Discussion: Orienteers apply for Mantracker!

Two of Canada's elite orienteers have applied to be on the TV show Mantracker. As we all know, orienteers would be the ultimate prey. They can move through the bush at higher speeds and for greater distances than anybody else.

These guys are no great white hunter wannabe's that will run out of steam after hiking 10k in full camo, army boots, and packs. Heck, they don't need packs! A camel back, a couple Clif bars, and they'll run the 40k!

If you want to support your fellow orienteers, then please watch their youtube video and add a comment. Lets make sure Mantracker knows that he's got his work cut out for him!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE6TMVfWXmA

(They're probably going to hate me for this.... 8>)

YES!

My dad told me about this show, and I immediately thought, "Wow, orienteers would totally win this game."

I really hope this happens.

I watched part of the show while in BC for the O-fest, and remember thinking the same thing. And, yes, contestants get a map.

I presume that the "forbidden to enter uncrossable features" rule won't apply. :-D

They get a map?!?!?

GAME OVER.

Good work Damian and Darius, that's very funny!
I talked to Randy Kemp about Mantracker a year ago, and he seemed to think there is no way they would select orienteers for the show, since Mantracker would just get his butt kicked. I wonder how true this. Good luck Damian and Darius!

I didn't say it was a good map.

Boris - you're making the assumption that the entire thing isn't completely staged anyway, and Mr Mantracker doesn't grab a lift from a handy 4WD if he falls behind. :)

haha, that was hillarious! For sure, as long as you have a map, youd be at the finish before the tracker even gets to start.

Go for it Damian and Darius.
I love the Mantracker show. I also think orienteers would make very successful prey. However would that make for a great show? Besides where would they find a camera person who could keep up with the two?
Could they count on the camera operator not to be radioing their location to Mantracker's camera guy?
One of the funniest Mantracker shows I've seen was of the two guys in Central Alberta who could read neither map nor compass. They went in circles and totally confused Mantracker as to their true destination. (But eventually I guess the camera guys got it all straightened out)

I wanna see this!

The courses on ManTracker are designed by Lawrence Foster. Lawrence is quite arguably the best adventure racer Canada has ever seen with several Eco Challenge and Southern Traverse appearances. Lawrence is a great idea with a lot of respect for our sport and so I think this idea has got a lot of opportunity. There are many here on AP that know Lawrence better than I so hopefully they will post here with ideas of how their application can get chosen. Lawrence also organizes Canada's largest high school adventure race. Apparently it is Lawrence's job to test the course challenges to make sure both Mantracker or 'prey' could win. So I would imagine that this could work in the show's best interest as well. ie., "This is the longest and toughest course we have ever set and we two of Canada's top...." you get the idea.

The way for the orienteers to win is to choose terrain that is tough and thick that would stil allow the orienteers to move straight through the forest where Mantracker can't go.

This is a great opportunity to promote orienteering. Excellent.

I'm more of an adventure racer than an orienteerer as is NSAR, but we're really both. We applied a couple of years back for I can't remember which season and we were basically told that they don't accept adventure racers. I suppose it would be a bit of a boring show if the prey won without even a hint of a close call!

This is great!

Those with the best chance of being chosen to be prey are those couples who represent the best chance of having a physical, mental or social breakdown sometime during the event or those who are really and truly far from their element such as the urban boxer and rapper in the Muskoka highlands.

I know two of the cameramen on the show - Lawrence Foster and Mike "Shifty" Schaffel, with whom I've adventure raced a few times - so I've heard lots of behind-the-scenes stories. Both men are strong endurance athletes so they're perfect candidates for a job that few people could do. Shifty follows the horses on foot! As cameramen, they are not involved in casting decisions.

'Bent and I would love to be on the show but have been told that they would not accept adventure racers - not because Mantracker would get his butt kicked but because too much bushwhacking makes for boring TV. You'll also notice that the prey don't travel at night - they're not permitted to for various reasons, including the fact that the cameramen need time to recharge the batteries for their gear. If there is no interaction between Mantracker and prey, or if it happens in the dark, there isn't much tracking and there isn't much of a story to tell. It's a different perspective from the one most of us have as racers but the show's producers aren't in the business of setting up a competition - they're in the business of making a good TV show with an interesting hour-long story. They've just received 3 Gemini (Emmy equivalent) nominations so it seems to be working.

BTW, there is radio communication between the cameramen so they know each other's locations (essential for filming, particularly when Mantracker and prey meet) but they do not pass on that information to Mantracker or the prey.

