British Sprints

[Mrs H]

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.

but the later runners arn'i of similar ability/speed - they're faster

It would have been fairer to put them out in the opposite order

[Jayne]

but surely the people starting soonest after you should be about the same ability? and what's the gaps in between 1min or 2min? You shouldn't get too much overtaking with gaps on a race with a winning time of about 15 mins should you?

[denbydale]

but the later runners arn'i of similar ability/speed - they're faster

It would have been fairer to put them out in the opposite order

But if they're off just behind you they aren't much faster, probably a few seconds,
so unlikely to catch up - look how close some of the finishing times were on last year's prologue

[rocky]

It would have been fairer to put them out in the opposite order

Then you would be complaining that the faster folk get more recovery time than you do! You can't win!

Turn up, run, have fun. Ignore the other runners round you - they're probably not on your heat anyway - and focus on your own race. That's how SIman won the Scottish M60 title last weekend (with a little help from EddieH).

[Tatty]

Anyone know how many qualify for each A Final? It just says the leading competitors!

[greywolf]

Rocky's right, of course, but...

but surely the people starting soonest after you should be about the same ability? and what's the gaps in between 1min or 2min? You shouldn't get too much overtaking with gaps on a race with a winning time of about 15 mins should you?

gaps are 1 min, but with generally good visibility if a runner gains or loses 30s then they can be in contact. IMHO this system gives more advantage than mixing people up randomly. If you're catching, then you get the most advantage from gradually chasing down someone who's running almost as fast as you over a number of controls; if you're being caught, then better to be caught by someone a wee bit quicker that you can hang on to all the way to the finish.

[Spookster]

Anyone know how many qualify for each A Final? It just says the leading competitors!

It says "the leading competitors" because the answer is not simple!

It depends on how many entered the class. Here are the rules, which say:

If there are 36 or more entrants in a class, the number of qualifiers from each heat to the A-final shall be equal and shall be calculated so that the total number of qualifiers is 18, or the lowest possible number above 18 (it would be 20 if the need exists to have 4 or 5 heats instead of 3)

If there are from 6 to 35 entrants, the number of qualifiers from each heat to the A-final shall be equal. They shall be split as equally as possible between an A-final and a B-final, with the A-final having at least half the total number of entrants.

If there are fewer than 6 entrants, then all who successfully complete the qualification race shall compete in the A-final. Those who do not successfully complete the qualification race (for example do not start or mispunch) may compete as a first starter in the A final. They shall not be placed in the Championships results however (although will be eligible for Ranking points).

If two or more competitors tie for a place in a final, all of them shall qualify for that final. This will have the effect of reducing the number of qualifiers from that heat in the next ranked Final down.

An entrant is defined as any competitor who appears on the entry list as published at a pre-announced time, usually the final closing date for entries.

So in simple terms, it's 6 from each of 3 heats (18 total) in many classes, but fewer in smaller classes.

[Jayne]

Rocky's right, of course, but...

but surely the people starting soonest after you should be about the same ability? and what's the gaps in between 1min or 2min? You shouldn't get too much overtaking with gaps on a race with a winning time of about 15 mins should you?

gaps are 1 min, but with generally good visibility if a runner gains or loses 30s then they can be in contact. IMHO this system gives more advantage than mixing people up randomly. If you're catching, then you get the most advantage from gradually chasing down someone who's running almost as fast as you over a number of controls; if you're being caught, then better to be caught by someone a wee bit quicker that you can hang on to all the way to the finish.

I guess it depends on if you think the person ahead of you is correct...

[EddieH]

Beware. Don't follow me

[awk]

Looking at M45 heats, they seem perfectly balanced, so nice work by the start list people.

Lucky you: it's completely the opposite in M55, with 7 of those ranked in the top 20 in H3.1, 6 in H3.2 and only 4 in H3.3 (and 3 not running). EVen more marked if you look at those ranked in the top 15: 6 in H3.1, 4 in H3.2 and only 3 in H3.3 (and 2 not running) .

Massively skewed - I can't work out what was happening, unless there has been a mistake. It seems the start listers went logically down the ranking list (1 in 3.1, 2 in 3.2, 3 in 3.3, 4 and 5 not running so 6 in 3.1 etc etc.) but then threw a wobble at no. 14, who should have gone into 3.2 after 12 was put into 3.1 and 13 isn't running, but who was also put into 3.1, as was 15, before carrying on with the previous pattern, with 16 going into 3.2 . It's noticeable that both nos 12 and 14 (Rob Parkinson and Pete Jones) both start after Colin Dickson (ranked 1), belying the fastest last principle that is being used elsewhere

[DavidJ]

In my class they seem to have been allocated quite well. However the person starting a minute before me has several top 6 ranking scores from urban events (including one sprint) whereas the person one minute later has only 'forest' events. Please could someone tell me the implications of this - should I be pleased, upset or just focussed on doing my best in the heat?

[rob f]

On a slightly unrelated note, is anyone travelling from Western Sheffield to the Middles on Sunday? My lift option has let me down sadly.

[AerialO]

should I be pleased, upset or just focussed on doing my best in the heat?

The last has to be the right answer.
However, if the runner in front of you is genuinely quicker on urban and you're neutral or better at forest than urban, then catching him should be beneficial (sez I, based on no quantitative analysis whatsoever )

[DavidJ]

The last has to be the right answer.

Thanks, I think you are right. However rather than wasting my time checking on other people's ranking scores/events, I would do much better by spending the time on Google Earth Street View. Nice of one of their cyclists to have criss-crossed the campus for us.

[madmike]

Beware. Don't follow me

In a forest I might follow you Eddie but in a sprint definitely not - I might end up having to climb an Olympic Stadium unecessarily

(that is if I was able to keep up