in: Orienteering; General;
| # Posted 2008-01-11 21:32:51 | |
| PG: | Looking at the IOF schedule for 2008, I see only one WRE in the USA, a middle distance Friday April 4 as part of the Flying Pig weekend in Cincinnati, with Jan Lien from Norway as the controller (Jan has been the controller for several WRE events in the USA in the past).
My understanding is that the plan was for the sprint at the Team Trials to be one, but there is no controller available. So that seems unlikely to happen. And there is currently no plan for any others. Which seems like a shame. So, can anything be done? Seems like there are two requirements -- a meet organizer willing to deal with the extra hassle (in exchange for maybe a few more people attending and a bit more status for the event) and a controller. The only IOF-certified controllers in North America are Vladimir Gusiatnikov, Mike Minium, and Andrian Zizzos. And they have all done more than their share of events in the past. Could any day(s) of the Classis Champs, or NA Champs, or any other A meet, be used? Anyone interested? What would it take to make something happen? |
| # Posted 2008-01-11 22:30:21 | |
| Nick: | Stars will host a WRE north of the border ( march 30 ) just 4 days before the one in Ohio.
I'll be glad to see more WRE in NA ( actually USA can get another 5 !!! this year ) because NA champs(3 ) plus another 2 anywhere else. |
| # Posted 2008-01-12 00:44:03 | |
| jtorranc: | Too bad if the US can't manage more than one WRE this year, even if not the 6 possible.
One point: if I've understood the IOF WRE site correctly, it is the rule starting this year that each IOF region is permitted to hold additional WREs to make up for the lack of the regional championships during the alternating years in which the regional championships aren't held. The exact language I'm relying on is the following: "2007 improvements & changes - In order to compensate for the discrepancy in allocated WREs between years when a Regional Championships allows three more WREs per region and alternate years where there is no Regional Championship in a Region This will take place from 2008" Not sure why they can't explicitly say what it is you're allowed to do to compensate for the discrepancy - I'm only assuming it's hold an additional 3 WREs beyond the allocation for each nation, to be distributed however the federations in the region see fit (I won't object if they're willing to pay all North Americans' expenses to go compete in 3 WREs in other regions but I'm not going to hold my breath.). In any case, setting 2008 aside for the moment, do we need to form a COF/USOF committee to ensure we host as many of the possible 9 WREs in 2009 as limited resources permit and allocate the 3 that could be hosted by either federation? |
| # Posted 2008-01-12 00:50:21 | |
| Sandy: | What does it take to get someone certified as an IOF controllor? Is there controller school that you attend, exams to pass or what? Perhaps USOF could foot the bill for someone to be certified in return for that person agreeing to act as controller for "x" number of events in the next "y' number of years? |
| # Posted 2008-01-12 01:15:21 | |
| hkleaf: | Like this one? Or is Event Adviser different than Controller? |
| # Posted 2008-01-12 01:26:06 | |
| PG: | No, same thing.
From the IOF website -- REQUIREMENTS - IOF LICENSED FOOT-O EVENT ADVISERS 1. Be an active foot orienteer. 2. Have competed in countries other than your own. 3. Have successfully controlled major national events in the last 3 years. 4. Be competent in the English language. 5. Have attended, and have been an active participant in, an IOF Event Advisers Clinic 6. Be familiar with the following IOF Publications: - Competition Rules for Foot Orienteering Events - International Specifications for Orienteering Maps - Control Descriptions - Principles for Course Planning - World Ranking Events Handbook 7. Be recognised as a top standard controller/event adviser and endorsed as suitable by your Federation. |
| # Posted 2008-01-12 04:45:36 | |
| smittyo: | I did receive an email a little while back indicating that COF was considering hosting an Advisor's Clinic in NA and asking if USOF wanted to get involved as well. I haven't answered yet, but intend to try to help make this happen. I definitely know some orienteers who have expressed interest in getting certified. I imagine there would be even more if the clinic was easier to get to.
As far as lack of WREs this year is concerned, it seems Peter is right. The BOD approved two WREs, but only one has successfully gotten through the process of finding the advisor to make to happen. I had also hoped that the NA Champs would be WREs, but it looks like no one in that club is working to make this happen either. Based on IOF deadlines, it is unlikely that we would be successful in adding WREs to the 2008 schedule at this point. |
| # Posted 2008-01-12 05:02:38 | |
| Nick: | given that NA champs it is a regional event, and it's over 8 month away IOF might consider allowing a WRE title for those events.now you need controllers ( and yes more then one probably it is easy to find ) why ? that way the controller can compete at the "other" 2 events ; and also being close to NY we might have more non NA competitors ( it is also over 2 month after WOC ). it easy for me to say, but I would try if... |
| # Posted 2008-01-14 18:37:32 | |
| Sergey: | Clare,
I would be interested to get IOF controller certifications upon attending NA clinic and completing all other requirements. Thanks, Sergey |
| # Posted 2008-01-14 20:37:40 | |
| dcady: | I'd be willing to give it a shot. Only need to satisfy 3, 5, and 7. Wouldn't help for this year though. -- Dave |
| # Posted 2008-01-15 02:02:39 | |
| simon: | Seems someone heard you dcady. I just stumble upon this announce for an IOF Event advisor's Clinic.
