1. This document is an update of the March 2000 version of this document compiled by the Home International Committee (HIC), updated by Peter Guillaume in July 2002, further amended (eligibility) by HIC meetings in Feb and Oct 2003, and yet further amended (not in substance) by John Rye in Oct 2006. Eligibility rule change in Oct 2016. Please send any amendments, updates or suggestions to Chairman, BOF Event and Competitions Committee. This document should be read in conjunction with the following documents:

Eligibility Rule
2. To be eligible to represent a country in a home international an athlete must be a current British Orienteering member (or for Ireland team members, alternatively a member of IOA) and be:

  • Eligible by Birth. Be born in that country OR
  • Eligible by Parentage. Have a parent who was born in that country OR
  • Eligible by Residence. Have established permanent residence in that country for at least one year (see notes 1 and 2).

AND

  • If M/W20 or older, has not represented any other home nation in a home international in the previous two years (explanatory note 3).

Notes:

  1. Students can achieve eligibility by residence if they can prove a permanent home base in that country.
  2. Established eligibility by residency is voided if another home nation is represented but otherwise endures.
  3. Means two fallow years for 20 and over eg 2 missed HIs, but juniors no fallow years.

Organisation
3. The four Home Countries organise the annual HIs in rotation. The JHI and VHI are held in the autumn, October being preferred. The SHI will be integrated into the elite competition structure and will normally be held in the spring. The Elite Competitions Group (ECG) will approach clubs or associations direct to host the SHI and set the date for competition in conjunction with the Fixtures Group.
4. Unless there is a VERY strong reason for alteration, the format of the weekend is to be an Individual event on Saturday and a relay on Sunday. Sunday timings are to allow the team(s) to be able to catch the ferry to or from Ireland.
Finance
5. HIs should be self financing, however the JHI Organisers may request for a grant from BOF Office. They would normally expect to be granted £500 to improve the quality of the event.
6. LEVY. Normal BOF levy is payable if the event forms part of a larger event and participants pay a specific entry fee. Specially organised events (this could be either or both events), where the participants do not pay a separately identified fee (eg £45 for the weekend) will not attract the levy.
Note: “IMPROVING a JHI”: A social event is usually part of the weekend and may be supported from these funds. Other things that may be considered are such things as a marquee, public address system, hire of shower/loos, hospitality, hot drinks, prizes and individual mementos. The money is NOT to be used to subsidise team expenses.
Accommodation
7. Accommodation is most efficiently organised by event organisers who have good local knowledge. For the JHI they must do this. Group accommodation, such as a Youth Hostel, should be arranged by locally for 2 nights with all teams together if possible. Interaction between the teams is highly desirable and collocation of accommodation facilitates this. Team members may arrive very late on the Friday night and will not need a Friday evening meal. Some team members may not arrive until Saturday. Not all countries will bring a full team. There are likely to be 2-3 Team Managers per team. Less satisfactorily, teams for the SHI and VHI could source their own accommodation, as most areas now have a good network of accommodation that can be accessed via the internet or local tourist information. In this latter case it is important that the organiser gives teams early notice of the event centre and social location to allow early accommodation booking.
Event Bulletins
8. Invitations to compete should be sent out in good time (ideally 6 months before) to all Home Countries. Invitations including location date and accommodation arrangements must be sent to the persons on the contact list who have agreed to forward the information to their nominated selectors and team managers and should include date, location and accommodation arrangements.
9. Costs of Entry, Accommodation and Meals – Team Managers need to know the actual charges AT LEAST 6 weeks before the event so that they can work out what the cost will be for each team member when they send out selection letters. They also need to know, in good time to inform their teams, the programme for the weekend, meals to be included, the need (or not) for sleeping bags etc.
Event Specific Issues
10. Where the HI is incorporated into another event it is strongly advised that a separate person is nominated to organise the HI.
11. The areas should not have been used in the previous 12 months. Where a map has been used before, the Team Managers should be provided with a copy of the map with the final details (ideally in an electronic pdf format).
12. The courses are to be planned at National Event Standard: the relevant BOF Guideline applies, providing elite (20E/21E) courses for the SHI.
13. In the JHI and SHI, classes should not share courses. In the VHI, if no more than 2 classes share a course, the HI start window is minimised.
14. There should be at least a 3 minute gap between starters on the same course. Start Times should be allocated to teams by rotation (order by ballot) and provided to Team Managers prior to the event in order that they can, in turn, provide the organiser with competitor information (eg BOF number, first and surname, electronic card data).
15. At HIs combined with another event the start times for the HI should be earlier than those of other competitors so that over-lapping in the forest is unlikely. A short time buffer between the last HI starter and the first “other” competitor minimizes the chance of interference. It should be possible for ad hoc relay teams made up from those reserves/others not in their national team to take part concurrently; however local teams in the relays should not start until after all third laps in the HI have started.
16. Results and their display should be organised in the normal way however, where the match is taking place as part of another event, the results of the HI should be displayed discrete from those of the other event. Where applicable and possible, competitors should “count” for ranking points in the hosting event.
17. There are 4 national flags and a start banner for use at HI matches. Please contact British Orienteering office to obtain them.
Social Programme
18. A Saturday evening get together has come to be an important part of the programme. It should include a substantial hot meal bearing in mind that all competitors are likely to have run hard and will be hungry by (say) 6.30pm.
19. A buffet meal is likely to be very difficult to organise well and team members really desire/need a hot meal. For senior teams a bar on the premises is attractive in socialising as otherwise team members are likely to disappear after the meal to the nearest pub. From past experience a dance or other entertainment is not really necessary.
20. Juniors have been used to enjoying the use of swimming pool on the Saturday afternoon: mid morning starts facilitate this. They enjoy evening disco/social/activities after eating. No alcoholic drinks please.
Prize Giving
21. It is usual for individual prizes/trophies to be presented on Saturday evening. In JHI, prizes or mementos for at least the first 3 in each class of the Individual and for the members of the winning teams in each Relay class should be provided.
22. JHI Trophies
Ward International Trophy Country with the highest total points.
Individual Trophy Country with the highest points in the Individual.
Relay Trophy Country with the highest points in the Relay.
Judith Wingham Platter The better of Ireland and Wales with the highest total points.
23. SHI Trophies
Silva Trophy Country with the highest total points.
Dolgellau Dish Country with the highest points in the Individual.
24. VHI Trophies
Micklegate Bar Trophy Country with the highest total points.
Lagan Valley Rose Bowl Country with the highest points in the Individual.
The Quaiche Country with the highest points in the Relay.
Stonewall Trophy The better of Ireland and Wales with the highest total points.
Updated: July 2002 and October 2006