she is not 'my' Pipps' !!. She does run with wings on her feet, has won road races and is the Cumbrian X-country champion. Speed is her middle name.Quote:
Originally Posted by FellMonster
OK end of debate from me.
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she is not 'my' Pipps' !!. She does run with wings on her feet, has won road races and is the Cumbrian X-country champion. Speed is her middle name.Quote:
Originally Posted by FellMonster
OK end of debate from me.
I think as a further point, about the selection of athletes not in the trial, I would say that Andi Jones and Steve Vernon would probably be our strongest runners but clearly they have a varied set of commitments including road and cross country.
That is not to denigrate any of our fell runners. You have to be in it to win it.
I personally think there should be more places allocated to the trial and less discretion with the wild cards, but there are also relevant reasons why this isn't done.
I completely agree WP about emphasis being put on a trial, but until somene decides the outcome of the selection will be purely on a trial we will always have a situation where people get selected who are not at a trial. Many selection races which we have now, and I dont mean just in Fell and Mountain running, people often believe the trial is just one way of getting on a team. I wasn't in the country when this trial took place and as it happens I have just withdrew from the team.Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
Good luck to everyone running. I hope some medals come to those in the teams. They all deserve them.
I think so too. The problem with these mountain running events is much of our fell running season can be overlooked as irrelevant so the selectors are in a difficult situation of having to compare runners from quite different disciplines who would very rarely race each other.Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
The obvious way to do it is just to be strict, use the US way and just put it all or 90% on the trial. Obviously it's harsh on those who may have an off day but I think that's what competing is all about. You need to be able to perform under pressure. Don't run the trial don't get selected. As long as the Trial dates are provided early enough then there's few excuses for missing them. As long as it's very clear and well communicated I think more people would do the trials. At the moment if you are unsure if you'll win or come in the top 2 but have a good record at other events it's probably worth not running and asking for an exemption.
Could you pick the top 3 from the Championship plus the first 3 in the trial?
Surely the Championship counts for something?
I agree with what you have there Iain - I think there sometimes is a tendency - perhaps more prevalent in Track and Field and Cross Country, for athletes to miss trials for what I deem as spurious reasons (of course they would say otherwise).Quote:
Originally Posted by IainR
I am more linked in with FRA junior and there has been a drift away from automatic places based on the overall FRA Junior series with only 1 place automatic now (see below criteria).
England Team: 4 U18 men, 4 U18 women, 4 U16 men, 4 U16 women, plus one travelling reserve in each category.
Selection: the first runner in the FRA junior championship in each category will gain automatic selection. The remaining places will be selected on known form. To be considered for selection athletes must have competed in at least two 2009 FRA Junior English Championship races.
Although the selectors have gone largely with the top places, it does leave the doubt in the mind of the athletes, which especially for younger athletes who may well be looking to make there International debut, can be quite nervy.
I would sooner see a move that placed the vast majority of the selection process on the trial, or the series of trials and took pressure off the selectors and made life clearer for athletes, coaches and parents.
I'm not sure it should, the 2/3rds of championship races this year were good traditional fell races, Sleive Bernagh (sp), Stuc A Chroin, Garn. Tebay was fairly runnable, but quite different from a mountain running course.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
The Welsh team is composed of runners who have not ran on the fells at all this year and didn't do the trial either. Then there's fell runners who have missed out who have ran on the fells all year yet didn't do the trial. Tough call for the selectors so the most transparent way of doing it is placing all or most of emphasis on the trial.
The process should be as transparent as possible.
I think one of the problems is that Tebay (for example - as well as many others) is different to the overseas international events.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
It would be like picking an Ironman winner for an International marathon - they'd probably do OK, but couldn't be as good as a marathon specialist.
I think the trial system is fair, but it would be clearer if the trial was used almost exclusively, with perhaps a maximum 25% of slots for selectors picks.
I think also automatic selectors picks should be (provisionally) declared before the trial so that the triallists no in advance how many places they are battling for in reality.
Just also come to me that you might not know the final placings of the Championship at the time that selection had to be made.Quote:
Originally Posted by IainR
If the trials are clear - and the Champs races are clear - I think athletes can then cut their cloth accordingly. Some will prioritise the British or their National Champs whilst others will go for International selection.
My 2 cents:
1) I think it would be wrong to make a selection based 100% on the trial race. Saying that, the winner should be guaranteed (or equivalent as publicised)...that's why i was outranged with the Long Distance cockup earlier in the year.
2) Stagger's suggestion about selecting the top 3 in the championships serves only to highlight his complete ignorance to any knowledge of running. I'm sorry if that seems harsh Trevor, but praise be that you have no part to play on any selection committee if you would seriously entertain that notion. Hopefully, you were just 'chucking it out there'. Which championship would you use: British? English? Let's face it, the British championship has been a softer touch (by comparison) than the English for a few years now as many do not travel.
3) Once again, I think the discussion on this thread has served only to highlight the ludicrous nature of the fellrunning championship system. This is not forumula 1 or a football tournament. In my opinion, it makes complete sense to have a championship as a 1 off race rather than a 4 or 6 race series, but then what do I know?
Fire away boys and girls....