No Girls Allowed

[JJ73]

There's already been plenty said about this subject, but regards this year's British Fell Relays -removing 'Mixed' as an award winning category is one thing - not allowing mixed teams to run as 'Open' is a disgrace. Clubs such as my own with a limited but talented trio of female off-roaders don't get a look in because, well, dress it up as you like folks, but it's because they are women.
2015 everybody. What a joke. Thus my reasoning for non-renewal of FRA membership in December.
I'm not even interested in which governing body or individual is responsible, let alone what they may claim to be some sort of reasoning behind it.
Total and utter b#ll#cks.
Loud and proud, won't hide begin my pseudonym...
John Sutton
Blackburn Harriers

[Witton Park]

There's already been plenty said about this subject, but regards this year's British Fell Relays -removing 'Mixed' as an award winning category is one thing - not allowing mixed teams to run as 'Open' is a disgrace. Clubs such as my own with a limited but talented trio of female off-roaders don't get a look in because, well, dress it up as you like folks, but it's because they are women.
2015 everybody. What a joke. Thus my reasoning for non-renewal of FRA membership in December.
I'm not even interested in which governing body or individual is responsible, let alone what they may claim to be some sort of reasoning behind it.
Total and utter b#ll#cks.
Loud and proud, won't hide begin my pseudonym...
John Sutton
Blackburn Harriers

I never knew you were on the forum John
Can't disagree with you and you've seen my thoughts elsewhere.

[benshep]

not allowing mixed teams to run as 'Open' is a disgrace.

I'm intrigued to know what the "justification" is for that, as it does seem to be plain wrong. or am I missing something?

[djglover]

I'm intrigued to know what the "justification" is for that, as it does seem to be plain wrong. or am I missing something?

The reasons have mainly been covered in thread in the race forum, but essentially removal of mixed and v50 categories to try and reach an entry limit of 150 teams. This is sold to us under the banner that this is for the fell running elite only. Many hold the opinion that it has disproportionately affected the ability of women and veterans to run at the event.

So there you go, you are now fell running elite Ben!

[JJ73]

I get the elitist thing Dan and if that's the way the event is going then that's just tough cheese for also-rans such as myself - it is a British Champs event after all. However, under this new set up, an elite lady who is better than most blokes only gets to compete if her club can raise a (not necessarily equally elite) team of six. So it is about gender here. Ladies and Gents will be shoulder to shoulder at the start line but cannot be in the same team. Bonkers. That's my point.

[saz]

The change was made to the championship categories - to open men and open women, from senior, so that if a vets team finishes in the first 3 they are awarded the first 3 medal unlike last year
Sarah

[noel]

I understand that point, and that's good to see.

So why can't lasses run in the open category?

[bigfella]

Because there isn't one, only Open Men, Open Women, Over 40 Male Veterans, Over 40 Female Veterans, I assume over 40s can run in the open event.

[saz]

As noted about, for British Championship events they are single sex - women can not run in say the national or regional 12 stage teams, nor can men do vice versa
S

[Witton Park]

But Fell Running is not and should not be treated the same as the other disciplines. If we are going to use the other Champs as examples of Champs structure, then we would also be insisting on athlete affiliation to the NGB and as you have pointed out earlier, there is a recognition that fell running needs to be treated differently and hence no insistence on this (yet).

But let's examine this closer seeing as the comparison has been raised.

Women don't run in a 12 stage team. The men do 6 & 12 Stage Relays, the Women do 6 & 4 Stage relays.

Area and National XC Champs - Mens 6 per team, Ladies 4 per Team

So there is a historical acceptance that numbers of competitive ladies are less in total and less per club in other endurance disciplines.

Perhaps that needs to be accommodated in to the National Fell Relays? Ladies Teams of 4?

The recent format of the Fell Relays allowing mixed teams and ladies to make up the Mens Team helped alleviate the problem that most clubs had - not enough ladies to make up a team.