The RO could have asked on the entry form "How many champ counters have you ever entered and not completed?" with any answer above zero resulting in no place. That would thin the rush down a bit and then the genuine special pleading champ contender cases could be granted a place at leisure.Originally Posted by ba-ba
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Well MrRTS and 9 other Buxton AC members are in too. Night night everyone :-)
I just entered 6/30am, and there's 230 on the start list already, so there will be some tired people at work today!
Not sure what the entry limit is.... 500...?
Don't hang about if you want in...!
Be interesting when Buttermere entry opens, isn't that traditionally a lower entry limit (which admittedly it never gets near to). Perhaps it will be upped for champs year....
Hey, I never mentioned dispensation/feelings of sorrow for champs contenders. 2013 was just an example. I think anyone of any stripe, speed or hairstyle who misses an entry but wants to be there has a right to feel narked off at those that dont show 'cos it's their butcher's birthday drinks or some such.The RO could have asked on the entry form "How many champ counters have you ever entered and not completed?" with any answer above zero resulting in no place. That would thin the rush down a bit and then the genuine special pleading champ contender cases could be granted a place at leisure.
Of course I hope entries = start line attendees.
7.30, 323 entries when I got in
Ha! That'll be the day - but then hope springs eternal in the human breast.
I can't recall now when a frisson became associated with champ entries but I do recall 1990 (just yesterday really) when Colin Donnelly, who had won the British Champs for the previous three consecutive years, did not get a place in the Ben Nevis and so was unable to defend his title. This caused a fluttering in the dovecote and so was the last time the Ben was selected as a British Champs counter .
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Last edited by Graham Breeze; 01-02-2018 at 10:34 AM.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Full already, and now operating a waiting list.
There are a lot of very unhappy people on the Fell Runners FB page. I'm not playing devils advocate or anything but everyone knew for ages it opened at midnight and were warned it would fill quick. Actually it still had 200 places left at 7am. Surely if you wanted to get in you would of made sure you were there ready to enter with all your details ready to go. The FRA are getting the flack but they have no say on when a Champs race goes live or how they do their entry system. The Organisers do a brilliant job and no matter how they do it they will get some bloody flack. People seem to forget that they are volunteers that do not get paid for their time. Ben Nevis opens on Sunday at 12 noon! Give me midnight any day! I will be sitting in the car with laptop entering MrRTS on that one while he is racing the Long Mynd Valleys. I'm guessing a lot of runners will be racing on Sunday all over Britain. The thing is ... he wants to race it so we are dealing with it.
Anyway here is my idea ......... British/English/Scottish/Welsh/Northern Ireland Championship races, open 2 days before for those that have competed in 3 or more of the Championship races the year before. That way you get the previous years winners in. Say 50% of places could go this way then open it up to everyone else 2 days later. You would still need to get your finger out but in my mind if you really want to be in it you make it happen. We were on holiday at Robin Hoods Bay last year when Snowdon went live at midnight. We had worked out that the nearest Wi-fi signal was in Whitby so we were sitting in a car park outside Morrisons at 11.50pm waiting. - MrRTS got in :-)
Agree with pretty much everything you say there.... I'm not a fan of the FB page, and didn't see the original post from the potential 'champs contender' who seems to have missed out. But a look down the start list shows that pretty much all of the 'big names' managed to get themselves sorted. I'm sure a well-worded email to the organiser explaining the situation would perhaps help his cause, rather than an angry rant.
But i don't want to get into someone's personal argument or circumstances. Considering, as you mention above, the voluntary organisation of pretty much all races, the system does generally work. If anything more advanced, such as earlier entry for category leaders etc, then it's a luxury in my opinion.
Indeed. So whenever anyone criticises a RO/ FRA Committee member/ etc I always listen for the "and so I am prepared to volunteer to do a better job of it"...
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
I assume they know from previous years the typical percentage of "no shows" and over subscribe on that basis. So does it really matter as the number that run on the day will be somewhat similar to the number that is allowed to run in the event.
In fact they make a lot more money this way
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