Remote or dead

[graeme]

The world is full of compromises, here's one I have no feel for...

What would you prefer at the end of a championship middle distance race:

1. 300m dead run down a path to the finish,
2. a remote finish
3. a proper assembly and a second rate course?

(edit to clarify for Fish: may be best to ignore option 3 as "second rate" is too wooly)

If you reply, I''d be interested to know if you're "junior" "elite" or "senior".

Graeme

[fish]

Graeme

Is it two options?
remote finish with a 300m path run.

or assembly and 2nd rate course.

How much of the course becomes 2nd rate with an assembly area?

fish

[mharky]

The course has to come first. If the 300m track run is just added on to the 'good' course, then it's not much of a problem, it just a long run-in. I feel there is no point in sacrificing the quality of the course to get it into an arena. Yes, it would be nice, but it's all about the orienteering for me.

So, remote finish and quality course for this elite.

[Simple Soul]

The question seems to be whether to have the finish in an Assembly Area - much cheering/club tents etc or 300m away in the forest. If it assumed that there have been no dead path runs during the course then as a senior I would be happy with the dead path run to the finish. However for shorter courses the 300m could be 10% of the course length which for a championship becomes a little debatable. On balance though I would go for the finish in an Assembly area.

[FatBoy]

If the course has been good I don't mind a dead finish. Also for me you can discount the run-in as part of the "real" course length - e.g. if you're trying to plan a 5km course and the run in is 300m then make it 5.3 - it doesn't make any difference to really any age class as it's distance in the forest that makes it tiring.

PS I am M32 not really that elite

[HOCOLITE]

Problem with 300m run in to assembly comes with most junior courses that becomes a large proportion of their course. However as they are running on paths anyway, arguably they could have a control on the run in. I think it would be wrong for them to have a sep finish if the rest finish in assembly.

I personally like a short run in circa 100m and flat. I'd be happy with a yellow standard or orange standard control another 100m out. It would still catch a few out.

At a National standard event a remote finish is a bit of a let down. Two come to mind. One in Quantocks where there was bussing to assembly, and one in South East- Ash ranges I think, where a dead run seemed a possibility.

Middle aged short course senior.

[tim sleepless]

Longer run in and good assembly area everytime (particularly if there's any possibility of sunshine). In Bordeaux on the last day you pretty much had a 400-500m dead run to finish on the beach in the middle of the town, and it was a great finish and well worth it. The shorter kids courses dipped off this path on the way.

[Adventure Racer]

Long run in

Senior, not elite at orienteering (though am at other sports)

[Supersaint]

i'd rather have a dead-run into a spectator filled finish, gives a bit more of a race atmosphere, particularly if there's commentary. though there is a limit to how much of a dead-run you can have to get to the finish - anything over 500m is pushing it a bit i think.

bit part elite

[Mr timE]

In our sport nearly every time there is some compromise needed. For a championship the ideal would be a car park on hard standing next to the assembly field in the middle of the forest, finally control on edge of wood and 50m run in, sadly that rarely happens, but as the Brit Relays this year showed you have to make the best of what you have. There it was a long way to the assembly area, but we were on top of the action so it was a short run in. (Surely to let everyone get a reasonable view of the run it it has to be over 100m anyway, they normally are at the Scottish 6 day). Brits could have gone for a flatter assembly area on the edge of that wood and a longer run in, I would have been happy with up to 500m, even on my 3km course and I am an aching M50. It has to be down to each event to get the best blend they can. The BKO National in Jan could have moved their finish into the field, it would have been another 300-400m, but there it would have worked well, unfortunately when planned the ground vegetation was above head height apparently and it had not looked feasible for juniors/elderly.

How about this for a solution, just put controls on the run in anyway, even if on man made features, if a championship you could even have a couple of micro O controls on either side of the run in, so you have to choose the correct one or get a 15 sec penalty. If we are to attract new faces we need to compete with other sports and make ours more attractive, the one thing that certainly does that is a good run in, tents, flags, banners, commentary, excitement and a longer run-in will help with that. So what if you have only run 2km, the distance to the finish is the same for everyone, some will be really long, some will be shorter.