Latest News: Read more



Discussion Forum - Hundreds - Self Clipping


Author: Tony Deall
Posted: Tue 12th Nov 2019, 22:28
Joined: 1985
Local Group: Cumbria
I'm mightily impressed with the event volunteers who assiduously checked every tally to confirm attendance at self clips.
In my experience this rarely, if ever, happens as the finish desk is usually far too busy.
Certainly those events where I have been involved have sadly failed here.
It would be interesting to hear the experiences of other event organisers.

I'm not, therefore, a great fan of self clips except in exceptional cases.
We had one on the top of Cross Fell this year which I'm sure was well appreciated!

The only time I can remember my tally being checked with forensic interest was after the Fellsman.
They also checked the depth of tread on my shoes before the start and measured the amount of emergency food I had left at the finish!
Author: Tony Deall
Posted: Tue 12th Nov 2019, 22:28
Joined: 1985
Local Group: Cumbria
I'm mightily impressed with the event volunteers who assiduously checked every tally to confirm attendance at self clips.
In my experience this rarely, if ever, happens as the finish desk is usually far too busy.
Certainly those events where I have been involved have sadly failed here.
It would be interesting to hear the experiences of other event organisers.

I'm not, therefore, a great fan of self clips except in exceptional cases.
We had one on the top of Cross Fell this year which I'm sure was well appreciated!

The only time I can remember my tally being checked with forensic interest was after the Fellsman.
They also checked the depth of tread on my shoes before the start and measured the amount of emergency food I had left at the finish!
Author: Tony Deall
Posted: Tue 12th Nov 2019, 22:28
Joined: 1985
Local Group: Cumbria
I'm mightily impressed with the event volunteers who assiduously checked every tally to confirm attendance at self clips.
In my experience this rarely, if ever, happens as the finish desk is usually far too busy.
Certainly those events where I have been involved have sadly failed here.
It would be interesting to hear the experiences of other event organisers.

I'm not, therefore, a great fan of self clips except in exceptional cases.
We had one on the top of Cross Fell this year which I'm sure was well appreciated!

The only time I can remember my tally being checked with forensic interest was after the Fellsman.
They also checked the depth of tread on my shoes before the start and measured the amount of emergency food I had left at the finish!
Author: Peter Jull
Posted: Sat 9th Nov 2019, 13:37
Joined: 2011
Local Group: Kent
On the Cinque Ports 100 13 potential shortcuts were identified but to control all with self clips was considered too disruptive to the process of walking. In the end only 5 were used where the advantage gained would be the greatest and the likelihood of being noticed least. So early ones were dropped where the route would be crowded and others where for example a CP would be approached from the wrong direction. No one seemed to find that number too onerous and 7 is less than there have been on previous 100s.
Author: Andy Todd
Posted: Sat 9th Nov 2019, 12:18
Joined: 2010
Local Group: Wiltshire
No idea as to any of the hire companies which market into event tracking but there are a number of open source systems GPS tracking platforms which will alert when a tracker goes off route (geofence)
Author: David Morgan
Posted: Fri 8th Nov 2019, 16:37
Joined: 1994
Local Group: South Wales
On V100 in 2014, I recall that the Finish Desk had a pattern for each Self Clip and I can visualise the volunteers there now. They scrutinised each and every tally card to ensure that the patterns matched. Indeed, one entrant's tally card became so un-useable (despite being waterproof) and improvised with a flattened tin can. The self clips pattern matched!!!!

Your point regarding the GPS tracking is valid. It would certainly help if there were reports of people leaving the route and the tracks could then be checked. Plus on the display map (one can show all the entrants at the same time) it would be easy to see when an entrant goes astray so I'm not sure that one would actually need to check each and every track.

But, that's for another day...……...
Author: Armorel Young
Posted: Fri 8th Nov 2019, 16:05
Joined: 1999
Local Group: Sherwood
But would GPS tracking mean that someone would have to manually review all the tracks to check that people had kept to the route?

For that matter, I've always wondered what would happen if someone clipped all the spaces on the self-clip tally at the first self-clip - would anyone actually notice that the self-clips didn't come from the right self-clip points?

Not trying to be awkward, just idly speculating!
Author: David Morgan
Posted: Fri 8th Nov 2019, 9:30
Joined: 1994
Local Group: South Wales
Of course, if GPS tracking was for all entrants, then the need (and time and volunteers involved placing them) for self clips would be significantly reduced / eliminated completely!!

But that's already discussed on another thread...…………..
Author: Andy Todd
Posted: Thu 7th Nov 2019, 21:10
Joined: 2010
Local Group: Wiltshire
Untrustworthy (based on what I saw this year) = Yes (Particularly at the front of the pack)

As to if it is getting worse or better I have no idea.
Author: Andrew Clabon
Posted: Thu 7th Nov 2019, 17:23
Joined: 1982
Local Group: South Wales
"Knowing that everyone has to visit all the self clips helps to narrow down the corridor of the search area if someone goes missing"
Excellent point Mike.
Author: Jeff Stevens
Posted: Wed 6th Nov 2019, 20:53
Joined: 2014
Local Group: West Yorkshire
If we want to enter the 100 we must read and accept the rules and abide by them.
If that means having 7 self clips as states then we must accept this.

As with everything we do these days we have to abide by well thought out risk assesments and rules
for our safety and to protect the Ldwa if anything goes wrong.
Author: Michael Childs
Posted: Wed 6th Nov 2019, 19:41
Joined: 1990
Local Group: Dorset
I think that there several good reasons for self clips, and some of these reasons are not always appreciated. It is not just about trust.

The 100 organizers want all participants to stick to the prescribed route, which has been risk assessed, agreed with landowners, and can be monitored.

They also want to encourage participants to read the written route description (RD) properly (particularly at night and in bad weather) and not just use GPS or follow other people . The RD may also have notes which need to be taken into account, and self clips help to keep people alert to possible hazards.

On a few challenge events in open country and in trackless terrain, with a less detailed RD, some "creative route finding" between checkpoints may be acceptable. The 100 is not one of those events.

Knowing that everyone has to visit all the self clips helps to narrow down the corridor of the search area if someone goes missing
Author: Andrew Clabon
Posted: Wed 6th Nov 2019, 19:19
Joined: 1982
Local Group: South Wales
Marshall,
We experienced people taking short cuts on the Valleys 100 in 2014.
The 2020 route has a number of options that may prove too tempting for those with a similar interest. Hence the number of self clip points.
The number of manned checkpoints is about the norm. We could reduce them of course but some folk might not like that idea.
So to summarise we have done what we believe is in the ethos of a 100 and I hope you understand and agree.
Author: Marshall Elliott
Posted: Tue 5th Nov 2019, 19:39
Joined: 2017
Local Group: Kent
I am very much looking forward to the hundred next year. I have been studying the route and noticed there are 9 self clip points on the route. This seems a very significant number in addition to the large number of check points. Why are there so many self clip points and is this some indication that participants are becoming less trustworthy?

This website uses cookies

To comply with EU Directives we are informing you that our website uses cookies for services such as memberships and Google Analytics.

Your data is completely safe and we do not record any personally identifiable information.

Please click the button to acknowledge and approve our use of cookies during your visit.

Learn more about the Cookie Law