienteering. Most of us are over 40 recreational orienteers - some might take it seriously enough to train - injuries permitting, but many just enjoy a run in the woods. Many don't read CompassSport, or Focus, or BOF website or Nopesport.

The problem might be if and when these orienteers with limited understanding of elite orienteering are asked to fund elite orienteering personally through higher levies or membership. There will be some that believe their sport should be as cheap as it always has been (despite the other financial pressures from falling membership and reduced government funding) and will need convincing.

[Mrs H]

. Many don't read CompassSport,

Shurly shome mishtake

[HOCOLITE]

Go to a WOC in a foreign country and attend a "meet the elite session". It was one of the best experiences I've had in O. The GB team were human, approachable and even showed an interest in how we found the competition in the 'spectator races' .

[AlanB]

Asked to say and not say by who?

clearly by someone who had heard of Mharky.....

If I remember by grammar coreectly shouldn't it be "whom" ?

Shouldn't that be my grammar?