The format of the JK

[Broken Ground]

Simple question, doubtless complex answers. As different formats of O are experiencing rising popularity, should the JK day 2 be a middle for all?

Brilliant event today at Hambleden, thanks tp all involved!

[graeme]

The format with fastest rising popularity is Urban, so it should be urban - right?

[Arnold]

I asked the same question when I was planning Day 2 of JK 2008 and opinion was divided. Think they did a survey at the time and the answer was in favour of 2 longs.

But times change so it's worth asking again as I definitely think a middle / long combo is better. Potentially with a longer Long on Day 3.

One big advantage for planning / area selection would be that choice of Day 2 could be optimised for Middle - potentially opening up some small areas that couldn't otherwise be used.

[SJC]

With the traveling required my vote is to retain two long races on two good areas.

[andy]

yes please!

[DJM]

BOF carried out a survey in 2008 as Arnold mentioned, and also one in 2011. The pertinent statement was:

We should consider changing the JK programme so that all competitors have the same options as the Elite, i.e. Friday is a Sprint day, Saturday provides a Middle race and Sunday provides the Long race. The Relay remains on Easter Monday.

Respondents were asked to state whether they agreed or disagreed with this statement using a five point scale. The results were:

.....................2008.......2011
strongly agree....10%........13%
agree...............28%........23%
neutral.............25%........35%
disagree............23%.......16%
strongly disagree.14%........13%

The 2011 survey was completed by contacting all those on the JK email database (1199 in all) and directing them to the relevant webpage containing the online questionnaire. The analysis which follows is based on the 416 replies received, a response rate of 35%. The 2008 survey was conducted in a similar way.

[IanD]

Now 2011 gives a result for politicians to get their teeth into!

The change party can say that more people voted for middle/long than voted for long/long, so clearly the format must change.

The as-you-were party can say that more people were content with current system, or positively voted against change, so clearly the present format should stay.

[nooomember]

Relay numbers are always lower - whether people have had enough 'O'; go and do other things, or dont like relays - so get rid of the Monday Relays / change format.
Friday should be Urban, not Sprint or purely in parkland/campus. This year Reading University, next year Swansea university - one University looks pretty similar to another.
Sat - Sun: Middle and Long seems best - if its good enough for the Elite....

[Timsands]

Comparing BO guidelines with the courses I have seen from this years JK, we appear to have developed a hybrid. What ever happened to the art of planning long challenging legs?

Long Distance Orienteering (normal cross-country, often called “classic”)
 Emphasis on route choice to test a variety of techniques to include long legs, variety
of legs and direction; see Event Guideline B for more details

Middle Distance
 Emphasis should be on continuous map reading in the terrain, technical difficulty, a
relatively high density of controls, changes in direction and micro rather than macro
route choices. Runnable terrain of technical difficulty 4-5 is suitable, the more
technical the better; see Event Guideline C for more details

[RS]

" one University looks pretty similar to another."

No they don't - try the superb Brighton, Nottingham or Birmingham campuses for example...

Would like to see a decent urban instead of a sprint in what I thought was a poor sprint area last Friday.
Middle and long for me as well, especially after the slog today - need to conserve a bit more energy for relays.

[Arnold]

Come to BOC and I have a 2k+ leg waiting for you
(unless you are running a really short course)

To be fair on Cold Ash it's nigh on impossible to plan a "proper" classic with long legs, given the area layout. Hambleden it's possible as proven by Southern Champs 2011 - 18 controls for 11k with a 2.5k long leg across the map (haven't seen the JK courses yet)

[SJC]

Now 2011 gives a result for politicians to get their teeth into!

The politician would ask the question: "If we changed to a Middle race and a Long race, would people who currently don't come to the JK Individual days start attending or would people who currently do attend stop coming".

There needs to be a very good reason for change, otherwise the overall attendance will invariably go down.

[ianandmonika]

Overall a good JK. Weather fine considering what went before. Well done to organisers for coping well with problems.
Sprint - not technical, far too easy. Have urban instead, but may be difficult to find low traffic venues? EMiT not very good for sprint, takes people long time to punch, placed wrong way round up against an inside wall corner is a real issue.
Hambleden - needed a long leg as in previous events, otherwise limited route choice
Cold Ash - good planning, good area, people made mistakes
Relay - good course, lots of leg changes, good spectator controls and changeover area
Orange course days 2 and 3 - excellent, challenging courses

[ifor]

I would prefer a middle and long to two longs as the 4 days are just too much for me now. Changing the sprint to Urban would be a very bad thing in my opinion we have few enough sprints as it is. I like a sprint but I don't like a longer urban events.

[andypat]

I cant believe all these people who want to dilute the quality of Urban Orienteering by shoehorning one into the JK!