Quote Originally Posted by Witton Park View Post
9 EQUIPMENT
Competitors should arrive at races prepared to carry any or all of the following equipment:-
Windproof whole body cover
other body cover appropriate for the weather conditions.
Map and compass suitable for navigating the course.
Whistle
Emergency food (long races)

This is what is mandatory in AL and AM and I don't think most runners would class hat and gloves in with full body cover - if that is what the FRA intend, then they should clarify that. I have also assumed that a jacket with a hood is covering the head for example.
If it was mandatory then the organisers wouldn't be asking for it would they as additional items - so clearly the race organiser doesn't see hat and gloves as mandatory for an A category.
The athletes didn't either, hence Pete Blands sold out of hats and gloves on a Sunny Spring day.

1 SENIOR EVENTS
The general philosophy behind the following requirements is that the COMPETITOR should take primary
responsibility for his/her own safety on the fells

Now I run most XC races in hat and gloves, so it's not that I am averse to them - but surely this places the ultimate responsibility on the athlete?
I agree, Graham earlier said he was fed up of people mentioning this but it would be pretty easy to stop it happening if the kit requirements were clarified slightly to make it clear (I'm not having a dig at you Graham by the way).