Walking poles at Ennerdale!

[studmarks]

And I don't mean those from eastern Europe. I mean those that you use to help you uphill. I was very surprised, as were many others, to see someone, using 2 'walking sticks' in the Ennerdale fell race. Any thoughts on this? The 'racer' finished very well up.

I suggest they put sharp spikes on the bottom and then they could pick up all the Go Gel packs some one left just before Blackbeck tarn, and then when they get back to the finish give the offender a good beating with them.

[Max]

Glad to hear that but I can't seen anything in my handbook or on the FRA pages. Can someone clarify, otherwise I can see the day when we have to start up the pressure group; Concerned Runners Against
Poles.

Maybe its only in SCOTLAND that aids are banned, but that is the rule.

Regards,

Max.

[Bobster]

...it's just not British is it! I noticed the guy on the start line and did wonder what on earth he was doing with two very long wooden poles strapped to his back. he may be a very fit guy but, as someone said earlier, if 200 runners had them what a mess it would be. Keep them out of the sport.

[Manhar]

Was sat on Kirk fell & it did seem a bit surreal to see someone with poles moving towards us.

[amadablam]

...it's just not British is it! I noticed the guy on the start line and did wonder what on earth he was doing with two very long wooden poles strapped to his back. he may be a very fit guy but, as someone said earlier, if 200 runners had them what a mess it would be. Keep them out of the sport.

2 things I bet they are not wooden (carbon fibre i dare say) and why would you have a mess if 200 runners had them?? 2000 used them on the Utmb and I can't remember a mess!

[compo]

One of the joys of fell-running is the lack of rules and regulations - all this poles should be banned business is nonsense. All sorts of kit and equipment appear and either become adopted if they are generally successful or fade away if they aren't. This is reminiscent of the "Joe Brown-and-Don Whillans didn't-have-Friends-so-you-shouldn't-use-them-on-their-routes" type of argument that some tedious old duffers in the climbing world come out with from time to time.

Anyway back to the point: the runner in question was using them in part as an experiment and concluded they were of no real use in British fellrunning because of the continuously changing terrain, This was despite the dry weather and firm ground underfoot which one might have favoured the use of poles.

So I don't think we'll be seeing hundreds of them at Borrowdale.

[invalidpassword]

That's the end of that debate, then?

[Grouse]

Can we use tri - bars?

[dominion]

Can we use tri - bars?

Yeah, but no drafting!

[millipede]

Yeah, but no drafting!

No, thats very naughty.