Comments on: Open Letter: Splitting the WOC?

By: Zbigniew Malinowski

Zbigniew Malinowski — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 20:18:57 +0000

I heve read the letter and I’m shocked. I don’t understand how can anyone mix so many completely different, unrelated things. I don’t have my own opinion about the matter but I cannot accept such a way to argument.

1. Proposal is not tested and consequences not proved.

What could be a possible way to prove it? Other that just to do it? Are we able to organize a Test-World-Orienteering-Championship?

2. Keep the status quo without being sure of consequences.

Same as above. Nobody would ever get married if we would keep such a status quo.

3. Lack of know-how in new, exotic countries. They need a real, organized help.

For sure, for sure. But what is the relation with splitting WOC into two parts? It’s valied even with today way of doing WOC. Isn’t it?

4. WOC would be too compact for media?

Compared to point 1, where proof was required, what proves that it’s too compact? Do we know any TV that would stop to make any relations if it would be shorter? Or any new TV that would make a realtion if it would be longer?
Being consequent we should organize a lot of multi-stage qualifications to make WOC longer?
I won’t point any disciplines where World Championship is just one day since it pointless. It’s not a World Championship to make a sport popular. It’s a popularity os on spoirt that makes World Championship something important.

5. In sprint often the favourites get podium places.

Serena Wiliams. Ole Ejnar Bjorndalen. Maritt Bjorgen. Sergey Bubka. Usain Bolt.
What is wrong with having favourites win?

6. Is it worth traveling to Bejing just for 3 races?

Is it worth spending life trying to get just one gold medal (or any medal at all)?

7. I’m too tired by reading this. Can we have a real for/against comparison instead?

By: Zbigniew Malinowski

Zbigniew Malinowski — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 19:57:16 +0000

Even if it seems to be too rude what you are saying but I agree with you.
A lot of action have been done since more ore less 25 years to make orienteering a TV sport. And it failed. It will fail again and again since the main subject of orienteering is to be alone in forest. To check your own abilities. And – surprizingly – I’m convinced this is something what modern world is looking for and we (I mean IOF) are trying still to go other way. I think it’s stupid.

By: Austris

Austris — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 16:01:30 +0000

From the IOF web page, About IOF:

———————————————————–
The fundamental values of orienteering

Orienteering is at one with nature.
Orienteering is respectful of the natural environment. It
promotes environmental good practice.
———————————————————–

That’s not exactly on par with a sprint in a city, full of polluting cars. No, that’s not Hong Kong, Sydney or New York. Probably they will rewrite it soon. Money will erode our true values. Look at FIFA, is that where you want to be?

By: Austris

Austris — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 15:40:34 +0000

IOF and local federations may try to impose urban orienteering, but I believe it’s not going to work, or it’s going to split the sport in two different ones. Think about what most people who participate in orienteering enjoy. It is either:
* To be in the nature, away from the cities.
* A tough challenging terrain.
* A reasonably long workout.

If I look at the start list of national level champs in Sprint O, then I see a very short list of names. And I do not see so many Sprint O events compared to Forest O events. That’s not what a typical orienteering audience wants. Maybe you can attract more participants to Sprint O as well, but I would bet that those would be different persons having a relatively small overlap with Forest O participants. It’s a different sport, different values.

It’s hard to imagine that many people would be interested to travel hundreds or thousands of kilometers to run for just 10-15 minutes. It just isn’t a satisfying use of time.

In my humble opinion, IOF is trying to impose a format (urban), which is not going to be a representative of a typical O event and of the values of orienteering community. The world championship should be a true representative of what orienteering means to most people practicing it.