eSLOWprint 129 - May 2000

SLOW Junior BOC Prize Winners
Click here for more photos.

Club Officers 1999–2000

Ginny’s Jottings

I’m sorry that this issue is about three weeks late! This is what comes of working as a free-lance: if a new client phones offering you work, you daren’t turn it down …

When the Watsons moved from South London to Leeds, they relinquished their post of Guardians of the Club’s Barbecue (basically a half oil drum). At present the Catmur family is looking after it, but soon we shall need the garden space it is occupying, for our new extension (built to accommodate ‘O’ shoes and other kit!). Can anyone provide a home for the SLOW Barbecue, please? Offers to Ginny. Thanks!

Ginny Catmur – Editor

Midge’s Mutterings

JUNIOR STARS

I am writing this post-JK, post-British, with CompassSport Cup Final, Harvester, Peter Palmer Relay still to come – so the season is not over yet. Still to come too is the final session in our series of junior coaching days – to be held on 11 June at Reigate Priory (details or ring Heather Walton ). Do the fantastic performances of our two junior ad hoc teams at the British (2^nd and 3^rd) have any connection with the two well-attended junior coaching sessions already held? Congratulations to Tom McDonald, Michael May, Chris Howard, David Catmur, Ralph Street and Matthew Walter.

No doubt reports appear elsewhere in SLOWprint of what has been a pretty successful season for SLOW so far: winning the SE Regional Final of the CompassSport Cup and so qualifying for the national final on Ilkley Moor on 18 June. Be there!

STOP PRESS

JK and British trophies have come our way: congrats. to Michael May on winning M12B at the JK and Mike Murray on winning M55 at the British. The sight of (and deafening sound accompanying) AJ anchoring the M40s to victory at the British, crossing the finish line long, long before Guildford had worked out where the spectator control was, was noted by the commentator amongst others (who he?). May I also mention, at the risk of boring the Captain, that the W120+ team won the JK for the 4^th year running and the W40s won the British for the 5^th year running? Brilliant too was the Women’s Open team finishing 6^th – shame the course was voided. All overshadowed of course by the junior ad hoc teams.

MEMORIAL HILL RACES

SLOW is now organising the Silva Hills Races held in June and thanks are due to Jeremy Denny for taking this on. We are delighted that from now on we will be better able to commemorate our two late, beloved members, Byron Davies and Michael Murray the Younger/Slower, in whose memory the trophies are presented on the 18 miles and 10 miles races. Byron’s widow, Kate Thomas, is providing individual mementoes, making this occasion a worthy memorial and celebration of Byron’s love of running and all that he did for SLOW.

COMMITTEE STUFF

Your committee has been busy: ratifying the dreaded constitution (reproduced here); presenting a trophy for W65 to the British Nights Championships (bought with a contribution from Giles and Hilary Brindley – a donation to SLOW on their retirement from orienteering); mapping; and thanks to Vicky for organising the ‘not the dinner’ at Café.

Plans are afoot to do a repeat of the training course for adult beginners later in the year – again contact Heather Walton for details – and for a joint event with Wimbledon Windmilers on Wimbledon Common one Tuesday later this summer.

SLOW ON AIR

Sarah Brown arranged for Woman’s Hour to interview various SLOW women plus South-East Junior Squad member Sarah Kingdon of Saxons. This took place one Tuesday evening on Wimbledon Common, complete with breathless sound effects, and went on air on the Thursday just before the JK. I’ve got a tape of it if anyone missed the programme.

PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRINKS

Finally – a reminder of our wonderful training programme every Tuesday evening. It can do wonders for your fitness and social life! See the training diary. Post-training in the pub is also the main opportunity for the club to discuss its business and pore over maps and mistakes from the previous weekend. If you are serious about improving your performance, discussing your route, errors and split times with fellow-club members after training will probably have more benefit than anything else!! So do come and join us – 7.15 for 7.30 at the Thames Hare and Hounds Club House, Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields near Robin Hood Gate of Richmond Park; from 9.00 in the near-by Robin Hood pub.

