SLOW LogoeSLOWprint 123 - Mar 1999


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Club Officers Ginny's Jottings Midge's Mutterings Chair's Report to AGM 1998
Pete's Report Compass Sport Cup Regional Round: Results North Downs Way Relay: Saturday 26th June 1999 Training
Event Reports Membership Matters Equipment Notes Training in Marrakech
SEGaloppen 1998: Results Halfway Hill General  

Club Officers 1998–1999

Chair:
Chris Robinson

Secretary & Membership:
Di Leakey

Men’s Captain:
Peter Huzan

Ladies’ Captain:
Elisabeth Finch

Treasurer:
Madeleine Watson

Fixtures Secretary:
Andrew Trimble

Equipment Officer:
Chris Fry

SEOA Rep.:
Andy Robinson

Beginners’ Rep.:
Heather Walton

Publicity:
Anne Leaney

Club Kit:
Teresa Turner

SLOWprint Editor:
Ginny Catmur

Archivist:
Sue Lumas

Social Secretary:
Vicky Robb

 

Training Officer:
Ann-Marie Kjös

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Ginny’s Jottings

I attended a BOF conference at Crewe on Sat. 6 March - it was called 'Strategic Planning'. We (about 50 of us) were asked to comment on and alter, if necessary, various sections of the document that BOF was to forward to the English Sports Council, to back up its bid for sponsorship. Groups of about five were assigned to each topic and we had just over an hour to discuss the topic and formulate up to four recommendations. These were then presented to the whole conference, who then voted on them. This happened twice, with us being given different topics each time. (We had been sent the topics in advance, and had expressed preferences as to which topic groups we wanted to be assigned to.) The topics were what you would expect - environmental impact, mapping, land access, membership fees - but the overall focus was constantly on halting and reversing the decline in BOF's membership. Mike Downe (MV) had noticed an inverse relationship between the number of badge events being held nationwide and the size of the membership: is it time now to reduce the number of badge events, and see membership rise?

My piece in the last issue of SLOWprint, about how to extend the appeal of the sport, prompted a couple of responses. Pavla Fialová, our Czech W21E, says that in her country 'O' events are much more sociable than they are here: people attend in club groups - but then, she says, their events tend to be two-day events, and their season is much shorter than ours. Still, the social side is what attracts people to multi-day events, so maybe we can build on that. Sue Lumas agrees that CATIs should be tied in better to mainstream events, or even held in conjunction with them - something that seemed to work well at the Devil's Punchbowl in December, with Beginners' Reps. in attendance from other local clubs. She also suggests a 'Beginners' Pack' - now there's a good idea! In fact 'good ideas' is what it's all about - and Andy Kelly, BOF's England Development Officer, is at work seeking out and disseminating strategies that work well so that clubs can benefit from each others' successes.

So, the message is still: development! We need to attract, and keep, new members, so that our sport can thrive.

Ginny Catmur - Editor

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Midge’s Mutterings

Our great junior squad has been doing great things again. The Esher Southern Express short race was planned by Caroline and Ed Catmur, organised by Tom Fry and entries taken by Simon Turner, with help from several other SLOW juniors – Simon Evans helped hang controls on the Friday evening, and on the day I spotted Simon T, Guy, Helen, even Greg Street. All aspects of the event were handled very 'professionally' with careful attention to detail, such as circle and line cutting on the course overprints, fast on-the-day results service and receipt of results in the post. Thank you!

Many thanks also to Giles and Hilary Brindley who have made a generous donation to SLOW, now that they have 'retired' from the sport. Both Giles and Hilary have been very loyal club members, always helping at events and turning out in relays and CompassSport Cup matches. The committee has decided to put their money into purchasing a W65 trophy for the British Night Champs.; at the recent champs. at Penhale we discovered it was one of only two classes which did not have a trophy.

Plans are formulating for our Autumn series of coaching/come and try it type sessions. There will be three sessions, leading up to participation in a colour-coded course at the OK Nuts on 24 October. More of this anon.

No vacancies! Andrew Trimble has done a good job in filling all planning and organising vacancies up to the end of the year. To be so well organised so early in the year must be a first for SLOW! A precedent I hope we will emulate in years to come.

Kit! Look out in the SLOW tent at the JK relays for the SLOW kit designs when there will be an opportunity to vote for your favourite design. With a bit of luck we should be able to get new kit made up to wow the world at the British Champs.

Fun coaching days for younger juniors have been suggested – aimed mainly at those making the transition from string to white to yellow. The emphasis will definitely be on fun. Parental support will be vital to success though parents will not necessarily be called upon to lead the activities; this is because one of the motivations for this type of event is that children are more inclined to listen to an adult who is not their parent. In committee it was agreed to hold a session at SLOW's FROLIC on Wimbledon Common on 11 July. Following discussions with the experts, I now think that this should not just be a one off, i.e. several sessions should be held at regular intervals. We are open to ideas, suggestions and volunteers. It would help matters if someone would take responsibility for co-ordinating this activity. Please contact me in the first instance.

Training weekend. Ann-Marie Kjos is co-ordinating SLOW members attending the BOF-organised training weekend to be held in the Lake District on 24/25 April – i.e. two weeks before the British Champs. on similar terrain. A great opportunity to get to grips with those abominable contour lines we don't see many of in the south east.

