Use of GPS at Adventure Races

[Tom]

What is your opinion about using GSP at this year's Primal Quest?

[Marek Navratil]

Hi! I think, if its allowed, then You may use it. As well as You use another your equipment during the race. And it depent, how good You are in using it. Because it may be sometimes more complicated for You...?

[Tom]

If it is allowed then of course you'll gonna use it, but how does that affect Adventure Racing where orienteering is one of the core disciplines!

Although I'm not best at orienteering I don't agree with use of GPS. Primal Quest organizing team have said that reason for using GPS is safety! As organizer I can see their problem but on the other hand ruining what AR is all about... For example due to the snow condition we have changed the route which was not so dangerous but still epic and tough!

[Mike Chastaine]

While the GPS will make the navigation easier, it does not eliminate it. Using a GPS is more then following a little arrow. That being said, I'm disappointed that I had to go out and spend another $400 on equipment and that some of the map work will be taken out. But from a safety perspective, it will keep teams moving.

I don't understand the idea that the organization needs to keep track of us, since we are using a Spot and they should know exactly where we are if there is a problem.

[Nancy]

We use satellite tracking in the Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge. compeitors are issued with a mobile phone which has a tracking element in it. This allows us to track competitors online which is great for safety but also a great marketing tool for capturing and broadening our audience. They can log on any time during the event and see where the competitors are in real time to within 50m of their actual location. We have the GPS and communication functions locked so only we can contact competitors with group text messages etc. They can't call out or look up their locations. Orienteering is a big aspect of our event.

[Sandi Kmetič]

No GPS should be allowed at AR!!!

I'm big fan of GPS, I love it, I use GPS data all the time, I even use logger to record race tracks, but I never use it as a help at races (as I don't need it as a help :) and if it ever come as normal and legal use to AR or any other branch of orienteering races, I'm out of this sports!

I'm pure orienteerer. I love using GPS but being GPS myself I love so much more.

[Tom]

Nancy I completly agree that GPS is needed for tracking purposes, since at the moment it looks this is the only way to make AR interesting for wider population and consequently for sponsors.
On the other hand orienteering, as Sandi said, has to be solely dependable on team skill of moving around with map and compass.