http://www.orienteering.org/i3/index.php?/iof2006/... Unfortunately in Denmark, so it's gonna a good motivation, but also a substantial amount of money |
| # Posted 2008-01-21 19:46:40 | |
| Ratlaf: | Random thought this morning.
Would it make sense to require that the Team Trials and US Champs include a WRE day?? That way we'd have at least two fulfilled every year, and we'd be guaranteed enough qualifying men and women for the WRE points. Yes/No??? |
| # Posted 2008-01-21 20:00:02 | |
| BorisGr: | Well, I think it's a good idea in theory, but it might scare smaller clubs with interesting/relevant terrain types from putting on these events. Of course, if there is a strong WRE adviser in place, that's not a problem. |
| # Posted 2008-01-21 23:56:37 | |
| Geoman: | BAOC might consider a WRE designation for one of the days of the US Team Trials in May, 2009. I will present it to our board members and see what they think about it. Are there still additional expenses like travel for the IOF Controller? What are the deadlines? To whom do we apply. Can any one post a link for WRE information?
We held an WRE a few years ago and it resulted in lot's of expense and very few elite attendees. We should get better attendance with the Team Trials. It would nice to have a controller to guide us through the process from the beginning. |
| # Posted 2008-01-22 06:15:48 | |
| ebuckley: | Making the long event at TT a WRE was no big deal for us (SLOC) in 2006. Vlad was very helpful as controller. The expenses came to several hundred dollars, but that's really not a big dent in an A-meet budget. I can't imagine a club much smaller than SLOC considering Team Trials, with or without a WRE. |
| # Posted 2008-01-22 07:13:35 | |
| Ratlaf: | So, if a club is large enough to handle the Team Trials/US Champs, then they can definitely handle a WRE as well...? |
| # Posted 2008-01-22 10:03:17 | |
| Sergey: | Having Vlad right here on BAOC land should certainly help BOD to decide in favor of having WRE as part of 2009 TT. |
| # Posted 2008-01-22 16:00:37 | |
| chitownclark: | I wonder why BAOC didn't make money at their WRE? What were the extra expenses?
CAOC usually works hard to attract 100 people to its A-meets. But in 2002 we presented a WRE and 200+ registered. Not only friends and family of WRE runners, but other orienteers for whom the WRE appellation legitimized the event. And the USOF Board scheduled a meeting during the meet...probably because of the WRE. So the mucky-muks were there too, with their camp-followers. The event was also the Intercollegiate champs. But backing out those 25 IC entries, still leaves ~75 extra apparently there specifically because of the WRE. Who knows exactly? But the extra people were worth over $3000 in additional revenue to the Club, far exceeding the extra WRE expenses (two $100 trophies). |
| # Posted 2008-01-22 20:26:38 | |
| Sandy: | I believe DVOA asked every north american iof controller and none were willing to control our event. (I wasn't doing the asking so I don't know the particulars.) So it isn't just a matter of the size of the club. I suppose we could have looked overseas but then it really does become pricey. |
| # Posted 2008-01-22 23:11:23 | |
| JimBaker: | There was an IOF Controller's Clinic in Canada a few years back. Has anyone followed up with the attendees, to see who might be interested in being an IOF Event Adviser? Of the seven criteria, the event adviser course seem to be the tightest bottleneck.
(The second tightest bottleneck is probably the seventh criterion, but easier to fix. Lately, I don't think that either USOF or COF have been forwarding names to IOF, or looking for or grooming event advisers, except when someone fills all the requirements on their own and buttonholes the federation to have their name forwarded, possibly prompted by some club's need for an event adviser, or just by their own interest. A more active program of recruiting advisers, as has been done sometimes in the past, might reduce the reliance on the very few current advisers.) |
| # Posted 2008-01-23 03:26:53 | |
| gordhun: | Way back in the dark ages of North American Orienteering (1984 to be precise) there came from St Louis a request to host the US Champs for the first time in an area west of the Mississippi River. It would seem that this was as radical as moving the Dodgers out of Brooklyn. The eastern powers of 'O' were not at all certain that a club so far west could actually put on such a prestige meet. So they made their approval conditional on one of the few IOF officials available (me) controlling the meet.
