Tips for score type events by Thelma Spalton. Score events are a type of event in which you have to find as many controls as possible in a fixed time. The number of points scored for each control varies according to its distance and technical difficulty, you can choose which controls to go to, and there will be a penalty if you take longer than the time allowed.
- Ensure you have a watch that works (or you can use the time on the EMIT brick if you are using one)! Make a note of the time on your watch when you start.
- Study the map before running off.
- Plan in loops of controls if the area lends itself to that (large lakes may make this impossible), You can use the first loop to estimate time, then you can visit the number of loops you have time for.
- Decide if clockwise or counter-clockwise routes could maximise the numbers of controls you could visit before running out of time.
- Look at the distribution of controls. Are some parts of the map better to visit than others?
- Decide whether to go for easy controls or hard controls depending on your skill level. Hard controls may have different point scores? (probably not for juniors)
- Plan a route that you estimate you can do in the time,
- Leave some controls near the finish in case you have some time left at the end.
- If you cannot find a control do not spend too much time looking for it. Minimising lost time means that you could find another easier control (or 2) instead.
- Always keep track of time, continually reassessing and see if you can visit the few controls near the finish that you have left.