managing expectations of elite orienteers

Level 3 Controllers’ Course August 2009

MANAGING EXPECTATIONSOF ELITE ORIENTEERS

L3 Workshop – Aug 2009 Adelaide


Unit purpose

• To analyse the expectations of elite competitors, their support staff and supporters, particularly those who come from interstate or overseas.


The Leibnitz Convention – August 2000 WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE IOF, attending the 20th IOF General Assembly in Leibnitz, Austria,

on the 4 August 2000, hereby declare that“It is of decisive importance to raise the profile of the sport to further the spread of

orienteering to more people and new areas, and to get orienteering into the Olympic Games.

The main vehicles to achieve this are:• to organise attractive and exciting orienteering events which are of high quality for

competitors, officials, media, spectators, sponsors, and external partners• to make IOF events attractive for TV and InternetWe shall aim to:• increase the visibility of our sport by organising our events closer to where people are• make our event centres more attractive by giving increased attention to the design and

quality of installations• improve the event centre atmosphere, and the excitement, by having both start and

finish at the centre• increase television and other media coverage by ensuring that our events provide more

and better opportunities for producing thrilling sports programmes• improve media service by better catering for the needs of media representatives (in

terms of communication facilities, access to runners at start/finish and in the forest, continuous intermediate time information, food and beverages, etc)

• pay more attention to promoting our sponsors and external partners in connection with our IOF events

We, the Members of the IOF, expect that these measures shall be considered by all future organisers of IOF events."


Managing Expectations/Stakeholders Needs

• Elite Competitors• Sponsors• Commentators• Photographers (still & video)• Journalists• Spectators


Words of Wisdom

Tell them earlyTell them often

Oivind Holt IOF Workshop Albury 1998


Oivind Holt’s Distribution of Activities

In forest Out of forestForest Activity

Even

t Advis

er

Level

3

Level

2

Level

1


Elites

• Elites value the technical challenge above all

• Fair and equitable - do not use compromised control sites & double check all sites

• Physically challenging, but not over taxing

• Longer, steeper not necessarily better• Opportunities to display their skills


Elites

• Sometimes achievements should be rewarded.

• Red start group, reverse order

• Be presented and projected as elite athletes

• Success is acknowledged - presentations


Sponsors

• Return on investment• Their name/logo be presented in a

good light• In print and on websites• On banner and competitors’ bibs• Announcements during commentaries• Opportunity to attend events.

Consider hospitality, meeting athletes & addressing spectators


Commentators

• Good accommodation and location• Good equipment - computer & PA• Good information - background, live

and interim results• Good access to athletes soon after

finishing


Photographers

• Clear unrestricted line of shot - no spectators• Good photographic environment, entire finish

chute, good light at photographic controls• Good background, spectators, bush, control

flag (ensure it looks like an orienteering event)• Good view of or warning of approaching

athletes• TV mixture of vision close and long range• Ease of identifying competitors - clear

numbers, start list• Privileged parking and easy exit (IOF events -provide transport)


Journalists

• Ready supply of timely information; what, when,who, where etc (Bulletin 4)• Start lists• Results - high priority. Paper (& electronically if

possible) asap after last finisher. Advice on complications - protests, outcomes etc

• Deadlines - television 2.30pm, AAP 6.00pm (AEST) preferably sooner, Local press negotiable until about 8.00pm (AEST)

• Access to athletes soon after finishing• Privileged parking & easy exit (IOF events -

provide transport)


Spectators (on site)

• As much involvement as possible from start to finish

PLAN the ARENA


Clear chest numbers


Spectator Controls


Ramps


Man made features


Start in the arena


Results


Spectators (on site)

• Program• Good commentary with a mixture of event

progress &short interviews, no long silent gaps• Good views of or warning of approaching athletes• Reasonable run in• Large display clocks• Large quickly updated easily visible results display

for allcompetitors• Many spectators like to do their own assessments


Spectators (remote)

• Live internet coverage• Good commentary• Updated results• Tracking• Map availability• Start lists


Impact on the event

What are the implications of these expectations?

Consider the impact on:• Timelines• Personnel / skills• Facilities• Budget• Potential conflicts


Making a timeline - 1

• What additional actions / key decisionpoints need to be added to the eventtimeline?• Work backwards from the event date• Some actions have fixed time-points –

egbulletins• Do not assume volunteers are alwaysavailable, they have jobs too!


Making a timeline - 2• Agree individual targets and durations with

those doing the role – get their buy-in!• Allow for the unexpected – illness, othercommitments etc• Monitor progress, adjust whenever

necessary• Parallel processing• Make sure the entire team understands

the timescales involved, not just key officials


Making a timeline – 3Typical top level milestones

+ 6 wks Event reports to OA and OA controller

+ 3 wks Printed results available

Event Official results available no more that 4 hrs after latest allowable finishing time and on internet on day of event

Event Bulletin 4

2 wks Start lists available (IOF events, start draw is later)

1 mth Overprinted maps available, final details / bulletin 3 available

3 mths Draft courses with controllers, courses and combinations agreed, entry forms available (if not IOF), assembly arena(s) agreed

12 mths, Survey complete and draft available, bulletin 2 (IOF only, should include entry form) / publicity available model areas available

2 yrs Bulletin 1 (IOF only), accommodation negotiation ongoing; Area(s) approved (inc. event centre etc.), officials appointed, timelines agreed, sponsorship application


Issues

• Technical - in forest• Blending competition area with

arena• Supporting commentators and the

media• Overall planning - big issues,

location, parking and services


Communications and conflict - 1

Larger and more complex teams• Interclub• Interstate• International?• More than 1 event

RESPECT


Communications and conflict - 2

• Conflicts• Between officials• Between cultures• Between rules / guidelinesYou may all be talking English but are

youspeaking the same language?


Other considerations

• Expect the unexpected – plan for it• External / internal pressures – expect them• Use previous experience – observe,

discuss with your predecessors, don’t reinvent the wheel

• Assess and evaluate as you go along, don’t be afraid of change

• Use your experience to improve for the future, report and recommend


Australia’s place in international orienteering

• Growing in stature

• We should be positive about what we can offer


Final Word of Wisdom

• Check

• Check again

• Get someone else to check!


Acknowledgements

Compiled from material published by:

• Bob Mouatt (ACT)

• Katie and Dave Stubbs (UK & Qld)

• Oivind Holt (Nor)

managing expectations of elite orienteers

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