Chris Robinson – Chair

SLOW Dates

Sun. 11 June: Silva Hills Race and SLOW Junior Squad training

?Sun. 2 July FROLIC

Sun. 10 Sept.: Park-O, Battersea

Sat./Sun. 23rd/24th Sept.: Peter Palmer Junior Team Relays

Sun.10th Dec.: ‘OK Nuts’ Badge event, Winterfold +Pitch Hill

?Sun. 11 March 2001 Colour-coded, Devil’s Punchbowl or Wimbledon

SLOW Junior Squad

The Junior Training arranged for the morning of 11th June on the Nower has been moved to the afternoon, 2.30 to 4.30, on Reigate Priory. This is to avoid a shortage of coaches, many of whom would be running the Silva Hills Race, and to avoid Juniors getting gobbled up by the vicious vegetation on the Nower after a wet winter. Juniors who wish to attend, and any volunteers to help, please let me or Ginny Catmur know. Parking will be at the Bell Street car park in Reigate – on the way round the one-way system turn left at the traffic lights by the cinema, just before the Safeway supermarket, onto the A217 (probably signposted to Gatwick Airport). The car park is the first turning on the right. See you there!

Heather Walton

Training Diary: Tuesday Training

It’s farewell to tarmac as the long summer evenings mean we will be able to do some orienteering training and terrain training on Tuesdays. As we have done in some previous years we will be sharing the organisation of some of the summer evening activities with CROC.

See the Training Diary for details of Tuesday night training.

Please telephone me to confirm any details that are missing.

Many thanks to all those who have agreed to put on some training for us.

Heather Walton

Membership Matters

[Before Gail and Gordon left for their honeymoon they very efficiently sent me the list of new members and of changes to members’ details for me to include in this issue of SLOWprint – but I promptly lost it. So I apologise to anyone who’s joined since the last issue: your details will be in SLOWprint 130, due in July. Welcome to the club! – Ed.]

Mapping Update

Several club members have been busy over the winter updating the maps of Wimbledon Common and The Nower. Those involved have found it rather more challenging (ouch!) than expected, but have stuck at it and the bulk of the survey work has been done and most of that has been updated on the computer.

Work has now stopped (yes, Paul and John, I said ‘stopped’. So you can come out of the undergrowth now, please) as the summer vegetation levels have just passed the point of impenetrability that makes surveying work unproductive. Work will recommence Nov/Dec-ish with (I hope) just some touching-up, finishing off (and a good go at Putney Heath) in readiness for events in 2001.

It is hoped that we use the Nower for a Southern Express race and perhaps one or two other ideas during the ‘low bracken’ season next spring so that it can be seen at its best. Meanwhile Wimbledon is in reserve for 11^th March in case land permission for the Punchbowl does not appear. If it does Wimbledon can be used in April or May.

Priorities now on the mapping front are:

• Battersea Park, where we have engaged Vlachislav Smirnov to produce a new map for the Park Race on 10^th September where Wandsworth Borough Council seem keen to put on a good spectacle. Vlachislav (which I’ve almost certainly misspelt) is a former president of the Ukrainian OF and ran so well for us in the CS Cup match at Leith Hill.
• Winterfold, a reprint of the JK map for our Badge Event on 10^th December.

Andy Robinson

Pete’s Preview

Firstly let’s look ahead to the team events coming up…..

Compass Sport Cup National Final (18 June, Ilkley Moor, Yorkshire)

After a good performance in the regional round, we have now qualified for the final, along with South Yorkshire (SYO), Manchester & District (MDOC), Nottinghamshire (NOC) and Bristol (BOK). There are just five teams in the final this year, but all top quality, and that includes us!

The event will use Sport-Ident e-punching. There are the usual Cup courses:

There is also a yellow course.

Start times are from 11am till 1.30pm (with split time provision till 2pm). As is becoming usual, this is a PRE-ENTRY event, with entries to me, so please send me your form/cheque.

We want to get as good a team as possible to the event, and we are considering various options, including coach hire (probably early Sunday) and car share. We shall also have free floor space or camping for Saturday night nearish to Ilkley. Would all potential scorers who can possibly come, please contact me as soon as you can, so that we can try our best to get you there. Having said that, it will be great for as many SLOW members as possible to come along – you never know what might happen, and it should be an enjoyable day out (and journey up, if we get some games going!).

Harvester Night & Day Relays (8 July, Watergrove, near Rochdale, Lancashire)

This is the 7-person (A course) or 5-person (B course) relay starting on Saturday night and finishing on Sunday morning. This has been a very enjoyable competition for SLOW over the years. Last year we won the B handicap and 4 teams mispunched. This year we should do better. There are various Open, Women, Handicap, and Junior categories. The organisers are trying to make it very spectator-friendly, and there will be Wilf’s food and music. Please send me the form/cheque if interested – everyone is welcome.

