favourite race distance?

[[my username]]

orienteering races seem to have recently become much more varied, with more short/sprint distance events, park races and now micr-O...
Even with all this new stuff I still prefer the traditional classic distance,and I wondered how many people feel the same?

[King Penguin]

Long ones for me, with fewer longer legs and route choice rather than lots of short legs

[seabird]

Much prefer Long Os to any other distance. Might having something to do with being slow and steady (although some might question the steady)

[awk]

Most enjoyable races done in the past couple of years by a long chalk have been the sprints. Just aren't enough of them sadly.

Unfortunately, too many recent races with longer legs have been pretty boring. A lot of planners don't seem to be able to plan interesting longer legs.

[Rookie]

I like the traditional lengths but the new distances are fun - was at Venice street-o at the weekend (length was standard though) and really enjoyed it. The sprint/short on Sat was good - the extra speed (plus tourist dodging) adding a challenge.

There's nothing wrong with new disciplines if classic is also kept - at multi-day events have a bit of everything.

[ratleikur]

Definitely prefer long-O, or failing that, classic distance. I like the challenge of route choice, and maintaining speed and concentration as tiredness kicks in - something totally lacking in sprint/short races.

[ifor]

Night events are of course the best. What I realy want though is a night long O.

Ifor

[graeme]

I prefer "classic" races of about 90mins.
Then long-O.
Then park races.
Least of all middle distance.

Wouldn't bother with Trail-O or Micro-O

[Adventure Racer]

MTBO

Then again I'm with Ifor on the night-O. Would also be interested in a night long-O - though night sprint-O would be interesting too.

[FatBoy]

1. Night-O (any)
2. MTBO
3. Classic
4. Sprint


Sometimes swap 1 and 2 if I'm navigating as badly at night as I have been recently. Night sprint-O may be interesting, but perhaps Night MTBO would be better

[Adventure Racer]

I think you're definitely onto something there Fatboy. I do keep meaning to have a go at one of the night trailquests, but they're not quite the same as MTBO. Long night orienteering duathlon anybody?

[Gillian]

Classic and Long-O. (And I mean a "proper" classic of 90 mins winning time!) Makes it worth the travelling time and costs, and is much less reliant on luck. I also much prefer training for the longer distances.

[Guest]

sprints around towns/parks, fast furious navigating, for the quick thinkers, not the ones who stand at the control for a minute working out which way north is

[mharky]

I prefer long distance, but what I really care about is how technical it is. If something is easy then it is boring, and not fun. I ran a course that took 7:30mins at the weekend, but it technical and very enjoyable...

[Tom R]

I also prefer longer courses are better as it takes stamina as well as navigation. But at M14 I dont get to run many long courses.