I get your point BF. But look, fell racing is supposed to be simple. Trying to enforce something like GPS use would be make things awfully complicated. As would random drug testing....and we dont do that either!
Simon Blease
Monmouth
I see this has flared up on Facebook again as apparently the FRA have made a statement, saying there will be a decision made prior to the 2019 handbook being released, whether they will outright ban them/leave to organiser's discretion.
My stance is that whatever decision is made I'm not fussed and will go with it. But the arguments being made by people who are "pro GPS" are frankly embarrassing in some cases. One guy moaning about, and I quote... "messing around with a map & compass". Frankly I feel sorry for the FRA as they'll no doubt get slated whichever decision they make.
LOL
I think they should make a generic statement as a reminder of the self-sufficient narure of the sport but leave it up to the race organisers to define the character of the race.
A lot of people on the faceache page will probably stick to short, well-marked pseudo-trail races so will experience little change.
ba-ba's 2-point plan (i.e. were I the FRA, I'd posit something like the following)
1. Fell Running is primarily a physical test, but it is also a test of fell/hill craft. This includes self-reliance, which in turn often includes the ability to self-navigate your way around the route, if this is a requirement of the course. It is not a test of fine navigation.
2. It is a race organiser's opinion as to whether route choice and mountain navigation are an integral part of their race and therefore it is their decision wether to allow, suggest against use of, or outright ban the use of GPS units.
3. All races are to be run to the FRA rules, but also a race organiser deems necessary to maintain the requisite/historical challenge of their event.
In real-life terms, I have little issue with people using a GPS for a route-defined race (especially one where taping of junctions etc. can be tricky!); however the fell-craft/historical challenge of checkpoint races should be maintained.
Nic Barber. Downhill Dandy
Seconded.
A true and honest way of putting it and the decision stops with RO or FRA.
Ba-ba - I'd totally agree with your 2-point plan, except for one thing - it has 3 points
Re point 1 of ba-ba’s excellent 3 point 2 point plan hill/fell/mountain craft also involves an ability to get oneself off the hill if things aren’t going to plan. This is fundamental whether racing or not; utterly core. Can someone following an electronic trace do this ?
I only have two points to make about Ba-ba’s two point three point plan:
1. It’s a good plan.