JEC 2013

[mharky]

ENTRY LISTS, not British results

[graeme]

JEC might have been the pinnacle of someone's Orienteering career.

denying athletes the opportunity to race at the highest level because it doesn't fit in to this does not make sense, if you sympathise with the paragraph above.

I do, it's another good argument to let my son go, he might give up at any moment! Where do we send that cheque?

[buzz]

You can also use the negative comments on here to motivate yourself to prove them wrong - make them eat their words mate!

I don't think there have been any negative comments aimed at the JEC athletes - perhaps a bit of unsolicited advice. The 'negative comments' appear to target squad management and BO policies.

Good war cries from Ben! Good luck with the training.

[housewife]

A few points:

Every athlete that has been to woc will have felt let down by selections at some point. Dealing with that rejection in a positive way is a big part of their later success.

Budgets are not infinite. Take more people, you have to increase the personal contribution. When I went to my first international a full team was selected. The personal contribution was so big that I know of one person who, though selected, couldn't go because of the cost. Although orienteering is a middle class sport, selections should not be given to those who's parents can wave enough money (sorry Graeme!).

Likewise, the British talent development squad has to limit the number of members due to budgets. As someone who has been in and out of the British squad, the squad does nothing that a determined, keen person couldn't do for themselves. I bought a running book with some basic tips on how to run faster, and did more o races than I would have anyway. Go on regional squad weekend, or if you are too old, even better control hang on regional squad weekends. Want a big international race - try the oringen.

I don't follow junior results closely enough to comment, but if you are disappointed by a selection, ask the selectors for their reasoning. They would much rather address individual concerns than be sniped at on a public forum. It's good to hear Ben and Will seem to have got a lot from the weekend.

And I'll leave replying to that guy who suggested we should all go slowly enough to ensure a clean run for another time...

[bewildered]

ENTRY LISTS, not British results

As I pointed out, the ENTRIES for World XC took 6 Boys and 6 Girls for all the years back to 2009, when I stopped checking.

You were implying that they hadn't taken full entries. This might have been the case for adults, but not for U20s, which is what we are talking about.

I was pointing out that some didn't do so well to start with.

[ifititches]

I am just one big smile since seeing Will, Ben and Housewife post on this thread Thanks guys and gals!

[mharky]

ENTRY LISTS FOR ALL COUNTRIES, not entry lists or results for GBR.

Have a look at the Swedish team for this year, for example.

[bewildered]

ENTRY LISTS FOR ALL COUNTRIES, not entry lists or results for GBR.

Have a look at the Swedish team for this year, for example.

Sorry, I must be being dim here. Are you saying that because the Swedes don't fill their XC places then that is OK for BO to do the same?

I'm not sure I see the link.

[mharky]

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. I'm saying sometimes people aren't good enough for a competition, sometimes going and doing badly isn't a good thing. I'm not saying that was the case for the British Team at JEC 2013, but I am saying that there are plenty of circumstances where sending a full team is not a good idea.

BOF aren't here to provide career highlights for people, the performance programme is here to develop performance athletes. If an athlete isn't up the standard set by BOF then it makes sense that they should go.

I'm not passing judgement on where BOF have drawn the line, and whether we have athletes who were good enough etc. But many people seem to think all places should always be filled, this is the performance programme not the participation programme.

[Oldman]

If an athlete isn't up the standard set by BOF then it makes sense that they should go.

Did you mean "should not go"?

[buzz]

And I'll leave replying to that guy who suggested we should all go slowly enough to ensure a clean run for another time...

I never mentioned going slowly - you appear to associate clean runs with slow orienteering for some reason.

As you say, perhaps one for another time.

[FATBB]

Suggesting that housewife doesn't know her stuff.. Interesting tactic, we'll see how that works.

[housewife]

Ha! I'd be the first to admit my orienteering is far from flawless, but I know that in order to orienteer flawlessly, I have to run a heck of a lot slower than I usually do when I orienteer. For me orienteering is always the balancing act of going fast enough to do well, but not so fast that I make mistakes. I enjoy trying to judge the balance. Its a big part of what makes orienteering fun for me. I can swing the success rate of navigation by orienteering training, which I try to fit in alongside working full time and being a mum to two kids. I am sure that a lot of orienteers can relate to this strategy.

The point I am trying to make is that I as an athlete decide how I run each and every race. I am the one that lives with the consequences - good or bad. No athlete turns up to an international race to have one of the staff dictate their race strategy. There is no one telling athletes whether they should or shouldn't take risks.

[EddieH]

As Oyvind Thon said when asked if a particular leg was difficult:
"No control is difficult. What is difficult is assessing the speed that you can afford to attack the control" or words to that effect

[andypat]

Performance Squad (5 athletes) – is focused on preparing athletes to deliver medals and Top-10 performances over the next one to three World Orienteering Championships.

Does Ray know about this?