Results for NOC RHT Regional Event, Blidworth, Haywood Oaks & Sansom Wd, 13/02/2005

Organiser

It is sometimes difficult to know what to comment on when much goes well on the day. On the Saturday, there was a real concern with the weather which didn't materialise as the gale force winds eased up and the rain and snow held off (all the loos blew over the previous day). The lack of snow and rain mixed with the early sunshine made it a pleasant orienteering day for all the officials who helped and for competitors who didn't need to use the clothing drops. The self-sufficiency of these experienced team leaders renders my job as organiser, less time consuming, else I would probably have drowned on the day. Only one hiccup really with the caterers, not enough people to bring in sales to make it worthwhile setting up and buying in stock, a point to note for future organisers. Even Wilf's, normally well supported, had lower takings as entrants seemed to jump into cars and depart early to miss any forecasted snow in the higher peaks and E Anglia.

Overall the processes and functions carried out outside of the forest easily met my expectations and early comments showed we had got most things right for you. I always overdo the loos (I hate queues) and get paranoid about parking surfaces (again bad exerience at BOC04) This kind of moulds an organiser into a sort of stereotype who worries over detail as if their life depended upon it! The farmer assured me the event would not be cancelled due to the well drained field and he was absolutely right - a very good venue. Thanks to Ray Barnes for advice and help getting facts and figures sorted, and to Mike Gardner and DVO for the generous loan of vital equipment on the day.

thanks to everyone who turned out and congratulations to the new Midland champions for 2005.

Lost property: 1 pair of blue thinsulate gloves left in the enquiries tent and 1 single green 'North Cape' glove found at the finish. Contact me on 01623 461192 to arrange to be re-united with your belongings.

Andy Jones

Planner

The first design objective was to change the car park. Not that there was anything wrong with the car park we had used for the last four events - more that you were getting very used to the SE corner of the wood, and unless you were on a long course, never got to see the runnable blocks of pine. After very protracted negotiations, Dave Cooke acquired permissions for the new field - and many of you will have had a whole new wood. Of course the old field would have been sheltered from the bitter NW wind - but such is life. Andy Jones organised everything else very smoothly.

The next objective was to get everything into A4 size - so Courses 1 and 2 (not needing 1:10000) could use Sansom Wood and Haywood Oaks. Everybody else was confined to Blidworth, and had many more changes of direction than you may have been used to. This produced many interesting control-flow problems, and one or two controls which, with the lie of the vegetation, may have become dog-legs. But planning always ends up as a compromise - certainly in East Midlands woods. With such a low turn-out on courses 1 and 2, the far-start team must have been able to read the whole of the Sunday Times whilst they waited for the next starter!

Blidworth and its satellite woods are never going to be the most technical challenge. With the dense network of paths, the competitor will inevitably choose a longer path route when available. I therefore endeavoured to give you as many legs across the aforementioned runnable blocks of pine as I could, only one course, 4, having a genuine long leg (BTW, along the ridge main track was the fastest route). But then the workers came in with their nasty machines and produced all those nasty slippery brashings, and increased the visibility dramatically. There is only so much (tolerable) un-brambled terrain in the wood - so these legs had to stand.

Looking at the splits graphs, I'm pleased (!) to see how many blips there are on progress lines. Perhaps you were lulled into carelessness by the easier controls, and then forgot the basics of compass, pacing or didn't bother to count the stumpbanks as you ran past them.

With 100 control sites, I needed help on Saturday and Sunday putting out the equipment. I was ably assisted by Jim Clarke, Andy Llewellyn and Richard Llewellyn, and later by the many collectors. Thanks to you all.

However, without the very kind assistance of half a dozen members of the public, 96 of the controls might have remained in my car stuck along a track in Sansom Wood. I do hope the mud washes off their clothes. I shall not be so foolish in where I drive next time !

Two courses were put on as per BOF guidelines for young adult novices. Neither had any entrants, either pre-entered, nor on the day. I notice that this was also the case at Bradfield Moor last Sunday. Clearly this is a failure of communication, as when asked, most people are unaware of what M21N or W21N means.

Finally, I must thank controller, Mike Gardner, for his many little gentle nudges, and for the few items his diligent checking uncovered.

Ray Barnes

Controller

From a controller's view point, being asked to control a NOC event is a fairly easy job. Andy is an experienced organiser and this showed. Everything was in place and worked well on the day. Ray's courses made best use of the area, providing plenty of changes of direction, differing leg lengths and keeping you in the best parts of the area. My job simply became one of checking and approving. Special thanks to Graham Johnson for acting as assistant controller on the day and helping me check the 100 control sites on Sunday morning.

Mike Gardner (DVO)