SLOWA Success Story?

Don McKerrow

Club members in top 200 men

and top 200 women

rankings

• SYO 33• FVO 22• AIRE 19• BOK17• SLOW 16• INT 15• OD 12• CLOK 11

London City Race

In 2011 the 4th largest orienteering event in the UK after JK, British and Scottish 6 day

Next on Saturday 22nd September

SLOW Membership

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50

100

150

200

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300

2008 2009 2010 2011

Members

SLOW members age profile

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5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 10 21 21 40 50 60 70

2007

2011

SLOW age profile compared to BOF

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2

4

6

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12

14

0 10 21 21 40 50 60 70

SLOW %

BOF %

How do we attract M/W21’sIs it through Coaching?

•Weekend coaching trips•Monthly Saturday coaching sessions

•Regular Club night

Variety of events• City Race• Classic Races• Blood Races• Trail Challenges• Night events• Park Races• Street-O’s

Street O’s and Park Races

• Up to 95 competitors on a weekday evening

• Generally over 50% non-members• Many are joining SLOW and trying

“proper” orienteering

Why are Park Races and Street-O’s successful?

•Evenings after work•Known format

•Variety of location•Easy to get to•Competition

•Social (Based in a pub)

Some thoughts•Attracting M/W21’s is key to the

future of our sport•Events must be Competitive and

Sociable•There is a trade-off between

always the same being boring and always different being unattractive