If ever there was an easy job that was what I had. By the time I reviewed the courses on paper and then paid my first and only pre-meet visit Al Smith and the St Louis Orienteers had everything well in hand. It was a very well run meet probably made no better by the fact that the club was paying my two flights from Ottawa and other expenses. In retrospect I felt the club could have better used the money for their next map or for beginner clinics. Since that time I have not had a very high view of the need for controllers from afar. It is helpful to have an extra set of eyes looking over the course setter's shoulder and proof reading clue sheets, announcements and the like but once your meet officials have done the requisite training we should not insist on appointing someone (at considerable expense) to second guess their endeavours. That the absence of qualified controllers/ event advisers is now hampering the scheduling of A meets that will attract WRE point seeking athletes means this policy needs a re-think. |
| # Posted 2008-01-23 16:40:25 | |
| ebuckley: | In general, I would agree with Gord's sentiments, but I do think the IOF controller adds some value if they choose to. Because I knew that Vlad (and TT consultant Eric Weyman) would not let anything ridiculous slip through, I was confident giving the long course setting to David Welsh (his first A-meet courses). Indeed, the final courses were quite good and David is now a much more seasoned setter for the experience of working with those two.
Also, nobody in SLOC knew anything about the specific rules with respect to WRE procedures. Having Vlad bring us up to speed on that saved a lot of time and potentially a few protests. Having seen it done well, I'd be happy to serve as an IOF controller, but it would be nice if USOF would help at least in pointing interested people the right way. The whole process is something of a black box to most of us. |
| # Posted 2008-01-24 01:52:12 | |
| Hammer: | Vlad was very valuable to GHO in hosting our three WRE's at the 2006 NAOC. An extra set of eyes really helps.
The NAOC should be 3xWRE every two years. |
| # Posted 2008-01-24 01:54:55 | |
| j-man: | Shouldn't it be 3xWRE every 1 year? |
| # Posted 2008-01-24 04:24:17 | |
| Tundra/Desert: | I think that USOF Board should be more proactive and not award US Champs or the North Americans if the club is anti-WRE in intent or capabilities. Indeed, if the Board has doubts that the event will be up to international standards, it should probably not be one of the high-level Champs. Conversely, if the event is already going to be up to snuff, making sure it is also a WRE should not be a big deal. |
| # Posted 2008-01-24 04:50:22 | |
| Geoman: | Good news. BAOC will apply for WRE designation on the 2nd day of the US Team Trials in May, 2009 at Boggs Mountain State Forest, CA. Vladimir Gusiantikov has agreed to be the IOF Event Controller and Evan Custer will be designing the Middle Length Courses.
Attackpoint has editorial clout! |
| # Posted 2008-01-24 22:03:37 | |
| Ratlaf: | That's great!! Thanks to BAOC and Vladimir.
I was wondering if SmittyO(?) had any input/response to Vladimir's most recent comment above...? Not many know it but Attackpoint is bent on the domination of the O world...!!! ;-) |
| # Posted 2008-01-26 03:56:58 | |
| Tundra/Desert: | I am very happy to help a club hold a WRE whenever I have the opportunity (there is a conflict in my schedule with DVOA's event). I don't ask for reimbursement of most of my expenses; a ride from the airport to the place is usually all that's enough. USOF pays the WRE licensing fee of €250 to the IOF, not the club. It is not part of my job description as IOF Adviser to convince a club of WRE's merits, and it seriously, like, totally is not my favorite to work on persuading organizers to read USOF Competition Rules, or to give up their creative interpretations thereof. |
| # Posted 2008-02-29 20:05:08 | |
| smittyo: | Breaking News. Mike Minium has stepped up to advise the DVOA event AND they have agreed to host two WREs at their team trials (sprint and long). The added long WRE was approved by the BOD last weekend and we have just been notified that the IOF accepted our late applications.
Thanks Mike and DVOA!!! |
| # Posted 2008-02-29 20:41:55 | |
| Ratlaf: | Awesome!!! Thanks are definitely in order! |
| # Posted 2008-03-01 16:49:33 | |
| Nick: | Great !! now i have another reason to travel -like scoring some points at WRE.
do not forget , this month Stars Spring WRE has a medium course. Awards will be done according to 2 classes for each gender (Open and master -over 45 ). so everyone has chances to start scoring points and then add more at the Flying PIG and US trials. Registration for our Ontario event is open , and we already have 2 NA elite champions registered ( awaiting for more- they have a FREE entry !!!) |
| # Posted 2008-03-03 23:12:07 | |
| jtorranc: | Very slow of me but Christoph is right - thanks, Mike! |
| # Posted 2008-03-10 02:26:00 | |
| Nick: | Stars Spring WRE got postponed today ( with over 50 cm of snow on the ground 3 weeks before the race, we considered would'nt be fair. to be rescheduled ( probably may 11 or november 8) |
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