>couples who represent the best chance of having a physical, mental or social breakdown

>'Bent and I would love to be on the show

Ummmm. ;-)

...and have been told that we would not be accepted!

They could bump up the entertainment factor by matching a master orienteer with a couch potato and focus on the instruction that would go on and the selection of a route that's good for foot and bad for horses. Plus, there would be the drama of whether the O would leave the newbie behind or create a diversion and let them run to freedom.

I've watched the show a fair bit and Bash is probably right. Its entertainment. Its about watching a cocky, overweight Rambo wannabe discover that he's not. The reality is, that all Mantracker really has to do is follow the helicopter. However, they did let a couple of army guys on that were fit and fast, so maybe we can interest them in some orienteers!

So lets do what we can to get their atttention! The youtube video is part of the application process, so please add some comments there if you can. The selection people need to know we are interested in seeing this happen.

Thanks

This is probably about the only TV I watch (well, besides hockey games and the show about logging).

I think the only way they'd let people who can run/navigate on the show is in some kind of terrain where you can ride horses anywhere. Otherwise, it's too easy for the "prey" to escape. If someone can run/hike through the forest for 40/50 km without ever coming out onto a trail or road, they will win every time.

Looks like Larry has a new nickname, anyway.

The problem isn't the prey winning, which happens often enough. The problem is how to create an interesting TV show out of 50 km of bushwhacking with little or no interaction between tracker and prey, when this interaction is intended to be the central plot point.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Mantracker show is that for two days the 'prey' put themselves through all kinds of personal torture with the hope of reaching a finish line that is unmarked on the ground. If they are successful the prize is the same as if they are not successful - nothing. Unlike US so-called reality shows there is no million dollar annuity to win, no car, no trip to Patagonia or wherever, not even a t-shirt that says "We eluded Mantracker". It's great! It's another way its like most orienteering events.

They ought to give successful teams a rock that has "Mantracker" written on it with a magic marker.

I watched a couple shows when we were in BC and even with elite Orienteers mantracker still has a chance. I realize the shows are all different but in the ones I saw there were some "choke points" and roads near the "finish" and mantracker can just hang out there waiting for the prey to come (assuming he can figure out about where the finish is). I think the "prey" only has a 2K head start and once mantracker figures out what direction they are heading, he just scounts the trails ahead waiting for them to cross or looking for signs where they have.
BTW, I did enjoy watching the shows

Lawrence (the Chase Coordinator for the show) actually matches the route with the abilities of the prey to create as level a playing field for both sides and therefore better TV. For a skilled/athletic team he'll use an area with many more roads running perpendicular to the direction of travel forcing them into the open, or simply choose to use that team for an episode in a more open plains area such as the grasslands.

I think we are all in agreement that an accomplished orienteer/AR will (should) win every time. But that is not the main reason they are passed over. 1st & foremost - the prey have to be interesting/watchable. The audience must connect with them - either love them or hate them, but nothing in between. Being nice just won't cut it. But nice and funny...absolutely! or complete dolts.

Also, the show is a theatrical way to demonstrate the art of the Tracker. If the prey were to just blitz the course through the bush, there's less ability to do that. As the producers say "It's a chase, not a race". We had 2 prey who had done some AR, the show turned out to be almost unusable.

I think the only way to make the show interesting using orienteers would be if they used their skills to obfuscate their route, circle, double back, split up and rejoin at certain junctions. In other words, use all their skills to elude MT, while still keeping fairly close contact. This would put themselves at risk of capture, but would make the episode interesting to the viewer. It would also showcase the abilities of an accomplished orienteer.

Everyone here has made very interesting and valid comments. And, yes, Bender - Lawrence would find some terrain that would be a challenge for everyone involved. Unfortunately, he's very good at that.:-)

Oh, and the helicopter stuff is done after. Too noisy during the chase.

Lawrence would find some terrain that would be a challenge for everyone involved. Unfortunately, he's very good at that.:-)

Yes ...yes he is. I've been the on the receiving end of his craftiness on more than one occasion and found myself cursing his name ;)

Shifty,
Thanks for the comments from the inside.
Please pass on that there are many Mantracker fans in orienteering circles. (Even if I watch it just to say that I could have done better by obfuscating the route, circling, doubling back, or splitting up and rejoining at certain junctions) Its like watching Jeopardy! and trying to beat the contestants to the answers.