And finally… JK. The huge amount of work which has been going on for over a year will soon come to fruition. The JK is the biggest event in the UK, held every Easter in a different region. This year it is the South East's turn to do our bit, as thanks for all the JKs we've been to for the last n years in other regions. SLOW is providing a large percentage of the officials. We are also providing a lot of on-the-day person-power for car parking, road crossings etc. Because of the huge demands on us, in line with other SE clubs, SLOW expects everybody who is competing to help in some way. The response to this has been overwhelmingly understanding and supportive. Thanks are particularly due to those of you who are sacrificing your run in order to help.

If you've not yet got a job it's not too late to offer your services. Personally I could do with some help bringing in controls as my co-planners and I have not got that bit organised yet!!

Chris Robinson – Chair

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Chair's Report to AGM 1998

[Owing to gremlins in my filing system Chris's report to the AGM didn't get printed in SLOWprint 122. Here it is now, with my apologies for its late appearance. – Ginny]

1998 has been a busy year for SLOW. We have staged a wide variety of events: the OK Nuts trophy badge event, the Southern Express Short Race Final, a FROLIC, the SE Score Champs., an event specially for a school and several Come and Try Its. I would like to thank all who contributed to the organisation and planning of those events.

To encourage more planners to come forward, we put on a training day for beginner planners, run by David May and Simon Errington, Chair of BOF Technical Committee - for which thanks to both of them. We are considering staging a training day for organisers and revamping the SLOW Organisers' Manual, also in an attempt to encourage more organisers.

We are reviewing our activities, in terms of the mix of events and training we provide, particularly with the needs of beginners in mind. A Development Discussion took place a few weeks ago and we have held a meeting with Andy Kelly, the new Development Officer for England, to share ideas. Notes from this meeting will appear in SLOWprint [see SLOWprint 122, pp. 12-14], including strategies for attracting newcomers, better contact with them and provision for them once we have attracted them.

In addition to our own events, SLOW members made a major contribution by running the start at the World Cup races held in the Lake District in May. The same team will be in action again at the World Champs. in Scotland in August 1999.

We have remapped several areas this year and had our usual very well attended social events. And - dare I say it - our usual successes in the forest - with both relay and individual wins at all major events. Particularly pleasing has been the performances of our juniors - the SLOW Junior Squad is now the envy of the South East. Near misses in the Harvester and the Peter Palmer Relay were both excellent achievements. No fewer than four of our juniors were picked to go on BOF Junior Squad tours in the summer and SLOW was delighted to be able to contribute substantially to the costs. In return the Junior Squad have already run a training day for the club and will be organising the Short Race which SLOW is hosting in March 1999. Congratulations and thanks to all concerned.

If there is one area where the club is not being successful I would say it was publicity. We have been without the services of a Publicity Officer for a year - and it shows. Securing an active Publicity Officer will be a priority for the club in the next year.

I would like to thank all the club officers on your behalf for their hard work throughout the year. Particular thanks to those retiring to a well earned rest having done their stint for a while. Also thanks to the number of club members who act as controllers for other clubs' events - a very important contribution to the sport.

If anything next year looks like being even busier: contributing nine of the major officers for next year's JK, running the start at and controlling the World Champs. and getting ourselves organised to capitalise on the interest which we hope that event will attract.

Chris Robinson - Chair

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Pete's Report

The first thing is the …

Compass Sport Cup National Final: The Compass Sport Cup National Final is on Sunday 23rd May at Burghfield Common, near Reading. Please ring me to let me know whether you will be there, especially the most likely scorers. And remember - everyone can come along to take part - you run as an individual. I hope to see lots of you there. This is the big one! After our success in the regional round, we are in the grand final against Nottinghamshire (NOC), Thames Valley (TVOC), Walton Chasers (WCH), South Yorkshire (SYO) and Manchester and District (MDOC). The club needs a very good turnout for the most important club day of the year.

Other Events: There are lots of events described here. So please give me feedback as soon as you can. Remember that everyone is welcome to all these things. If you have any questions, just give me a call.

JK Relays & British Relays: We have a healthy number of teams for these competitions. You may still be able to get a run in these, but ring me as soon as possible. Information about the JK relay teams will be available on the weekend (or during the previous week). If you asked for a relay run, then you're in! See you there.

A New Team Event: BADO are putting on a 'Harris Format Relay' on Sunday 18th April, with a mass start at 10:30 a.m. This sounds like great fun, and I hope lots of us will go. Please give me a cheque as soon as possible (no later than the JK) if you would like to take part. Here are some details:

Scottish Relay Champs.: These are near Dumfries on the Late May bank holiday weekend. There is a national event on Saturday 29th May, with the relays on the following day. Please contact Andrew Leaney by 25th April if you would like to run in a relay team.

Long Distance Footpaths: The North Downs Way relay is on Saturday 26th June this year. Contact Dick Clark if you want a fun day out, finishing with a social gathering. There are 16 people in a team. I am sure we will get at least one team out on the North Downs Way relay. Details below.

For the following I will act as the initial co-ordinator so contact me as soon as you can. I will then probably look for volunteers to help run the teams if there is interest.

The South Downs Way relay is on Saturday 29th May. This is put on by a running club. Usually 6 people run 3 legs each! But we could do something different.

The Calderdale Way relay is in Yorkshire in early-mid December. There are 6 legs with 2 people on each leg. My old university club, JOK, take part each year.

While the Downs relays would be quite welcoming for not-so-fasties, the Calderdale is a bit tougher.

