British Sprints

[andypat]

I dont know that issues around the landowner stack up that much. Some of the stuff mapped as olive green was simply rough open yet one large roped off area of planted wild flower with keep off signs around it at the near end of the bridge towards the south of the finish was mapped as rough open and crossed by plenty elites.

I do agree with the DQ of transgressors but I can see why some felt aggrieved with the confusingly variable nature of the OOB.

[Norni]

If we want to keep people out of OOB areas to ensure future use of an area, then I think we should make more of an effort to make sure everyone knows where they are.
As a colour-blind person, I find it very difficult to see the difference between olive green, light green and even orange. On Saturday I was incredibly lucky when marshalls shouted at me twice as I was about to charge across some unseen olive green.
I've discussed the issue of map colours many times over the years, but one simple measure that I'm sure would have helped everyone on Saturday would have been getting a look at a blank map before the start. Perhaps with some arrows helpfully pointing out the most sensitive/vulnerable areas, and large letters saying "OOB areas here - keep out!" If I know in advance roughly where these areas are, I will know where I need to be more careful, and could have no complaints about getting DQ'd.
As it is, it feels like the location of OOB areas is kept a closely guarded secret, and spotting the patches of olive green is treated as part of the challenge, like getting yourself on the right level, or the right side of the fence.
I try to read the map carefully enough to avoid getting stuck on the wrong side of a fence, but it still happens and I pay the price by losing some time. Fair enough. I also try to keep out of olive green areas, but again I don't always get it right. The difference in this case is that everyone might suffer as a result of my incompetence, and I don't want this to happen.
What is more important? Keeping everyone out of the flowerbeds, or keeping the map secret until the start? We saw Sunday's map before the start. Why not Saturday's?

[xxx]

I see results/ranking points are on the BO website for the Sprint finals, but not the heats yet. I assume they wil be added soon?

[Mrs P]

Any RouteGadget for the sprints yet? I can't see anything...

Anyone know the answer to this? Is there going to be any RouteGadget for the sprints?

[nooomember]

Some DSQ perhaps due to over-zealous officials.. Is it wrong to be told 'you cant cross there' so turn back and go around?
Wouldn't tapes have been better around a sensitive area and not only part way as they had, and more efficient than posting an official there?

[iainwp]

I don't think the officials were over-zealous - entering an OOB is worthy of DSQ. Even entering accidentally is worthy of DSQ, but probably unfair to call it cheating.

You could say mapping with purple OOB would have been better. You could say taping all the OOB flowerbeds would have been better. Many things would have been better, but the organisers have limited resource and have to make decisions that involve compromises.

The olive green on my map looks a lot clearer in my living room than it did at running speed in the sunshine. I would have liked some purple OOB.

[andy]

Wouldn't tapes have been better around a sensitive area and not only part way as they had, and more efficient than posting an official there?

This. This is the solution.

[EddieH]

Sadly, whilst tapes are good, i don't think it is THE answer if you can afford the resources of marshalls, as some people will still cross if they find themselves the wrong side.

One improvement on marshalls writing down numbers might be to photograph transgressors with their numbers.

[charles2]

At our recent sprint event we taped off areas which were marked as olive green (i.e. uncrossable) on the map, but were areas of low vegetation that it would be easy to cross if not paying attention to the map.

[charles2]

Any RouteGadget for the sprints yet? I can't see anything...

Anyone know the answer to this? Is there going to be any RouteGadget for the sprints?

Hope routegadget comes out soon as I have not been re-united with either map yet.

Also any reason why the map was kept secret till 10 seconds to go? This is the first time I can remember an event where we haven't been able to see the map in the start lane.

[andypat]

Wouldn't tapes have been better around a sensitive area and not only part way as they had, and more efficient than posting an official there?

This. This is the solution.

To be fair for the final they did tape off the rather innocuous looking thin triangular grassy bank (clearly mapped as OOB but masquerading as rough open in real life) across the canal to the SW of the finish for the final. It hadnt been for the heats - I suspect the marshal here was busy.

I had the same control in the final and ran round the end of the tape (which was slightly shorter than the wide berth I gave it in the heats) amusingly to be advised by a fellow competitor "You want to watch there its OOB" - not to be pedantic but it you cant trust the tapes to show the end of the OOB what can you trust

[Jon X]

Also any reason why the map was kept secret till 10 seconds to go? This is the first time I can remember an event where we haven't been able to see the map in the start lane.

I think showing the map in advance is a very British thing, not sure it is common abroad?

For sprint in particular (and brand new sprint areas with no previous map in particular) I think it is a good idea not to show a blank map in the start lane. Why go to all that trouble to identify and map a challenging area (and often to print at the last minute for it to be up to date), only to give people a quick preview of it before they start their course?

[graeme]

What do you do with the map in the start lane?

1/ Identify where the start is on the paper.
2/ Look for finickity OOB or forbidden to cross areas.

This helps to avoid standing at the start hunting for the triangle on the map or inadvertently going OOB later by muddling shades of green. Neither of those things are a necessary part of the sprint racing challenge, so I think its good to have an early look at the map.

[Mr D]

I cannot remember ever seeing this used on an Urban Orienteering Map. I would always assume that Olive was some ones private land, which was enclosed by a fence/wall. OOB was always marked with Purple.

I would hope that other Urban Planner/Mapper take on-board what has happened this event, and incorporate this into events. If it can happen at the BSOC, it can happen at larger competitions (which may be more costly financially to the individual)

[Marco Polo]

I cannot remember ever seeing this used on an Urban Orienteering Map. I would always assume that Olive was some ones private land, which was enclosed by a fence/wall. OOB was always marked with Purple.

I would hope that other Urban Planner/Mapper take on-board what has happened this event, and incorporate this into events. If it can happen at the BSOC, it can happen at larger competitions (which may be more costly financially to the individual)

Olive is often used for flower beds in public parks which is, roughly speaking, the situation here.