Lagganlia 2020
The Lagganlia training camp is based at the Lagganlia OEC near Aviemore. It is aimed at M/W14’s and takes place around the last week in July. There are usually about 24 places for athletes on the camp.
The camp was planned to run from Saturday 18th July – Saturday 25th July 2020.
Virtual camp report now available
Generic information about Lagganlia
Location
The Lagganlia training camp is based at the Lagganlia OEC www.lagganlia.com. The centre is close to Feshie Bridge and Kincraig and is located within easy reach of some of the best orienteering terrain in the UK.
The region around the river Spey contains such great areas as Inshriach, Loch Vaa, Anagach and many others. In fact the centre is on the Inshriach map and has its own orienteering map which is used for training.
Accommodation
Accommodation is in small en suite rooms in a number of separate cabins. The tour chef prepares all the meals on site and specific dietary needs are catered for.
There is a washing machine and plenty of room for outdoor games.
Athletes will be expected to assist with minor chores during the camp.
Background
Lagganlia has been used for this tour since 1995 and during that time over 400 juniors have attended the camp. This has included many World Class athletes including most members of the current GB Performance and Talent squads.
The camp is held around the last week of July – in those years when the Scottish 6-days is being held it is the week before and transport is arranged to the event centre at the end of the week.
Terrain
As indicated above there are many top class orienteering areas close by. In addition Lagganlia is only an hour’s drive from the Moray coast and its sand dune areas of Roseisle, Lossie and Culbin.
Recently there have been a number of areas which have restrictions due to the presence of capercaillie but there still remains sufficient areas to satisfy the camps needs.
Attendees
The camp is aimed at M/W14’s who have been nominated by their Region, up to a total of 24. On the occasions when 24 athletes do not qualify remaining places may be allocated to M/W15’s who have not already attended the camp.
In support of the camp there is a Tour Manager (TM) who has responsibility for such things as travel, accommodation, food etc.
The TM is supported by a chef and a Lead Coach. The Lead Coach has a team of up to 14 coaches which means that this camp has a high coach: athlete ratio.
Virtual Lagganlia July 2020
Due to Covid restrictions, it was not possible to hold a Lagganlia camp this year. Luckily it was possible to roll over deposits paid for the centre and for minibuses to 2021 so no expenditure was incurred due to the cancelled physical camp.
Aims
It was decided to hold a “virtual” camp instead. Clearly the wonderful Scottish forests could not be visited as normal but as many of the key features of the traditional Lagganlia as possible would be incorporated into the virtual camp. These would include ensuring that all participants were familiar with basic techniques such as compass, pacing, attack points, and simplification. We also aimed to introduce them to some of the elements of major competitions which they might be unaware of such as quarantine and to think about basic routines to focus on to deal with distraction. Also fundamental to Lagganlia is creating a friendship group for the athletes to develop together over coming years; this we also tried to foster as much as possible.
Participants
Athletes were selected in the normal way, although without as many actual competition results as usual. 25 athletes were selected and all 25 chose to take part in the camp.
Don McKerrow was Tour Manager for another year and Nev Myers was to be Lead Coach. Sadly Nev was struck down by Covid and complications thereafter and could not take any part in the preparation or execution of the camp. Richard (Lecky) Lecky-Thompson agreed to take over that role. Jonny Hooton, as well as coaching, has been responsible for technical matters for many years at Lagganlia and was happy to continue with this, now much increased, role for the virtual camp. To this team we added seven other coaches with the aim of frequently splitting the athletes into five groups of five and have two coaches with each group. These seven were: Roger Thetford, Tony Carlyle, Steve Kimberley, Katherine Bett, Julie Emmerson, Pippa Dakin, and Fiona Bunn. All of these were previous Lagganlia coaches. As well as Lecky and Don, Tony and Fiona also ran sessions. Also helping was Wendy Carlyle who organised design, purchase, and distribution of the tour tops. Katherine agreed to be part of the safeguarding team so her contact details along with Lecky’s and Don’s were distributed to all athletes and parents so there was a good choice of people to contact in the event of any concerns or issues.