Bob Graham Round Relay: The Bob Graham Round relay is when you want it to be! Our original suggestion is 5 legs with 2 people on each leg. But we can be flexible. The relay will last about 18 hours. Interest has so far been expressed by Chris Brasher, Dick Clark, Pete Huzan, Andrew Leaney, Brian Roberts, Andy Robinson, and Trevor Jones. Ann-Marie Kjös, Anne Leaney and Heather Walton would like to be involved as well. That's not enough people yet so please think again, and let me know about the following dates (definite yes, definite no, or maybe). Finding a good date is quite difficult. If we started on a Saturday, then some people would need to be up there very early! The following dates are possibles:

Other Team Events: Here is early information on a couple of smaller events …..

If you are looking for an event to go to on 16th May, then why not try the South-East Score Championships at Abbey Wood (DFOK event). SLOW have won this the previous two years. I'll make a list of interested people if you let me know.

On 27th June is the South-East Relays at Pickwell Park, Bolney, Sussex (SO event).

Food (and Drink) for Thought: The French Champs. is on the August bank holiday weekend in Provence. There is an individual and a relay. What do you reckon?

Compass Sport Cup Regional Round: This was held at Hindleap Warren, a very nice south-east area, on 10th January. Our biggest rivals were Southdowns, and thanks to some excellent performances we were able to win. The closeness of the competition made it very enjoyable and exciting as the results were being worked out. (Scorers by Club and Course.) Well done to everyone who turned up. Even if you do not score, I believe you still make a valuable contribution to the club's spirit on the day. Particular highlights included:

British Night Championships: These were held at Penhale Sands, Cornwall, on 20th February. People have spoken about this being one of the most difficult night events for a long time. See the event report below. So congratulations are in order to the following:

This gives me an opportunity to remind you about the night/day relays in September! The Harvester is on the 11th at Soudley, Forest of Dean (nice and close), and the Junior Team Relay is on the 26th in Humberside.

Peter Huzan - Men's Captain

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Membership Matters

A big thank you to all those of you, both BOF and club members, that have already renewed their membership. It really does help me, especially with JK organisation very near. However, club members who have not yet renewed will find a reminder in this copy of SLOWprint. Unless you renew now this will be the last copy of SLOWprint that you will receive.

New Members:

John Chandler Simon Donne and Sophia Robb Philipp Sprecher
Marcus McRae Benjamin Paul Dowman  

Changes of Address:

Antony and Sara Bromfield Egil and Anne-Lise Ronaess Chris and Shirley Brasher
Sue Hatton Kate Thomas is back from her travels and is living at her old address again

Diane Leakey - Membership Secretary

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North Downs Way Relay: Saturday 26th June 1999

The annual relay is scheduled for the above date and I am organising the SLOW entry. In an earlier issue I floated the idea of running a "couples" team and/or an elitish team. You might well say that trying to get 32 people out on the day is a trifle optimistic, when finding 16 fit, available and willing participants can be a struggle. You would be right. If this slightly whimsical idea doesn't quite work out we can always fall back to the regular formula of producing a single competitive team. In either event what I need is runners, some of whom are prepared to rise at a peculiarly early hour, who would enjoy a "trail" run of anything between 8km and 17km.

Be aware that the Shamrock O-Ringen is also on this weekend.

All of the regulars are welcome and any new members who are interested then just make contact with me. I'll be at the JK Saturday and Sunday.

Dick Clark

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Training

Training sessions take place every Tuesday evening from the Thames Hare and Hounds Clubhouse, Richard Evans Memorial Fields, Kingston Vale. Meet at the clubhouse at 7.15 pm; training starts at 7.30 pm. Hot showers, useful chat, and a drink/meal at the Duke of Cambridge, Kingston Hill, round off the evening.

Training Weekend - Lake District: BOF is arranging a training day at Great Tower and Grizedale East on Saturday 24 April, and on Sunday 25 April there is a SROC Badge Event at nearby Torver. So far 16 members of SLOW have decided to go. Some of the group will stay at the Youth Hostel in Hawkshead (may be fully booked by now) and some will stay at B&B in the Hawkshead area. BOF have placed a maximum of 120 on the numbers for the training so if you want to join us, please contact me as soon as possible and before the end of March at the latest. Charge for the training is £5 including maps. You will also have to pay for travel, accommodation, etc.

Ann-Marie Kjös - Training Officer

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Event Reports

Please send me lots of event reports! Thanks. Ginny

British Nights Championships and Day Badge Event, Penhale, Cornwall, Sat. 20th and Sun. 21st February: Penhale at night?? We couldn't resist it! But it was much more difficult than I'd imagined: there are no line features to speak of, the dunes are completely random in shape and structure; if you lose contact with the map for even 10 m you're lost, and relocation at night is almost impossible. Conditions were made more difficult by the heavy rain of the previous months, which meant that gullies had turned to streams and marshes to lakes ... I decided to retire after my first control, which took 52 minutes! The level of retirals was very high - over 30%, so I didn't feel too bad. The next day was so much easier by comparison, even though the weather was (what felt like) a Force 9 gale with squally showers. But I turned in a respectable time (by my standards!) and was delighted to find out that my husband had been caught out by the only map error - a patch mapped as sand was in fact rough open, and this caused him to get lost, whereas I'd been confused by the same area at the JK '97, so knew where I was. (It's not often I beat him at orienteering!)

