British Champs

[forest grump]

At the time of the event (December 2023) there was no host for the 2025 British Championships

so what's the excuse for next year?

And it's completely at the wrong time of year.

[Homer]

At the time of the event (December 2023) there was no host for the 2025 British Championships

so what's the excuse for next year?

Basically we're at the mercy of clubs willing to host the big events and land owners/ environmental agencies allowing us access...

[rf_fozzy]

1) Southern and Eastern regions/clubs to 'own' the rights to hold big events in technical areas outside of their regions in places like the Lakes, North Wales, Scotland, with local clubs owning the rights to hold local and regional events in such areas.

Probably impractical. For logistical reasons alone. I know NWOA do it and hold most of their major events on LOC/WCOC/BL areas alone, but it's not an awful drive from e.g. Manchester to the Lakes.

How many volunteers would you get from Norwich wanting to plan in the Highlands. Or more likely, who has the time?

There are other issues with this, including isn't part of the idea of the rotation to allow access for more orienteers to take part - if not every year, but at least now and then? A lot of people will not travel that far. (for example, I'm wouldn't travel a long way for a BOC - it's just not worth it, plus the cost of accomodation).

2) Professionalise the British Champs (and maybe the JK too) with a major events company free to negociate access to wherever they think will work - leading to a rotation around the North and West of the UK (rather like the OMM).

Can do. But.

A lot of clubs and associations do rely on *some* income from hosting major events, such as the JK, so you'd have to work out a way of feeding some cash back to clubs still?

Additionally the questions around inclusivity of different areas still stand.

Then there's a thorny issue of the fact that if you go to a professional set-up, e.g. OMM, these pay higher access fees (because it's a commercial venture), whereas not for profit and community groups can sometimes get lower fees**

This, plus the need to pay salaries, pension contributions etc means that it would all push the cost of hosting the events up. I think you'd be looking at £50 min (c.f. Tough Mudder type prices) per day.

Happy to pay £200 per person for the JK plus petrol and accomodation?

**additionally to this, it might make access for clubs to host smaller events more expensive because some landowners put prices up when they see what they can get from a commercial set up. There is a reason Bramham Park has not been used for an event since 2011.

[rf_fozzy]

Not saying they are no-goes in either case, but I think there's a lot more that needs thought and proper discussion....

(note I didn't even attempt to discuss the enivronmental and sustainability issues - something orienteering is really going to need to get a grip on in the coming decade - but admittedly, compared to a lot of other sports, it's not too bad).