No Girls Allowed

[Witton Park]

Well that's just it. It's all about UKA. Whilst bringing these relays into line with their 'framework' they have failed to recognise the restrictions for ladies. If allowed at all to give any sort of advisory input in to their own sport anymore, the FRA has also failed to recognise this problem. A simple sport is becoming more and more complicated.

Sort of JJ but it just goes to demonstrate the difficulty that current FRA/EA/UKA links bring. It's a constant balancing act that I doubt can ever be resolved satisfactorily.

If you did look at the Mens / Ladies Champs in road and XC to bring the (UKA) fell in to line with the other endurance disciplines then you would have:
Smaller ladies teams eg 4 per team
Ladies would run over shorter distances
There would not be a VETs category in Mens or Ladies.

So the event would look something like this
Leg 1 Solo 5km/300m
Leg 2 Pairs Nav 8km/500m
Leg 3 Solo 5km 300m

with the Mens as is.

2 Categories that's it.

I'm not saying that would be the right way, but it would be the consistent way.

[JJ73]

Granted Saz. But as Witton Park pointed out yesterday, the lesser representation of female runners hasn't been taken in to account like it is in road relay races. This means many ladies missing out altogether. Not exactly in the spirit of fell running as we know it (or knew it). So yes, it's Men v Men, but only Some Women v Some Women. Over and out.

[Stolly]

Isn't the real issue that relays are a team sport which is unusual really for running, where for the most part its a solo thing (even though they might represent a club). Every other team sport on earth requires a team of players and, yes, its extremely difficult to get a full team to play/run all to the same standard. This is common to all team sports and quite probably more so for some womens sports. My daughter, who plays rugby, has definitely had to put up with being a good player in a mediocre (or even crap) team from time to - thats what happens in team sports. I'm guessing that some elite women runners though don't want to run in a team of mixed abilities?

[noel]

Ladies are allowed to play cricket against men:
http://www.skysports.com/watch/tv-sh...-men8217s-team
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...ickets-england

BTW. I'm not using this as a reason that ladies should be allowed to enter the mens' teams in the relays (although I think they should). I'm merely raising this as a point of interest.

On Saz' point earlier. It's a very politic statement to say it allows men to race against men. It would be far more accurate to say it as it is: it prevents ladies running against men.

[bigfella]

It's a dangerous precedent, if you allow women to enter the men's teams then you really should allow men to enter the women's teams.

[Richard Head]

When did the 'Open' category get changed to 'Men'? I'm pretty sure my one appearance at the relays was under UKA jurisdiction and we had a lady on the first leg

[Alan Lucker]

Still think a Senior Open categorie would resolve it as best as, probably, can be. The only issue I can see with it, is it potentially dilutes the quality in the Men and women categories.

[ba-ba]

I might invest in a few fake beards to sell at a premium - meet me in the car park (oh, there isn't one?)

There has obviously been a change after the issues with V40s last year, and rightly so IMO. Unfortunately the change has gone a bit too far the other way. Hopefully next year we'll settle in the middle!

[molehill]

Good thought but there were only 5 of them.

What are you like in a frock?

How about Pans People, bloody great for the V60 category. Or am I showing my age here?

[benshep]

I've read all the posts on this thread, and I still don't see why the "Open" category can't be open to either gender, ie. why not allow women and men to run in an "Open" team? ("allow" not force.) Who would it disadvantage?