Results by Class with Standards

Provisional results are available here: https://race-results.info/live/3074/

Routegadget: https://www.soc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#93

Organiser's Comments - Helen Wheelwright

Here is a quote from Adrian in Wrekin, which I received yesterday after the event:

"Thanks to everyone for a fantastic event today. Good course, great map, tidy organisation. And the sun shone as well."

As well as this, Barry, who was on gate duty at the end of the afternoon, was almost without exception, showered with fond farewells and thanks from those who participated.

We nailed it!

Thanks in particular to Hugh who spent long hours planning in the forest but also to Annika and Doug, who gave up a massive amount of time to help Hugh plan the courses. Thanks to Mark for the last-minute map updates, to Colin for pursuing three versions of the FE permit and to Paul Fox, who despite being heavily involved in the British Orienteering Championship in March, gave up his time to control our event.

Special mention goes to Pete Davis, who patiently took part in numerous online meetings to help me learn how to organise a level C.

And finally, thanks to all SOC and Wessex helpers whose small acts of kindness helped make people's day. As always, if you have any ideas on how we can make our event organisation even better, do let me know.

Controller's Comments - Paul Fox, SN

It was a privilege to be controlling on such a lovely area at this time of year, with undergrowth down and sun streaming through the leafless trees in many places. I enjoyed my solo recce days hunting for small pieces of red tape - it's a credit to the map (and planner's accurate descriptions) that I found most of them quite quickly! From the outset Hugh's technical courses were designed to encourage or tempt straight line running across the forest blocks, if you felt strong enough (though understandably some didn't after the previous evening's efforts at BNC!). I persuaded him to make several courses 10%-15% longer than initial draft, and looking at the times I feel this was a reasonable call, with the underfoot conditions being so fast at this time of year.

I'd love to take credit for the weather, but I think traditionally that's the Organiser's prerogative. Four weeks ago the whole pre-start area was sheet ice, and we'd have had casualties before reaching map pick-up. Six weeks ago the streams were running deep and fast and the rides were completely waterlogged (imagine how much fun #219 could have been on a wet day!). On the day of the event it was just perfect, and I smiled my way round the woods from sunrise, discovering kites where previously only tapes had been, and soaking up the sights and sounds of the early signs of spring. Some days it is truly worth getting up at 0530 to do your job.

The SOC team ran things smoothly on the day, apart from a few technical hiccups on the live results upload. I like to remind all competitors that our enjoyment is only possible because of the hundreds of hours given by volunteers, whose day often starts earlier and finishes later than our own attendance at the event. You can never say too many thank you's to event officials and helpers - they will come back and do it again if you are nice to them. Many of the people you saw on Sunday will also be on duty at the British Championships hosted by SCOA in five weeks' time, so you'll have another chance to say thank you then.