But the most remarkable thing about the night event was that vandalism almost ruined it! Between the Controller's checking all the controls on the Saturday afternoon, and his (fortuitously, as it turned out) returning an hour before the first start time to check one that he'd missed earlier, about eight controls in the start area had been swapped around. The Controller put back the starts half an hour, and had the controls replaced, and what could have been a disaster turned out to be an excellent event. Facilities at Penhale were marvellous, with the organisers having arranged for us to use the hot showers at the Perran Sands holiday village - can we always have hot showers, please?

Ginny Catmur

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Compass Sport Cup Regional Round:
Scorers by Club and Course

Course

SLOW

pts

SO

pts

MV

pts

pts

A: Black

M Fisher

71.40

14

K Leitch

70.32

15

M Rowe

98.42

7

SLOW

33

A Robinson

88.05

10

M Chapman

76.54

13

N Green

99.31

6

SO

36

S Laag

93.22

9

S Jarvis

93.28

8

R Kinnon

107.43

4

MV

17

B: Brown

T Jones

69.27

9

N Crickmore

64.17

14

T Burton

64.10

15

SLOW

24

M Lyon

69.51

8

P Chapman

72.49

4

I Ditchfield

67.10

10

SO

19

T Fry

69.53

7

R Wilson

78.43

1

K Masson

76.09

3

MV

28

C: Blue (M)

M Murray

46.40

13

V Joyce

46.03

15

M Elliot

46.28

14

SLOW

36

A Leakey

47.47

12

R Smith

51.36

10

G Newton

64.54

3

SO

30

C Turner

50.30

11

A Williamson

56.13

5

C Buckle

65.59

2

MV

19

D: Blue (W)

P Fialova

51.22

15

L Risby

72.12

6

B Ottley

62.13

11

SLOW

42

C Evans

54.38

14

C Jepson

76.25

4

A Kinnon

71.09

8

SO

13

D Leakey

58.43

13

S Crickmore

78.28

3

S Vogel

71.55

7

MV

26

E: Green

S Brown

44.27

14

R Maher

38.50

15

P Ward

45.27

13

SLOW

19

A-M Kjos

63.25

3

P Maher

51.43

10

P Burt

52.11

8

SO

29

D Eglin

72.43

2

L Lingfield

56.28

4

J Grant

52.14

7

MV

28

F: Lt Green

H Walter

41.39

6

A Wise

23.31

10

N Crisp

60.11

4

SLOW

9

K McKerrow

61.05

3

N Pearson

26.05

9

MV

4

SO

19

G: Orange

C Howard

28.38

10

E Bridge

28.53

8

G Buckle

31.50

6

SLOW

19

T McDonald

28.38

9

C Joyce

29.17

7

A Toogood

47.55

4

SO

15

MV

10

Total pts

182

Total pts

161

Total pts

132

Course

SAX

pts

GO

pts

pts

A: Black

D Moore

107.08

5

K Tonkin

79.56

12

SAX

8

J Wilkins

122.57

3

M Smith

85.47

11

GO

25

J Darley

141.17

2

B: Brown

M Wilkins

65.24

13

P Couldery

66.11

11

SAX

27

S Bird

65.55

12

J Crawford

71.14

6

GO

22

S Greenwood

76.24

2

D Higginson

72.34

5

C: Blue (M)

M Glaisher

52.18

9

P Dudley

56.01

7

SAX

21

J van Rooyen

53.57

8

N Harwood

56.09

6

GO

14

P Martin

60.58

4

T Pugh

66.29

1

D: Blue (W)

J Hickling

64.39

10

A Hingley

61.44

12

SAX

24

J Hayler

65.00

9

K Denton

78.34

2

GO

14

J Bird

73.55

5

E: Green

A Kingdon

51.53

9

I Cairns

46.48

12

SAX

20

D Deeks

52.49

6

C Kiddier

47.50

11

GO

23

B Down

55.01

5

F: Lt Green

S Kingdon

28.41

8

S Roberts

41.53

5

SAX

15

R Kingdon

29.52

7

GO

5

G: Orange

E Dudley

42.00

5

SAX

0

A Lowe

78.03

3

GO

8

Total pts

115

Total pts

111

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Equipment Notes

Over the last two years SLOW has been steadily upgrading its timing equipment. The Seiko stopwatch-with-printer that we have used for many years has begun to show excessive signs of old age and we have replaced it with a Tag-Heuer Chronoprinter. This new device has several advantages over its predecessor. It incorporates a printer of a much higher quality than the old Seiko; furthermore, the printer can be paused (while the paper is changed) and will catch up when restarted. It can also store up to about 1,100 finish times in an internal memory which can be transmitted online to a personal computer or downloaded later. This facility was used successfully for the first time after the OK Nuts Trophy Event at the Devil's Punchbowl, enabling us to publish results on the Internet by 11.00 pm the same day.

Observant orienteers will have also have noticed two new clocks at the start of that event: one is a Westerstrand 'beeping' start clock and the other is a Grayson automatic call-up clock. Both of these could do with more satisfactory mounting arrangements - any ideas? The club has also recently bought two radio clocks for use at events. These pick up a radio signal from a transmitter near Coventry to ensure that they remain absolutely synchronised with GMT (or BST if appropriate). The intention is that they will be used to synchronise the Start and Finish clocks at events without the need for them to be set up in the same physical locations. We first came across this application whilst running the Starts at last year's World Cup races in the Lake District, where it saved a lot of frantic travelling between widely spread locations, although the signal reception was somewhat erratic. Incidentally, these particular clocks also measure the temperature via local and remote sensors - creative suggestions for a possible use are welcome!

