British Sprints

[mikey]

http://www.leioc.org.uk/fixtures/Sprint ... sAlpha.htm

http://www.leioc.org.uk/fixtures/Sprint ... sClass.htm

[Arnold]

Thanks, very helpful.

(Cue big debate as to whether you should know who's in which heat ahead of time - anyone care to start it?)

[Spookster]

I nearly did, but bit my tongue. I don't see anything in the rules about it. Looking at M45 heats, they seem perfectly balanced, so nice work by the start list people.

Edit: Ah, I found it. Rule 4.2.4: The organiser may also wish to have a system in which individual competitors only know which of the parallel heat courses they are running once they enter the start system. They've obviously decided not to take up this option.

[Mrs H]

That's as maybe but I am a bit bemused as to why each age class (well certainly the ones running my course) have apparently been started in blocks. All the W55s are off on consecutive minutes while the W60s on the same courses follow immediately afterwards - would'nt it have been a better idea to have mixed them up a bit?

[King Penguin]

I think it's been done in age class blocks for a few years. Don't know if this is stipulated somewhere or just convention.

[Arnold]

I think the intention is to have lots of mini races by age group one after the other.
If you look closely not only are the age groups together but they're also in reverse seeding order (ie fastest off last). So you can figure out your "seeding number" and try to beat that.

I quite like it, makes it quite a fun age class race. And fairer than mixing up where you might get a tow from someone in a different age group.

[greywolf]

not sure what they've done for the open classes but for the rest it looks like they've run the start order straight off the rankings without any consideration of anomalies (runners with <6 scores) ...

[NeilC]

We wrote the age class block timing into the rules for the final - which also means that there is a steady stream of medalists finishing during the afternoon, rather than all at the end.

This is the first year that it's been done for the heats I believe.

[Mrs H]

Mmmm! I'm feeling a bit like canon fodder Is this going to be worth turning up for?

[andypat]

Aw Mrs H - its not like you to be so negative! It'll be stormin good fun.

[NeilC]

not sure what they've done for the open classes

They appear to have sorted the open classes by age groups (despite the fact there are no separate age categories in the open class anymore). Thus the start list is not determined purely by ranking/known form.

I'm guessing that the 2008 Elite ranking guideline was used - something that has no relevance to the post-2010 British Sprint Championships.

[Philip134]

Just asked for a start time so that I could travel up by train Saturday and have a pleasant competition. End up with almost the earliest time possible - change on train - rush to start - less than 100% fun.

Is the only fun orienteering that remains Wednesday army events?

[Mrs H]

I accept in the finals that people should have the advantage accorded to them by their position in the heats, but I think everyone should have the same chances in the heats, not just the fastest runners running down the people in front and possibly benefitting from decisions and actions they might make. That slews the whole thing in favour of the favourites and now I feel I'm just there to make up the numbers.......and at these prices!

[andy]

Just asked for a start time so that I could travel up by train Saturday and have a pleasant competition. End up with almost the earliest time possible - change on train - rush to start - less than 100% fun.

Is the only fun orienteering that remains Wednesday army events?

This is a British Championships, it deserves some respect.

You don't see tiger woods asking for a later tee off time in the open so he can have an extra cup of tea in front of the telly before his round, do you?

[DJM]

not just the fastest runners running down the people in front and possibly benefitting from decisions and actions they might make. That slews the whole thing in favour of the favourites and now I feel I'm just there to make up the numbers

Not sure this is the case ... I'd have thought that each runner will now be less likely to run down the runner in front given that he/she will be of similar ability/speed.

Mixing up the list will almost guarantee that faster runners will catch up the starter in front and maybe others too.