Rivington Pike: Champs Race 1

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Originally Posted by Lefty

No excuse for anyone getting lost finding the start or registration. There were signs at the bottom of the lane clearly directing people up the lane. A quick look on the Horwich website ( there was a link right here on this forum ! ) also clearly states where registration is and a look at the map also shows where registration and the start is so I'm sorry your mistake not the organisers,

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thanks for your reply.

the website for the club/race and the information was full of information and included a great deal. all the races that form part of the English championship should aspire to this standard..

the postcode was for the school..the instructions actually state variously that the start/ registration is at the school/ behind the school. the pennine junior challange flyer actually states the school as the start and registration.
The arrow on the map clearly shows the start registration as within the school grounds... if the school gates had not been locked at noon i suspect that a great many more would have tried to this route to get to the start.

at 11am when registration was stated as opening there were no signs anywhere.. when we had registered at 11.20 and walked back to the junction of the start straight and the hill..first signs saying 'caution runners' were being placed at the end of the start straight..

we had a great day out. the sun shone the sky was blue. we ran up and down a hill. all for two quid...

http://www.horwichrmiharriers.co.uk/...aceDetails.pdf
This is the official info and is clear. It seems to identify everything as it should.
If the RO was a little swamped on the morning and so unable to have registration open bang on 11:00 it's not a crisis when the races aren't due to start until 1:00pm

I host track, road, Xc and fell races and 2 hours before race time, I might not have the signage and course markings in place. That's the life of an RO.

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Originally Posted by Lefty

and as for wanting tea and cakes !

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........and what is wrong with that?!

We'll try and make sure there's water at future Champs races. What did you expect, Hot Cross Buns! ;)

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Originally Posted by Corniceman

........and what is wrong with that?!

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Everything. Some people are just happy to have good races, well organised, it's Fell racing for gods sake not the Book club !

To put the mild concerns into context:
Yesterday members of Horwich RMI Harriers successfully organised 6 fell races for approximately 500 runners from 2 locations, including manning two road closure points on a busy holiday weekend. Very few clubs can manage that.

Some senior & junior photos up See http://www.woodentops.org.uk/ more senior race photos to follow.

Is this not an absolute farce as an under 18s race to do the senior category....2 miles on a road and then a mile on the fell. Great test, no disrespect to Horwich great club and a great race, one of my all time favourites, but to let under 18s count that as a fell race championship counter.....come on.

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Originally Posted by TurboTom

Is this not an absolute farce as an under 18s race to do the senior category....2 miles on a road and then a mile on the fell. Great test, no disrespect to Horwich great club and a great race, one of my all time favourites, but to let under 18s count that as a fell race championship counter.....come on.

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Talk to some of the top seniors Tom. Rob Hope, Tom Cornthwaite and the course record holders are amongst the best ever. It's a climbing and descending test, a fantastic race and a great race for U18s to come and mix it with the seniors.
It could be argued that the U16s should have been in with the seniors.
There are other tests and the FRA series as usual has a variety - we don't want 6 bog snorkelling races do we?

Thanks WP, that's well explained. Tom, the series will never consist of 6 races like Rivington, but it may well include one. As you will see, I thought it worthy of going in the U20s Championships as well, and I have no problem with the first race of the year being a little shorter than the others.

A document on race selection policy is being finalised and should be available within a week or two, so I am certainly not entering into debate now.