Test Way Relay (Sat. 2 September, near Southampton)

We are hoping to have a team for this. It is 50km with 8 stages. There are usually 10-20 teams overall. Please let me know if you are interested.

Other Team Events

SLOW’s relay attempt on the Bob Graham Round in the Lake District will take place on 15 July. It is 72 miles and has as much climb as the height of Mount Everest. I hope we’ve done the hard bit of finding a date, and can now have that enjoyable day we’ve been looking forward to.

The GO South-East Relays are on 15 July at Petworth Park. I shall put interested people in touch with each other.

More details will be forthcoming on the North Downs Way Relay (24 June), and the Peter Palmer Junior Team Relay (23 September, Frith Hill, Surrey)

REVIEWS

[Pete wrote this column before the British Champs. There will be a report on our successes there in SLOWprint 130. – Ed.]

REVIEW – JK Event (22 April, Aberfeldy, Scotland)

The JK individual races this year were technically and physically challenging. So well done to the following people for performing well.

Ralph Street (M10A – 2^nd), Michael May (M12B – 1^st), Matthew Walter (M14B – 2^nd), Ed Catmur (M18A – 7^th), Tom Fry (M20E – 9^th)

Charles Bromley-Gardner (M40L – 9^th), John Dowty (M40L – 6^th Day 1), Mike Murray (M55L – 3^rd)

Caroline Catmur (W20E – 7^th), Charlotte Perry (W20S – 1^st), Claire Evans (W21E – 11^th), Chris Robinson (W40L – 4^th), Monika Bonafini (W45L – 2^nd), Sarah Brown (W45L – 5^th)

The JK relays were on a faster more open area, and we weren’t so fortunate with the weather early on in the day.

In the JK Trophy, our second team Break came 32^nd after the first team retired. The lack of interest by many clubs to enter this premier class means that we ended up 3^rd southern team! In the Women’s Trophy, Jive came 15^th, with a fine last leg by Claire Evans.

In M120+, Tango (Peter Haynes, Andy Robinson, Andy Jones) came an excellent 4^th, just beaten by Charles Bromley-Gardner running for BAOC. Mike Murray had a good run for the second team, Tap. In case you hadn’t guessed, all the team names were dances. However the entries officials had not heard of Butoh (Japanese dance), so called them Butch!

There were very good performances from all of the W120+ teams, with Salsa coming 1^st, Samba 9^th, and Swing 12^th. Salsa were Monika Bonafini, Chris Robinson and Sarah Brown – well done! It was looking like Ginny Catmur had done faster minutes per km than me, till the results of a steward’s enquiry.

It was great to get two junior teams out in the M/W40- class. Disco ran very well to come 5^th (Charlotte Turner, Michael May, Matthew Walter).

REVIEW – Compass Sport Cup Regional Round (19 March, Leith Hill, Surrey)

Thanks to LOK (with HH help) for putting on this event. We had some excellent performances, with valuable backup, to achieve a good victory over the other south-east clubs. It was great to see so many SLOW competitors (60) enjoying themselves, even if they knew they were not necessarily going to score points. We did well almost across the board. This was a great team effort.

SLOW=236, HH=178, SO=170, MV=156, GO=154, SAX=117.

There were top three performances from Charles Bromley-Gardner (A/3^rd), Tom Fry (B/1^st), Simon Turner (C/1^st), Charlie Turner (C/2^nd), Claire Evans (D/2^nd), and Sarah Brown (E/2^nd). Edward Catmur performed well, running up a course coming 7^th overall but still didn’t score!

REVIEW – British Night Champs (11 March, Bentley)

Congratulations to the following on what was a well-organised racing weekend.

Caroline Catmur (W20L – 1^st), Chris Robinson (W40L – 3^rd), Jim Mallinson (M50L – 3^rd).

REVIEW – Chiltern Challenge (27 February, Hambleden)

Congratulations for winning the Chiltern Challenge team trophy this year. The official scorers were Ralph Street, Ed Catmur, Sarah Brown, Paul Street, Mal Lyon and David May. They won a trophy and a visit to a vineyard! At this event Caroline Catmur (W20), Ralph Street (M10), and Charles Bromley-Gardner (M40) became Southern Champions.

