Transcript Orient Show: Orienteering on a micro scale

Orient Show: Orienteering on a
micro scale
Niamh O’Boyle & Darren Burke
May 2009
The Idea
•
•
•
•
2002
Maxim Ryabkin (Russian)
Aim: To promote orienteering
Multiple countries since then!
– Portugal, Sweden, France, Turkey, etc.
• All the terrain should be visible to
spectators
The Idea, cont.
The idea is that the courses are run on such small areas that
spectators, as well as speakers (commentators), can
follow the action all the time, from start to finish,
watching the runners make mistakes, breaking away from
one another, etc.
Events have the following characteristics:
•
spectators watch the process of duelling between
sportsmen from start-finish
•
the competition is dynamic on the whole course
•
sportsmen make decisions in difficult psychological
situation – all happens in a short time. The mass start
format adds even more to the pressure
•
the race is finished in a short time
The Map…
• Map scale of 1:1,000
• I.e. 1cm on map = 10m on ground
France
Hungary
Hungary
Bulgaria
Great
Britain,
Sheffield
Russia?
The Rules!
• Sample:
– Winning time between 20 sec and 600
sec
– Course length typically 80m to 1,800m
– NO NUMBER on controls
– Wrong punch = 30 second penalty
– Mass start/qualifications
• Rules can be changed
Spectating
•
•
•
•
Whole course is visible
Spectators can have the map
(competitors must therefore be
kept in quarantine)
Can see every aspect of the event
Competitors can see/hear the
crowd
Portugal O-Meet (POM)
2009
• Cabecao football pitch and grounds
• Held on afternoon after Middle
Distance
• Estimated entry, 200+ (men & women)
POM 2009: Map
Legend:
Uncrossable Fence
(Barriers & Tape)
Car
Potted Plant
Crossable Wall
(Straw Bales & Tape
POM 2009
Format
- Mass start qualifying heats, 40 people
(4)
- Mass start semi-final, 20 people (2)
- Mass start final, 6 people
- Butterfly loops, different order
Spot the difference
POM 2009
Courses
- Same 1st control
- Competitors then split by 2 different
loops
- Same last control
POM 2009
•
Positives
– All of course visible from stand,
spectators very close to the action
•
Negatives
– Same 1st control not a good idea when 40
men race for same control
– Bad management of quarantine area and
its location
What appears to be involved:
• A large number of helpers
– Co-ordinate competitors
– Change map during heats (makes it much
more entertaining as routes from
previous course not an option)
– Add/remove controls
– Start/Finish/Download
• Accurate map of 1:1000/1:500
• Features to include on the map
Future of Orient-Show in
Ireland?
• Is there support in the general public
and the orienteering community to
put an event on of this type?
• Where could it be held?
– Outdoor/Adventure Sports Exhibition
– Associated with an adventure race
– In conjunction with Provincial/Irish
Champs/Shamrock
– JK 2011, Northern Ireland
– As a separate event
“It is not ordinary. But the most important
thing is that this kind of orienteering is
interesting and understandable, even for
specators completely unaware of what
orienteering is”.
Valentin Novikov
Thank you for your
attention,
Niamh & Darren