World Cup 2015

[graeme]

They'll be letting punters run

Well, the question is who counts as a punter. If you're, say, 8th on the elite course at the British Champs (step forward Nick Barrable M40 and Fiona Bunn W16) is that good enough?

[buzz]

Wouldn't we all like a chance and go? The chosen elite are always the chosen few, and do we really expect podium finishes for them? Sport for All - it used to be.

Yes we all have a chance to go, it just takes around 5000 hours of training and practice to be good enough, and no we don't expect podium finishes from all of them, but we expect them all to be working hard towards that goal.

[buzz]

They'll be letting punters run

Well, the question is who counts as a punter. If you're, say, 8th on the elite course at the British Champs (step forward Nick Barrable M40 and Fiona Bunn W16) is that good enough?

Actually Fiona wouldn't have made the Women's Open final, although her run on the same course in the W16 final was excellent.

Nick of course is already a legend in is own lifetime and probably speaks fluent Tasmanian so deserves to go

[Lard]

The biggest sin with BO at the moment is not Mike's post (and I have emailed Mike already with my views about his post - I suggest anyone who isn't happy with any of his comments or reasoning do the same).

The biggest sin is that we are 11 months away from a home WOC and we have no Performance Director and no Lead Coach in place so a Chief Exec is left holding the reins. Now, I thought we were a professionally run sport but to have such gaps is the biggest sin.

Thankfully many athletes are continuing on in their training and focussed preparations, there are many volunteer supporters out there, with a vested interest, who are doing sterling work that will make a difference and Scotland has the capacity to bloody well get on and do stuff irrespective of how BO is lagging - hence the reason why over 2/3 of the 2015 team will be made up of Scottish-based athletes (any betting folk out there

[greywolf]

Well, the question is who counts as a punter.

Apparently 2nd in the British Champs counts as punter - no idea if Charlotte Ward wants to go but as she's neither in the squad or a recent WOC attendee it seems she doesn't have the option. Guess that also says something about how seriously BOF take national championships...

edit: and what Lard said

[mharky]

BOF take national championships very seriously, it's athletes (like myself) who don't.

[eddie]

I thought we do have a lead coach?

[Lard]

I thought we do have a lead coach?

If you refer to Liz Campbell, her contract expired in August. But Liz, being a devoted person is still beevering away in the background voluntarily.
I think the only person contracted by BO (exludes MN & WS) to do any work with athletes at the moment is Jackie Newton, National Talent Coach who's recent role (not to say it hasn't changed) covered the younger athletes.

[Big Jon]

Well, the question is who counts as a punter.

Apparently 2nd in the British Champs counts as punter - no idea if Charlotte Ward wants to go but as she's neither in the squad or a recent WOC attendee it seems she doesn't have the option. Guess that also says something about how seriously BOF take national championships...

edit: and what Lard said

There are plenty of athletes, good enough to be in the squad< who choose not to be involved -speaks volumes to me.

[DIDSCO]

Next year it will be 9 years since the British men took an individual medal in a WOC, World Cup race, or European Championships in the forest. How is British orienteering with home advantage preparing its very talented small group of elite male runners to win medals in the forest at WOC 2015? That 9 years is too long considering the runners we've got.

[Lard]

Dids, you'll know that most athlete performances come from, in the main, their own efforts.

I know we have a large handful of athletes who are really committed and focussed and working hard towards their goals, irrespective of the turmoil going on at a British Orienteering level. Liz Campbell did sterling work with the seniors up to August and is keen to see it through to WOC 2015 (even as a volunteer).

Most athletes have the support of volunteer mentors and coaches who work tirelessly to enable individual achievement - this won't change. SEDS have just published their programme of training camps from now to WOC and it's looking busy and exciting and they're looking to put the majority of monies they receive from Scotland and other funding streams towards the enhancement of camps, with a WOC 2015 focus. This should see well briefed and prepared training sessions & follow-on analysis and the use of quality coaches (be it voluntary or paid).

Liz is also drawing together a series of focussed camps that will make use of experienced ex-international athletes, coaches (current & retired) and look at where we can improve marginal gains and really flourish at our home WOC.

I'm confident our athletes will be well prepared despite the current lack of clarity from BO.

TO ALL OF YOU..... If you think you can help the athletes in any way then don't hesitate to get in touch, make yourself known. If you're a solid technical orienteer and can pass on your skills and wisdom or feel confident enough to accurately hang and collect controls, if you are willing to stand at start/finish lines and time folk, help with layouts, tidy-ins, cooking, shopping, driving - get in touch!

It's unpaid, full costs incurred kind of helping but you will seriously be making a difference to our athletes by helping out.

I'm happy to field responses at jasonDOTinmanATwirepostDOTcoDOTuk

Don't put off tomorrow what you could do today

[eddie]

[buzz]

Nice post Lard

We've got a real opportunity with home terrain to put together some special team and individual performances, but as you say the athletes will need as much help as they can get. Great to hear that the likes of you and Liz are keeping things going.

Not too much by way of WOC forest terrain here in Sheffield, but perhaps we can help out with some urban training if it suits any of the team?

[graeme]

One problem with a home WOC in a smaller "O" country is that quite a lot of people interested in elite orienteering are in the organising team and need to be careful about fairness.

despite the current lack of clarity from BO.

There's no particular lack of clarity. WOC elites will get nothing useful training-wise from BOF, at best they can hope for minimal interference. If they work on that assumption the policy is clear and they wont be disappointed. Most of the experienced athletes know this already. To be fair to BOF, it would be crazy to bring in a whole new system and new central management so close to our home WOC.

[Jayne]

Any news on who's in the GB team for Oceania? (Is there one?)