DQ the cheats

[Stolly]

There is no way that carrying a slightly more weighty bumbag is going to effect someone's performance so I disagree with the cheating thing. Also the front of the field spend far less time in the hills than the back during a race so arguably have less need of all the gubbins. They will almost certainly know the route better and overall be more experienced of the hills too. The overriding issue is eff all to do with cheating but all to do with the race organiser's responsibility to ensure that safety issues are covered and, should someone die during a race, no blame is pinned on the race organiser. If they say carry it, just carry it.... but its nothing to do with cheating.

[Antisocial]

so spill woodzy, what made you post this?

[simgreen78]

There is no way that carrying a slightly more weighty bumbag is going to effect someone's performance so I disagree with the cheating thing. Also the front of the field spend far less time in the hills than the back during a race so arguably have less need of all the gubbins. They will almost certainly know the route better and overall be more experienced of the hills too. The overriding issue is eff all to do with cheating but all to do with the race organiser's responsibility to ensure that safety issues are covered and, should someone die during a race, no blame is pinned on the race organiser. If they say carry it, just carry it.... but its nothing to do with cheating.

Aye. Agreed. He's a wise old bird that Stolly.

[noel]

And while we're at it: innocent prisoners should be released. This will help overcrowding in our prisons.

But seriously, I do agree and think race organisers should do more to enforce it. Having said that, I am now a race organiser. Next year I'll have a kit check if I decide there's any kit needed.

[John4of5]

There is a conflict in this scenario. Fell running is all about minimum rules and maximum fun, but the issue of kit requirement can only be addressed by more rigid kit checking. I've also been impressed how the RO for Edale Skyline managed 100% kit checks and would go along with this system whenever it was used. Should only be necessary for Long and maybe tough Mediums though.

I think that if any runner was named and shamed, including their club, then they would naturally get pressure from their clubmates so there would be no need to apply any club sanctions. Is it also possible that a large percentage of offenders are unaffiliated and less aware of the rules?

Last thought - if a runner doesn't have the recommended kit and then gets into difficulty and tries to sue the RO, surely there would be no case as he/she broke the terms of entry?

[dominion]

Why not have a basic kit check when collecting numbers? It wouldn't be that hard to implement, and that way people would still have a chance to sort their kit out if they didn't have the right stuff as well. I heard (only gossip) there were some random kit checks at the three peaks on the line where people who didn't have all the kit were told they could race anyway. Equally, if people showed the kit on collecting the number and then didn't have it later on, they clearly would be cheating rather than just getting the kit wrong so it would be easy to dq them.

Even if the gossip were true, there's no FRA mandatory kit for a BL race so it's organisers discretion anyway?? From what I can see recently the FRA are doing a pretty good job of dealing with disiplinary matters where they arise, and where they are notified.

[stevefoster]

Aye. Agreed. He's a wise old bird that Stolly.

He's not a bird, he's a gloveless man, i do believe he's old though!

[Rob Furness]

Even if the gossip were true, there's no FRA mandatory kit for a BL race so it's organisers discretion anyway?? From what I can see recently the FRA are doing a pretty good job of dealing with disiplinary matters where they arise, and where they are notified.

Without getting into the classification of the race in the first place, the organiser specifies kit so it should be enforced irrespective of whether it's mandatory according to the FRA or not.

[dominion]

Without getting into the classification of the race in the first place, the organiser specifies kit so it should be enforced irrespective of whether it's mandatory according to the FRA or not.

But if the organiser - or their appointed marshals don't enforce their own rules who will?

[Rob Furness]

But if the organiser - or their appointed marshals don't enforce their own rules who will?

That's the point isn't it?