> Hi Roger!
>
> Can you take this on please - you are far better qualified than me...
>
> Peter
>
> > From unifoss@calweb.com Sat Jul 13 18:05 BST 1996
> > Date: Sat, 13 Jul 1996 09:54:00 -0700 (PDT)
> > X-Sender: unifoss@pop.calweb.com
> > X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 1.5.2
> > Mime-Version: 1.0
> > To: peterp@foe.co.uk (Peter Philip)
> > From: John Foss <unifoss@calweb.com>
> > Subject: Re: UMX and MUNI
> >
> >
> > >Please note that the off-road event at UNICON VIII will be a MUNI Challenge,
> > >not a UMX race. There is no fixed route - you will have to find markers
> > >for yourself using a map.
> >
> > I just read this message after replying to the big one. Could you please
> > elaborate? I'm not familiar with this form of racing, though it seems more
> > common in the UK. Will there be a points system or pure time? How difficult
> > are the maps? Is it like solving puzzles or just reading a regular map?
> >
> > Please respond to the newsgroup, so everyone will find out about it.
> >
> > John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone
> > unifoss@calweb.com
The Muni is based on the Polaris Challenge format of events. These are event
that in turn are based on Orienteering events, to be exact an orienteering
score event.
Orienteering was started in scandanavia in the mid 1950's by the military there
to train their troops in map reading. They were given a map with a series of
control points marked on them that they needed to visit. The team returning
first after visting all the controls first wins.
The sport has developed in the years since, it is has spread throughout Europe
and there has been many off shoots: including the Orienteering Score events.
On these competitors are given a time limit and more controls than they could
possibly get to in the time. Each contol is given a score on it's difficulty
of location, so a competitor can either collect a lot of easy (low scoring)
controls or collect a few difficult contols (high scoring). The sport is often
known as "cunning running" as the fastest runner is often not the fastest (this
is how unicycles can compete against the Bicycles).
In the early 1980's longer events were started lasting 2 days, there was a camp
site marked as a final control for the day (this being a compulsary control)
and competitors had to take all their resorses with themselves.
There were the precurseres to the Polaris Events which started in 1986 where
mountain bikes where used, in these events competitor would often do 200 miles
over the 2 day (and some times finish with no points as they failed to finish
in the time alloted).
Unicycles have been competing in the Polaris challenge since 1988 and have
gradually improved their position and numbers. In the last one 5 unicycles
competed and after the first day 3 were beating half the moutain bikers and
one was beating two thirds!
The event at unicon will only be a mini event in time terms, and will use a
special pre-marked orienteering map, these are self explanitory and easy to read.
Competitors will need a compass and a whistle (in case of accidents). We will
be offering help proir to the event to familarise people to the event if anyone
needs it.
I hope this has helped explain the event better.
Roger
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Roger.Davies@octacon.co.uk
North East England
UK
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