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AK Champs Results

Show Profile  pete s Posted: 30 April 2008, 3:55 PM  
I'm a little surprised at the tone and comments on this thread - i mean talk about making something that was actually bloody good appear bad - come again??? The akl champs were well worthwhile attending this year, well set on good maps, and those that didn't attend missed out on a great weekend. Are the low numbers a trend? Seems to me its more just a blip, probably affected by the fact that it was so close to the SI champs this year, and who knows what other reasons. I do agree though that we need to keep innovating and coming up with concepts that fire up peoples imagination - last w'end SI champs was a good example - 4 races in 3 days made it worthwhile for sure, as well as great variety of terrain.

Regards attendance of Jamies and the "Turkeys" events, I'd have loved to attend these, but I actually chose orienteering events that were on as more important - its a shame we were forced into a choice, as i'd prefer to have done them all - maybe next time it'd be good to plan these away from O events, cause it seems to detract from both...

Show Profile  Paul I Posted: 30 April 2008, 4:41 PM  
I think the low attendance was due to a number of things coincidently happening all at once... lots of travelling reciently - combined with the cost of travel, other competing events, great weather for alternative family events after a busy summer of O, probably the wrong time of the year to attract non hardcore Auckland O'ers who may have only done a couple of OY's, being after the nationals it wasn't used by sme as lead up training, maps that everyone has run on, not a lot of interesting marketing, and possibly for some people having to pre enter too far ahead.

Yes there is a big cost in funding new maps further afield, but the anticipation and challenge of new terrain is probably one of the main things that keep people in the sport, though it's impossible all the time and we do accept this.

I think we could do better at marketing events to highlight the character and uniqueness of each map, build up some excitement etc.
The marketing for the 2007 Waitangi event with the internet maps and videos was outstanding, it got my family and I there.
Remember the days when we were inticed to events by delicious photos and little snippets of cool terrain - it all helped.



Show Profile  Greig Posted: 1 May 2008, 1:41 AM  
I don't think Jamie's event in Christchurch really affected the turnout to an event in Auckland. In the best case scenario the Auckland champs would have got another 6 odd people from Canty turning up.

Show Profile  addison Posted: 1 May 2008, 3:18 AM  
I am in agreement with Pete and Paul.

Might sound a bit crazy but perhaps we need to think outside the square? When people join a club for the first time, they get to attend their Regional Champs for free that year?

What is the actual cost of having extra people come to an event - piss all really. So if getting people to our Championship Events is a priority, shouldn't we be trying to entice them financially maybe (that is if cost is a burden).

Marketing at least for the major events in my opinion could be done not on club websites but on a new nzorienteering, where Nationals and the regional championships all have pages for events. Ideally this would link in with an online entry that you just 'tick to enter' and it charges your credit card or whatever.

Jeepers, I am waffling on...

Show Profile  nick Posted: 1 May 2008, 4:58 AM  
Yeah, Pete - Akl Champs was a quality event. The discussion is really around the observation that turnout was lower than previous years, and we're speculating why that might be.

There will always be a scheduling clash with something or other. We may as well face that fact. All sports compete for participants. If we happen to suck at it, thats our problem. If its not alternative navigation-based events, it'll be pony club or ballroom dancing or something else. No point bitching about it. *Ideally* there wouldn't be a clash between say Rogaine A and Orienteering race B but I say that mainly because I'd like to enter both, not because of the competition for entrants.

As I understand it the SuperSeries was initiated by elites to raise the bar through greater competition. NZOF has backed it with funding (money that is ultimately provided by the greater O population). In light of these two points there is in my view something of an obligation on funded elites to make all reasonable efforts to attend super series events. The "as I please" approach suggests people are taking both the SS and the $$ for granted - theres a whiff of spoilt kid about it don't you think? I've observed (from the outside) Jamie's efforts to inject fresh energy and momentum into NOS produce fleeting results. Why? Does it mean there is discussion to be had about our elite culture? Or is the SS itself the problem? Too ambitious? Perhaps its something to do with the dog's breakfast we have for an annual calendar?

