Macro-O - Another gimmick from the Norwegians?

[Becks]

Just spotted this on a link from Attack Point:
Macro-O article

[PorkyFatBoy]

Didn't we have this at the JK relays?

Seems a good training exercise, but otherwise another gimmick IMHO.

[harry]

Yeah they had MacrO at Norweigen Spring, their NOC tests & Holger was boo hoo-ing on his website about "how can you have people fighting for the same medals but running different courses" I kind of agree with him..

At the same time I like how Norway kind of pushes the boundaries and does different stuff. They must be the only country to give one of their WRE allocations to a non-WOC distance race, every year (Blodslitet). So overall I think it's good they are testing their athletes outside their comfort zones in lots of different ways making them physically and mentally tough.

[EddieH]

There seems to me to be a second unfairness in any penalty loop type race which I have never seen voiced. The sheer running speed of the elite varies very significantly. A penalty loop is a far lesser penalty for some than for others PARTICULARLY when the loops are done at the end of the course, and therefore the brain is not required afterwards.

Wasn't there a situation where junior elite were simply punching the first Micro control they saw knowing at it would take them less time to run the loop than to navigate accurately?

[harry]

I know that's what Marten Bostrom decided to do at NOC in 2005, since he runs sub-14:30 for 5k and sub-29:30 for 10k I guess that's a smart move. But he'd already lost so much time on the first/main part he was out of contention anyway.

It would be interesting to know in how many of these races the micrO/macrO element has actually been decisive in the final result.

[Patrick]

What I don't understand about this concept is how it is supposed to meet its stated aim. The rationale is to split up trains of runners and prevent following, but given the proven benefits of following to certain runners surely they'll just punch whichever control the leader goes to and accept a possible 30 second penalty at the end of the course. Or to put it another way, if 1 in 5 controls are Macr-O and you're running with someone who is more than 6 seconds per leg better than you then you should just blindly follow them anyway!

I still don't know why Hagaby-style races aren't run more often, as they retain all the characteristics of 'real' orienteering and have the added bonus of genuine head-to-head, first-past-the-post-wins competition.

Cheers,

Patrick

[Kitch]

They must be the only country to give one of their WRE allocations to a non-WOC distance race.

I refer you to Whitbarrow national event.....

[jondub]

I love the part "most (competitors) even think it is better than micr-o".

I'm not quite sure what isn't better than Micr-O!