Peter Huzan – Captain

Bridge Column: The London Trophy (Plate Section)

SLOW go gamely forward to last eight

We played Foxhills Country Club third team in order to qualify for the last eight in this competition. As their first team eliminated us from the main event it was an opportunity to gain revenge.

The first half of the match went swimmingly and we led by 2,220 as we took refreshments. In truth this is an unbeatable lead in all normal circumstances and despite some slack play by Ned and me in the second half we came out winners by 1,260. Andy and Peter played well again making few mistakes over 24 boards.

This board is of some interest. It shows the value of competing aggressively at teams.

Dealer South; Love All

So SLOW are playing in game at each table. The 2§ bid at Table 1 is pushy, but not greatly so, and East unwisely failed to mention heart support. Ned’s jump to 4§ makes it very difficult for the opposition to bid or double. This contract went two off for –100. At Table 2 Andy’s decision to support hearts immediately made it easy, and South is not going to venture another bid in the absence of any support from partner. Because of the favourable lie of the diamonds Pete made 12 tricks in 4ª . That gained 380 on the board.

The quarter-finals

We met a team called The Economicals in this match to reach the semi-finals of the Plate section of the London Trophy. They are old adversaries who usually put up a competent performance; indeed it is surprising both are teams are rejects from the main competition. They hail from LSE and make a pleasant change, as we also do, from a regular diet of Golf and Tennis clubs.

The match was played in excellent spirit. After the first twelve boards SLOW were 830 down. Ned and I bid to a slightly dodgy 6ª which didn’t succeed and that pretty much accounted for the difference. The deficit was unwelcome but not irrecoverable by any means.

A key moment in any contract is the choice of opening lead. You are sitting West holding these cards after the following sequence:

ª A J 7 4 © J 9 8 4 ¨ none § Q J 10 9 4

Do you choose the "safe" Q§ , the A© to take a look at dummy, or perhaps a © ? It is a pity you haven’t a trump as that would be a good safe lead. It isn’t an easy choice and SLOW chose the A© . Oh dear! The whole hand was as below:

The lead is trumped and the losing © is pitched on the established Kª . 1370 to E/W. On a club lead –100, a difference of 1470. At the other table the bidding was:

North felt that competing to 6¨ might encourage a 6ª bid to which he had no defence and would force a further bid of 7¨ as a sacrifice. In the play the lead of the A© followed by K© avoided the embarrassment of giving a "ruff and a sluff" on the A¨ . West had to choose between finessing the Kª and playing for the drop. He played for the drop and made 5ª exactly for +450. If he’d been playing in 6 …. Who can tell?

A remarkable hand providing the opportunity of a double slam swing, and very unusually a partnership holding all 13 trumps between them.

The upshot was a loss by 1500 points in all. Taking 6¨ off one would have netted 1470; still not enough and we would have lost by 30 points!

Thanks to all who played this year and especially to Andy and Peter who showed good skills throughout the competition, despite their lack of experience.

We seem to be coming to the end of an era as finding a team has been real struggle. We need a pool of at least 6 players to compete again next year.

Dick Clark

Constitution

We are required to have a constitution if we want to apply for lottery funding (e.g. for electronic equipment). This is the constitution as passed by the AGM on 16 November 1999 and ratified by the Committee on 14 March 2000.

SOUTH LONDON ORIENTEERS AND WAYFARERS: Constitution

1 Title and Purpose

1.1 The club shall be called South London Orienteers and Wayfarers (SLOW), hereinafter referred to as ‘the Club’.

1.2 The purpose of the Club shall be to encourage and promote the sport of orienteering.

2 Management

2.1 Executive Committee structure

2.1.1 The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by an executive committee (‘the Committee’), which shall consist of the Officers, Committee Members and any Co-opted Members. Officers, Committee Members and Co-opted Members shall have a vote each.

2.1.2 The Officers of the Club shall consist of a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Fixtures Secretary.

2.1.3 Up to 12 Committee Members shall be appointed as required e.g. Mapping Officer, Equipment Officer, Social Secretary, Publicity Officer, Training Co-ordinator, Ladies’ Captain, Men’s Captain, SEOA Rep, Newsletter Editor.

2.1.4 The Officers and Committee Members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

2.1.5 In the event of a full complement of Officers and Committee Members not being elected at the AGM, the Committee shall have the power to co-opt members (‘Co-opted Members’).

