Organisers
Comments (Neil Harvatt)
Many thanks to everyone who turned out and
braved the weather forecast (which was much worse than the actual weather), even
so it was a disappointing turn-out (84 competitors) and one which may make HALO
reconsider its traditional policy of holding “Not the JK” events on the
Easter weekend. (we could perhaps hold them in the summer!!).
It was good to be involved with a partially new map and a new assembly
area. My apologies for the
unconventional method of car-park entry, despite having permission to use it, I
forgot to ask for a key. Sorry.
The event would not have gone ahead without
the tireless efforts of Brian Slater who mapped the new area as well as planned
the courses and arranged much of the access.
Thank-you Brian.
Thank you also to the HALO helpers who did
such a good job that I even managed to get a run, only to be faced with “route
choice after route choice” dilemmas, thanks to the planner.
We did consider not running a String Course
at Middle Rasen due to poor participation at recent events (nil on one occasion)
and the fact that the String organisation often takes up more of the organisers
time than the rest of the event. But
thanks to Dorothy Smith’s novel compromise we were able to use the White
course with a few modifications (traditional punching, novelty controls and some
extra tapes). It appeared
successful, there were 10 competitors (enjoying the crème eggs at the end,
don’t expect this every time!), this could be the future of String at HALO
events.
‘Mapping
and planning’ is always problematic, you plan courses and then decide to map a
little more to improve the courses, and then it’s a question of when to stop?
That’s where ‘time’ and the controller come in.
My first draft of the courses produced control sites mainly on line
features. This would have led
to less technical courses, especially ‘blue’ and ‘green’ had controller,
Malcolm, not brought the fact to my attention.
There is a lack of point features in our forests and it does present a
dilemma. Do we add tripods,
dig little holes! (invented by we know who), or map fallen trees?
Yes!
Walesby
Grange Forest (renamed Walesby Moor more appropriately) was a rough piece of
land that all competitors had to negotiate.
The obstacle course leading from the start kite soon became the path that
the map symbol intended. At
its wettest, the moor was inhospitable, at its best, as on Easter Sunday, it was
as good as Saddleworth Moor on the Pennines.
The
courses, all on the flat, were still hard going under foot.
The ‘Blue’ was as long as recommended in the guidelines.
I did manage to produce a course of 8.4km but it meant doing an extra
loop in the centre of the area. That
would have been a brown course. So
watch out for the next colour coded event where we will stretch you.
An
abundance of point features, and kites carefully hung, meant that reasonably
technical courses were enjoyed.
My son
Jeff achieved a creditable 3rd on the ‘Blue’.
He’s been winning the Blue course on a regular basis at events around
the London area. So a little bit of ‘keen’ competition will do him
good.
A big
thank you to Malcolm Humphrey who controlled the event.
He was meticulous in his checking, and gave sound advice on aspects of
usage of the area, technicality, and course lengths.
He was very patient awaiting the complete unfolding of the courses up to
two weeks before the event. His
‘O’planning software’ was an absolute lifesaver, giving us accurate checks
on distances and on control-site usage.
The software also produces competition control descriptions from a master
file. Planners ought to try it for themselves.
Thank
you to Brian Ward, who checked the control sites on the day.
He ran the ‘Blue’ first, competitively, in 53.03, and then checked
the remaining 30 controls in 51 minutes.
He covered 12km altogether and was nursing a sore leg at the end.
Because we had the control sequence already in the SI data system, we
were able to check the timing system was in working order, merely by dibbing.
Thanks Mike Cope.
I was
very pleased to be backed up by a very fine and effective team on the day.
Controllers
Comments (Malcolm Humphrey)
"I hope you all enjoyed your run, Brian and I tried to use the better parts of the area.
Middle Rasen is a small area of limited
technicality and has only been used before for our very popular, informal summer
evening Lincolnshire Poacher events (full details on the website http://www.halo-orienteering.org.uk/).
So Brian and I worked together to improve the map and use the best parts
of the area and it will be used again in this years' series.
Because of the area's limited technicality
courses were designed to be in the upper part of the length ranges for the
colours. There was considerable
difference between the length of the green and blue courses.
The finishing times bore out our decisions particularly that the area
could not sustain a brown course.