Splits (In Text Format)
Splits in HTML format - Blue, Green, Light Green, Orange, Yellow, White
Flushed with the modest success of my first attempt at
planning last year, I think I got a bit carried away with this my follow up
effort - so firstly, apologies to all those who spent rather longer out on their
chosen course than they may have envisaged. I only hope the niceweather and the
scenic beauty of the area were adequate compensations.
In my defence the area is a bit lumpy, and though the
course lengths were within recommendations, the climb was undoubtably excessive
and hard to restrict. A key goal was to push the longer courses out on longish
runnable legs over the open fell and take advantage of the spectacular views.
This required getting round the 'out of bounds' strip in the valley meadows.
Linking up the light green course to take in some of the control sites chosen
for blue/green rather over-extended the length of this course also. I have also
subsequently been advised that starting white courses at an immediate decision
point is not acceptable practice, and I hope this did not unduly perturb any of
the youngsters.
The other really major flaw was control 204 (thicket)
not being correctly sited. I
realised early on the day that this might be an issue when the controller
reported not being able to find where I originally placed it, despite what I
thought had been an agreed site, properly tagged! There are many thickets in
that part of the wood, not all mapped. I can't honestly say Andy didn't warn me
about using thickets for control sites, so again sorry to those who wasted time
finding 204, or worse, not finding it - planner's errors inevitably favour some
less accurate navigators.
I was very pleased with the excellent turnout for this
location. Many thanks to Andy Rimes
for doing much more than usually necessary as controller, and without whose sage
advice and helpful suggestions some of you could still be out
there!
Martin Longhurst
Thanks to all of
you that came and made the event worthwhile. About 74 ran a
course.
Thanks
also to all the helpers. It's good to have a group who can all do their jobs
with minimal supervision from me.
Thanks lastly to
the weather that made the woods nice to be in. I was getting very nervous three
weeks ago when most of the tracks, including the one where the start was, were
doing good impersonations of streams!
Bob
Lloyd
On the positive side:
We had a good turnout for the area, ideal dry cool weather conditions, and Martin’s long, hilly and testing, but well planned and enjoyable courses.
We also noted pleasingly increased numbers of juniors on the easier courses.
It was nice to ‘discover’ this formerly unknown car parking area (which has been there for years!) to avoid the cramped and somewhat dank one at Nutcombe bottom down the hill.
The gorgeous huskies and their sleds (you had to be there!)
And the inevitable negative side…
That thicket! (204)
I thought for some time about Martin’s plan for using one of the thickets in that area for a finishing control to avoid a path finish on the longer courses. We knew the map wasn’t particularly accurate in that area (!), but decided to press ahead anyway. As you all know, it became the stereotypical ‘bingo’ control- some found it right away, others floundered (some for a great deal of time!). It really all depended on your method and direction of approach, and, more relevantly, how much luck you had. I can only apologise and hope, in the spirit of the event, that if you were unlucky with it, you still enjoyed your run and won’t harbour any lasting grudge.
Andy Rimes
Enclosed with the results are the QOFL scores after the third event (best four scores to count out of six). Hopefully all the scores are accurately worked out for both the Elite and Handicap Leagues, let me know if you feel there are any errors.
The next QOFL is on 11th February at Ham
Hill, near Yeovil (Grid Ref. ST477167). More details can be obtained from
Richard Sansbury (01823 288405)
Tony
Milroy
01278-427875