Is traditional orienteering dying?

[Reiver]

Forvie: Traditional orienteering event on a really good technical area.
114 entries, 10 competitors aged between 15 and 45!

Glasgow Parks: Easy fast open orienteering (probably TD3 maximum), fun event, lots of socialising between each race.
125 entries, 52 competitors aged between 15 and 45.

Do we need to change the type of events that we are offering to keep the sport alive?

[graeme]

Yes, for the demographics, but to be fair...

Aberdeen Pop 250000
Glasgow Pop 600000

[Mrs H]

Do we need to change the type of events that we are offering to keep the sport alive?

I think we already are. IMHO Orienteering isn't dying it's changing. It might die if you resist the change.

[DaveK]

You do wonder. We (Saxons) have just 137 entries for a level B event on Hindleap Warren, Ashdown Forest next Sunday - certainly one of the better areas in the south-east. So if you are free (little plug).

[andypat]

Glasgow Parks Orienteering Champions are Alastair McLeod and Hollie Orr. Cant argue with that!

[andy]

Glasgow Parks is the best/most fun event of the year, so I don't see the problem.

that I missed it

[graeme]

It was a lovely sunny day in Glasgow today, with the best "buzz" at the finish for any event this year. Not to mention the Spitfire and the elephant. The orienteering was FUN, and the areas and maps were of a standard you could find in any city in the UK. What are youse waiting for?

[Electrocuted]

Glasgow Parks: Easy fast open orienteering (probably TD3 maximum)

Better ask andypat about that!

[Lard]

Hollie might have run (and won) the Glasgow Parks (which is a fab, fun event!) but she was up primarily to do some quality technical forest training in FVO land on the Saturday.

Personally, my main aim in orienteering is to be able to outnavigate my rivals in the most technical of terrains (that will keep me in the forest, mainly, for years to come).

[SeanC]

I can easily see attendancies at regionals being ca 100 in 10 years time given the demographics. Would this be such a disaster? That's about the number that was at the South East Night Champs last night. Sensible grouping of age classes gave excellent competition (and some notable results), and even though there were only 4 courses on offer, there was plenty of technical orienteering.

Of course the problem is that 100 people won't pay for a new map unless we're going to pay £40-£50 per entry.

There's an easy answer that doesn't involve the (probably fruitless) attempt at recruiting thousands of new people to do TD5 orienteering in remote forests, offer people TD1-3 orienteering instead. Lots of people prefer TD1-3 orienteering because they don't like getting lost, prefer to avoid brambles, or would prefer to mostly run than mostly stop and scratch their heads at the map. Traditional regionals/colour codeds largely ignore this group, or assume they are on the fast track to TD5 nirvana.

Picking on the Saxons event, it's in Ashford forest. Long term you could pay for new map surveys by offering TD1 orienteering for runners (ie a 10k run marked by controls rather than marshalls). The scenery is superb (by SE standards). The nearby Eridge 10K is consistently rated near the top by Runners World, or so I am told. Mix in a bit of mud, and some taped routes across the more runnable woods, plus decent marketing*, and 200-300 runners is a realistic target if the event was annual. Enough to pay for a map.

You then need a TD3 course, like red, and there is progression for these runners to get into orienteering.

* the tricky bit for orienteers, so would need the help of a local running club?

[oo_wrong_way]

Where's the "Like" button when you need it? Spot on Sean.

[Clive Coles]

I actually think traditional orienteering attendances are holding up quite well at present in our locality at least. We had 200+ at our level C event yesterday for our event at Knettishall ~ we almost exceeded car parking capacity. We had lots of juniors as it was a schools league event ~ something that has sprung back into life in recent years following a lull in interest. Long may this continue.

The key I believe to this success at our club is family commitment. We are lucky at present as at the core of the club there is a small group of active parents. Our achilles heal is that we thankfully still rely on some stalwarts who survey and produce our maps and turn out to manage our SI network. These specialist roles are not so easy to fill so looking ahead we are vulnerable.

We rarely stage level B events ~ more courses, more hassle, an excuse to charge higher entry fees. If we did we would still be utilising the same areas and maps, the same team of helpers and event officials and, apart from the pre -entry facilities and start management ,the courses would be planned to the same standard. The traditional colour code C & D events still therefore serves us well as the backbone of our programme.

[Mrs H]

The key I believe to this success at our club is family commitment.

I thought I demonstrated this very graphically nearly 10 years ago - not only did BOF choose to ignore it they actively conspired to make it fail with a superb piece of dog in the mangerism by introducing compulsory membership. Now that;s fallen by the way side with a load of other other failed initiatives the concept might stand some chance of long term success.

[Red Adder]

I've been in the sport for best part of 40 years and seen numerous attempts to attract runners. The truth of the matter is simple. Most runners do not want to orienteer. They are not attracted by the navigational element and certainly don't wish to risk injury by running through areas with undergrowth (though mud is OK).

[JK]

One of the things that IMO British and Irish orienteers have done better than other countries is student orienteering. Now there are definitely still two very strong Uni clubs that are probably as strong now as they have ever been, but does anyone know how many Uni teams there are now, and how are their membership numbers?
During my time in CH I was surprised how most students went home every w/e and did sport for their home clubs (not just orienteering either) - they had no Uni orienteering "scene".