JEC 2013

[Lard]

Interesting to see the Norwegians plan to take up to 24 to JEC this year.
And it's all self-help:

http://www.orientering.no/nyheter/Sider ... 0EYOC.aspx

Norwegian juniors with aspirations to participate in the former of the two representation tasks must register their interest to:

jenni.hesselbergindby @ orientering.no by 12 september.

Junior European Cup (JEC) i Frankrike, 04.10.2013 - 06.10.2013

It will be taken out up to 12 women and 12 men in the classes D / H 17-18 and D / H 19-20 who pay everything yourself.

Interested runners arises therefore to: jenni.hesselbergindby @ orientering.no no later than September 12th. It will in addition be taken up to two homemakers reserves per class.


1. 1 General selection criteria
2. 2 International Achievements
3. 3 NM-Uka Championship Week
4. 4 All season
5. 5 Gorgeous (???)

Selections: September 17th

[Lard]

While I'm on.....

Just to make folk aware - the original "6 Nations" organise JEC on a rotational basis. We organised it in 2010 (a number of Scottish central belt clubs - as BO refused to take it on).

Therefore, GBR have an obligation to host it in 2016....

[Domhnull Mor]

The Swedes are doing the same, offering 6 places per age class (24 in all) with self-financing although with a max charge of 7500 SEK.

[Ant W]

My Norwegian dictionary gives "judgement" as an alternative translation for "skjønn".

[deebee]

Have I read that correctly - Swedish juniors could be paying up to £750 each?

[DM]

So a country with a much larger population takes a much smaller team, with no apparent option to self fund/self pay for our runners?? Could be deeply embarrassing in 2016 if we don't put forward a decent team size when JEC is on home ground.

To make another contrast with cycling, and risk getting shot down again, the regional schools of racing are held frequently and are by invitation, normally about 25 per region. The key point is the invited riders change each time and are not in fixed squads that perhaps makes squad members complacent and not motivated. Should we be thinking of a similar structure? increase numbers and keep ALL motivated to improve. Net result could be better performance all round and more international podiums - which is what we are after isn't it?

[Domhnull Mor]

Have I read that correctly - Swedish juniors could be paying up to £750 each?

Yes, quite right. The cost includes payments for flights and accommodation etc but that's the deal.

It's worth pointing out that the Swedes who were over for the Euromeeting and subsequent training camp were also, to a significant extent, self-financing. Many got help from their clubs but the fees they were asked to pay for Euromeeting and the WOC camp were approx. 6,000 SEK (12,000 SEK for both) per person excluding flights.

[RS]

I heard that BOF have recently changed their policy so only chosen athletes may be asked to self fund but others in the squad who were willing to self fund to go and get experience are no longer allowed to.(This was a senior example)

[andy]

I heard that BOF have recently changed their policy so only chosen athletes may be asked to self fund but others in the squad who were willing to self fund to go and get experience are no longer allowed to.(This was a senior example)

This + not selecting anyone in some categories = disgusting. Great job BO

[AndyC]

Without any knowledge but expanding from this and the WOC selections it looks like BO are trying to maximise return on a criterion like "average performance" or "percentage better than" rather than , as one might expect, "number of competitors better than" or similar where a large number of entrants improves chances.
They are therefore trying to ensure that every selection has a chance (probability?) of delivering a high placing and trying to prevent those who may not (even if it is part of that athlete's development) attending.
As that goes against the "People" part of mp3 .....

[andy]

They are therefore trying to ensure that every selection has a chance (probability?) of delivering a high placing and trying to prevent those who may not (even if it is part of that athlete's development) attending.
As that goes against the "People" part of mp3 .....

This approach is fine at senior level where those attending have dedicated their time and effort, it makes sense to send only those who are capable of great things. When it comes to JEC (or similar) level of competition the goal is, surely, to inspire those who have the ability to become WOC medallists to put in that dedication in the coming years. BO may well wonder in 5+ years time why they have no seniors able to compete at the top of the world. I hope they look back to this kind of decision and do not repeat the same.

[PhilJ]

BO do what BO want to, always have, always will and what with Steve Veron now moving on the picture can only be bleaker for aspiring athletes trying to breakthrough. It would be good to know what Steve thought of the set up at BO, he certainly advanced the grass roots level while he was in post. Now that he is no longer employed by BO he would be free to comment on Nope......

[andy]

Now that he is no longer employed by BO he would be free to comment on Nope......

He would be, but if he's got any sense... he won't!

[PhilJ]

Agreed I wouldn't either, could open up a whole can of worms, always best not to burn your bridges but constructive comments would help move things along, maybe there is a BIG picture that BO are not sharing with the membership.

[graeme]

maybe there is a BIG picture that BO are not sharing with the membership.

They haven't got any money, and sending middle-class children on holiday is a low priority for government.

Try this little game: write a paragraph referencing your claims to explain to government why the taxpayer should support a team at JEC.

If that's too hard, then start by using publically available material to explain why JEC is important.