Training Log Archive: TheInvisibleLog

As luck would have it, it was my role to collect controls from the one event in the year you don't want to have to collect controls for. I had two helpers for which I am very grateful. I was left with the widely spread controls in the steep southern part of the map. Managed, driven by pain killers.

We hosted the annual strategy day for OV. Some obvious observations.
We are an opinionated lot.
We spent our time debating what sort of fixture we would like to compete in.
We didn't spend much time at all on what sort of events we were willing to organise.
Main decision seems to be to have State Series events on a predictable timetable. The preferred model was the March and June long weekends and the two Championship events in September. Thats six SS events. Based on past offerings, the clubs aren't willing to provide many more than this. Some in the room were concerned that they would have few opportunities for technically interesting orienteering other than Bendigo events on Saturday.

I spent some time reflecting afterwards about why we came to so little consensus. One reason was that we were trying to satisfy too many objectives. Trying to cater to too many different types of orienteer. My own segmentation of Bendigo orienteers using Eventor data shows that Bendigo events have to concentrate on one segment in particular - those that will only come to an event if its labelled "Bush Classic".

A rough idea started to germinate. Jim's ToDay event doesn't cater to everyone. It caters to the technically minded. Few Bendigo people turn up, yet others come from interstate. I used to run a couple of specialty events on the Bendigo fixture (Ironman, Orientshow) but gave up because few Bendigo people attended. If its not the Bush Series, they don't turn up.

So I thought perhaps I might offer to do an Orientshow next year on a Sunday. No plans to cater for novices. Mass start. Pre-entry only. The resulting smaller numbers make for an event manageable by one person. Then I wondered.. are there others out there interested in joining the concept and running their own one man or woman event. No format rules. No hassles with money on the day and EOD. No catering to novices (The novices have plenty of options already). No series points or jerseys or arena requirements. The only expectation would be interesting courses on interesting terrain.

Could we as an interested group zealots put together a Boutique Series with no series points, just a love of the challenge of interesting courses and terrain with minimal organisation? It might meet a desire of those not interested in the simpler formats on the fixture focussed on those learning the sport. I think there is a place for each.

C • BS orienteering 36

Bush event #4
No I couldn't. That is, no I couldn't really orienteer with back injury. Went round with two walking poles. Tried a slow jog a few times and lasted four steps each time. Still, this would have been impossible earlier in the week.

Went to golf despite back injury. Figured I could do half the usual number of holes and half a swing. Actually closer to a third of a swing. Half back swing and no follow through. All in the flick of the wrist. Turns out I can hit it almost as far that way as with my full swing (80%). And straighter. So my score wasn't much different to normal. Thought maybe I could do the same orienteering that evening.