orienteering in the olympics?

[madmike]

http://www.theawl.com/2014/02/orienteering-terrible

maybe an uphill struggle with this kind of publicity

[mikey]

The IOF just need to add shooting at each control - sorted. The perfect winter Olympic sport.

Borieathlon

[SeanC]

Ski orienteering is a race

Some progress then.

A few weeks ago I was at an event, I mean race. Because I arrived late I was put in the overflow car parking area which was full of dog walkers. I was sitting in the car after the event when two of the dog walkers started talking about the state of the woods.

"I've never seen the paths so muddy" (DW 1)

"They've been churned up by those people doing their weird running" (DW 2).

I thought about saying something to them, but then I thought progress - they're calling it running. "Weird Running". Maybe not that far off the mark. Lets be weird and proud

Probably not going to help get orienteering in the olympics though.

[Mrs H]

weird running.

I like that!

Mean while back at the main car park:
Orienteer 1 "I've never seen those paths so shitty"
Orienteer 2 "It's all those dog owners and their incontinent dogs"

[andypat]

"I've never seen the paths so muddy"

Running on paths?? Must have been orienteering in the south of England?

[Gross]

Running on paths?

Urban?????

[andypat]

Weeeell OK but they wouldnt be muddy....

[Gross]

The IOF just need to add shooting at each control - sorted. The perfect winter Olympic sport.

Borieathlon

Might not be such a bad idea. Oslo massed start today exciting enough on TV as the World Cup for women currently down to last 2 standing shoots between Norway & Finland

[Copepod]

weird running.

I like that!

Mean while back at the main car park:
Orienteer 1 "I've never seen those paths so shitty"
Orienteer 2 "It's all those dog owners and their incontinent dogs"

Worst part of being a country park ranger was dealing with dog poo bins or bags of dog poo hanging from trees; muddy paths no problem at all with right footwear.

[mrmoosehead]

Ah yes, the famous "bag of poo" trees and its low hanging fruit.

Surely if you go to the trouble of picking it up, you can be bothered to dispose of it properly?

[Copepod]

Dog walkers tell me that they hang bag on tree / fence etc, expecting to return same way and collect, but sometimes they either return a different route or they forget. Whatever the reason / excuse, other users of path have view / smell etc of a bag of dog poo - or worse if bag degrades and drops poo to lower branches / ground.
I've never owned a dog, but have often walked dogs for friends, including a colleague who lived onsite at park, so I learned routes that passed dog poo bins - different routes to those I chose when patrolling on duty or walking off duty without a dog.

[besty]

I have a dog and can't understand other dog owners who leave bags of dog poo on paths or on tree branches or fences.
I always carry a rucksack and in that rucksack there is a trowel so that I can bury any poo. If I can't bury it I have poo bags which I then put in a "waste management bag" and take back in my rucksack to the nearest poo bin.
It just takes a bit of thought for others. Unfortunately we live in a society where thought for others comes low on the agenda.

[maprun]

We are not just viewed as being "weird runners".

Many years ago I arrived late on my motorbike at an event at Newlands Corner and had to park in the main car park. Having finished my run I proceeded to change out of my O gear, when I heard one of the old dears in the adjoining car say in a perfect Benny Hill tone "Oh... Deidre, we really must come here more often!"

[Copepod]

I must admit the changing habits of orienteers and adventure racers have given me a fair degree of entertainment over the years. not sure how my changing habits are viewed by others. Marshalling at triathlons with their "no nakedness" is less enjoyable in that regard.

[JK]

I don't recall SkiO applying for inclusion at Sochi. I think it couldn't bid to get in 2018, but they are still looking for 2022 inclusion.

Maybe I'm biased but I think it makes a far more entertaining and worthwhile sport than Ice Dance or pairs Luge.

And yes, Biathlon is one of the most exciting spectator Olympic sports out there - summer or winter. It has been radically altered in the last 20 years with new and exciting formats and it is because of its success that some people are pushing for similar formats for Orienteering (Foot and SkiO).

Combining orienteering and shooting [but without skis] - it already happens and there are world cup races for it. There are 2 formats - the sprint and the patrol race.
The sprint (which I've done twice now at O-Ringen) has you doing a short O park sprint, entering the range and shooting 5 shots prone, penalty loops, another sprint, penalty loops and then either a final sprint or straight finish. The Patrol race (I think it is called that - I've only heard the swedish name which I forget) involves shooting first (not out of breath!), and orienteering course and a Trail-O like activity where you follow a line course and have to use a pin to precisely locate the kites you see on the map.

Cheers

JK