Results for NOC RHT and Regional Event, Clumber, 22/01/2006

Organiser

I spent a lot of time in Clumber the day before the event - spring had come early and it was gorgeous - but the forecast for Sunday was not so appetising - but it started foggy and very cold and the arrival of competitors cheered the NOC team as well as the weather!

Organising is only successful if the component parts work well. The parts are the Team Leaders and their teams on whom I as organiser and you as competitors rely on completely. I thought they did a superb job. I heard of one disappointment when a map had run out - very sorry about that. I heard so many positive comments about all aspects of the event - thank you. Thank you also to the helpfulness of the staff at the National Trust Office and particularly to Carol without whom we would not have been there

Thank you particularly to Peter the planner and Andrew his able assistant for an excellent job, and especially to Brian Slater of HALO who as Controller kept us on the right track.

Bob Alderson

Planner

Early winter, is not the best time of year to orienteer in Sherwood Forest. The summer growth of brambles and bracken is such that, not only huge tracts of forest, but also significant numbers of rides and paths are difficult to negotiate. It becomes much more attractive as an orienteering venue in the early spring, after all the frosts and snows of winter. There is, however, a demand for orienteering throughout the year and so our forests must be used in less than ideal conditions.

We trust that you were not too disappointed by the state of the forest or the design of the courses. Having visited most of the forest on a number of (painful) occasions, we can assure you that there were many areas much worse than those you were taken through.

Thanks for coming. I trust you enjoyed the beautiful weather if not the brambles and bracken.

Andrew Powell and Peter Hubberstey

PS Every year there are many NOC members willing to help in whatever way they can to support the Club in promoting the Robin Hood Trophy. This year was no exception and we very much appreciated the assistance given to us as planners, which ranged from map survey, cartography, printing and bagging through valuable, contemplative controlling and efficient and effective event organisation to SI coordination, kite hanging and retrieving. Many thanks to you all.

Controller

The M21 course length was shorter than we would have liked but the forest would not allow any longer without excessive duplication of terrain. Congrats to those who did get round quickly, you obviously put in the right kind of preparation. We had fun at the finish watching competitors arriving at the knoll(129) to discover they were looking for the earthwall (140). The straight route was favourite but only if you took a direct route to the earthwall via an ancient runnable line of mature beeches.

Very favourable comments were made from those I interviewd at the finish. It was clearly an excellent event with well planned and even inspirational courses set by Pete Hubberstey and Andrew. Some areas of bramble gave way to a little blood letting here and there! Sorry, there was 'no alternative'.

There were very few disqualifications or retirements which is a good indication of successful planning.

Many people helped to make the event a success and not least Bob Alderson who through e-mails kept me and others up to date with all developments as the event date neared. Thank you.

A great day, weather included.

Brian Slater (HALO)