The club banner, which has made a few appearances flapping limply from the top of a fishing pole, has now been equipped with a proper frame and should debut at the JK.

Chris Fry and Alan Leakey

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Training in Marrakech

Just before Christmas my wife and I decided on a week of lazing around in the Morocco sunshine courtesy of Jules Verne Holidays. Imagine my surprise when checking into our hotel in Marrakech I noticed, lurking behind us in the queue and looking somewhat bashful, Captain Pete, apparently with the same end in view. I remarked to him that I didn't think newly appointed captains of prestigious orienteering clubs such as SLOW ought to be indulging in such obviously hedonistic activities. Naturally he was suitably embarrassed but mumbled something about planning to do some walking or some such nonsense, or so I thought.

Later in the week, after an exhausting morning exploring the souks of old Marrakech, I was reclining by the pool sipping my afternoon tea when I happened to look up and notice two rather scruffy-looking individuals covered in dust and wearing scuffed boots and Helly-Hansens, who from this ridiculous attire could only have been English. Closer inspection revealed them to be Captain Pete and Piers Newbery (member of JOK/TVOC). They had just that moment arrived back from a three-day trek in the High Atlas mountains. These mountains rise impressively behind Marrakech and are spectacular (as I had discovered the day before on a luxury coach trip).

Apparently Pete and Piers had climbed Jebel Toubkal (4167 metres), the highest peak in North Africa. They had spent two nights in a mountain hut at 3200m when it had been so cold as to require 4 layers on legs and 5 layers on top. But the clear starry sky compensated for this. From there it was about a 6 ½ hour round trip. The hardest part had been negotiating the enormous scree fields. Snow had not really been a problem and was only abundant on north-facing slopes. They had seen Richard Branson's balloon taking off (as I also had from outside Marrakech).

Pete was about to stumble off to a 'hammam' for a clean-up but I suggested that we ought to get in a training-run first - just to get his legs moving again. Not a man to resist a challenge from an aspiring M55 when he is totally knackered he gallantly agreed. So off we went round the townships in the outskirts for half an hour or so. I thought it was a fair handicap. At least we were both about equally adept at keeping just ahead of the hoards of small boys wanting to waylay us.

So that's how different orienteers spend their hols! Seriously though, Marrakech in the winter is a great base for a holiday, as strenuous or relaxing as you want it to be.

Frank Lyness

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SEGaloppen 1998: Results

SEGaloppen results are kindly compiled by John Duffield. The leading South-East runner in each class gets 100 points, the second 99 etc. The number of counting runs is one less than the number of badge events up to six badge events a year, and then one more for every two extra badge events. [I copy the results for the first three placed runners in each class, and for all members of SLOW. - Ed.]