2.1.6 If any vacancy should occur between AGMs amongst the Officers or Committee Members, the Committee shall have the power to co-opt another club member to fill the post until the next AGM.

2.2 Executive Committee organisation

2.2.1 The Committee shall meet and act as required for the efficient conduct of the Club’s business, normally six times a year.

2.2.2 The Secretary shall maintain minutes and record the business of all meetings and the names of those present.

2.2.3 A quorum shall consist of four Officers/Committee Members, of which at least two shall be Officers.

2.2.4 The Committee shall have the power to constitute sub-committees as may be deemed necessary.

3 Affiliation

3.1 The Club shall be affiliated to the British Orienteering Federation (BOF) and to the South East Orienteering Association (SEOA).

3.2 The Club shall recognise BOF as the co-ordinating body for the sport of orienteering in Great Britain.

4 Membership

4.1 There are 4 categories of Club membership for those who have paid the appropriate annual subscription: Individual Senior, Individual Junior, Family, Group. Definitions of these categories are as defined by BOF and SEOA.

4.2 Fees for the membership categories defined in 4.1 shall be agreed by the Committee. The fee shall be due on 1 January each year.

4.3 Only members of the Club present at a General Meeting shall have the right to vote at the meeting, except that Groups and Families shall have not more than 2 votes each.

5 Finance

5.1 The financial year of the Club shall run from 1 November to 31 October. The accounts of the Club shall be drawn up at 31 October each year and submitted to the subsequent AGM.

5.2 All cheques written against the Club’s funds shall be signed by two approved signatories.

5.3 On the winding up of the Club, any residual funds and assets shall be passed to SEOA.

6 Annual General Meeting

6.1 The Club shall hold an AGM not later than two months after the end of the financial year.

6.2 Notice of the AGM shall be sent to all Club members not less than 30 days before the meeting.

6.3 The AGM shall approve minutes of the previous AGM, review the accounts and elect the committee, as a minimum.

7 Extraordinary General Meeting

7.1 An EGM may be called by the Committee, or on written application to the Secretary, the application to be supported by at least 10% of the total voting membership of the Club, as defined by 4.3. Such a meeting shall be held within 42 days of the Committee decision, or receipt of the written application, and shall only discuss the business for which it has been called.

7.2 Notice and agenda of any EGM shall be sent to all members not less than 14 days before the meeting.

8 Amendments to the Constitution

8.1 Alterations to the Constitution shall require a two thirds majority of those voting at the AGM or any EGM.

8.2 Any amendment to the Constitution shall be proposed in writing to the Secretary at least 21 days before the AGM and sent to all members at least 14 days before the AGM.

Adopted at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, 16 November 1999; ratified by the SLOW Committee on 14 March 2000.

North Downs Way, 24^th June: Runners Needed

Following the very quiet response to the appeal in the last mag the club is now desperate for runners (any runners!!) to make up one team for the North Downs Way Relay. Most of you probably know the format – a 16-person relay along the 125 miles of the North Downs Way. So the basic requirement is the ability to run at least six miles.

At this late stage I can’t be fussy about speed; so it looks awfully like we’ll get beaten by LOK again. Selection for the team (if needed) will favour those willing to run legs in Kent.

Please contact me if you are available. I hope by the time this mag is out to have already nudged a few of you.

Andy Robinson

Development

Andrew Kelly (BOF’s England Development Officer) responds to Anne Leaney’s report on the BOF Club Development Conference held at York on 29 Jan. 2000 (SLOWprint 128).

Anne:

I thought your article in SLOWPrint was a very fair reflection on the day. However, I would like to highlight one comment you made near the end, mainly because I think it touches on perhaps THE key element in development.

"It was sad to note that none of the speakers could point to a dramatic increase in club membership as a result of their efforts..."

I agree with the implication that this is the heart of the matter. We need more membership. I would also agree that few of the speakers related their development work to the impact it had on membership. However, I was not sad that speakers could not point to dramatic increases. I would counsel against measuring work against whether it has had a dramatic effect on membership. All development work in all sports show that it is long term.

