Discussion: #31

Have to disagree - to me the control description (and mapping) was correct. It was marked on the map as an underpass, so had to be marked that way on the description. It couldn't really be mapped as a canopy. If it had been, it would have implied that the canopy was over the upper level, not over the lower level, bearing in mind it also needed an uncrossable wall running down its east side to show you couldn't pass from upper to lower level - it's really only the underpass symbol that can show going underneath something. It could only have been a canopy symbol if there was no access to the upper level.

I've been told that it wouldn't have been acceptable for an IOF event, as they don't allow multi-level orienteering as it can be ambiguous. Personally, I think a specific colour is needed to show that one can pass over or under, but it won't happen.

I had far bigger issues with your #4, which to me was both incorrectly mapped (mainly because it's virtually unmappable) and incorrectly placed (it said NE side of building, but it was up on the balcony), as you could go under the control but the map didn't show you that you could.

Still.... really enjoyed it!

ambiguous description - should have been "wall, north east side" - you could possibly get away with "wall, inside south west corner" but you would need a good magnifier or 20/20 vision to interpret that one! The pictorial description is incorrect - the feature is not a tunnel - which the IOF say should be "A way under roads, railways, etc" - this was not! - I'm not sure about the mapping, it is probably correct, but the description of the control site is not, 'nough said!

Have to disagree with that too - it was a 'way' under a road and this symbol is the only way to show such a feature when mapping both levels. I can't see how the description was ambiguous - it was clear that it was the area under the road. You couldn't have used either wall description, as the wall wasn't shown on the map - black dots aren't a wall.

Have to agree with Brian

As I said, no idea what the control symbol meant, so post race looked it up in IOF descriptions and is one word: tunnel.

Control site was NOT a tunnel, but is clearly a canopy. To anyone I would show a photo to outside of O, they would not say it was a tunnel or underpass, but a canopy or overhang. Both tunnel and underpass would require horizontal walls on both sides surely, hence the symbol has 2 horizontal lines! The reality was different.

Sort of understand the point about access to the upper level but that becomes a bit irrelevant if you don't need to go there in the first place. Would have been far, far clearer. Don't see why it couldn't be described as wall if dotted line means tunnel, tunnels have walls!

Maybe I'll know for next time, but that isn't really the point, the point is the reality didn't match the control description. Conclusion: not the best control site?!

Afraid I can't really remember #4 after all my later travails, but think you are right!

Anyway, a great event and course, like others have said, hope for another Long urban (so I can banish the demons of this one!)

Rest of the family would agree with you too, so I'm obviously in a small minority! I just saw it as the dotted lines marking the edge of the accessible area under the road, but then I've come across that before (can't remember when), so didn't really think twice about it. Problem with canopy is that the upper area was accessible. Rather than being clearer, it would have been specifically telling us the exact opposite of what was going on, that the control was on the upper level.

As you said, perhaps not the best control site in hindsight, but if I'd been the planner, I'd have been surprised at how much difficulty this control caused, so good lesson learned for when I next plan urban!

I think it's the position of the circle and the description combined that is suppose to fool you (I think!). That's why I think that it's an unfair control. If I had been the controller I would not have allowed that circle position / control description, I would have asked the planner to move the circle slightly so that one of the two previous descriptions I've mentioned could be used - that way there is no ambiguity, if you read your description properly you will have no doubt about the location of the flag.
Good discussion though and a good note to remember should that scenario arise again.......which it probably will!

Yes - fair comment Brian. BTW, the scenario did arise again on both days at the BOK Blast. White Rose transparently clear in comparison!