And, elites are only a part of the picture. The bulk of the field run in different grades and it seemed that their numbers were down at Akl Champs also. Paul's given a good list of possible explantions for this. These people by their numbers make events possible. They have to be considered also.

Anyway - plenty of serious shizzle to talk about here... and despite maptalk's reputation for bitching and abusing, good ideas don't emerge out of an individual bitch fight. Its not Jamie's fault or Shaun's or Chris' or CD elites, or Greg's or whoever. Our problem is rather bigger than that I suspect. With that in mind I'll end this epic by giving propers to Simon for making a constructive suggestion; totally bro - that sort of incentive has potential to attract people. Perhaps we should apply that thinking beyond regional champs? HBOC do some funky shit with their junior fees don't they?



Show Profile  ole codger Posted: 12 May 2008, 2:33 PM  
Brian, are your NZOF statistics of numbers attending events based on entries or actual starters?

Show Profile  Bryan Posted: 13 May 2008, 1:23 AM  
Based on actual results published - usually including those that did not start. (there have been a few events however where the organisers have left out the people that did not start but this happens rarely)

Show Profile  James Posted: 14 May 2008, 2:00 AM  
Well i thought the events were awesome, and i was dissapointed at the weak elite field. I agree that as elites and members of the national squad receiving travel funding, we have an obligation to attend the SS events. If we dont have numbers, we have no competition, and any good run might be considered a hollow victory because the field was small. We need to try and bring some life back into the Super Series, i wish i had the answer as how to do it.

I really like simons idea for free entry to regionals for new members, i can think of a few newbies that are detered because they think they are not at a good enough standard.

I think HBOC only charge $5 for junior membership?......and i think Counties might be the same?? And from memory the last few years i was living in wellington (04/05), their junior membership was only $5 as well! So looks like some clubs are already trying to attract numbers?

Show Profile  ole codger Posted: 21 May 2008, 5:17 PM  
Have been away tramping in the S.I and have been busy with more important happenings.Note that Bryan states that event figures are based on entries (dns)and rarely on final starters. That makes the final figures 191 for the 2008 Auck Long Champs, on parr with the last 4 years long events. There were 10 not 20 new CMOC members from Robbies summer events and wouldn't you expect some numbers from them, otherwise why organize them. And no I wasn't bagging Tricia's courses - weasel words Clem. She set excellent courses but was frustrated for lack of controls. We do live out on limb 'Running beast", 300 KM round trip to NW,60 to Waiuku, but we got by although there was no spare controls. But I was bagging the CMOC lack of forsight in not obtaining enough controls for two events . They have now conceded to obtain another 30, the last of the big spenders.
It is obvious that if clubs want larger numbers at Championships the events will have to be on Long weekends and now with the price of petrol sky rocketing no one going to travel any distance for a two event weekend. I'm quite sure I will not be travelling to a two event two day Wellington champs but will for a 3 event. I note that numbers from Wellington province to Auckland were lower than usual. James , the answer to bringing life into the Super Series is to have the series compact and not spread out over 5 months. At the moment for 2009 there is no major event marked in between Apoc Jan, the NZ Champs Easter, and QB, with area champs and S.I.champs in the spring. Did someone say the NZ season is a real dogbreakfast. The date of the Auck Champs one week before The S.I Champs was unfortunate. I had pressed the CMOC to change from mid Sept to mid May because, one, we would not be in the country to update, set and control the event. Two it would support the NZ , S.I and Wellington Champs, effectively making it a compact autumn H.P. season with the main beneficiares being the Elite and junior Elite competitors. I t finished up were it was because CMOC thought it would clash with their May mid-week Franklin Primary schools champs, and no one on the AOA events committee thought to swap it with the AOC O'y held the week before.

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