common sense prevails as usual. well done Ambleside
common sense prevails as usual. well done Ambleside
I have to applaud the Ambleside stance and I also notice 3 county tops have precluded the use of GPS for navigation this coming weekend though it is allowed for recording and safety.
Fell running has always been an inclusive event. Yes we should embrace technological advances but until such time that GPS devices are affordable by all, commonplace, and above all, have no safety issues in terms of reliability over a map and compass, they should not be allowed for navigational purposes.
Achille Ratti have not defined what they mean by GPS use as a navigational aid. Presumably they accept live monitoring of distance covered as well as time, height, and use as a compass?
As to affordability, why does that not apply to altimeters?
I do agree that following a downloaded/stored route makes for a different type of event, and that ROs should be able to ban this.
The Ambleside compromise seems a very balanced one.
The mood at Fairfield yesterday seemed quite light-hearted about it all, lots of interesting discussion afterwards. It strikes me that this particular race must be one of the easiest races to navigate in the Lakeland calendar, so it's curious that Ambleside chose to introduce this ruling and at relatively short notice.
Wearing an Ambleside vest, I have more than once had a group following me on the way up - which is far more straightforward than the way(s) across and down - agreed , on a clear day the route is reasonably obvious; people have been known to end up in all sorts of odd places when the visibility is poor.
I'm with Ambleside although I still think it will be difficult to prove etc should a complaint arise.
As to waiting for GPS to be come affordable don't we already have an affordable way to navigate..
To me its about learning the skill to navigate and improving mountain craft...
An annual subscription to OS is more than a pretty decent GPS watch! That said, I'd agree, you need to be able to navigate with map and compass - anyway Ian, you have a vested interest in folks having to learn these things ;-)
Knowing how to use a GPS watch to supplement your map reading and route finding skills is all part of a developing skill set of fell craft I reckon - albeit not essential for anyone who can already navigate well using traditional methods. The affordability thing doesn't really wash with me either given the price of a pair of running shoes and shorts selling for £50+ by the bucket load!
I think the final Ambleside rules are pretty sensible, and sets what will probably become the trend, but we do need the FRA to come to a (thoroughly considered) view in due course.
Ambleside rules all sounds sensible to me.
I have a watch with ability to create pre planned routes but I created a race profile that shows nothing but time elapsed, height and heart rate. I did this as I will admit to using my watch previously to navigate in an Ambleside race (Langdale race, the way off crinkle crags in clag) and in all honesty it didn't sit too right with me afterwards despite it being 'legal' hence I created the race profile.
I could have done it with a map easy enough but that would have required me to actually get it out. I knew where I was, I just didn't know where to go.
To all those complaining (mainly on fb), its the same response I had to people about the 3 peaks pre entry requirements. Their race, their rules! If you want to race, you follow their rules.