Aye, broke the speed limit descending, and crossed the finish line (a few yards ahead of the final winner) without the required kit for this AS fell race, as posted at registration (windproof body cover).
Aye, broke the speed limit descending, and crossed the finish line (a few yards ahead of the final winner) without the required kit for this AS fell race, as posted at registration (windproof body cover).
Is that upper body, does it include arms and head? We need more clarity OB1!!!Originally Posted by OB1
Pass, "windproof body cover" was what the sign said at registration, that's all WP! It has been a cool, blowy, and overcast day, with the furthest point of the course being at 600m high and on the edge of Bleaklow, an hour's 'hobble' from nearest civilisation. Even marshalling at just 150m in 3 layers and hat my hands were cold after <1 hour and went firmly into pockets.
He ran in vest & shorts with no kit. The weather on top was really windy. The marshal's where well wrapped up & huddled behind the rocks.
We have now agreed new FRA Safety Requirements for Fell Races and Rules for Competition. See http://fellrunner.org.uk/ They will be included in the 2014 calendar and all races which have an FRA permit will be expected to use them from 1st January onwards. We will set up some sessions to explain to race organisers and to runners what they mean and why we have the rules.
I rarely come on here, but heard tonight that these new rules had been ratified so thought I'd tale a look at what people have been saying, and I'm not surprised at what what I've been reading.
My personal view is that it is a sad day for fellrunning. It has accelerated the sport down the road of risk averse bureaucracy where the blame culture is king.
I predict large scale breaches of the rules by both competitors and organisers alike.
This weekend the Peris Horseshoe is taking place, and if this year's runners were to run in 2014 whilst carrying the same kit then they would be disqualified if found out.
Of course they won't be found out as the race organiser couldn't check them all even if he wanted to.
How many of these of this weekend's runners are going to rush out and replace their leg and body kit for medium and long races?! I certainly won't.
Fellrunning is supposed to be a simple sport with few rules, and slightly anti-establishment. It's now a simple sport with more rules than is needed, and becoming more 'establishment'.
Looking forward to some bare chested racing with recycled numbers pinned to my shorts. Sun on my back, loving it.
Craig.
Last edited by Craig J; 12-09-2013 at 12:08 AM.
Absolutely, back to basics please.
My concern is that I believe the new rules set out a set of standards that we cant realistically adhere to on all occasions. Therefore if and when something occurs in the future the actions of all involved and particularly the RO will be judged in hindsight against these standards. I like a lot of the clarification over kit and personal responsibility but I would have preferred the FRA as the governing body to take a stand and clearly and publicly accept that the rules are at least in part, aspirational guidelines that the it accepts and expects can not be met on all occasions.
Am I being a bit dim, but under the new rules if you're doing a long A or B race or a medium A race you're expected to carry full waterproof kit. What's the big problem (apart from defining "waterproof")? If the RO wants you to carry a phone, a bivvy bag or a fridge you carry it or DNQ. What's so hard about that? What's "aspirational" about having a rule which makes people carry waterproof kit on long races in the British fells?
Why can they not be met on all occasions?
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