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Thread: Online entry - good practice?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Oscar's Avatar
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    Online entry - good practice?

    As it seems inevitable that online entry is likely to become the norm in future, it might be a good time to lay down some guidelines for its use such as these:

    - Don't open entry until after FRA calendar has been issued
    - Make clear in calendar entry for the race in question that online entry will be required and provide web details, stating what date they will commence
    - Open entry no more than 3 months before the event
    - Allow substitution
    - State entry limit

    Offering postal entry for these races could also be an option, but I don't know how workable this would be.

    Thats the ball rolling, so lets hear your thoughts.

    However notwithstanding the above, it would also be nice to see a return to EODs for more races. The Borrowdale seems to manage EOD for 400+ runners. Nuff said!?
    Last edited by Oscar; 21-11-2007 at 07:41 PM.

  2. #2
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    Re: Online entry - good practi

    I completely agree.

    In my personal capacity.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Purpleplodder's Avatar
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    Re: Online entry - good practi

    Quote Originally Posted by Oscar View Post
    The Borrowdale seems to manage EOD for 400+ runners. Nuff said!?
    Given the demand for 3 Peaks and that Borrowdale is a British and English long counter, how many do you think will show up next year if it remains EOD? (Think Anniversary Waltz!)

    Don't get me wrong, EOD is much easier to deal with.
    The Borrowdale race organisation committee have always managed it and would still prefer it that way.

    But as I've tried to tell 'em, what would happen if 750 turned up on the day to a waterlogged parking field, a grim day (worse than this year) and guaranteed percentage of the entry having no hill running experience at all? Vetting each runner's credentials as entries are filled in on the day is surely impossible.

    One thing that I think needs more consideration is the increasing requirement to be on the internet to have a chance of getting into these event. This is clearly unfair for those that aren't computer nerds checking the websites every day. The only Windows Schoffer can operate are the ones he paints!!!

  4. #4
    Senior Member wycoller's Avatar
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    Re: Online entry - good practi

    My own view is that on line entry and early opening of entries are different debates.

    If a race is seriously over subscribed then whether it's postal or online there is a problem - clearly the case with 3 peaks. I don't think that online is any worse than postal, for both you need to know where to get the details and when entries open. A big benefit of online is easy use for entrants and organisers.

    Early opening of entries is more difficult because more people will enter and then drop out for some reason. However good organisers can allow for this in the overall numbers.

    3 peaks wise isn't the real problem the fact that a popular race (albeit more recently) is a world and english champs. The latter is in our (FRA) control, but wouldn't the cttee be criticised for choosing a nearby AL and then affecting the chances of our top runners in either the three peaks or english champs by forcing them to run two ALs close together?

  5. #5
    Master Vince's Avatar
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    Re: Online entry - good practi

    Quote Originally Posted by Purpleplodder View Post

    Don't get me wrong, EOD is much easier to deal with.
    The Borrowdale race organisation committee have always managed it and would still prefer it that way.

    But as I've tried to tell 'em, what would happen if 750 turned up on the day to a waterlogged parking field, a grim day (worse than this year) and guaranteed percentage of the entry having no hill running experience at all? Vetting each runner's credentials as entries are filled in on the day is surely impossible.

    One thing that I think needs more consideration is the increasing requirement to be on the internet to have a chance of getting into these event. This is clearly unfair for those that aren't computer nerds checking the websites every day. The only Windows Schoffer can operate are the ones he paints!!!
    Although I agree in principle, pre entry in some races is better and easier to manage IMHO as you know how many vehicles, etc. you are catering for. 2 big road races I deal with have no entry on the day (swapping details is allowed) as it cuts down on the organisations time. Saying that, I too have left races to the day to enter and would sometimes take the chance of getting EOD.
    Seperate issue: There has to be a balance of postal versus on-line. On line is a lot easier and is paper free (good for the enviroment) but as said, not fair on those who do not 'do' computers. Maybe a statement saying how many postal taken versus on-line entrants?
    If you know a race gets over subscribed, as an organiser, it should be stated from the outset what the procedure should be to enter (IMHO)
    www.vlaevents.co.uk Fancy something different?

  6. #6
    Senior Member bill's Avatar
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    Re: Online entry - good practi

    Agree with Oscar to a great extent - though slight preference for opening entries no more than two months prior to the race. For long races in particular, I'd feel happier about assessing my fitness for the event two months ahead of time rather than three (or more).

    Also...

    Reserve a proportion (15%?) for postal entries.
    And if this for a championships race, guarantee entries for top 10(?) male & female in previous year's champs, plus some number from the various age groups.
    If not a champs, guarantee places for winners from previous year.
    And finally, if the event is one of those that offers awards for multiple completitions (eg. The Ben), guarantee places for those up for an award that year.

    And then offer up remainder of places for on-line entry....

  7. #7
    Master Vince's Avatar
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    Re: Online entry - good practi

    Quote Originally Posted by bill View Post
    Agree with Oscar to a great extent - though slight preference for opening entries no more than two months prior to the race. For long races in particular, I'd feel happier about assessing my fitness for the event two months ahead of time rather than three (or more).

    Also...

    Reserve a proportion (15%?) for postal entries.
    And if this for a championships race, guarantee entries for top 10(?) male & female in previous year's champs, plus some number from the various age groups.
    If not a champs, guarantee places for winners from previous year.
    And finally, if the event is one of those that offers awards for multiple completitions (eg. The Ben), guarantee places for those up for an award that year.

    And then offer up remainder of places for on-line entry....
    Is that like releasing houses on a plot of land? Have so many released each week with publicised dates so everyone knows when to log in?
    www.vlaevents.co.uk Fancy something different?

  8. #8
    Master Witton Park's Avatar
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    Re: Online entry - good practi

    What about increasing the number of allowed entries - particularly with the 3 peaks in mind.
    At the RV10K, the main criteria for us to increase from 750 - 1000 permit was that we provide more marshalls and demonstrate that it was safe.

    We are then allowed to overbook as there is a history of drop-out. So we could take 1100 pre-entries if they came in and be OK.

  9. #9
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    Re: Online entry - good practi

    I don`t really give a toss if i wan`t to enter an event it makes not a jot of difference to me if it is online, post, on the day or even pigeon post i do what is necessary, and if i miss out then i move on and do something else.

    But if i had to have a preference it would be on the day entry which i feel is fairer to everybody because nobody can predict what they will be doing or even be capable of 3 months or more down the line, and often places are wasted by no shows that entered months ago.
    The older I get the Faster I was

  10. #10
    Senior Member bill's Avatar
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    Re: Online entry - good practi

    Is that like releasing houses on a plot of land? Have so many released each week with publicised dates so everyone knows when to log in?
    Say you've got a maximum of 600 places....

    Allocate 90 for postal entries
    Put aside a further 50 (say) for elite/category winners/previous winners
    Then you've got 470 places up for grabs via on-line entry.

    The first 470 get places. A reserve list starts with the 471st on-line entry & 91st postal entry. Runners on the reserve list get "promoted" as un-allocated entries aren't used up e.g. you're over-subscribed on-line but have 80 postal entries by the closing date. Publish both the confirmed start list & the reserve list, updated at regular intervals, so that people know where they stand.

    Some folk will try applying both on-line and by post I guess. Not sure how you'd handle this .

    As you can probably tell, I don't organise races. Not yet anyway.

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