Discussion: US Champs in a row

Mary brought the question up with JJ. She's been to every one since 1991.

Also, your planks don't really count unless you have two people observing and timing them.

And telling jokes to make you laugh.

Actually, my first was Baileytown in 1990. I have very fond memories of the '92 Champs in French Creek, because that's where I met Mike. Good for you Peter, for your longevity! My only chance to catch up is if I live 16 years longer than you :)

That is spectacular. Hats off big time.

I guess the one I feel the best about is 1985 in southern Michigan. Those were the days of punch cards, carried in a plastic cover, on the second day they just collected the card and the plastic.

I had a good run, time was up, first place easily. Got the maps back, going over routes with someone else, we got to I think it was #11 and I looked at the map and realized I'd skipped it.

Didn't hesitate for a moment, took down the stub my time was posted on and told the results crew. Turned out there was a tear in the plastic cover and the card, looked like it might have been a punch, they saw it was me and assumed it was OK. At least that's what they said.

Didn't really matter. Felt like I'd passed the more important test of the weekend.

So though I've been to 40 of them, I've only finished 39.

Phenomenal.

This is awesome. I bet there aren't too many people with streaks like that in any sport.

I wonder if there is a Guinness world record for such things. That could be good PR for the sport! Absolutely amazing, Peter.

Yeah, wow! Neat to see where they've all been as well!

Zowie! Even more amazing than we'd all thought it would be. Loved the 1985 circumstance and not surprised by your response.

Records for the Classic champs go back to 1970. (I only have records back to 2001, and only for elite classes, for the individual champs.)

Classic Champions (edited the link)

Interesting, but not surprising, is how age groups have expanded as the population of orienteers develops.

I think probably '87 was the first one I got to, although not sure about a few. Possibly '84 but I don't think so. Since then, missed '89, '90, '95 (had an entry and a plane ticket, but injured right before and couldn't go), '98, '99, '01 (not sure). 40 in a row? Unimaginable, but great!

Now that I can see the list, I know that I started in '87 and had a decent streak going for a while, but missed two of them recently.

So, in keeping up the streak, there was sometimes a bit of a conundrum, namely, at some point, or (to make that plural), at some points, one really should be organizing instead of competing. The issue certainly came up over the years, in my mind at least.

Going back through the list --

1977 -- The event was in Virginia, not too far from Richmond, no local club. It really was organized by NEOC. Hans Bengtsson was course setter, I was in charge of registration and results, so could still run.

1978 -- Seems that NEOC organized two A meets a month apart. I ducked out of organizing the US Champs at Boxford by organizing the New England Champs at Mt. Tom.

1987 -- The next (and last!) time NEOC organized the champs, in Rhode Island, and that was far enough away from Western Mass, and NEOC was a big enough club back then, that I wasn't asked to help.

1993 -- The year when WOC was in the USA, so we split the Champs, with M21 and F21 separately a month or so earlier. I ran in those, then was in charge of registration for the O'Fest, the public races in connection with WOC, which the age-group champs were a part of.

No classic champs for NEOC since 1987. And none ever for my other two clubs, CSU and WCOC.

Other than the classic champs, and I suppose it serves a somewhat of a substitute in my mind, did direct the 1992 Relay Champs with NEOC, start of our both praised and cursed point system, and was course setter for the 2007 Relay Champs with WCOC.

But still, 40 years and not the course setter even once....

Wow...kuddos to you! And like Ali said, cool to see where they have been....also made me realize how long I've been away from the US - scary!

I wonder if anyone else in any sport has competed in 40 consecutive National Championships? PG, it is so wonderful that you chose this one.