World Schools Champs 2008

[andy]

Any one notice the poor Chinese called WEI jobbie?

yep
the commentary team missed him coming down the run in, sadly

[HOCOLITE]

Shame that you can't type a Chinese name without it being moderated

[Eeyore]

...can someone explain how athletes were selected? i'm no expert but there's a few top Scottish juniors not there...

Scottish selection worked as follows: To be eligible to compete at WSCO 2008, you had to attend the Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival on the first Friday in June last year. Unfortunately some of the top Scottish juniors couldn’t go, either due to other commitments (at least 2 were away on school trips) or logistical problems of travelling such a long way on a school day (and for a very short run). Those who were at the SSOF could then enter the “selection” race in late November. No results were ever published from this, but I think all competitors were selected.for the Scotland team. As the host nation, Scotland had the right to enter A and B teams in each class, and there are empty places in the teams they have entered that could have been filled if more pragmatic selection criteria were adopted. Another factor is that for Scottish juniors, the timing’s bad - the Standard Grade and Higher exams start very soon, and some chose not to attend.

[Lard]

Yes, Congratulations to all those who had great runs yesterday.

The English had a proper team - based on a workable selection criteria.

The Scots didn't field their strongest team - due to an un-workable selection criteria (wth no flexibility). But alas - the schools teams that the Organisers wanted to attend comfortably qualified and attended.

As far as the Scottish Select Team - some talented athletes managed to attend the selection races and were rewarded with great results - well done to them.

Had the Scottish Schools organisers actually wanted to field their best select team then Scotland's results would have been far better than they were. Unfortunately, this is Schools Orienteering and is nothing to do with SOA or BO so there's nothing any of us could do about it.

Good luck to all teams in tomorrow's event at Barr Wood - a great little area just south of Stirling.

[Tom R]

I went to the scottish schools champs and was intending to go in for the world schools, but I decided for a few reasons not to go.

1) It is 3 weeks until my first exam and even though it is a 15min car ride from my school to the accomodation I was told I wouldnt be allowed to go into school at all for the entire week. Not a good plan if I want to pass exams.

2) I would have to pay a large amount of money for the priveledge of representing my country. This would have been ok If I didnt have to also pay for the scotjos tour this summer (id much rather do this). These things can add up, along with the cost of going to the Jk, BOC and the SARUM fcc races.

I would have been more happy to take a week off school to compete had it been abroad. The two hour walking tour of the city centre doesnt sound like fun to me

I know that im not the only person who has put exams above competition as well.

[greywolf]

Eeyore, Lard and Tom R: thanks for the explanations, I want to wish all those competing well, though it sounds like the Scottish selection process was a bit of a farce . Still not sure I understand why:

I would have to pay a large amount of money for the priveledge of representing my country

especially if it was just down the road, or why

this is Schools Orienteering and is nothing to do with SOA or BO

when i thought the British Schools Association was a "region" of BOF - certainly listed as such on the BOF site, and the event is on the BOF fixture list and therefore presumably registered, run under BOF rules, insurance etc.
And still no idea about Belgium German

[Paul Frost]

Initial tests show that there should be a good enough signal to publish regular results updates from Barr Wood on Friday.
Results link

I have also upload a load of photographs to the Photo Gallery.

[awk]

I thought the British Schools Association was a "region" of BOF

The BSOA is an autonomous body which has affiliated to BOF as an association. Just as Brit-O have nothing to do with Home International selections (although the races are run under its rules and cover), so selections for schools are left to the BSOA for England and to the SSOA for Scotland.

[PKJ]

And still no idea about Belgium German

You'll wish you hadn't asked, and here's my entry for the 'dullest Nopesport post' competition.
It must be thanks to the complexities of how Belgium works (or, perhaps more accurately, doesn't work). They're representing this bit, which has about the same population as Anglesey, and (sort of...I think) runs it's own schools.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German-spe ... of_Belgium

[DM]

Belgian German;

A rare breed, I know one via work. Get's very upset when you suggest he is a) Dutch b) German. It seems that after WW2 when boundaries were redrawn a small area (as PKJ says) of German speakers wanted to be linked to Belgium rather than Germany - don't know the reason. They do seem to be keeping out of the main self destruct battle going on in Belgium between the French and Flemish speakers though.

[Mrs H]

Young Neville went to the World Schools when it was held in Belgium in 2004. He acquired a team silver medal which says Deutschsprachige Gemenschaft Belgiens on the front - nothing else - infact you have to look on the back to see what the event was - so they obviously take it very seriously

Incidentally the English/Welsh selection policy is not quite so grounded as might appear in that only 2 of the 5 places in the select team are openly available, the other three go to athletes who are supported elsewhere in the competition by a school team, which is fair enough - this is the schools champs after all - but this school team can consists of as little at 2 other competitors in their class and has led to some "stooges" being entered in the past to support their friends and some bad feeling among those who have made huge efforts to rouse genuine schools teams to support their more able athletes or simply from more able athletes who could not find a couple of friends to come along and take part. The criteria gets a bit wishy washy at that point and needs to be one thing or the other. Given that the government's grant giving seems to be decided by how many medals are being won perhaps it would be a good idea to have the schools teams slug it out for the schools team competition and the individual athletes for the select team competition without the token gesture towards schools teams in the latter

[Sue C]

The middle race is rather looking like a Sprint!

[marcus_weatherburn]

anyone else think it is ridiculous that a girl from ireland who won one event and is currently winning todays event has to run non competitive. How can this be? Its an absolute joke. She clearly got the best time in the first race and therefore should be crowned winner but as she hasnt got a full team, she has to run nc. Is this a team or individual race? I thought both prizes were available. There wont be another race more competitive that she will have run in or will run in in the near future. Views?

[Lard]

Thanks to Paul for getting the results out so quickly and well done to all the Brits who did tremendously well today - we have more World Schools medallists!

Big shame about Ms McCann - but she has clearly shown her class this week and I look forward to seeing her perform on a much bigger stage in July - JWOC.

[Axel]

Fantastic results from our boys and girls today well done to them all. A special WELL DONE to Aine McCann who albeit started as first runner in her class and was deemed no competitive she still posted the second best time on her course.
A crass decision by the organisers to class her as no competive, I presume the powers to be will state rules are rules and such like. Hopefully someone from Ireland or BSOA/BO will challenge this ruling in the near future or in time for her or any other competitor in a like wise situation for the next champs in 2 years time.