What no medals?

[LostAgain]

With the BOC, the JK is the premier national orienteering competition for the UK, why do we not present medals to the winners, at least top 3?

In the overall scheme of things the cost is minimal.

In other sports, even at local swimming gala's medals are presented.

[Klebe]

Didn't know you had ever got one.

[redkite]

Seem to remember at the BOC last year all the Juniors who survived the gale were given a well deserved medal at downlaod

[John]

Whilst I agree they probably mean little to established competitors they can give a great boost to youngsters / newcomers to the sport and really help to encourage them to keep at it. When I first started attending O events the aspect that surprised me most was the total absence of any prizes to anyone.

[helen]

I think they should have had medals, at JK/BOC, even to 'established' orienteers it can be rewarding to go up on a podium after a big event and be presented with a medal.

They did however, give medals to all competitors in the FCC/Start selection classes at the Trossachs event earlier this month. I thought they were a waste of money as they didnt mean anything at all, as everyone got one. Same with BOC last year. Medals for top 3 are good though.

[doug tull]

i agree with g medals are crap. unless they are gold silver bronze and actually then mean something.

i think getting a voucher and towel is a much better prize.

[CHS]

I was very pleasently suprised that they had prizes and would much prefer to have them rather than a medal if has to be one or another.

They always have medals at the School champs which is very important.

[Mrs H.]

I actively supported the towel option at committee - as you know i like extra value - what would I have done with a medal? I will use the towel for years in my orienteering kit and every time i shall smile at the memory - our elites got trophies and probably have more metal work than they know what to do with - at last they now have something useful - even if it's only for cleaning off thir shoes. Saw them used as Prizes at the Belgian 2 years ago and thought then "I want one" but didn't get one

[LostAgain]

It is interesting to note the different points of view.

My son has won a lot of courses and to date has little to show for it other than a White Rose mug. The local gallopen provides trophies but competition is often weak.

I would have thought medals, Gold, Silver & Bronze would hve been something to mark a Championship and differentiate between it and the normal run of the mill event.

If not medals for all then for the Junior classes. Prizes are always welcome.

[Mrs H.]

Agree - I shall tell the de-briefing meting with Jk2006 that medals would be appreciated at junior level.

[Nails]

have to say i think a mug would be much more useful than the towel, it doesn't even cover my backside...at least you can drink tea out of a mug, you can't even dry yourself with so called towels

[housewife]

There are most definately two different sorts of medals in my collection, the medals handed out for competing in a 10k which are invariably utterly naff, and no adult wants cluttering up their house (kids might apprieciate them though), and gold silver and bronze medals that actually mean something, awarded for a performance (like BUSA medals, cross country medals etc). In athletics / cross country gold silver and bronze medals are revered by all that have them. In orienteering we have mugs. If you won the british champs, can you seriously say you would rather have a towel or a gold medal with '1st, M45L British Champs 2005' written on the back. I'd take the medal every time.

[Kitch]

I would have thought the point about medals for the younger juniors would be to give them out to all finishers, not just 1st 2nd 3rd. The top 3 should get whatever other prizes are going - towels (excellent idea), t-shirts etc. If its all medals then gold, silver, bronze + finisher's medal for all.

[Klebe]

Quirky mugs, as Twin Peaks did a couple of years back are OK, but no more white, plain mugs with logos on. Towels were good idea, nice to see a bit of initiative with regards to prize selection.
Use them in the gym, if they do not wrap around, with the logo showing. You could end up introducing someone new to the sport..

[redkite]

I remember in the early 70's being presented with a book token for winning a boys 15 age class at a local event near Ilkley. I thought it was great at the time and it really provided encouragement.