Indeed, I would go so far as to say that dramatic increases in membership are not what one wants to achieve – they can have and have had disastrous effects. The whole club scene is a bit like dieting in reverse: most clubs have been gradually losing members over a number of years (= gaining weight steadily), and now need to gain them (= lose weight). To do so fast, with a crash course in publicity and special activity (dieting), would leave the club (body) completely unprepared to deal with the new situation, and overstretched by the special work (dieting), the result being that those members gained (pounds lost) will get rapidly lost (put on) again, leading to more dramatic activity (special dieting), and the setting up of a pretty vicious cycle.

Thus, gaining membership (losing weight) gradually, and adjusting the club set-up (lifestyle) gradually, is generally far more effective and beneficial long term.

The conference speakers were chosen because the work they highlighted fitted in with this philosophy. Either they were individual projects that have proved effective in increasing membership in their own right, or because they came from the relatively rare clubs who have demonstrated growth over recent years, and these new projects were efforts building on previously successful activity.

Thus:

• Cleveland OK: long-term development project to reverse membership decline. Just starting to see fruition, including first junior teams in BOF competitions for many years. My view is that it will struggle a bit, because there is not a locally supportive network of clubs – CLOK having to do so much on its own (but doing it very well). However, some of the work is not addressing that.
• South Midlands: steady BOF membership; club’s emphasis is on strong local membership growth, which is happening.
• Wimborne: one of only 15 English clubs to see growth in BOF membership over past 6 years. Talks highlighted 2 new projects to build on this.
• Walton Chasers: another BOF and local membership growth club.
• Lancashire Schools: part of the NW schools development scene, that has resulted in NW having double the BOF junior membership of any other region in the country; SROC and PFO the main beneficiaries.
• The positive effects of the WMOA work were clearly laid out – not to do with raw membership gains.

The projects highlighted were obviously only examples of things that can be done – different things are appropriate to different situations. What I do know is that those clubs that are selecting off this menu are growing, and those clubs that are not (even those that were good at things in the past, but have changed tack in recent years) are declining, and will continue to do so.

I have been very encouraged to see how much work SLOW is putting in to developing. It will take time to kick in – for several very successful clubs this has meant 5 years or more – but I am sure that sustaining this direction, with regular reviews for tweaking, will have a very positive long-term effect. Just let me know if there is anything I can do to help, or if there is anything you want to address.

Regards, Andrew.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Orienteering for children from non-O families

After writing to our local school’s Head of PE, to give her the results of the British Schools ‘O’ Champs., I was invited to organise Orienteering in the school. In Year 7 (first year secondary, i.e. ages 11–12) the National Curriculum prescribes a module of ‘Outdoor Leisure’, and many schools have included Orienteering under this heading.

Of course, I was delighted to be asked: but then discovered that there is no map of the school: hitherto ‘Orienteering’ has meant taking bearings and pacing around the school grounds. I felt unable to organise any sort of Orienteering without a map, and the school could not afford to have one drawn. So I suggested a trip to Telegraph Hill. This is a small piece of common land about 2 km from the school which has been mapped: here I put out controls and punches for the children to find, using their maps.

This works very well. The children spend five weeks on each PE module. During their lesson in Week 4 I go in to the school to show them the map, controls and control card, and in Week 5 we meet on the Hill. The children have about 35–40 minutes to find 15 controls, and they compete amongst themselves to see who’ll get back fastest. It takes me about 25 minutes before the session to put out the controls; then I help supervise the actual Orienteering. The children collect the controls in – in total I spend half an hour in the classroom twice every five weeks, and two hours out on the Hill twice every five weeks.

Naturally, the children don’t learn much about navigation in these short sessions, but they do enjoy a very positive experience. One lad said to me, ‘What did you say this was called?’ ‘Orienteering,’ I replied. ‘Orienteering’s cool,’ he said.

Ginny Catmur

Property Found

In the SLOW tent after the British Relay Champs. (14 May): one t-shirt, XXL, white, with blue and black writing in a Scandinavian language: apply to Heather Walton

Letter from Torquay

11 February 2000

Dear Chris

After much deliberation I have decided to join Devon OC as a full member this year. It has been a very difficult decision to make because, for very obvious reasons, I am very attached to SLOW as a club and in particular the individuals I have known for a number of years.

Over the last couple of years I seem to have done less and less orienteering and I think the only way to motivate myself is to get more involved locally. However, I would still like to keep some association with SLOW so I will remain as a local member.

Hopefully, I will see you all at the JK etc. It will seem very strange competing against SLOW in the relays. Whether I can give you a run for your money remains to be seen.

