What events do BOF own?

[orienteeringUK]

BOF seem to have been having imparting numerous changes (for better or worse) on many of our biggest and best races and events in the last few years. But do they have the right to do so.

They seem to be the de facto controllers of every national competition we have, although they often had very little to do with the creation of these competitions in the first place.

So who actually owns or controls these races. Does BOF, as the holders of the rules to the competitions actually own the "brand"?

[haloite]

Interesting to see where The "Nopesport Urban League" might end up?
The "British Orienteering National Urban League" anyone? - do you think they dare??

[Roger]

Interesting to see where The "Nopesport Urban League" might end up?
The "British Orienteering National Urban League" anyone? - do you think they dare??

Nope.

[IanD]

Interesting to see where The "Nopesport Urban League" might end up?
The "British Orienteering National Urban League" anyone? - do you think they dare??

The "Senior Competitions" page of the British Orienteering website http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/page/national_senior_competitions mentions the "UK Cities Cup".

[brooner]

Interesting to see where The "Nopesport Urban League" might end up?
The "British Orienteering National Urban League" anyone? - do you think they dare??

The "Senior Competitions" page of the British Orienteering website http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/page/national_senior_competitions mentions the "UK Cities Cup".

Which hasn't existed since 2007...

[haloite]

Sounds exciting!!
"UK Cities Cup -
Orienteering moves from the countryside into the urban jungle for this multi-race series. Athletes will take over the mean streets of some of the biggest and most intricate city street networks and parks in the UK and battle it out to find who can become King and Queen of the Urban Jungle."

[AndyC]

Trouble is I seem to remember it being mentioned here some time ago and nothing following

[haloite]

Not knowing the history - but didn't it become The "Nopesport Urban League"? An "Unofficial" (i.e. not endorsed by BOF - and there's nothing wroing with that!) "British National Urban League" - or, if you will, "The UK Cities Cup"?
I'd really like to see a Sprint / Park Race Series as well.......please......anyone??

[Big Jon]

The Scottish Orienteering League is not owned by BOF and is thriving. Deeside Night Cup (Britain's premier night event series) - not owned by BOF - is also thriving. Plenty of good competitions and leagues etc north of the border, run by competitors for competitors. Come up here and enjoy your orienteering.

[LostAgain]

The Scottish Orienteering League is not owned by BOF and is thriving. Deeside Night Cup (Britain's premier night event series) - not owned by BOF - is also thriving. Plenty of good competitions and leagues etc north of the border, run by competitors for competitors. Come up here and enjoy your orienteering.

Not sure that is what Haloite wants

[Big Jon]

No, you are probably correct "lost again" but it was a good chance to publicise some of Scotland's top class events and leagues!

[haloite]

If I had legs like tree-trunks with the aerobic capacity of a top flight Kenyan marathon runner and the technical ability of an elite orienteer, then I'd probably choose Scotland (or The Lakes) to live, but as I don't I'll just stick to Urban and Sprint Orienteering with a bit of (nice runnable) forest orienteering, now and again!

b.t.w. I was hoping someone might volunteer to put together a UK-wide Sprint / Park Series / League - something along the lines of what Nopesport is doing with the Nopoesport Urban League for Urban Racing

[Roger]

Not knowing the history - but didn't it (UK Cities Cup) become The "Nopesport Urban League"?

I was holding back on this one, but as someone's asked: Nopesport set up the UK Cities Cup, but only the top few Open Men and Open Women scored points, along the lines of the UK Cup. I thought that this was a bit elitist (not meant pejoratively) and that there would be demand / interest in a league where points went much further down, in a wider range of age categories. Hence the Urban League was born as a counterpoint to the Cities Cup (with just a spreadsheet, for interest / fun only); Nopesport then adopted it and now we have prizes, cachet and boosted attendances.

[Paul Frost]

Nopesport then adopted it and now we have prizes, cachet and boosted attendances.

It has become a trusted "Brand", like the Scottish 6 Days, White Rose, SinS etc.

Which is what British Orienteering would like to achieve for "their" events. But when there is no fixed identity it's hard to control the "image".
Most of the successful orienteering event brands are "owned" by the same group of people every time. So there is a consistency of style, quality and standards. If there isn't, there should be, it makes it easier for competitors to relate to their previous good experience.

[haloite]

We only "discovered" Urban Orienteering in 2009, nothing serious. Then in 2010 we noticed some of the better quality races where Nopesport Urban League. In 2011 we made a bit more of an effort to seek out these "quality" events, and also stumbled across some real gems that weren't Nopesport. Now we are totally hooked (I've been O-ing since 1976 so am far from new to the sport) and will even travel further afield to an Urban or Sprint event at the expense of a "traditional" or "conventional" forest/wood/moorland O event. We aren't abandoning "proper" orienteering, after all, Urban and Sprint aren't "proper" O events, are they? - I don't actually believe that b.t.w. I'm not a died in the wool oldie who thinks if you aren't lost in a forest for 2 hours or more then it can't be "proper" O!!
Some of my favourite events this year have been JOK Chasing Sprint, Cliffhanger and similar events, the EBOR Autumn Sprint Series (thanks yted) was exceptional!
I think diversity is the key, it doesn't really matter who "owns" it, as long as it's fun and enjoyable that's what counts, surely? That's my philosophy - long live Nopesport and it's fine Urban League series!....and all those other little quirky events that help to fill our O calendar!