M10A

Club

Total

Runs

M55L

Club

Total

Runs

1

Martin

Jepson

SO

698

11

1

Egil

Ronaess

SLOW

700

11

2

Timothy

Street

HH

599

6

2

Victor

Wills

SO

692

10

3

Mark

Andrews

CROC

298

3

3

Tim

Pugh

GO

680

9

4

Guy

Hiddleston

SLOW

293

3

10

Terry

Marsh

SLOW

624

7

5

Michael

May

SLOW

194

2

19

Chris

Morris

SLOW

97

1

10

Andrew

Ross

SLOW

97

1

M55S

Club

Total

Runs

M10B

Club

Total

Runs

1

John

Capeling

SAX

698

10

1

Laurie

Jenner

CHIG

399

4

2

Dave

Peters

SO

688

7

2

Michael

May

SLOW

397

4

3

Brian

Farhall

SO

684

7

3

James

Ross

SLOW

298

3

6

Chris

Morris

SLOW

200

2

M12A

Club

Total

Runs

11

Terry

Marsh

SLOW

98

1

1

James

Breed

HH

697

7

M60L

Club

Total

Runs

2

Thomas

Bridge

SO

689

10

1

Brian

Ward

MV

691

10

3

Josh

Jenner

CHIG

499

5

2

Geoff

Barnes

CROC

687

7

4

Matthew

Walter

SLOW

392

4

3

Peter

Pratt

HH

686

8

5

David

Catmur

SLOW

391

4

16

David

Eglin

SLOW

529

6

6

Tom

MacDonald

SLOW

390

4

M60S

Club

Total

Runs

8

Alan

Gurney

SLOW

196

2

1

Anthony

Extance

SAX

300

3

9

Ian

Hiddleston

SLOW

194

2

2

Mike

Farquharson

HH

100

1

15

Chris

Howard

SLOW

96

1

2

Mike

Winn

CROC

100

1

M12B

Club

Total

Runs

M65L

Club

Total

Runs

1

David

Catmur

SLOW

200

2

1

Peter

Burt

MV

700

11

2

Benjy

Morris

SLOW

199

2

2

David

Thomas

SN

696

8

3

David

Holmes

SLOW

100

1

3

Roy

Whitehead

MV

684

9

3

Chris

Platt

SLOW

100

1

M70L

Club

Total

Runs

6

Matthew

Perkins

SLOW

99

1

1

Ken

Hale

SAX

699

8

M14A

Club

Total

Runs

2

Ken

Reed

GO

497

5

1

Graham

Gristwood

MV

700

8

3

Ronald

Bayliss

GO

298

3

2

Harry

Goldingay

HH

580

6

M70S

Club

Total

Runs

10

Sam

Liddell

SAX

198

2

1

Pat

Nelson

MV

700

10

17

Andrew

Hayden

SLOW

94

1

2

Terry

Dooris

SN

395

4

M14B

Club

Total

Runs

3

Peter

Hayler

SAX

200

2

1

Gavin

Buckle

MV

200

2

M75L

Club

Total

Runs

2

Stephen

Duxfield

SAS

199

2

1

Ted

Glaisher

MV

700

8

3

Tom

Beskeen

SAS

100

1

2

Bryan

Hildrew

LOK

493

5

3

Andrew

Hayden

SLOW

100

1

3

Jack

Blake

MV

198

2

8

Billy

Platt

SLOW

98

1

M75S

Club

Total

Runs

M16A

Club

Total

Runs

1

John

Lear

MV

100

1

1

Alex

Wise

SO

696

9

1

Peter

Hayler

SAX

100

1

2

Nicholas

Pearson

SO

691

8

W10A

Club

Total

Runs

3

Christopher

Davidson

HH

590

6

1

Jessica

Benaron

SLOW

100

1

6

Simon

Turner

SLOW

200

2

1

Harriet

Noble

SO

100

1

9

Edward

Catmur

SLOW

100

1

W10B

Club

Total

Runs

M16B

Club

Total

Runs

1

Carolyn

Andrews

CROC

100

1

1

Diccon

Bate

SAS

596

6

1

Louisa

Bridge

SO

100

1

2

Ben

Ashworth

GO

200

2

1

Bryony

Crickmore

SO

100

1

3

Dominic

Thomas

SAS

199

2

1

Rosina

Simmons

MV

100

1

M18A

Club

Total

Runs

W12A

Club

Total

Runs

1

Andrew

Powell

MV

700

10

1

Charlotte

Turner

SLOW

697

9

2

Edward

Catmur

SLOW

394

4

2

Lucy

Jepson

SO

695

9

3

Simon

Evans

SLOW

391

4

3

Colette

Joyce

SO

693

7

4

Simon

Turner

SLOW

297

3

5

Cristina

Bonafini

SLOW

98

1

6

Guy

Barnett

SLOW

198

2

W12B

Club

Total

Runs

10

Tom

Fry

SLOW

98

1

1

Chloe

Smith

GO

300

3

M18B

Club

Total

Runs

2

Eleanor

Duley

GO

100

1

1

Iain

Buchanan

SAS

299

3

3

V

Ledgwith

GO

99

1

2

James

Aldridge

GO

199

2

W14A

Club

Total

Runs

2

Oliver

Sherman

SAS

199

2

1

Elizabeth

Bridge

SO

696

10

M20L

Club

Total

Runs

1

Victoria

Joyce

SO

696

11

1

Mark

Wilkins

SAX

597

6

3

Katie

Breed

HH

400

4

4

Tom

Fry

SLOW

298

3

5

Helen

Walter

SLOW

294

3

5

Guy

Barnett

SLOW

297

3

6

Rosa

Bonafini

SLOW

99

1

M20S

Club

Total

Runs

W16A

Club

Total

Runs

1

Gareth

Jones

ULOC

699

7

1

Becky

Kingdon

SAX

700

9

2

John

Sutcliffe

ULOC

199

2

2

Katie

Breed

HH

696

7

3

Jonathan

Moulding

HH

99

1

W16B

Club

Total

Runs

M21L

Club

Total

Runs

1

Kate

McKerrow

SLOW

100

1

1

Anthony

Burton

MV

697

11

W18A

Club

Total

Runs

2

Alan

Velecky

SO

696

9

1

Sarah

Kingdon

SAX

696

8

3

Kenny

Leitch

SO

692

9

2

Katie

Davidson

HH

399

4

6

Timo

Teinila

SLOW

632

8

3

Caroline

Catmur

SLOW

295

3

21

Steiner

Laag

SLOW

469

5

4

Charlotte

Perry

SLOW

99

1

22

Malcolm

Fisher

SLOW

461

5

W20L

Club

Total

Runs

25

Chris

Owen

SLOW

445

6

1

Jo-Anne

Bamforth

DFOK

397

4

26

Peter

Huzan

SLOW

429

5

2

Caroline

Catmur

SLOW

297

3

29

Peter

Haynes

SLOW

376

4

3

Katie

