BOF home page video

[haloite]

I'm particularly liking the coverage afforded to Urban Orienteering

[mharky]

At no point did it explain what orienteering actually is though, did it?

[daffdy]

I think it covered the main things people get wrong about orienteering quite well - it's outdoors, a sport, running, uses maps. But there's far too many shots of kids running in groups which will alienate teenagers, students and anyone who is looking for something a bit cooler than a "family sport". And urban O seems to be portrayed as the norm, with some sort of parochial "rural orienteering" as a sideshow. It's a step in the right direction though.

[SIman]

For me, it is the best thing to appear on the BOF front page for some time and I think that the little bit of text together with the video give a good answer to what O is.

I am not so happy with the choice of videos that are offered after I have watched the "official" one.

[Clive Coles]

Don't think the video is that bad. OK it does not give much prominance to the elite runners but I really wonder how many non-O atheletic types actually look to BOF for any ideas for a new challenge. There are other more attractive websites which cater for such needs. These are the sites where BOF should be trying to raise the orienteering profile.

I also wonder how many active orienteers go to BOF as their first point of reference ? I guess most regular orienteers get by with possibly a look at the results and rankings but little else is of real interest. The site is full of stodge for all but the most conciencious of club officials ~ hardly a marketing asset.

What the video does show, which is displayed the moment you go to the site, is that Orienteering is a sport/activity that can be enjoyed by all ages and ability. Perhaps BOF know their likely viewers and are targeting this sub-set of the more active community.

[mharky]

urban O seems to be portrayed as the norm, with some short of parochial "rural orienteering" as a sideshow

It won't take long until that is, unfortunately, the truth

[daffdy]

Perhaps BOF know their likely viewers and are targeting this sub-set of the more active community.

That would be impressive audience awareness from British Orienteering. But if the official website of the 'adventure sport for all' in the UK only appeals to a narrow subset of the population, doesn't that mean something has gone pretty wrong somewhere along the line?

I think the audience will be much wider than that though - the video is on Youtube, where their previous effort that explains exactly what orienteering is in a very boring way has had 28,600 views since 2007 and is the fourth result when you search for orienteering...

It won't take long until that is, unfortunately, the truth

[Karen]

I thought the video that promoted the Wharnclife BOC was much more appealing - ahtletes running smoothly and navigating confidently through interesting terrain.
And showing an individual sport, not a mob running round a city or park.

[Big Jon]

urban O seems to be portrayed as the norm, with some short of parochial "rural orienteering" as a sideshow

It won't take long until that is, unfortunately, the truth

Not in Deeside it won't - "come to Deeside the home of true forest orienteering"

[AndyC]

Not a time for BOF Bashing. This video isn't perfect but it is a positive step and should be supported and used by us to promote the sport.
Mrs H can I nominate it for one of your awards?

[graeme]

Interesting that youse don't think there's much elite coverage. There is - but it's at the end. Including some cracking previously-unseen footage from PWT.
Presumably you'd lost interest by then, which in itself is telling.

I see the stuff they do on Deeside is now called "rural foot-O"

[mharky]

"come to Deeside the home of true forest orienteering"

Don't you mean rural?

A lot of footage from BEOC Sprint in Scarborough as well.

[plain lazy]

I see the stuff they do on Deeside is now called "rural foot-O"

Last night felt positively "lunar" in the sand dunes at Forvie for the Deeside Night Cup race. Far far away from civilisation, as wild as orienteering gets! It was great fun!

[epocian]

Slightly off topic - but understand Oleg was running around the recent Edinburgh urban with a head cam - is this viewable anywhere yet?

[EddieH]

[quote]Last night felt positively "lunar" in the sand dunes at Forvie for the Deeside Night Cup race. Far far away from civilisation, as wild as orienteering gets! It was great fun! [/quote]

Not to mention the wind (which wouldn't happen in lunar land). I could hardly shut my car door when I arrived.