Following JonB's idea of re-looking at the prizes has anyone any ideas?

yeah grumpy unsmiling people have them taken back.

How about this:

1 - outline the rules clearly and fairly on the
entry form
2 - don't leave ambiguities so glaring that a
child could spot them
3 - don't bull**** at the prize-giving
4 - give the prizes to those have rightfully won
them
5 - don't respond to any queries or criticism by
saying absolutely nothing/burying your heads
in the sand
6 - treat the people who pay the entry fees like
responsible adults, not annoying 'entry fodder'.
7 - re-read the previous thread re A&H and ask
yourself how you've got the gall to ask for
positive feedback amidst such appalling event
management
8 - implement numbers 1-7, then sit back and
watch that pig fly

As the majority of teams enter not for prizes but for the challenge of the event why not drop prizes altogether?
Not many teams stay for the prize giving anyway, including those who have won so we could all get off home earlier.
Just a radical thought but it has some merit.

I agree with DXB - does anyone seriously enter the event just because of the winner's prizes?
The vast majority enter for the fun/challenge/comradeship/scenery of it, so for them the winner's prizes are irrelevant.
Talking to the real challengers for the podium, my experience is that their interest is as for the above group, plus the competitive challenge, again not the prizes.
If you want to award prizes to make the event more appealing to all entrants, then make them all spot prizes.
Then just award some trophies/medals to the winners.
This works in running and road bike events,so why not the PC?

"Disappointed"`s comments sum it all up & need little embellishment except that it probably doesn`t matter until/unless Polaris sort out this mess.
I hope most people who know what`s happened would want to make sure as many others as possible are told & keep the pressure up.
The last time I felt this militant Winston Churchill was still alive,God no he was still PM!

I must admit to hugely enjoying the contributions to the other current thread regarding the mysterious prize allocation.

Reacting positively to Rog's request for ideas regarding an alternative prize strategy, I suggest the following: -

1) Award nominal trophies for winners of individual categories and the overall winner/winners (as suggested by Phil)

2) Recognise those who have taken part in a landmark number of events (say 20 or 25). A token momento might be nice - just to recognise the contribution that these enthuthiastic riders make to the overall atmosphere of the event.

I recall that there used to be an award for achieving 5,000 and 10,000 points. This award seems to have been abandoned...not sure why

I have a really radical suggestion.
Why don't Polaris actively publicise who wins whatever, be it two really good Fishers for the mens pair that came last this spring, and those prizes awarded on merit?
That way their sponsors might actually stay with them a bit longer.
I can't believe that it isn't possible to put out a press release after each event.
I thought this came under the heading of 'Taking care of business'.

Two Fishers? I wish I'd known, I wouldn't have
gone for any checkpoints!

This thread doesn't deserve a reply until the question answered on the thread regarding the mixed prize. Poor show Polaris

I have actively publicised the fact that we won the two Fishers during the Spring event. It was a real achievement to cock the event up that badly! Just in case anybody wasn't sure we didn't know of the existance of the prize until the prize giving. Sorry about that Jerry we didn't mean it! However, once I had suffered the embarassment I made sure we got the prizes.
Unfortunately my track record meant nobody wanted to team up with me for the Autumn!

Not your job to publicise it Pete {I too have come last].
I haven't seen a single press release.
Polaris seem to think it's good enough just to reward their sponsors with event banners leading up to the event.
Perhaps this explains why they don't hang on to them.

I don't remember them ever actively chasing publicity after the event, out of sight out of mind; which incidentally used to cover more than publicity.

Wait though Karen has just managed to insert a press release into MBUK! Apparently 150 teams did the autumn event [and the results were cocked up as well].

To be fair to Graham [again] he has mentioned recently that they have missed Andy's publicity expertise since he left.
As Andy has been the only one of the three to compete [he did so again this autumn] he perhaps also has had an insight otherwise slightly lacking.