Is it compulsory to visit the start kite?

[King Penguin]

Surely the best solution is to plan the location of the start kite and all first controls to avoid this being an issue ? The problem is only likely to arise if the start kite is a long way from the pre-start / clock. Why is this necessary ?

[Gross]

Surely the best solution is to plan the location of the start kite and all first controls to avoid this being an issue ? The problem is only likely to arise if the start kite is a long way from the pre-start / clock. Why is this necessary ?

Sounds like you mean.... get a planner who can plan & a controller who can control

[rosco]

as soon as I cross the start line I'm looking for number 1. not the start kite! What would be the point in that?!

[AndyO]

.... get a planner who can plan & a controller who can control

completely agree, Gross, it's not rocket science to avoid a route to first control going back through the start. After the first control, the forest is your lobster

[Freefall]

I do not think it is necessary to visit - the control should (must) be on a mapped feature (and it has a control description) but there is no need to run past it. It may be convenient to set up start lanes etc back from the start and unless you want to force the competitors to follow tapes (must or should?) they can go where they like!

[roadrunner]

I always believed that it was unnecessary to visit the start kite (except where, like at the O-ringen, there's a taped route with OOB either side) - though I can't remember why. Having said that, I can't recall an event where I haven't gone very close to it. As others have said, good planning would make the start kite on the best route to the first control (or so close that it wouldn't matter).

[tim sleepless]

So we're decided you don't need to go to the start flag..??

I've been to a few events this year where that would have saved a bit of time, in Europe though..

[mharky]

It's got nothing to do with the planner. The planne decides where his start pont is going to be and creates various first legs from there. The exact locations of the maps is generally decided on the day by the people setting up the start. For many reasons it may be better to have the start lanes and map boxes some distance from the actualy start kite. People who don't cheat would then run to the start kite and start their course. I can think of 2 recent exaples. The SOL event at the FCC final, the start was located in a re-entrant so you couldn't see people running to the first controls, you then had to run about 10m to the kite, yet when i started I saw some guy cut straight up thhe hill from the map boxes. At the Scottish Relay champs the start kite was located at the end of the run-out (as it will be for all relays) However many cheaters thought that they wouldnt follow the taped run-out, instead they would duck under the tapes and go onto the nearby track. Infact, i destinctly remeber E.H. doing so...

[seabird]

It's got nothing to do with the planner.

Technically you're right mharky.

But as a planner I would always want to determine the location of the prestart as it can effect how my courses are run - a brief discussion and plan of layout to the start team leader usually works.

As a controller I would certainly consider it my responsibility to ensure the prestart is sited as planned to ensure fairness.

[Gross]

It's got nothing to do with the planner. The planne decides where his start pont is going to be and creates various fir track.

WRONG - has everything to do with the planner - the planner is responsible from the START to the FINISH.

A start kite is essential to mark the definative start point... your route planning to first control should be from the kite not an unmarked line on the map.

It is compulsary to visit the start kite if there is a taped route... particularly relevent in bigger events where the start kite could be up to 200m away due to good planning

[IanD]

People who don't cheat would then run to the start kite and start their course.

To cheat, you have to break a rule. Is there such a rule (in the absence of a compulsory taped route)? This was the original question, and so far nobody has managed to quote such a rule.

And there might be a supplementary question, is a taped route always compulsory?

I'm not trying to be pedantic here, I really want to know what I am supposed to do, in those rare circumstances when the optimum route from the map box or start punch to the first control does not pass the start kite. I take the point that planners should seek to avoid this question arising, but I can hardly demand that the course be replanned once I've picked up my map!

[Gnitworp]

It's got nothing to do with the planner. The planne decides where his start pont is going to be and creates various first legs from there. The exact locations of the maps is generally decided on the day by the people setting up the start. .

I agree with Gross, it has everything to do with the Planner who needs an onsite meeting with the Start Organiser to agree the layout.

Personally, in individual races, I always keep the start kite close; it merely identifies a point, nothing more.

[Fratello de Pingu]

Unless there is a punch on a start kite how could you regulate this and uphold disqualifications?

You could simply put the maps by the start kite.

[seabird]

If the idea of the start site is to conceal where runners are going on their first leg a simple solution is available to ensure everyone goes close to the start kite.

Tape a route to the map collection point, which is positioned in closish proximity to, but obviously before, the start kite. Everyone will want to go there!

[Dave]

st spring cup this year, in the relay the fastest route to no1 was avoiding the start kite by a long way, but the 500m route to start kite was marshalled and compulsory.