JWOC

[Becks]

Well, for once the complete failure of the equipment booking system brings a good result! I can listen for a little longer. Hector seems to be going alright early on.

[Becks]

The girls are having a bit of a mare it seems

[andy]

The girls are having a bit of a mare it seems

aye, does seem to be the case...

Doug through in a similar time to Hector at radio though!

[Patrick]

I think Dids has opened up a really important topic here - one which British orienteering (as well as British Orienteering) has historically failed to address. When I left the junior squad in the dim and distant past there was little or no central support, though I was lucky enough to have a good local training group and the Scottish senior squad. I managed to work my way into what was then the Development Squad and went on some great training camps in Norway. Then, a few weeks before my 25th birthday, the rules changed to say that "development" could only happen to under-25s, and I was discarded as too old. Of the people I went to JWOC with, at least half have left the sport and none even came close to fulfilling their potential at senior level. Considering the talent level of that team, this was a shocking waste of potential.

I don't think a centrally funded "development group" is necessarily the answer. Leaving aside the bureaucracy and constraints associated with central funding, it would only ever be a poor relation to the GB Squad. Development squads always have the problem that the people who are in them shouldn't actually want to be there, in that by definition they should be aspiring to the top level. The only answer I can see is something like the original NEDS (pre-SEDS) where GB Squad members were consistently present at training camps, thus pulling up the standard of everyone else. A set of "regional" groups run along those lines (a region here would be (eg) North of England rather than NWOA) might be a solution. Some funding could come from sponsorship and self-help activities such as organising Saturday races before major regional events.

Among the most useful trips I've been on have been representative matches - Scotland v South Sweden in the early 1990s, and Scotland v Lithuania in 2003/4. GB used to run B-Internationals, but they seem to have disappeared in recent years. Regional squads would offer a vehicle for getting such high level representative competitions in at levels below World Cups. Representative teams at Tiomila and Jukola would give good experience too, if people can be separated from their Scandi clubs.

The bottom line is, while the very best may make it without support, we're hardly in a position to take the chance of losing talented individuals when there's a possibility of doing things to improve the odds.

Oh, and Simon:

The new Maprunner JWOC Database will show you a complete list of everybody who has represented GBR at JWOC

Not entirely complete!

Cheers,

Patrick

...and now back to your scheduled Middle Race Final.

[Simon E]

Oh, and Simon:

The new Maprunner JWOC Database will show you a complete list of everybody who has represented GBR at JWOC

Not entirely complete!

I blame the IOF website that has a strange subset of early JWOC results. Anwway, I've now found a bit more detail, including Patrick's moment of glory. The results still only cover A Finals and the better relay team of the two that run.

Working on that basis, Anne Edwards will become Britain's most experienced JWOC runner on Saturday at the Long race. This will be her eleventh race, leaving behind Kim Buckley and Scott Fraser on 10. Doug Tullie will make it to 10 on Saturday as well, but is behind Anne since he wasn't in the first GBR relay team in 2006.

A few photos from the week so far now available.

[ruth]

and doesn't anne have another year to go as well??!

[bedders]

Think so yeah.

Results today seemed alright (obviously not medal-winning) but Hector did really well, as did Alice on debut. It might only be the B final but Victoria Stevens did win, and that can't be a bad thing! And Ralph was also sixth in his B final, so lets hope that gives them the confidence for the classic race. Good luck to all Team GBR!

[ifititches]

live results seem to be working fine today. I was going to say what a fantastic run the leading austrian W20 had had, but the four minutes between her and second place a few minutes ago are now filling in with Scandinavians.

Looks like Julia was fastest GB woman so far to radio 1, and now to prewarning


And now to the finish. Geat run!

[Stef]

Yeah that Austrian has flown round the course!!! Some of the scandinavians going later off may go through at a similar time will have to wait and see.....

Julia pleased with run!

[DanH]

Go on Doug, 28 seconds down at first radio, but 2.5mins ahead of the guy who is leading at the finish! Top run from John too, especially considering the injury problems he's had

[Stef]

Hector only 1min 27 down at radio control 1 so fingers crossed for doug and hector!!!

[Becks]

Oooh this is getting exciting, go go go guys!

[andy]

good show from hector

[Becks]

Yup, fantastic grit pulling back really well from an early mistake. Nice one boyo!

[ifititches]

sweet result from Hector and 3 men and 2 women in top half of field.

Be fascinated to see the course between radio controls 1 and 2 on the mens'