City Race Series 2007

[Axel]

Wrong one of the ideas of this series is to expose orienteering to the masses, unfortunately great area Leirth Hill is that is not where the masses will be on a Sat afternoon in Feb.

[brooner]

JOK Chasing Sprint is the day before MV National Event/FCC, so on Saturday 24th Feb 07, and is at Leith Hill. This is pretty much 100% decided and I hope people will agree that not all the top Sprint Races of 2007 should be in urban areas. Online entry and invitation will be available in a short while at the usual http://www.jok.org.uk

Of course not all the top sprint races of 2007 should be in urban areas, but this isn't just about sprint races and it isn't just about the elite, this is about providing a publicity vehicle to put the sport in the public eye while providing a test to everyone which is something that urban orienteering is able to achieve.

Races should definitely be of varying distances, partly as some people are put off by the word sprint, and some urban locations lend themselves better to certain distances moreso than others.

If we're going to do it we're going to do it properly in 2007 as its the only way that we'll get buy in from sponsors and media.

[Paul T]

The experience in Oxford (not forgetting the real pioneers in York) was inspiring and I have walked around a couple of familiar places this week and thought what great events we could have there.

One very practical problem we will have to solve. If every control needs to be watched to make sure it doesn't vanish then only major events that can justify that level of manning will ever happen. That would be a shame - there are plenty of worthwhile 'district' size street events and they shouldn't have to revert to pin punching.

Does anyone know how to make e-controls more vandal-proof ?
Any enterprising design engineers out there?

[redkite]

small chain and padlock? Most people are honest and it doesn't take much to deter. We have the same issue at the JK sprint next year as it is likely to go through a housing estate and onto a bit of common land

At Oxford I found myself looking for the marshalls and their bright orange tee shirts rather than the control as they were easier to spot.

[lincolnsteve]

In Lincoln we are planning on using cable ties to secure controls to lamp posts, fences, tree's etc. Its not pratical for us to have someone at each control but we will be having control watchers floating around, also we have spoken with the guys at the CCTV centre, they will be keeping an eye on things, give them something to do on a quiet sunday morning in January!

[johnloguk]

[quote="lincolnsteve"] also we have spoken with the guys at the CCTV centre, they will be keeping an eye on things

That could make for a cracking post-race video!

[Matt L]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6108496.stm

That could make for a cracking post-race video!

Indeed.

Oh and Brooner (I think 'twas you). What's being made of the footage from Wadham at the Ox race?

I know you got me looking puzzled for a moment or two. Don't think I was the only one though.

[Paul Frost]

EckO had some metal security plates made that fix to the unit and have a hole for a wire strop. It needs a spanner to tighten/undo the bolts, so not 100% secure but puts off the casual interest.

The only problem is that the plates need to be a permanent fixture. The actual ones we use are shapes so that they fit into the old style T-bar holders. They also stop people trying to dib through the back side (doesn't record properly).
I keep meaning to check that if the wire went through the SI Card hole, would it affect the signal, as that would be even easier to use.

[seabird]

I keep meaning to check that if the wire went through the SI Card hole, would it affect the signal, as that would be even easier to use.

I've certainly come across that done successfully. I think at York.

[rocky]

Oh and Brooner (I think 'twas you). What's being made of the footage from Wadham at the Ox race?

Said footage is sitting in the camcorder in a carrier bag at my feet. It shall shortly complete its journey from oxford back to nope towers where we'll all sit down with a nice cool beer and watch it and laugh. some of it might see the light of day sometime... don't hold your breath!

-m

[Adventure Racer]

Something similar to that plate is done with controls in AR. I'm sure Martin Stone could tell you more.

Oh, and the wire through the hole has also been done successfully - might upset orienteers trying to speed-punch though.

[P2B]

Same too with MTBO (well, the ones I've hung for in Yorkshire that is) - try spending 5 minutes fiddling with the bolt whilst being bitten to death by midges - they're secure!

Does Stodge use any kind of securing for his events?

[Stodgetta]

Stodge uses good old fashioned zip ties.

We drilled holes in standard metal stakes that then get zip tied to trees/fence posts/immovable objects, and then the boxes get zip tied to the stakes.

If someone is determined to have a go, they will (we had a metal stake broken in half for the sheer fun of vandalism in the summer ), but I reckon if it was street O with Joe public around a zip tie is enough of a deterrant - it's not "quick vandalism".

I know Martin Stone does do secure metal base plates and would be happy to give advice.

[Peter B]

Here in Nottingham we are fully aware of having too many controls and not enough people watching them. An idea we had to combat this was instead to have a Micro-O in the city Square - unfortunately the Square itself is under major redevelopment at the moment so we have not been able to further this idea but we would try to get as many 'elites' running where all the controls would be easily visable from any one point - and hopefully open the sport up to the public as much as possible.

[Roger]

Here in Nottingham we are fully aware of having too many controls and not enough people watching them.

Then why not try the 'bring a friend' idea that OUOC used so successfully? There were about three times as many marshals (my guess) out in Oxford as there are members of the club. (Many of them were thoroughly bemused when I turned up on a bike, without a race number, touched the control with a weird device and cycled off.) As well as introducing orienteering to the general public, you could use the opportunity to introduce it to your running club / workmates / knitting circle. And if a free T-shirt or pint of beer isn't enough to entice such solid citizens, you could always try the local students.[/b]