O-Ringen 2010

[Domhnull Mor]

I know it's a bit yet but the question has been raised in our district (the far north of Sweden) about bidding to host the O-Ringen i 2010. As a club, we have to make a decision in the next two weeks and at the moment we are split 50/50.

The plan as it stands is to have the event centre at the old helicopter base on the outskirts of Boden (inland from Luleå at the northernmost end of the Swedish east coast) and then have all five events - including a midnight-sun stage - in areas within walking/cycle distance of the town. This idea is similar to what is being done in Söderhamn this summer.

The available personnel (local club members) are similar in number to those for a Scottish 6-days. This means that the ability to host the type of O-Ringen seen in the last few years is rather unlikely not least given that the last few O-Ringens have required approx. 2000 volunteers / helpers.

What we would like to know is

1) would the distance from main transport centres put you off coming to an event this far north or is the location an attraction?

2) would you be more or less likely to come to an O-Ringen if it was "scaled down" in comparison with recent years? This would not impact on the competition (courses) but more on the facilities.

3) what is the most important factor in making you decide to go to an O-Ringen rather than another event?

Any other comments would be welcome.

[El]

I've never yet done an O-Ringen so can't comment on scale of facilities etc. (I'm going to this year's though).
Currently I tend to go to every event going because I'm a student and I have the time. Once I've started work (less than a year to go...) I guess I'll be looking at the attractiveness of the orienteering (which would put Sweden/O-Ringen on any short list) and then the attractiveness of the local region. From my point of view having it in the far north would make it more exciting and more worth while spending a precious week of holiday at.
However, distance and transport difficulty is likely to put off the student/junior contingent to whom cost and ease of access is more important.
Wow look at that - I've just given you a 50-50 argument. Sorry that's not very helpful! On balance I'd say go for it.

[gg]

I guess from a club point of view that it would bring in a huge amount of revenue?

What is the terrain like? Is it worthy of oringen?

I say go for it, maybe not so many people will go, but then thats ok if it is scaled down anyway

[Neil M35]

It sounds great but I suspect it will either cost too much or take too long to get there for somebody with a job and a family to consider. What is the cheapest/quickest way to get to Lulea?

[Domhnull Mor]

One of the main arguments against the idea is that although we may raise a good deal of interest in the sport in the region (and possibly finance, although that is by no means assured as the clubs carry responsibility for any finacial loss), the people who are normally responsible for working with beginners are those who would most likely have the greatest responsibilities with an O-Ringen and so we have the catch-22 situation where we have people interested in the sport but few people with the time or energy to arrange follow-up events. Given the fact that the o-season is so short up here (mid May to early October at the latest) is not an advantage either. Still, the benefits may outweigh the disadvantages.

[Kitch]

a special O-Ringen Express I expect
from Stockholm maybe ?

I think basic is fine.
I think an adventure to the far north will attract people
If people don't like basic they won't enter and that will make your job easier.
I think you need to submit your proposal to SOFT on the basis of what you can actually achieve logistically. Do what suits you - so scale it down.
If SOFT don't think its acceptable then you won't get the event. If they do then you'll only have comitted to something on a scale you can manage.

Those that do go will be in for something a bit different and a bit special I expect

[Domhnull Mor]

Luleå has good flight connections, mainly with Stockholm. The other alternative is the train, 13 hours to Stockholm! (I travelled to Uppsala and back at the weekend). The recent oil price rises obviously show the possible cost of long-distance travel. The O-Ringen has been held here before, in the early 80s but times have changed.

[Mrs H.]

It sounds fantastic - we are big o-ringen fans and one of the problems we face every year is getting there quick enough. Mr H. usually drives the H. van out and the kids and I fly as soon as they finish school on the Friday (which is the cheapest way for us to do it anyway)- We almost always have to take them out of school for the last week - but what the hell - they never do any work then anyway so what's more educational fancy dress football with the teachers or a week in Sweden - they'll just about all have left school by then anyway!! I just wondered if there was any negotiation on dates ( yes I know the English and Welsh Educational system is not a determining factor - Scotland finishes earlier and I don't know what happens in Ireland - but it always prevents quite a lot of people I know from going).

I suspect this would be too far to drive anyway so O-ringen express - just like Hogwarts - sounds amazing.

like Kitch says - basic is fine - if you get it be absolutely clear what you are offering to the punters - even possibly under-state it - so that those that come will be pleasantly surprised and you'll get no grumbles. This sounds like a real adventure.

[graeme]

I can't see why you wouldn't bid for it, then leave it up to SOFT or whoever to figure out whether your fantastic event is appropriate to label your event as "O-ringen". If not, why not do it anyway?

I can imagine people who signed up for something called "O-ringen" expect to get all the bells and whistles normally attached. It might feel like TioMila in the daytime - great orienteering but not the real deal.

Graeme

[EriOL]

What is the terrain like? Is it worthy of oringen?

In northern Sweden the terrain is usually the smallest problem. I have seen some of the old maps around Boden. It's mostly big, extremely detailed hills with some blander areas in between. Definitely worthy of O-ringen.

On the other hand, if they would use buses and different areas all days it could be the best and most varied O-ringen ever. But I realize it's probably not possible and that we have to be content with just good terrain.

[PeterW]

I went to O-Ringen in the far north in (ahem) 1982 - it was superb! In particular, Polcirkel-etappen held right on the Arctic Circle near Jokkmokk counts as one of the best places I've ever run - open & complex wood with an almost-clean forest floor.

The terrain was good - the other 4 days tended to be big hills with lots of detail on the tops/slopes and big marshy areas in between.

It was 2 days driving from Goteborg, but after O-Ringen we adventured further north into arctic Norway. The far north is certainly an experience & I guess that the location on its own would attract people & more than compensate for any scaling-down of the events themnselves.

[ifititches]

Agree it would take people to a wonderful area (and some amazing mosquitoes) and probably lots would stay on to explore further

Re transport issues for that size of event and because the O ringen seems to be getting more and more ecologically aware/sensitive, would Swedish railways help out with transport by running extra trains to the north? Last time I was in the far north we had to find a campsite for an extra 36 hours because the trains were fully booked back down to Stockholm, (and that was just a normal weekend in June.)