UKA Relays

[Hanneke]

Were they moaning about the nav or the need to nav?

I can understand the need to nav moan. If you're running into the clag having to nav, even on simple legs like 1,2 and 4, you're at a massive disadvantage from those local runners who don't have to nav at all. Personally I think local knowledge for the nav leg is advantage enough.

I thought 2 was an easy leg to navigate around and did it almost all from memory and a word or two of advice from others tbf, but still you were running not 100% committed keeping an eye out for landmarks you'll recognise, whereas locals can just hoon it.

Moaning about the need to nav and their own lack of nav skills, practically... searching around for cp's in the mist and the like. Local knowledge would have been a huge advantage... Mind you, some locals told me they had never been to that part of the world before either

[IanDarkpeak]

but people do it all the time You see it at every race, how some people can have the smallest of bum bags is beyond me? They clearly don't have full kit. I've done so many races now where people positively brag about getting by the kit check without being collared....madness.

agreed and until runners get disq for this they'll keep doing it.

Saunders last year was shining light. one winner disq for not a carrying a proper sleeping bag.

This year rules have been tightened. But there's still plenty of races where they blatently don't carry kit or bend the rules/spirit of the law.

[Richard Head]

That's as maybe ... but, with the exception of Borrowdale, where's your evidence for this?? Looking at the results, I'd say that the locals either didn't have the LK or they chose not to use it!!

Comparing CFR and Ellenborough's result with Eryri's, I would say they were at a disadvantage, wouldn't you?

Why would anyone have local knowledge but chose not to use it?

I cant speak for Ellenborough but CFR have been out on numerous recces. To quote the message sent out to team members - 'There are lots of short cuts that you need to know about'

[IainR]

Comparing CFR and Ellenborough's result with Eryri's, I would say they were at a disadvantage, wouldn't you?

Are you seriously comparing Ellenbrough with Eryri?

No offence to them but they are a really small club, you'd expect Eryri (who are generally considered to be one of the top 10 fell running clubs in Britain) to beat them, local knowledge of not.

That's like comparing Clwydians result with Eryri for the last relays.

Of course local knowledge was an advantage. We gained lots of places at these relays through other teams making route choice errors (DPFR) and also the DSQ's, but I'd still rather have seen a flagged course.

For me it's a real petty that the 3 best teams there did not pick up the medals they deserved to.

[FellJunior]

Are you seriously comparing Ellenborough with Eryri?

No offence to them but they are a really small club,

Who have still managed to produce a World Junior Champion

[Witton Park]

I'v navigated since a teenager, up to the trig at Pendle at night in thick cloud.

However, in race conditions, such as Leg 3 on Sunday, other factors come in to play.
I did find CP3-4 OK, but I made an error to CP5 and made a decision in the best interests of my partner and my leg 4 runner that I should just head back via 6.

Time is a big factor. Fell running has become far more popular.

I'm a new recruit - really only about 2 years of proper fell experience. In that time I've only had to seriously navigate twice - at the weekend, and in Sept 2007 in a little bugger called the Howgill Howler.

So you don't get chance to navigate too often - and I know someone will say what about recces - but you tend to cancel a recce when the weather deteriorates and also you are not usually in race conditions, trying to push.

Sunday was a good learning day for me - and I will be back better prepared as a result.
Perhaps "less haste more speed" would be a good way of summing up the way to deal with the NAV leg on Sunday.

[IainR]

Who have still managed to produce a World Junior Champion

I know..but Ricky aside..

[Rudolph Hooker]

Are you seriously comparing Ellenbrough with Eryri?

No (although the word "seriously" is a little rude, don't you think) ... but you were saying that the locals had an unfair advantage.

I simply pointed out that the results don't back up your point.

[IainR]

No (although the word "seriously" is a little rude, don't you think) ... but you were saying that the locals had an unfair advantage.

I simply pointed out that the results don't back up your point.

Not at all, hence the 'no offence'...

**** me you lot need to lighten up..

[IainR]

No (although the word "seriously" is a little rude, don't you think) ... but you were saying that the locals had an unfair advantage.

I simply pointed out that the results don't back up your point.

I think the saying is 'you can't polish a turd'.

Rob Jebb wearing sandles running on unfamiliar terrain would win against me wearing fell shoes running out my own back door.

It's just non-sensical to suggest local knowledge wasn't an advantage in those conditions. That doesn't automatically mean locals would win but it may affect placings.