Planner’s Comments:
The fields around Wroxall Abbey presented problems with so many barbed wire fences and no linear features upon which to base the White course. It meant some controls had to be sited near to the available crossing points and we made three of our own where they were required.
The torrential rain did not seem to put people off. Although there were no dedicated start times, most started when the rain was at its heaviest.
Times on the Brown course were a little faster than recommended due to
(1) A late alteration to the course after being informed during the final week that archery would be taking place.
(2) Graham Gristwood running so fast.
Well done to Ben Ross (1st) and William Gardner (3rd) - both M12’s beating older competitors on the Light Green course.
Congratulations to those who did the ‘Old Course’ I hope you enjoyed the experience.
Bob Carey’s winning time of 69 mins in 1967 stood up well. The trees were a lot smaller and closer then, making visibility and runnability harder than today’s mature thinned out wood.
Thanks to Mike Hampton for producing an excellent map. Thanks also to Bruce Bryant for overprinting the archery out of bounds, modifying the Brown course and producing the control descriptions at the last minute (archery).
Thanks to brother Bob, wife Sheila and controller, Toby for helping to put out controls, stiles and tape around the archery area on the Saturday. Lastly thanks to all who collected in controls and equipment.
Pete Carey set some good courses. I was mostly worried about bracken ( which diminished greatly over the last month), some collapsed bracken wrapped fodder baskets - which were not in the end on any course - the Simmental beef cattle which seemed placid when we were out together in previous weeks and remained so during the event, sheep who seemed to take it all in their stride and archers who I never saw. They expressed no worry about shooting orienteers and said that if they saw any they would lower their bows. Pete set out warning notices anyway.
I hope you enjoyed it despite the rain which was mostly a bother to those wearing spectacles. I use a 'thumb magnifier' - from good orienteering stores everywhere and which wipes easily.
The winner of the long 'Old Course' did better than in 1965 so as a class orienteers are now fitter and/or better map readers. But then I am told that in 1965 the trees were smaller and the undergrowth thicker. And this years runners had already done the 'new courses' and one had done mapping in the wood. This makes honours more even.
During the event I sat and read half a book about the Golem - a mythical creature that accepts orders but is clumsy. He is the servant and occasional bane of all designers. My seat under the cover of my van's back door was beside the walk from the Finish so I consulted a few on their experience. But otherwise my work at that time was the ideal of all controllers - very boring.
I went in the Chapel which Sir Kit Wren had altered a bit. I suppose he added the tower and a drain pipe with his initials on. A calming visit.
Thanks too to Sheila and Bob Carey for company and advice. Also to all the organisation which went very well indeed.
In some respects this was quite a complicated event to organise, as there were two types of event (modern and 1960s) running in parallel. On the other hand, start and finish were located so close to the car park and other facilities that moving equipment around and so on was not the burden it might have been. Our thanks go to the Wroxall Abbey Hotel for allowing use of their car park and toilets throughout the day.
Although this was OD’s 40th Birthday, the weather was far from celebratory. Thanks to all who came in spite of the rain; and particular thanks to the Droober helpers (sixty or so of them) who bore it all with fortitude and their usual cheerfulness: standing out in the rain always seems worse than running in it.
I look forward to seeing you all at the next Droober District event, at Elmdon Park on 27 November.
Martin Cross
Colour Standard times:
|
White |
all finishers achieve
standard |
|
Yellow |
39.25 |
|
Orange |
29.04 |
|
Light
Green |
38.18 |
|
Green |
63.06 |
|
Blue |
72.09 |
|
Brown |
67.35 |