Christmas ScoreWorthlodgeSun 29 December, 2019

Elizabeth Brown Memorial Trophy Winner - Alan Velecky

Elizabeth Brown Memorial Trophy Winner - Alan Velecky

Near: Crawley
Level of event: Local
Type of event: Race, Score

Results

Report

Elizabeth Brown Memorial

Results and Splits have been loaded.

Additional information; in order to allow a good number of competitors the chance to win the trophy each year, an age-class handicapping system is applied to each person's score. Only competitors on the main 60 minute score event are eligible for the trophy.

Organisers comments:

Thank you all for coming to our Christmas Score event. We hope you enjoyed it. Many thanks to all our helpers, to Paul for the excellent courses and to the Heap family for organising the mulled wine and goodies – a fitting way to celebrate Elizabeth Brown’s prestigious orienteering career.

We must offer a sincere apology for the fact that SIAC was not enabled on the day. Because of the close timing to Christmas we had limited helpers on the day and, as a result, the CHECK station failed to arrive at the Start. (Probably the only time SO have not used a check!) The CHECK would have activated SIAC on your dibbers. If this spoiled your run we are really sorry.

Bridget and Les.

Planners Comments:

Thanks for coming to our Xmas Score, I hoped you enjoyed your splash through Worthlodge Forest.

A couple of apologies. First, sorry we run out of maps on the 60 minute Score. We had an unexpected 10% plus increase in the number of entrants on previous years. Thanks to those who gave up their maps at the finish of their runs to enable others to run.

Second, sorry I forgot to bring the Check to the start to activate your contactless dibbers. By the time someone had pointed this out I had already opened the start and it didn't seem fair to the early starters to activate the dibbers of the later starters. In my efforts to wake up the controls for contactless punching I forgot the Check to activate the contactless dibbers! I had put the controls out on Saturday and set out in good time on Sunday with my V8 dibber to wake up the 32 controls. However having woken up 10 controls none of the others wanted to wake up. Having finally worked out this was because my dibber was full and needed clearing I set out again to wake up the sleeping 22 controls. Unfortunately this unplanned 9km put me under time pressure and in my haste to open the start I forgot the Check. The learning point from this is to remember to clear your wake up dibber and ensure it has enough capacity.

Thanks to those who made the effort to give feedback on the courses. Planning is a joy in Worthlodge which is a fantastic area and the position of the start / finish was perfect for a Score event. On 60 minute Score I am glad the Odds & Evens format and the area kept you occupied for the sixty minutes. The Odds and Evens loops were very similar and one was not intended to have an advantage over the other. The key decisions appeared to be when to go for the central controls. I am not sure I ever found the best route. A number came back with a straight line distance of between 9.5 and 10km. Given the mix of routes in the results I am pleased to see the best route wasn't obvious to everyone else. The 45 minute Score was planned to a TD3 standard but without an obvious route with a view to giving our juniors and beginners the Score challenge. The uphill finish, which became a muddy uphill finish with the recent weather, was there to punish those who pushed the time limit.

Thanks to everyone who made this event happen: Steve (the controller), Bridget & Les (the organisers), Les & Ralph (the SI team), Kate & Will (the caterers) and Di & her merry band of volunteers.

Paul Luttman - Planner


RouteGadget

Is a web app for sharing and comparing orienteering routes. You can draw your own route or upload a GPS track from your watch. It also allows you to watch an animated replay with a simulated mass start.

Pre event info

Elizabeth Brown Memorial Christmas Score Event

Location Info

Nearest town: Crawley

* Postcodes are not very precise in some areas, so don't rely on them for an exact location.

Directions / Parking

Parking and registration on Whitely Hill, Turners Hill, RH10 4SA. Entry off B2110 Paddockhurst Road and exit on B2036 London Road. Parking fee £1.

Public Transport

Nearest railway stations Three Bridges (3 miles) and Balcombe (3 miles). No bus service on Sundays.

Course Information

45 minute Score (TD3):

• For Juniors (M&W14 and under), Beginners etc;

• Single sided map with 12 controls;

• You can collect controls in any order you like.

60 minute Score (TD5):

• ‘Odds & Evens’ format;

• Double sided map with 24 controls;

• One side with 12 odd numbered controls and the other with 12 even numbered controls;

• Choose to start with either odds or evens and switch to the other when you like;

• You do not have to get all 12 controls before switching over but once you have switched you cannot switch back. Scoring for both courses:

• 10 points per control;

• Minus 1 point for every 6 seconds or part there of you are late. Control descriptions printed on map.

SI electronic punching.

SI dibbers available to hire: SIAC (contactless) £2, non-SIAC (not contactless) £1.

Entry Details

SO members: SO Seniors £5 & SO Juniors Free

Non SO members: Seniors £6 & Juniors £2

Registration

9.45 - 10.45

Start Times

10.00 - 11.00 Courses close at 12.00

Map Details

A4 1:10,000 with 5m contours.

Terrain Description

Mixed forest with mixed runnability.
Mapped thickets are rhododendrons.

Dog restrictions

No dogs allowed.

Facilities

Basic first aid at registration. Mulled Wine & Mince Pies available 1030 to 1230.

Miscellaneous

Safety:

• Full leg cover required;

• Whistles advisable;

• Cagoules may be made compulsory if weather requires it;

• Log Piles may be present. They are dangerous do not climb on them or allow children to climb on them.

Contacts / Officials

Planner: Paul Luttman

Organiser: Bridget and Les Hooper

Controller:

Photo Gallery

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