OMM in Borrowdale!

[amadablam]

butterdale - What chest beating! This is exactly why the OMM is in the situation it is now. Folk carrying on no matter what - the "Kent decision" I think they call it.
We should be able to make our own minds up and not blame the organiser's for our own mistakes.
And if I hear anyone bragging about their own experiences this weekend I'll be more than happy to tell them how stupid they are!
My race finished at 5.45am this morning when I decided that discretion was the better part of valour.
I hope that everyone makes it home safely.

[richpips]

In reply to the press:

"Maybe there should be wardens at all access points to the hills forbidding all from the high fells when ever the weather looks threatening.

Just in case eh?"

[sideburns on the summits]

[QUOTE]i am sure everyone that set off knew what was ahead[/QUOTE
That is probably not true judging by the numbers who retired prior to the official abandonment of the race.
The fact that the race had to be abandoned within only a couple of hours of the forecast rain commencing shows that the organisors made the wrong choice on a hard decision. But it really shouldn't have been a hard decision. 2days after 51/2 inches of rain flooded the Borrowdale Valley, it took less than 2 inches of rain to cause the first flooding and the race abandonment today. As of 10.30pm we have now had almost 5 inches fall today. Heavy rain was always forecast to fall today.
Admittedly, Mark Weir has certainly caused the media frenzy, as he was obviously the first contact to the BBC, but once you have 100's of people pretty much stranded the media will catch on.
(And Mr. Weir, like Richard Branson, never misses an opportunity at self publicity)

[richpips]

[QUOTE=sideburns on the summits;159308]

i am sure everyone that set off knew what was ahead[/QUOTE
That is probably not true judging by the numbers who retired prior to the official abandonment of the race.

They pre race retirees new what was ahead, and decided that today was not a day on the hills for them. No ?

As for the others, well I guess they thought they'd do OK and from some reports, they were gutted that the race was stopped. Though I'm in full support of the race organisers decision.

Certainly not one I'd like to make.

[sideburns on the summits]

There was alot of couples who started the race and dropped out only a short way in to the day, prior to the official abandonment.

[richpips]

There was alot of couples who started the race and dropped out only a short way in to the day, prior to the official abandonment.

I see no problem there.

I jacked a Polaris some years back. Others finished, the weather was horrendous, on the day it wasn't for me.

[Splinter]

[QUOTE=richpips;159309]

They pre race retirees new what was ahead, and decided that today was not a day on the hills for them. No ?

As for the others, well I guess they thought they'd do OK and from some reports, they were gutted that the race was stopped. Though I'm in full support of the race organisers decision.

Certainly not one I'd like to make.

This is simply not true. While as I said in my earlier post, there are some highly qualified and skilled runners in OMM who are more than capable of making that decision, there are plenty of others who are not. Some of those recognised their limitations and didn't start or dropped out early but there are plenty of others who would have chosen, in their ignorance, to bite off more than they could chew. Many of them will have thought "if the organisers haven't called it off then it must be safe to proceed." The simple fact is that the organiser of any race, even a race for only the most competent mountaineers in the world, have as their first responsibility a duty of care to the safety of the participants (whether they need that care or not.) To go ahead with OMM after two days of torrential rain and a great deal more widely forecast for today was (sic) a very poor decision indeed. The influence of maintaining the legend "never having been called off" clearly, it seems to me, loomed large in their thinking but keeping that streak alive has severely dented their reputation. I always thought the first rule of the hills was that a good mountaineer respected the mountains. I'm buggered if the OMM team showed the mountains any respect in reaching their decision this weekend.

[amadablam]

If competitors cannot make their own decisions and are happy to put their own safety in someone else's hands ( unless it's a mountain guide who are on the fells with them) then they shouldn't be there in the first place. However saying this; it may have been the organisers fault in the first place for accepting entries from those with limited experience. One AL race is not enough IMO.
It is much harder to make the decision to turn around than to make one to carry on. The ability to make this decision only comes from experience.

[richpips]

......there are plenty of others who are not. Some of those recognised their limitations and didn't start or dropped out early but there are plenty of others who would have chosen, in their ignorance, to bite off more than they could chew. Many of them will have thought "if the organisers haven't called it off then it must be safe to proceed." The simple fact is that the organiser of any race, even a race for only the most competent mountaineers in the world, have as their first responsibility a duty of care to the safety of the participants (whether they need that care or not.) To go ahead with OMM after two days of torrential rain and a great deal more widely forecast for today was (sic) a very poor decision indeed. The influence of maintaining the legend "never having been called off" clearly, it seems to me, loomed large in their thinking but keeping that streak alive has severely dented their reputation.

There are indeed newcomers to this type of event. Though having seen a video of the start this afternoon showing competitors being buffeted by the wind and rain at the giveout, surely the newcomers weren't expecting that is was going to be an easy weekend?

These events are supposed to be a challenge?

I always thought the first rule of the hills was that a good mountaineer respected the mountains. I'm buggered if the OMM team showed the mountains any respect in reaching their decision this weekend.

Indeed, but this is a test of mountaincraft. Or is respect for the mountains only going out when the sun doth shine?

[Splinter]

Ther


Indeed, but this is a test of mountaincraft. Or is respect for the mountains only going out when the sun doth shine?

Respect for the mountains is understanding the limitations of your personal relationship with them. If you're a novice then yes, it does mean going out only when the sun shines until you have more experience. If you're an expert, it's something different. With mountains there is no "one size fits all" which is one of the reasons why (unless all OMM entrants were one size) the race should have been called off.