Discussion: Possession and use of earlier area maps on the day of the event

In regards to using preview maps, and to going out into terrain with an existing map. USOF Rules are clear about embargos, so this comment applies to Sprint events which are not so far covered by USOF Rules, and thus are held under IOF Rules.

Indeed, at PWT events spectators are welcome to check out the terrain with a public copy of the map, and to stroll along the course as soon as it is made public. But not the competitors. The latter are sequestered in a holding pen as the course is released. This happens at the PWT, which is not an IOF Sprint event. The IOF applies its usual course-secrecy and terrain-embargo rules to the Sprint, unless decided otherwise ("otherwise" happened, for example, at the "urban" Sprint at the Swiss WOC).

The IOF Rules are quite unambiguous:

15.6 On the day of the competition, the use of any map of the competition area by competitors or team officials is prohibited until permitted by the organiser.

And USOF Rules are definitive as well:

36.3 During the competition only a compass and the map provided by the organizer may be used for navigation.

I had to point this out to a number of well-known competitors (who have been to international events) who were walking to the start with a copy of the preview map in their possession. "But this is not in the event notes." "Event notes are supplementary to the Rules."

I had to evict two competitors from the terrain just as I was placing the controls. They told me that someone told them it was OK. There was a sheet in their registration packet that specifically said to stay within the marked route to the start and the finish. Sorry I cannot quote the exact wording.

on the other hand, a mapped warm-up area is a more-than-welcome development that should be encouraged.

I'm going to disagree with Vlad on this one. The USOF Rules still apply to sanctioned sprints. The fact that the rules specific to sprints aren't yet included in the USOF Rules means that we have to use the IOF Rules for those, but the general USOF Rules are just as valid. See the phrasing in Section 1.1 and 1.4.

Carrying a preview map to the start is not mentioned and not prohibited by any USOF Rule. Section 19 is the USOF Rule that deals with secrecy and preview maps aren't discussed.

As far as the competitors being in the competition area and outside of the route to the start, that is just as much a foul as usual.

I agree with Vlad. Rule 1.4 says that the USOF rules are a supplement to the IOF rules. So if it isn't mentioned in the USOF rules then the IOF rules apply.

I'm not sure how you got to the start, but I had to walk fairly close to control #12 which is most definitely on the course.

Based on memory (and Vlad's quotes), I agree with Vlad, that competitors are not supposed to carry maps of the terrain into the terrain _on the day of the event._

It's okay beforehand, as that's hard to prevent, and somewhat fair. But on the day of the event it's a little much - you could for example, talk to a finisher (even if event maps were being held) and they could point out the location of all controls, giving you lots of time to plan.

There's got to be a line somewhere on how much information is allowed, and the rules quoted above is where IOF placed that line.

Not that this is a major crisis or anything - not worth a protest or DQ in my book, especially since Sprints where this issue is particularly relevant are fairly new in the US. Plus, at this event in particular, the tradeoffs of good, fun spectating, and the obvious information gained about the course by doing so (even without a map in hand) were, in my mind, worth the bit of unfairness...

But it's good of Vlad to point out the rule w.r.t. the map usage, so we all get more aware of this rule, and help remind others of this rule, to keep things just a bit more fair.

At events that aren't on new maps, I've had to ask competitors to stay out of the competition area the day before the event on a couple of occasions. The excuse I heard is that they arrived early, wanted to go for a run to loosen up or they just wanted to go for a walk and they were just going to stay on the trails. They were surprised (or at least acted surprised) when I said they couldn't. These were long time orienteers and I was surprised that they didn't think they were in violation of the rules.

If people are competitive enough that they risk getting involved in these borderline cheating cases - why don't they work out more and play more CatchingFeatures?

USOF rule number 36.3 seems irrelevant because I can hardly imagine competitors were using the Preview map "during" the competition.

Regarding IOF rule number 15.6, the fact that the organizers were giving out Preview maps in meet packages on the day of the competition could very easily lead one to believe that its use on the day of the competition was "permitted by the organiser". If it wasn't permitted to look at the Preview map before the competition, what's the point of getting it?

Regarding where one can use the Preview map, this doesn't seem to be specified by the rules above. Assuming its use was permitted (inferred by the fact that the organizers were giving them out on the day of the event), I would have assumed one could use it anywhere permitted to go before the competition (i.e., in the parking lot, at the registration building, and on the route to the start).

As far as being in or out of the terrain, as a competitor it is somewhat difficult to know exactly what is in/out beforehand because the course isn't known. But, it is generally accepted that if you are at an orienteering event (regular or sprint), you don't go wandering around in the woods/fields, etc. before the race whether you have a map or not. It's reasonable to assume that the parking area, registration area, route to start are all within bounds before the race (even if the course crosses these areas as in the Pig Sprint).

So, my suggestion, if Preview maps are being handed out by the organizers, you should be very specific about where they can and can't be used if you expect competitors to use them in some locations but not in others.

Yes, I think given the feedback, future Sprint organizers are well advised to elaborate on how much IOF 15.6 applies to the event. My interpretation of it is, fine to look at your preview map while not comparing it with the terrain in sight.

Just so I can make sure I fully understand this...

What about on days 2 & 3? The preview maps were now all generally obtained before the day of the competition, either in the mail or at the sprint. So now no maps were received on the day of the event. Instructions were to only warm up on the roads. Can you run with the preview map, obtained before the event day, on the roads declared in-bounds, while warming up?

I will confess to doing this. I thought that as long as I stayed "in bounds" I was Ok. I wasn't trying to split hairs or interpret the rules in some loose way. I just thought that as long as I was on the roads I could warm up with my map.
My intention is not really to study the terrain for some specific on-course advantage; I honestly don't think I did. But I just thought it reasonable to warm-up my brain and my eyes, along with my legs, by running with a map.

IOF 15.6 would seem to indicate this is NOT ok - sprint or no sprint. Correct? If so, I will desist this practice immediately and I apologize for the trangression. In the future, I will warm up with a different map, not of the competition area, to get my brain working and my eyes calibrated.

PS: I ran only in the parking areas. I ran around the main loop and the overflow area north of the loop. Only places where people already were.

Providing a warmup area with number of controls placed and map available would be beneficial for championship events.

On the one hand, I have noticed that few other orienteers were using the preview maps on-site (and I could have asked them, "Why not?"). But I am surprised that I've never heard the restriction addressed in A-meet or champs' flyers at events where preview maps were distributed and/or displayed.

Beyond studying mapping style and the 'flow' of the land, familiarity with 'public' areas around the buildings, fields, and parking lots seemed a reasonable way to slightly reduce the advantage of people who have run on the map before. Therefore, I never felt that I was cheating or even breaking the spirit of the competition (I hadn't read the rules).

In summary, I concur especially with Brian's comments and also will not continue using Preview maps on-site.

Thanks for all the replies, info, and opinions.