Format
It was decided that the full six days plus an evening of the normal Lagganlia would be too much for a virtual camp but that the intensity of the normal camp could be achieved over three days plus an evening rather than losing this by spreading the activities more thinly over a week.
In order to help the group to gel, multiple breakout sessions were included. Some of these were in the same “coaching” groups each time so the coaches and athletes in the group got to know each other well. Most however, were in rotating groups where every athlete was in a group with every other athlete at least twice and with every coach. In this way it was hoped that everyone in the group would get to know everyone else as far as is possible over Zoom. In the hope that it would promote the members of the group recognising each other later in the real world, it was decided not only to have a tour top, but not to make it optional – although in previous years all athletes have always opted for it in any case.
Each of the three days, Wednesday to Friday, was to have morning, afternoon and evening sessions of about two hours each with a mid-session break. All sessions would be either by Zoom or one was to be athletes carrying out exercises in their own local park or woodland. The Tuesday evening was also two hours and intended to be a get-to-know-you and test-the-technology session.
Tuesday evening
An introduction to everybody including an ice-breaker quiz, using Kahoot, and breakout groups. Some of this was based on Flipgrid videos about themselves that each participant had been asked to record before the camp. There was also an outline of what the next three days would involve and it enabled us to be sure that everyone could satisfactorily access the Zoom sessions and Kahoot.
Wednesday
The morning session started with the use of thumb and baseplate compasses, including the Hector Haines video, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. It moved on to pacing and other forms of distance measurement and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Finally, the how and when of aiming-off were discussed.
These techniques were then practised in the athletes’ own local park in the afternoon. These were reviewed in the evening session followed by a talk about mental control from Lecky and a fun control description quiz.
Thursday
The morning was given over to contours moving on to simplification. It included multiple break-out sessions. This led on to the afternoon session of Talk-O in breakout groups where one athlete had a course and the rest had blank maps. The one athlete had to talk the others around the course picking out the important features en-route and then the others drew on where they thought the control was. Each had a turn at talking. This led on to a review in the evening followed by some fun quizzes.
Friday
We started with a talk from Fiona Bunn about race preparation with break-out groups thinking about what they needed to do at various stages in the run up to an important race. This was followed by a session on planning led by Tony Carlyle. The emphasis was on what a planner is trying to achieve on each leg. This led to an afternoon session where the athletes had to plan courses and explain what the purpose of each leg was. The emphasis was on trying to get them to think about the challenges that a planner can set and how they can be navigated.
The evening was a quick review followed by quizzes and an end of camp party.
Feedback
We have now had feedback from 19 of the athletes. They were, without exception positive and all seem to have enjoyed the experience. In terms of what they said they enjoyed most,
13 said Talk-O
8 Planning
4 Quizzes
3 Race preparation
3 Simplification
3 working with other athletes
1 Compass and pacing
In terms of what they would have liked to see more of,
9 said physical outdoor tasks (but recognised this would not have been easy)
3 Contours
3 Longer breaks
2 Simplification
1 quizzes
1 planning and executing legs
So, if we were to do it again:
- We should have longer breaks
- We should keep in the compass and pacing even though only one person said they enjoyed it and we should try and think of other exercises they could do physically, locally to home
- See if we can squeeze in more Talk-O
Don McKerrow
Tour Manager
Selections
Carys Sharp TVOC
Finlay Anderson BOK
Jessica Bailey LOC
James Hammond FVO
Jocie Hilton SN
David Ivory INT
Ciara Keen SYO
Freddie Kingsland ERYRI
Angus Laird INVOC
Freddie Lake SBOC
Reuben Lawson NGOC
Hannah Mather LOG
Jake O'Donnell DVO
Oliver Prince SOS
Conrad Reuber SYO
Daisy Rennie WCOC
Maja Robertson ESOC
Benedict Sanderson NATO
Maggie Soulsby HH
Theo Steventon-Barnes SUFFOC
Rose Taylor NGOC
Amelia Thompson LOC
Sam Todd SYO
Jessica Ward NGOC
Amelia Wing BKO
Selection Policy
Selection Addendum
The Selectors recognise that under the current restrictions there will be no further opportunities for athletes to attain a Championship Standard.
