The Quonicle Chronicles
1999 (1st half of year)
In a series of articles for our newsletter, every couple of months Bill Vigar digged through the archives to find out what was happening in the world of QO 100 newsletters ago. Back then the QuOnicle was simply called ’Quantock Orienteers’ and was a single A4 page (occasionally with an A5 attachment).
July 1999 (no.64)
Name change
The committee decided on Quonicle as the name for the newsletter. The other suggestion of Quo Vadis, although appropriate, didn't seem to roll off the tongue quite as easily.
British Champs
There was an event report on "The British", which took place in The Lake District on 7-9th May 1999. In the Individual event, Jenny Tennant became the W65 British Champion, while QO finished 3rd in the relays.
The notable QO results were:
1st W12A Ruth Holmes
6th W18A Rachel Holmes
5th W50L Sue Gard
1st W65L Jenny Tennant
8th M55L Ted Heath
8th M60L Bill Vigar
May 1999 (no.63)
Editorial
I have had one response to my request for a name for the newsletter - the suggested title is "Quonicle". Has any one any other ideas?
Sarum Gallopen
The final event of the 1998/99 gallopen season was held at Collingbourne on Salisbury Plain. ... At the awards ceremony Quantock figured well with 3 winners one second and one third. John Went on Blue, Bill Vigar on Green, Ruth Holmes on Orange with Mike Crockett and John Round second and third on green.
Profile
This month I've asked Rachael Holmes, one of our young stars to tell us about herself.
Q. What do you do for a living? I'm still at school, in my first year of A-levels.
Q. What other sports / pastimes do you have? I enjoy running and playing hockey. I also play the oboe, and to relax I enjoy listening to music.
Q. When did you start orienteering? I can't remember not orienteering! My parents brought me up to expect nothing more of a Sunday morning than a muddy field and a few hundred nutters running around a wet forest.
Q. What standard have you achieved? Championship and GB U17 A-tour last year. Ed - Rachael has also represented her country several times at junior level.
Q. What is your favourite area
a) in the South West?
b) elsewhere?
Although I love training in the Quantocks because I know them well, my favourite SW racing area is Penhale Sands in Cornwall.
Elsewhere I like Scottish forests like Deishar and Anagach, Southern Lakes, a forest called Lindtjern in Norway.
Q Is there anything you would like to say to other members of the club about yourself or Quantock Orienteers? I'd like to thank the club, not only for the financial assistance it's given me for foreign training over the past few years, but for the support and advice lots of people have given me, and also for all the lifts to races!
JK Report Easter 1999
The JK this year was held near Dorking at Leith Hill and Winterfold, with relays at Hawley and Hornley.
The first day was dull, with the whole parking area clothed in low cloud ... The forest was tough, producing long times, which in their turn, produced the inevitable long faces and disconsolate looks. The second day was more pleasant all round - a kind forest, sunshine, and a chance to chat and wander around.
Notable QO performances.
W12A Ruth Holmes 1st
M60L Bill Vigar 2nd
M60L Mike Crockett 4th
W18A Rachael Holmes 4th
W65L Jenny Tennant 6th
M55L Ted Heath 8th
1998-1999 QOFL Final Results
GREEN Chris Philip 1st
L. GREEN Ben Kenward 1st
ORANGE Roger Durbin 1st
WHITE Nick Henton 1st
Stop Press
Our youngest and oldest competitors in the British Championships have won. Ruth Holmes and Jenny Tennant were placed first by substantial margins.
March 1999 (no.62)
Bill didn't summarise this one for some reason
Jan 1999 (no.61)
Editorial
Having volunteered to take over as editor, I was left wondering how to proceed. Should I carry on as before or should I try and do something completely different? Many years ago the newsletter was known as "The Lost One". Is this a good, or indeed relevant, title? Can you think of a better one?
Compass Sport Trophy.
A good number of QO members made the long journey to Longmoor Camp on Sunday 10th January to compete in this Trophy Match ....... Although Rachael, Ruth and Alex won their courses, back up from the more mature members was not forthcoming and we were unable to claim a place in the final.
Profile
One of my aims as editor of the magazine is to promote the awareness of club members to each other. With this in mind I have drafted a questionnaire, which will probably be changed as time goes on, to enable members to tell us about themselves. For our first profile I have asked the retiring editor Arthur Vince to tell us a little about himself.
Q. What do you do for a living. A. Stress Engineer working on helicopter rotor blades. ..........
Q. Have you had any funny experiences while orienteering?
A. My mind set is such that I can't answer this.
Q. If you could change anything about the sport, or the way it is organised, what would you do?
A. It needs presentation as a running sport, not a gentle leisure activity for which little effort is required. And the average age of committees is too high.
Q. Is there anything you would like to say to other member about yourself or Quantock Orienteers?
A- QO, The club works well together, but more people are needed to take on principal roles. We badly need someone to take on coaching, but I don't think anyone at the moment has the enthusiasm and ability to do this.
A- Me. I tend to say what I think. Don't ask me for an opinion if you can't accept an uncomfortable answer. But you may get the opinion anyway.
Ed. I asked Arthur for a photo, but Arthur's last one hasn't got a beard. Which only goes to prove that Arthur is the one with the beard and an opinion!