Helping juniors

[Scott]

British Orienteering Rules 2007
1.1.3 Competitors take part singly and independently, unless entered as pairs or groups in competitions that permit such entry.
...
7.2.3 Competitors shall not collaborate in any way unless members of a pair or group competing together.

So what should I do when a junior comes up to me in the forest and asks for help? This seems to be happening more and more recently, to the point where it's not unusual to be approached by lost children twice at the same event. I don't mind stopping to show them where they are - at the speed I generally move, twenty seconds either way makes little difference - but I always wonder whether it's fair on the kids who do manage to get round on their own.

This is particularly true on the "higher" junior courses: I think it'd be a bit cruel not to help a lost W10 running Yellow, but at a regional event in the last couple of months I was asked for help by a kid running JM5S (at a guess, I would say he was 13ish) - should he have been able to sort himself out? I was also faintly relieved that nobody came up to me at the YBT first round... At the same time, it can be very hard to say "no" to/ignore a lost child. (Much the same applies to lost adults (not always novices), though here I'm (in most cases) less willing to help on the grounds that they'll probably beat me anyway .)

I suppose in an ideal world the kid would declare themselves n/c at download, but I think that might be a tad optimistic.

[Mrs H]

My rule of thumb is - if they are crying - tell them how to find their next control. If they're not - show them where the are on the map and run off. If they are really distressed (and I've seen it "please don't leave me") then take them in and give the parent an ear bashing for letting them go out and not shadowing - it'll make you feel better for having to give up your run.

It seems to be getting more common to encounter older kids askng they're way round courses - and at the risk of being extremely controversial I will suggest that these are frequently kids without an orienteering back ground (coming from schools not families) who just want to get round as quickly as possible and have found asking to be quicker than navigating. I never seem to recognise them anyway - of course this does not apply abroad where everyone - junior or senior - asks as soon as they loose touch with the map.

[Klebe]

If a kid (or adult) is lost then I would help them, or at least show them whereabouts they were on the map if they asked me.

I wouldn’t see this as breaking the rules.

"Collaboration is a structured, recursive process where two or more people work together toward a common goal."

I would hazard that the ruling was made to prevent two people working together as a team to improve one or the others result. Simply putting somebody back on track (who is most likely to be out of any winning or counting place anyway) doesn’t appear to fall into this category.

(I am willing to stand corrected!)

At one event I set a child right, orientated the map for him and pointed him in the right direction, only for him to immediately turn the map around and shoot off in the opposite direction -–hopefully somebody else helped him later!

[HOCOLITE]

My friend was stopped by a youngster who is now fringing on GB junior squad when she was a deal younger. When she told the child where they were the response was 'you'd better be right as I've got to win this race'. I tend to help most people but I was a bit agitated on Sunday when a fit looking w21/35 asked me where they were, when I told her she commented that she hoped I was joking because she couldn't believe that she was there.It was in jest but I had lost time when I was flowing quite well.
When I've been very lost I tend to look for a flow of people if there is one and try to find a control and then hopefully relocate. This happened to me in Denmark last year, I did not actually ask anyone and I did resolve it. I get more satisfaction from solving my cock ups, though there have been times whentears have been close.

[graeme]

Difficult. I would always help anyone, unless I was in a hurry (as I usually am). I even help adults with bingo controls, and I like it when they help me. For me, helping someone to enjoy their experience in the woods outweighs being unfair to someone else in the results.

But I'm well aware of the flip side. Shadowing made James (M10B *) ineligible for stickers and certificates at the six-day, and there were tears when he got no help from me at all, while plenty of other (formally competitive) kids did. Since his only time loss was waiting for me stop helping others and catch him up, I can see his point.

[Rich R]

For me it depends on the event. If its a district the children may well be newcomers and I wouldn't want to put them off orienteering so I'm quite happy to show them where they are on the map. At bigger events they are on their own. I've found if you don't look at them you don't feel guilty about ignoring them.

[Harley]

I always feel guilty after 'helping' either adults or juniors during an event. It would be best if I were to just ignore their pitiful appeals and shamble off into the undergrowth.

As it is, I try to help, but then when back in assembly I feel like a marked man, in hiding from some red-faced father with tearful child in tow, having realised that I have sent an M/W10 off the map. Once while shadowing I had to ask my charge where we were. I didnt phrase it like that of course and he never realised, but he did relocate very well - thank goodness. And, I will probably only ever be able to orienteer in Scotland under a pseudonym after having sent a bunch of women thundering 100m downhill when their control was just 10m behind them during this years 6-days (boy they took some convincing )

Perhaps I should be made to wear a placard stating that under no circumstances should I be asked for help. You have been warned - if you see me in the forest (see my avatar) then dont ask!