The Selectors therefore ask Squad Coordinators that their nominations for attendance at Lagganlia 2020 include athletes who in their opinion would have been able to satisfy the overall criteria should the remaining Selection races have taken place.
In doing so could Squad Coordinators highlight the races where their athletes past results should be taken into consideration as an indication of their form and their ability to satisfy the selection criteria for Lagganlia 2020. This is likely to include events so far in 2020 and those in the latter part of 2019.
Where possible the Selectors will aim to adhere to the same criteria regarding Regional allocation as outlined in the original Selection Policy for Lagganlia 2020.
Nomination papers may be sent any time, preferably as soon as possible, to the Secretary of JROS, Steve Kimberley () by 18th May 2020 at the latest.
A proforma for nominations is here.
Please contact me if you would prefer a different format.
Eligibility
The Camp is principally for M/W14s born in 2006, but may include M/W15s born in 2005 (see below)
Numbers
The camp will be for a targeted number of 24 juniors.
Nominations
each of the 12 British Orienteering Regional Associations may nominate up to 2 eligible M/W14 athletes, as defined above, who have achieved the standard set out below. In addition reserves may be nominated (M/W14 or M/W15) who have achieved the standard. In the selection process M/W14s will take precedence over all M/W15s.
In addition a Region may nominate other athletes, as reserves, who they feel are worthy of selection but who have failed to satisfy the qualifying standard. Such nominations must be supported by a statement from the Regional Coordinator.
Each Region is encouraged to nominate a junior who they believe would benefit from attendance on the tour.
All nominations should be listed in a ranked order by the Region, with number 1 being their top choice.
Nominations must be received by the Chair of JROS Selectors by 13th May 2020.
Criteria
Juniors wishing to be selected will have achieved the standards set out below in at least one of the following races;
Scottish Championships 2019 (25th May)
Midland Championships, 2019 (26th May) & 2020 (tbc)
Northern Champs, 2019 (10th March) & 2020 (10th May)
Southern Championships, 2019 (1st Dec) & 2020 (26th Jan)
JK Day 2, 2019 (20th April) & 2020 (11th April)
JK Day 3, 2019 (21st April) & 2020 (12th April)
British Long Distance Champs, 2019 (5th May) & 2020 (21st March)
British Middle Distance Champs, 2019 (15th Sept) & 2020 (9th May)
Qualifying standard
M/W14s Juniors being nominated will have achieved championship standard in at least one of the above races.
Nominated M/W15s will have achieved a championship standard at M/W16 or at M/W14 in at least one of the above races.
Please note that the 2020 Midland Championship race will only be counted if the race is held before the 9th May 2020.
Selection process
The priority for selection will be (for more detail see below);
2 athletes per Region with qualifying standard
Additional qualifying athletes
Athletes nominated by Regions with no qualifying athletes
Additional nominations
All nominated athletes (without qualifying criteria) must be agreed by the selectors whose decisions will be final.
The two M/W14 athletes from each Region with qualifying standard will be selected first.
They will then be followed by any M/W14s with qualifying standard not yet selected.
If there are still spaces the selectors may select M/W14 athletes nominated by a Region who has no athletes who have achieved the qualifying standard.
If there are further spaces the selectors will then select from the M/W15s, who have not previously attended, with qualifying standard.
If there are still spaces the selectors may select from the remaining nominated athletes who have not achieved the qualifying standard.
At all times selections continue up to the maximum number of athletes on tour or until the selectors deem there are sufficient athletes selected of an acceptable standard.
If there are two or more athletes with equal results and fewer places available, the selectors may seek further information from the Regional squad, with positions attained at British Championships and JK being the differentiator.
The tour selectors are
Susan Marsden (SEOA) Sue Roome (NWOA) Pauline Olivant (EMOA)
Selections will be announced via e-mail by JROS Secretary or Chair. The Regional Coordinators will be informed of all athletes attending a few days before the athletes are informed.
Any disagreement with selections should be addressed to the Chair, not the selectors.
Calculation of Championship time
For details of the calculation of championship standard times refer to;