Yours sincerely

Tom Lillicrap

From the Events Secretary

SLOW puts on a programme of orienteering events each year, to put something back into the sport from which we all get so much pleasure. We are always looking for people who can take part in that, as event planners and organisers. If you think you’d like do either of these things, let me know.

It can be fun! The event planner lays out the courses. His or her role is crucial to the enjoyment of orienteers out in the forest. It’s an excellent way to improve your orienteering skills, by seeing how a course is put together, and by learning about the way terrain affects the shape of the courses you run.

The organiser makes sure that the event runs smoothly, before and after the competitors have run. It can be a huge satisfaction to see an event going well, and know that it’s your work that has made it so. The compliments you get from runners who appreciate what you’ve done for them are a great reward for the time and effort it takes.

Previous experience is not required! Just enthusiasm, and certain commitment of time. There’s lots of help available for both planners and organisers. BOF has published books on how to do it, and you can rely on the help of other SLOW members.

If you think you’d like to know more, get in touch with me: I look forward to hearing from you.

Chris Owen

Peter Palmer Junior Team Relays

This is a night–day relay competition for juniors, starting at 4.30/5 am, so the first two/three legs are in the dark. SLOW are hosting the event this year on Sat./Sun. 23/24 September, using Southern Navigators’ land (Frith Hill) and Tomlinscote Sports Centre for accommodation. Ginny and Richard Catmur are organisers, Andrew Leaney planner and David Thomas (SN) controller. Sport-Ident electronic punching will be used.

The competition is very popular with juniors, as it enables them to meet and compare notes after the White Rose. The format is very junior-friendly, with competitors in the ‘Large Clubs’ race running the following legs: Red, Red, Light Green, Orange, Orange, Light Green, Yellow, Green. We should be able to field two teams: so, juniors, make sure you’ll be available!

There will be a huge need for helpers at the event: registration (including loading computers with Sport-Ident card data), supervision, refereeing the 5-a-side football match on the Saturday evening; hanging controls, map issue, start/finish officials, results, and breakfast on the Sunday (not to mention tidying up!), so please pencil the date into your diaries now. Thank you!

Ginny Catmur

Social Matters

1. Trip to the London Eye

Fancy a club outing to the Eye one evening this Summer? Let me know if you are interested and what days/dates are best. Contact number/email below.

2. Pub Quiz with other SE clubs

An idea of our Chairman that has had a warm reaction from contacts in GO and CROC. I am to continue my informal consultation with other clubs at the British. Again let me know if you would be interested in forming a SLOW team, know a good venue, or want to volunteer as quizmaster...

3. SLOW BBQ

Will be happening again this Summer, probably late August / early September. Last year’s at the Clubhouse proved a great success, but if anyone knows of another good location, do get in touch.

4. Midsummer Night’s Dream

A number of SLOWies are going to the 29 June performance at the open air theatre at Polesden Lacy, Surrey. If you are interested in joining us, contact Chris Robinson for the box-office details, time etc.

5. SLOW Annual Dinner

The SLOW annual dinner had a new venue this year, although not as published in the last SLOWprint. A number of competing events on 15/16 April meant numbers were rather small, so we ended up going to the Café Rouge in Esher. There was a choice of a 2 or 3 course menu, with almost all going for 3 – I was chastised for not ordering a pudding for the greater good of the rest of the table! Cafe Rouge also kindly included extra chips for hungry orienteers in the fixed price menu. We were introduced (courtesy of Andy Jones) to the delights of Pokemon cards and a couple of Pokemon toy characters, borrowed from the younger Joneses. I was glad I’d not signed up to any early orienteering start on Sunday as we were the last to leave the restaurant at well past 11pm.

Advance notice: next year the dinner will return to its usual slot of on or close to the weekend of the Box Hill Fell Race. I will be consulting you all in a SLOWprint later this year about venue, type of meal/entertainment etc you all want.

6. Pre/post-event venues

Don’t forget to look at the SLOW website, where I hope to post details of pubs we are going to pre/post big events (Compass Sport Cup etc.) and summer training evenings that are away from the Clubhouse.

Vicky Robb – Social Secretary

General

Copy date for Issue 130 (July 2000) will be Fri. 14th July 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: every Tuesday at the clubhouse (Thames Hare and Hounds, Richard Evans Memorial Playing Fields, Kingston Vale); 9 pm at the Robin Hood Pub, 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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