Venice street race

[Arnold]

What an amazing race. I'm sure you'll love it Mrs H. My 14th time and looking forward to it more each year!

Of course if you want to compete in WOC 2014 you'll have to be careful where you go, as it'll be used for one of the Sprint events :

http://anfr.tripod.com/woc2014/venezia-venice.html

In terms of accommodation the cheapest is off the main island, either on the Lido (20 mins to event centre by waterbus) or Mestre, but are "normal cities". On the island the nearer you go to the train station the cheaper it gets. But if you look around the Internet you should be able to find decent deals as it's off season.

Details should be up 10th of September but as others have said, there won't be any surprises in them. Assembly is always the same as is 90% of the rest of the information. They're pretty chilled about the whole thing but the organisation is spot on, they've never had any issues in 30 years, apart from the odd spot of acqua alta..

[Mrs H]

This is all great and really useful advice - but I must admit I'm having a job deciding on accommodation - i could get a really nice hotel if I cashed in some Airmiles - and maybe that would be a good use of them as they seem to be going to the wall - but you know me and Mr H aren't really posh hotel people and usually settle for cheap and cheerful.

I'm toying with the idea of self-catering - they seem to do apartments by the night and then we would not be eating out all the time. anyone any experience of that?

Sorry to sound so parsimonious - but I like to make my holiday budget go a long way and I've got quite a few other things in the pipeline this winter. Also doesn't help having one child technically unemployed, one on unpaid placement for a year and one about to go off to uni for the first time. Still at least that is an end to worrying about school holidays for ever - yay

[Arnold]

Self catering sounds like a good option though have never done it myself. It's hard to find the proper supermarkets in Venice (not very many and quite hidden) so make sure you ask where they are, otherwise you'll end up paying a fortune through small shops.

And the food in Venice is generally very average (with some exceptions) so you wouldn't be missing out on that much. Also near the event centre is a place that sells wine out of vats by the litre as long as you bring your own plastic bottle - never actually bought anything but must say have been tempted.

Personally I'd go for somewhere cheap and cheerful on the island, rather than something cheap off the island, as it's nice to be fully "immersed" in it. But no question it will cost more.

[madmike]

Cheap and cheerful accomm for Mrs H maybe; however, cheap wine from a plastic bottle

I suspect not somehow

[Mrs H]

Well I've booked a little apartment for 50 Euro a night the other side of the Rialto bridge - so that's plenty of walking but I'll get a pass for the vaporetto. I've registered my "team" I guess we don't pay until we get there - is that right? I didn't know what course to enter for the ark race so I just put down the same as Wendles Is that run from the same place?

Geting quite excited

[madmike]

Enter any course you like at the Park Race - doesn't really matter.

I think I may try and take on you and Wendles at the Park Race to try and get my back for all those massive defeats at White Rose

[Spookster]

I guess we don't pay until we get there - is that right? I didn't know what course to enter for the ark race so I just put down the same as Wendles Is that run from the same place?

Yep, pay cash when you get there.

And yes, the park race is generally in the same place (same assembly and changing, toilets, etc) but the start is usually to the east of assembly, in the easier part of the city that includes some parks and big open streets.

This year's park race may differ, as that part of the city is also subject to embargo for WOC 2014.

[epocian]

I didn't know what course to enter for the ark race so I just put down the same as Wendles

Are you expecting unusually high tides this year?

[Wendles]

Lots of very useful advice here, thankyou everyone! Mrs H we are using our airmiles for the flight and staying in a hotel (who have been very helpful) recommended by EPOC pals. We are there Thursday till Tuesday so maybe a meal is in order somewhere?

We were told that the MM and WM were long courses (about 3.8k and 3.3k) last year. Got to get your money's worth whilst you're there we thought!

[awk]

staying in a hotel (who have been very helpful) recommended by EPOC pals.

Sadly full when we tried but we've got in elsewhere at the eastern end of the island.
For the first time ever we'll probably get there in time for the park race, but think we'll still just run Sunday. Am actually running to class for the first time - hope it's as long as last year, as the previous years were shorter (one of the very few races where we actually take a "value for money" approach).

[Mrs H]

so maybe a meal is in order somewhere?

Sounds like my idea of an "evening out"

(If you don't get that joke check out the thread on the new forestry agreement - it's still making me snork)

[Charlie]

Is there any where that describes the available classes, particularly for the parkO? My wife will want to do something easy (both days).

What are they talking about in the bus access part? Is this for teams driving to Piazzale Roma?

[epocian]

Is there any where that describes the available classes, particularly for the parkO? My wife will want to do something easy (both days).

What are they talking about in the bus access part? Is this for teams driving to Piazzale Roma?

Park O details should be available when they put race details up on their website
usually there's a Long & short course for both Men & Women
Last year Men's long was 3.8km and Women's long 3.3km

No idea about buses as we always stay in Venice, but should imagine it's for the many Italian teams who come on the day

[Freefall]

After an invitation of sorts from Goggi (who stayed with me at Oban) I have taken the plunge and booked Mrs M and I on a flight to Venice arriving Wednesday night from Newcastle. Will book places on the race and take some Euros to pay when we get there. Reading up on the advice on this forum thank you everyone. Look forward to seeing you there (and other places such as the OMM Mike?)

[madmike]

Indeed Freefall - the OMM first and then Venice. Fortunately my new Italian Army Boss understands orienteering (did it as akid) so is happy for me to head back for the OMM