I will repeat, there are no age classes at level 2 events, when you enter, you enter a colour course. The same as you would have done on the old colour coded events. Another way of looking at this is BOF turned all regional events into colour coded events. (What I think of BOF is not printable here).

In the long term I would expect more of a mixture of age classes on each course, the same as our SOG’s or the old colour coded events. This is one of the reasons I think the Galoppen should go by course.

As Peter has said this is transitional year and some clubs have opted for the old format. This again gives me more problems. These results will be mapped into the colour coded courses using the BOF guide lines. I do expect some competitors may lose out and some will gain an advantage. The only other option I can see would have been to drop these events or not have a Galoppen this year.

We can have as many certificates as the South East Orienteering Association want to give out. I will also look in to including the age class of each competitor on the results.

As all this data is sorted and entered manually there is a large scope for mistakes, I do apologies if anyone gets missed out, entered into female instead of male or the other way round, and if I do get the age wrong its not because you look that old.

I agree with Bridget, some sort of certificate or incentive to enable comparison outside the new rules, be it age-related or other would be good. As a new orienteer I am used to coming way down the SO rankings for SOG’s. I don’t mind being beaten by the same people week after week, clearly they are faster and their technique is better than mine! Up to me to improve and gives me something to aim for.

Is it me or is the whole ranking system in use missing the point? Ranking people is about a fair scoring system that enables comparison between peers of a certain age/ability/experience. How about a handicap system based on previous results or placings - this would enable better competition between similar abilities and level the playing field for SOG’s too!

Think about golf where a 70 year old has the chance to beat a 14 year old fair and square! Handicaps in golf level the field so that age/ability are levelled out to provide true competition - surely this is what we all want!

Am I not right in saying that in all cases, level 2 events this year in their publicity have given a list of age classes adjacent to the course title, a colour.  This is identical to level 2 events last year when age classes were aligned to a course with a number. Last year M21L ran course 1, this year M21L run course Black.
Last year there was never an event which listed the results in course order, they all used age classification order so why is there a problem this year?  Just changing course 1 to course Black or course 6 to course green has done nothing other that ensuring that those only entering what was last year a colour coded course now pay the considerably higher price.  This was ably demonstrated at the Concorde Chase where the results in age classification order were published immediately after the event.
If the powers that be don’t like competitors actually running their class and having a ranking system based thereon then logically this should also apply to level 1 events so we can get rid of the elitist seeding etc. Stupid isn’t it but what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.
How about submitting a motion for the BOF AGM condemning the change and suggesting that reversion to the age classification system of old is what is best for the sport and most certainly what the vast majority of members want.