Ranking Lists - what are they for?

[graeme]

There are two rather different opinions.

Where it matters is in giving more points to some events than others (either national event bonus, or discard of bad runs). This makes sense if it is a competition, but not if the points are meant to represent how good you are (which is the assumption made in using them to get ideal times).

[greywolf]

don't think you need a ranking list to work out "who the best orienteers are", they're the ones who keep winning events BUT if what you mean by the first part of the question is: "provide a nationwide comparison across many events" then that would get my vote too.

IMHO the ranking list should be:
a) light entertainment for stat-minded geeks (that's probably quite a lot of us) NOT the basis for any serious decision making
b) a means of comparing athletes who don't often / ever compete head to head - the ideal list would incorporate M & W, L & S, all ages and all events from CC up, and would, i think, generate much more interest / discussion / disagreement / banter than the current system.

[EddieH]

In my view ranking lists should be National Events, British and JK only. Then the whole idea of NEs as premier events might be resurrected, clubs might want to put them on, people might take them seriously and I might still be bothered to travel to them.

[Gnitworp]

A 'Masters Cup' for vets 35+ using ranking scores from exactly those events already exists, but only the top ten in each class are published.

[EddieH]

Very interesting Gnitworp - this was announced many years ago and at the time I decided to attend some NEs because of that. However I have NEVER seen any results, or heard of any reference to this since. I therefore assumed that it was all hot air.
If what you say is true it is the best kept secret in British Orienteering.

[andy]

http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/asp/rankings.asp

It's on that page Eddie, I stumbled across it today while uploading Spey results to the rankings.

[PMG]

Hi

The Masters Cup was set up about 5 years ago when I was Chair of the old Competitions Committee. Recommended by ? - can't remember.

I promoted it at the time and tried to get some more interest, Focus etc - but it fell on deaf ears, tried to promote a Final at the last event in the series, shouted down by the stats people.

Peter

[EddieH]

Well well well - Masters Cup!!!!! Where's the cup? Who on earth ever knew that anyone had compiled these results? Who knew who had won? Why are not all natonal events included? Who decided which ones would be included? Why on earth did anyone go to this effort with zero publicity?
Well tried Peter anyway.

[Gnitworp]

Why are not all natonal events included? Who decided which ones would be included?

Just to keep the record straight; all National Events are included (eventually).

[andy]

(eventually)

it's a simple case of selecting a radio button when uploading your results to the ranking database, and it's all automatic. really easy for any organiser