Just a thought but would it not make sense to have a few marshals knocking about round the gates on 1 & 2 (and, yes, I know there are a LOT of gates)? These two legs are the ones that will be completed by all teams the fastest so they wouldn't be hanging around for hours.
A sweeper makes sense but gates could be open for quite a while before the sweeper reached 'em.
We do try to do as many gates as possible ,but yes you should close unmanned gates behind you if its not interfering with following teams
New rule added for 2009 to say that runners observed leaving gates open will lead to the disqualification of the whole ream !There's a bit of a grey area here - I think I'd just close the gate and be done with it regardless.but yes you should close unmanned gates behind you if its not interfering with following teams
I wouldn't want to face my team-mates later with a threat of DQ hanging over our heads just because I'd left a gate open to be civil to the following team!
The rule seems to make it clear - if you are observed leaving gates open it will lead to DQ.
I hope everyone is enjoying their reccies and practising their gate opening/closing skills.
Are Borrowdale not coming to play? They've not appeared on the entries list yet.
Originally Posted by Pike
Kind of relying on my partner to know where we are going but I have leg one and see you are the current record holder for that Chris....I assume you take a giant leap and hurdle the gates then ?
My suggestion was my more speedy counterpart ran ahead slightly and opened them for me thus avoiding any forward propultion I hope to achieve to break momentum!!!
Sad but no Borrowdale this year as Scoffer who usually organises the teams is away at the World Cyclo Cross champs.
As for the gates issue the following comes directly from the organiser.......
"The rule about the closing of gates has always been there although the wording has now been altered because of problems caused last year after gates were left open by runners in the event. It now reads "gates must be closed. Teams observed not doing so will be instantly disqualified"
This might seem a bit over the top and I would be loath to disqualify any team especially on the first leg where the problems occured last year but I felt that the message should go out that this was an important matter which some runners choose to ignore. The first leg and the start of the second leg (which is the most sensitive, that is the area from Holme Chapel to the Gorple Road ) unfortunately has over 40 gates and the spread from first to back is at its least so the option of closing a gate when a team is not far behind you is unpalatable so it is left open for the next team and then the next team until eventually the gate never gets closed. What I am asking everyone to do is to be sensible/responsible, we are not asking anyone to shut a gate in someones face but gauge the distance which you think is reasonable to shut it and do so without fear of recrimination from the team behind. If you think that the team behind is too close to shut the gate on them a loud shout telling them to close the gate might well be a good idea. If though I see a team which blatently disregards the rule then I might well have to exercise the ultimate sanction and who could blame us for that ?
Last year on the section from Holmes Chapel to the Long Causway a gate was left open which resulted in diseased sheep mixing with healthy sheep which led to complaints to us from the farmers (along with a claim for compensation) involved and a very critical letter from the United Utilities Ranger calling the organisation a shambles and a demand for future events to be cancelled. This caused me a great deal of upset after all of the hard work put in to organise the event, hence the somewhat drackonian rule we now have.
It has been suggested that we provide marshalls at gates and it is certainly something which I have considered but dismiissed due to lack of manpower as we are already stretched on the rest of the event and there are just too many gates. for us to man.
I am anxious not to upset anyone again this year and this is a plea to everyone to do their bit and be responsible when it comes to closing gates.
Whilst United Utilities have been good to deal with this year ( I am in receipt of their "letter of permission" to cross their land) the process to gain permission involves completeing a UU 2 page form, providing proof of insurance, map of the route and a risk assessment and after all that permission can be refused which would be a disaster !
Please, please please.........help us out here "
Graham Wright (Rossendale Harriers event organiser)
Must reply to John Doe........on the day most gates are not opened, if they are they have been left open inadvertently and must be closed.
[quote=Norman Bates;188175]Sad but no Borrowdale this year as Scoffer who usually organises the teams is away at the World Cyclo Cross champs.
Does that mean Jebbie won't be appearing for Bingley?
Sorry to say that Bingly do not enter this event although they used to do the Rossendale Way Relay which this event replaced. Nice to see Pudsey and Bramley entered again after an absence last year
I am doing leg 4, never done the bridle way before, how has anyone found this leg before? any chance of getting lost if you haven't reccied it?
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