Mr Reasonable is back wrote:
yes category wrote:
I saw yes with the event set up as follows:
-- on a combination of dirt and grass trails/parks.
-- no special grooming of the trail (allow water crossings, maybe some stump hoping, muddy paths, sandy section)
-- let the distance vary each Olympics from 12-15km
-- make each leg slightly difference distances (something like 3k, 4k, 4k, 3k; and maybe a shortest leg of at least 2k)
-- have the legs be different parts of a loop-style course (like a figure 8 with two runners running a section of the 8)
-- do not disclose the order of the legs until after the teams have been picked (pick a team and then decided how to best use who you have) (let the team have two alternates like the relays already allow)
-- let the team manager / coach decide in which order to run the runners the day before the event (like a line up being handed in before a baseball game)
Anyway, such an event would be a lot more interesting, and the fastest team may not necessarily win because it becomes an event about conditions and team management.
I really like all of your ideas. I think the to casual fan, a relay is more interesting. With normal cross country style points, the casual fan is just confused who is winning, since they're not adding it up. That can be mitigated to some extent with good tv production tracking the scores along the way and putting them on the screen, but it still isnt as immediate as "whoever is in front is winning."
I really like the idea of different leg lengths from like 2k to 6k.
I think it would also be really cool if teams arent required to announce their leg order at all. Just let all four runners go to the center, the lead off guy goes to the start line, and each runner goes to the handoff zone when it's their turn. Let the other teams find out who is each leg when their opponent steps to the zone.
It is simple enough to have each submit its runners and order an hour before the race. Then once they are all in they are made public.