2024 sees Course Allocation changes and a new BOF Trans Policy
BOF updated rules
As your club controllers will be aware the BOF Rules of Foot Orienteering have been amended as of 1st January 2024 in order to bring rules into line with the IOF policy to equalise men’s and women’s winning times for all age classes. The rules can be found here https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/rules and include changes to the course which certain age classes are to run and course length ratios. Course tables in the rules have been updated to show which course each age class will now run.
Addition of new Age Class for Scottish Orienteering League
Following the amendment of the BOF rules, the SOA Board has reflected on the change to the age classes and decided that it would be appropriate for all Scottish events to adopt the changes within the new BOF rules for all Scottish Championships, Scottish Orienteering League (SOL) and Scottish Orienteering Urban League events.
However, the SOA Board considered the feedback which has previously been received from Juniors in respect of the step up for M/W16 age classes in the Scottish Orienteering League (SOL) – long distance events. Juniors and parents have previously fed back that, at a time when they are physically developing at potentially very different rates, the step up from Light Green courses (Technical Difficulty 4) in the M14 age classes to the Blue course (Technical Difficulty 5) for M16 could be very large for some juniors. The amendment of the BOF rules has meant that M16 continue to be classified as running Blue courses but W16s are classified as running Short Blue courses.
In light of the junior feedback, to encourage retention in this age group and foster inclusion of all, the SOA Board has therefore agreed that a new age class should be introduced M/W16 Short. The new age class M/W16 Short will be introduced alongside the existing M/W16 and M/W16B.
For the SOL League the follow age classes will run the following courses:-
Course/Colour/Age mapping table
(Changes to previous table in line with updated BOF rules and SOA inclusion of 16S category shown highlighted)
| Crse | Tech | Corrected | Age Classes | ||||
| No. | Diff | Crse Length | Course | Junior | Adult | ||
| Ratio | Men | Women | Men | Women | |||
| 1 | 5 | 1.00 | Black | M21 | M-E | ||
| 2 | 5 | 0.85 | Brown | M20 | M35 M40 | W-E W21 | |
| 3 | 5 | 0.69 | Short Brown | M18 | W20 | M45 M50 M21S | W35 |
| 4 | 5 | 0.56 | Blue | M16 M20S | W18 | M55 M60 M35S M40S | W40 W45 W21S |
| 5 | 5 | 0.45 | Short Blue | M18S | W16 W20S | M65 M70 M45S M50S M55S | W50 W55 W35S |
| 6 | 5 | 0.39 | Green | M16S | W16S W18S | M75 M60S | W60 W65 W40S W45S |
| 7 | 5 | 0.33 | Short Green | M80 M65S | W70 W50S W55S | ||
| 8 | 5 | 0.28 | Very Short Green | M85 M90 M70S M75S | W75 W80 W85 W90 W60S W65S W70S | ||
| 9 | 4 | 0.30 | Light Green | M14 M16B | W14 W16B | ||
| 10 | 3 | 0.50 | Long Orange | M21N | |||
| 11 | 3 | 0.25 | Orange | M12 M14B | W12 W14B | W21N | |
| 12 | 2 | 0.22 | Yellow | M10 M12B | W10 W12B | ||
| 13 | 1 | 0.14 | White | M10B | W10B | ||
BOF Trans Policy
BOF have updated their Trans Policy with effect from 1st January 2024. SOA follow the terms of the BOF Policy.
In terms of the new Trans Policy:-
- The results of orienteering events and competitions will continue to distinguish between male and female sex categories.
- Individuals are free to self-identify their sex on the British Orienteering database or when entering an event without a requirement for further evidence.
- At all events and competitions, the male category in all age classes is open to all without restriction.
- At the Identified Major Events, individuals will be eligible to compete in the female category in all age classes if and only if they are eligible to compete in the female category under the IOF Transgender Policy.
The Identified Major Events are: World Ranking Events (held in accordance with the IOF Competition Rules), British Championships (including Long, Middle, Sprint, Night, Relay and Sprint Relay • JK Sprint, Individual Cross-country and Relays), Area Championships (South, Midlands, North, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) and any event held specifically for the purpose of determining international selections under the British Orienteering selection policies.
At the Identified Major Events, any trans individuals who are not eligible to compete in the female category under the IOF Transgender Policy may nevertheless be able to participate in that category, but must declare themselves to be non-competitive and will not be eligible to win titles, medals, prizes or trophies, either individually or as part of a team.
At all competitions, events and activities other than those listed as Identified Major Events, trans people will be able to compete in the sex category aligned to their gender identity. However, it is recommended that any athletes participating in the female category who would not be eligible to compete in the female category under the IOF Transgender Policy should not be eligible to win titles, medals, prizes or trophies, either individually or as part of a team. Competitors may assume that a competition will be following this recommendation unless the organiser has explicitly stated otherwise
The Scottish Long Distance Championships falls within the definition of Identified Major Events. The SOA Board have, on reflection and to ensure fairness across the sport, decided that all Scottish Championships, the Scottish Orienteering League and Scottish Orienteering Urban League will follow the BOF Trans Policy as if they were a Major Identified Event. As a consequence of this decision, any trans individuals who are not eligible to compete in the female category under the IOF Transgender Policy may participate in that category, but must declare themselves to be non-competitive and will not be eligible to win titles, medals, prizes or trophies, either individually or as part of a team.