Davidson

HH

200

2

38

Alan

Leakey

SLOW

266

3

4

Charlotte

Perry

SLOW

196

2

44

Gavin

Andrews

SLOW

219

3

W20S

Club

Total

Runs

45

Michael

Adams

SLOW

192

2

1

Alison

Smith

ULOC

400

4

48

Mark

Walmsley

SLOW

182

2

2

Laura

Pearson

SO

100

1

51

Tim

Rogers

SLOW

173

2

2

Ann

Poole

SLOW

100

1

53

Gordon

Parker

SLOW

165

2

W21L

Club

Total

Runs

56

Paul

Szarvas

SLOW

147

2

1

Julia

Jarvis

SO

692

7

61

Tom

Fry

SLOW

95

1

2

Sandra

Vogel

MV

665

9

63

David

Finch

SLOW

87

1

3

Victoria

Robb

SLOW

664

9

66

Andy

Robinson

SLOW

86

1

9

Sarah

Brown

SLOW

391

4

66

Paul

Street

SLOW

86

1

10

Pavla

Fialova

SLOW

300

3

69

John

Quayle

SLOW

85

1

15

Diane

Leakey

SLOW

198

2

75

Rowan

Compagnoni

SLOW

81

1

16

Elisabeth

Finch

SLOW

196

2

M21S

Club

Total

Runs

18

Chris

Robinson

SLOW

192

2

1

Andrew

Leaney

SLOW

690

10

23

Madeleine

Watson

SLOW

98

1

2

Kevin

Harding

MV

657

7

W21S

Club

Total

Runs

3

Jacob

Sharp

ULOC

656

8

1

Joanne

Hickling

SAX

696

9

14

Paul

Szarvas

SLOW

474

5

2

Susan

Skinner

SN

684

7

35

Chris

Owen

SLOW

171

2

3

Sarah

Patton

SO

678

7

37

Peter

Huzan

SLOW

100

1

4

Jennifer

Thomas

SLOW

652

7

37

Andy

Robinson

SLOW

100

1

8

Anne

Poole

SLOW

389

4

42

Gordon

Parker

SLOW

97

1

14

Susan

Bright

SLOW

282

3

44

Steven

Good

SLOW

96

1

18

Karen

Cranfield

SLOW

186

2

48

Christopher

Awre

SLOW

92

1

23

Victoria

Robb

SLOW

97

1

52

David

Perry

SAX

87

1

W35L

Club

Total

Runs

57

Stephen

Owen

SLOW

85

1

1

Judy

Hayler

SAX

692

9

M35L

Club

Total

Runs

2

Catherine

Galvin

LOK

673

9

1

Steve

Bird

SAX

698

8

3

Heather

Walton

SLOW

586

6

2

Mark

Adams

HH

697

10

4

Karen

Jones

SLOW

494

5

3

Nick

Green

MV

681

10

8

Anne

Rawlinson

SLOW

387

4

23

Andy

Jones

SLOW

196

2

10

Christine

Robinson

SLOW

295

3

29

Gordon

Parker

SLOW

181

2

19

Sue

Davison

SLOW

98

1

M35S

Club

Total

Runs

W35S

Club

Total

Runs

1

Ronan

Cleary

LOK

696

8

1

Sian

Higginson

GO

692

9

2

Dave

Saunders

HH

690

8

2

Alison

Saunders

HH

688

7

3

John

Walton

SO

678

11

3

Helen

Errington

LOK

490

5

21

Gary

Mooney

SLOW

188

2

14

Heather

Walton

SLOW

100

1

M40L

Club

Total

Runs

W40L

Club

Total

Runs

1

Vince

Joyce

SO

697

11

1

Carol

Pearce

CHIG

697

7

2

Ian

Ditchfield

MV

696

11

2

Chris

Jepson

SO

679

9

3

Frank

Edge

SN

686

7

3

Anita

Kingdon

SAX

678

11

5

Richard

Catmur

SLOW

644

8

9

Gail

Hiddleston

SLOW

639

7

7

Paul

Canham

SLOW

541

6

13

Virginia

Catmur

SLOW

448

5

11

Paul

Street

SLOW

472

5

15

Anne

Rawlinson

SLOW

386

4

23

Trevor

Jones

SLOW

295

3

20

Kathy

Haynes

SLOW

191

2

24

Charlie

Turner

SLOW

284

3

22

Monika

Bonafini

SLOW

100

1

29

Michael

Walter

SLOW

253

3

23

Tilly

Ross

SLOW

100

1

34

Mal

Lyon

SLOW

181

2

24

Christine

Robinson

SLOW

99

1

44

Andy

Jones

SLOW

96

1

W40S

Club

Total

Runs

47

Andy

Robinson

SLOW

93

1

1

Cyd

Bush

MV

692

7

52

David

Roach

SLOW

87

1

2

Judy

Bridge

SO

687

10

55

Rowan

Compagnoni

SLOW

84

1

3

Michele

Unek

SO

682

7

56

Robert

Ross

SLOW

83

1

13

Kathy

Haynes

SLOW

197

2

M40S

Club

Total

Runs

19

Odile

Mareuge

SLOW

94

1

1

Andy

Bridge

SO

689

8

W45L

Club

Total

Runs

2

Robert

Coomber

MDDXO

583

6

1

Val

Challacombe

HH

693

8

3

Derek

Jenner

CHIG

574

6

2

Christine

Kiddier

GO

688

7

15

Andy

Robinson

SLOW

100

1

3

Lesley

Brown

HH

672

11

15

Paul

Street

SLOW

100

1

W45S

Club

Total

Runs

29

Michael

Walter

SLOW

95

1

1

Jane

Breed

HH

694

9

M45L

Club

Total

Runs

2

Carolyn

Matthews

GO

693

8

1

Alex

Ross

SO

693

8

3

Evelyn

Ross

SO

500

5

2

Andrew

Cummings

HH

691

11

W50L

Club

Total

Runs

3

Robin

Smith

SO

685

9

1

Pauline

Ward

MV

697

8

15

Charlie

Turner

SLOW

586

6

2

Julianna

Grant

MV

696

9

35

Don

McKerrow

SLOW

354

4

3

Susan

Marsden

HH

676

8

44

Colin

Cranfield

SLOW

249

3

7

Teresa

Turner

SLOW

595

6

M45S

Club

Total

Runs

W50S

Club

Total

Runs

1

Dave

Cussens

SO

695

9

1

Cynthia

Ling

MV

695

7

2

John

Perkins

SLOW

673

8

2

Sharman

Brown

CROC

299

3

3

Nick

Vass

LOK

659

7

3

Stella

Hellier

MV

199

2

23

Don

McKerrow

SLOW

100

1

W55L

Club

Total

Runs

30

Marco

Bonadini

SLOW

97

1

1

AnneLise

Ronaess

SLOW

698

10

39

Christopher

Hobbs

SLOW

86

1

2

