The Original Mountain Marathon
Media Storm Hits the OMM
Rob Howard / 26.10.2008
News Update; All competitors are now checked in and safely on their way home.While competitors in this year’s OMM were hunkered down in their tents, sleeping on floors of schools, barns and cafes, or settled into B&B’s and hotels around the Lake District, they were largely unaware the attention of the media was focused on their fate.
Very rapidly during Saturday evening the OMM became a ‘breaking story’ on BBC News 24, and by the evening it was leading the news bulletins, then it was in the Sunday papers, on national radio and even on international news networks. By nightfall press of all kinds were making their way into Cumbria to get the full story on Sunday morning.
Unfortunately, the lack of mobile coverage, the fact race HQ was cut off by floods, and the large number of agencies involved, created a confused situation, and in the absence of facts mistaken assumptions were made, inaccurate figures given and then repeated across the media. News agencies were still reporting 1700 ‘missing’ or ‘unaccounted for’ on Sunday morning, many hours after race HQ had the number ‘not checked in’ as down to 44.
While the readers and listeners of the world media had the impression that a major emergency situation was taking place, those in the event itself saw things differently – they were quickly and efficiently providing food and shelter at race HQ, checking where everyone was and working with the mountain rescue teams to ensure everyone’s safety. The competitors themselves were sensibly taking shelter where ever they could prior to making their way back to HQ.
The whole situation will no doubt be analysed in every detail long after the event but at the root of the media frenzy (and much of the criticism the race is getting) is a misunderstanding of what a mountain marathon is all about.
To the press so many competitors in a mass event ‘unaccounted for’ implied they were lost and in danger – but to the race the fact teams were not checked in back at HQ was understandable given the situation. All the competitors have to show a suitable amount of outdoor experience when entering and carry an extensive list of mandatory equipment including all they need to survive in bad weather and to camp out overnight. (Tent, sleeping bag, stove, food, warm clothing etc.)
It’s quite normal for retiring teams to camp out on the hills and make their way back to base in a mountain marathon and the ethos of the race is that those taking part are primarily responsible for their own safety. (Many made their own decision they were not experienced enough for the conditions and did not start, while others decided when to retire from the course for themselves.)See All Event Posts
