Anybody remember this article post the 2010 Checkpoint Tracker Nationals debacle? 101 comments from experienced ARers and RDs from around the world. The comments make for an entertaining read.
http://tracker.checkpointzero.com/2010/11/10/the-c...
If you want to learn about the debacle...
http://followtravismacy.blogspot.com/2010/11/adven...
Nope I do not remember that. But I'll chime in anyways.
If the entire race is rogaine styled then it is impossible to follow online. Or at race HQ for that matter. There's something primal and satisfying about racing heads-to-heads to the finish line, and first across wins. That having been said, I think there is definitely room for mandatory rogaine sections within a race. They did this at Ecomotion and it seemed to run smoothly.
Optional cps or sections, be they rogaine or otherwise, should not be thrown into the middle of a race as they invariably obfuscate the standings and results in a race that is very hard to follow.
The grey area for me is putting a rogaine at the end of a race, sort of as an advanced course. Again it's a case of first across the line ain't necessarily the winner, but since it's right at the end of the race it's much easier to follow. Grant did this - successfully I thought - at Untamed NE a couple of years ago.
I am the guilty "Grant" you speak of LosDobos and while yes, we we did pull it off OK in 2010 I've come to dislike any need for a calculator at an expedition race finish line. The first team under the arch should be the winner, so penalties should be served on the course, no optional CPs, and a route as linear point-to-point as possible is going to be best.
I think for short races a rogaine format is fine, and I don't want to discourage any organizer from working with any format that suits their location, staff capacity, etc. For a high-profile expedition, though, a different standard is in order and all teams should compete on the same course. If the winners are done on Friday and the slower teams finish on Sunday, that's fine.
I should also add, course cut-offs are an unpleasant necessity to ensure the 4 day race doesn't become 8 days in duration for some poor team.