AnnMarie

Kjos

SLOW

692

7

M50L

Club

Total

Runs

3

Jaquie

Drake

SO

682

11

1

Mike

Murray

SLOW

700

10

W55S

Club

Total

Runs

2

Rod

Williams

SO

680

9

1

Rosemary

Horton

MV

500

5

3

James

Morris

GO

674

7

2

Gillian

Grainger

HH

497

5

8

Richard

Clark

SLOW

637

9

3

Joan

Miley

HH

200

2

17

Frank

Lyness

SLOW

557

6

W60L

Club

Total

Runs

20

David

May

SLOW

497

5

1

Margaret

Stedman

MV

694

7

26

Chris

Fry

SLOW

459

5

2

Susie

Hall

HH

692

10

33

Nigel

Saker

SLOW

329

4

3

Margaret

Kent

SO

493

5

45

Tom

Lillicrap

SLOW

99

1

6

Susan

Lumas

SLOW

296

3

M50S

Club

Total

Runs

W60S

Club

Total

Runs

1

Jonathan

Cross

MV

682

7

1

Margaret

Livermore

HH

200

2

2

John

Everett

SO

681

7

2

Rhona

Oldershaw

SAX

100

1

3

John

Gardner

GO

680

7

3

Diana

Littleton

SAX

99

1

11

Chris

Fry

SLOW

100

1

W65L

Club

Total

Runs

11

David

May

SLOW

100

1

1

Dorothy

Hale

SAX

700

9

11

Nigel

Saker

SLOW

100

1

2

Anne

Power

LOK

199

2

3

Ann

Murray

SAX

99

1

W70L

Club

Total

Runs

1

Elizabeth

Brown

SO

600

6

W75L

Club

Total

Runs

1

Elizabeth

Brown

SO

200

2

W75S

Club

Total

Runs

1

Elizabeth

Brown

SO

100

1

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Halfway Hill

Well, who'd have thought that I'd be racing still?
Though climbing steep and stony Halfway Hill
(named as the midpoint of the seventy miles
from Wessex to the Thames) I've lost my style,
and effort putting sweat back on my brow
is fuelled by instinct more than fitness now.

Beneath in random flashing interchange
(as motordriven stills project a strange
and jerky stab at past reality)
with no attempt at smooth facsimile
old races run and blur into a dream.

Snow's blinding in my headlamp beam
The blizzard's high on Ilkley Moor
A bearing back to Burrator
Reveals I'm lost. I'm off the map.
Drifts two foot deep in Windy Gap
A Mars bar and I'll race my cramp
Back into Ennerdale to camp.

Over the summit, where three counties meet,
I follow downhill as the path swings East
and, moving faster, watching where I tread,
I race my shadow stretching out ahead -
a chase of course of mere futility
as, almost locked in immobility,
just dancing darkly on the broken stone,
a halfway partner when I'd be alone,
this spectre seems to say,
'Remember when
the time comes how, with memories too, old men
like stiff-limbed puppets grim faced stumble
and invite perhaps their final tumble.'

I'm counting dead oaks in the Park
A winter Wednesday in the dark
The Hare and Hounds string out in line
Past fat green rhodys whose leaves shine
As wet as water lily pads
As wet as Galloway, as sad
As falling through an icy pond
At Whiteleaf. Now that deep despond
Goes racing backwards through the years
To adulation in my ears
As, head to head through Clipstone's pines,
Our team is first to cross the line;
But long decades of humbled pride
Remind me I'm disqualified.

Harsh broken stone gives way to sand and dust
Last season's bracken turns from gold to rust
Now beyond the sunlight have I shaken
Off my shadow, is it overtaken?

Tributes for a winning team
Transform to Schubert's haunting theme
(Quintet in C): the fiddles drop
Through bright arpeggios then stop
As cellos take the melody,
Reflect it in a deeper key.

Now halfway home from Halfway Hill the glades
In timeless beech are calm with evening shade;
My dancing partner's vanished with the sun.
I'm racing still, not yet completely done.

 

Chris Morris

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General

Copy date for Issue 124 (May 1999) will be Sat. 15th May. Letters, event reports, articles, cartoons, gossip, scandal, notices, small ads, court circulars, births, deaths and marriages should be posted to Ginny Catmur (address above); electronic copies via e-mail or on 3¼" disk are particularly welcome.

The current SLOW e-mail directory can be accessed by sending an e-mail to with the subject line "slow request"; your own e-mail address will be added and you will receive the latest version.

New Members: If you are new to SLOW, you may not know about

... Training: Tues. eve. (7.15 pm) training open to all, of all standards: alternate Tuesdays at the clubhouse (Thames Hare and Hounds, Richard Evans Memorial Playing Fields, Kingston Vale); 9 pm at the Duke of Cambridge, Kingston Hill; and other venues: see the Training Diary for details.

… and Transport: we can organise lifts to events: ring any of the club's officers, as listed above, and one of us will sort this out for you.

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