Comments for N O C District Event, Bestwood, 21/12/2003

Planner's Comments
One of the joys of planning an event has to be the reward of the perfect weather that we benefited from on Sunday - particularly in light of the forecast. The recent loss of access to the quarry and top wood meant that a brown course was not practicable, and the compact area remaining meant that course lengths were towards the shorter end of the new BOF guidelines. Nevertheless, Bestwood offers sufficient challenge to make it interesting and I hope that you enjoyed the break from the pre-Christmas rush.

Planning courses in this small area is largely an exercise in the art of avoidance - of too many obvious routes through the intricate network of paths, of the horse trail, of conflicts between courses, of the environmentally sensitive areas, and of the worst of the brambles - unless of course you chose to run through them!

Pre-marked and bagged maps were a first for a NOC C4, but involve extra work and expense. I hope, however, that NOC might follow other clubs (well BOC) down this route, as I don't see copying a map as a particularly worthwhile orienteering skill.

My thanks to my band of helpers for giving up much of their day.
Brian James

Organisers' Comments
Thanks to all the helpers who gave up the pleasures of buying Christmas presents in a warm shopping centre to come and stand in a cold and draughty wood on the shortest day of the year!! Particular thanks to the helpers in the soup kitchen, which added a really civilised touch to the proceedings.

It was nice to see such a good turnout - we hope you enjoyed the pre-printed maps and the weather! The rain was so heavy on the Saturday lunchtime when we visited the woods that we feared that everything would be washed away, but fortunately things improved overnight and it was a much better morning than we could ever have anticipated following all the dire weather warnings! Anyway, we hope you enjoyed your pre-Christmas run and look forward to seeing you again in 2004.
Gill & Bob Hatfield

Controller's Comments
What more can you ask for?

A sunny morning, pre-marked maps, good courses, free soup and mince pies afterwards.

We were extremely lucky, had the event taken place 24 hours earlier…

Brian did an excellent job in planning his first event, all the comments I heard about the courses was complimentary, and several people came up to me afterwards to express their thanks, which I pass on here.

Bob and Gill did a sterling job with organisation, Gill even had some of the local kids having a try, which was better than them vandalising the controls, and could even produce some converts.

Results ran perfectly for Mick, without Michael looking over his shoulder.

One lady, whose youngster lost their hire dibber on Yellow, paid the £17 replacement fee, but it was later found by Pete Cocks (who was on Blue) and she is being reimbursed.

Thanks again for turning out.
Jad Dziadosz