eSLOWprint 131 - September 2000

Helen Walter in action at the Peter Palmer Junior Team Relays (Andrew Trimble)

Club Officers 1999–2000

Ginny's Jottings

It is with great relief that I (with my Organiser's hat on) can report that the Peter Palmer Junior Team Relays, held on Frith Hill on 24 September, were very successful. 200 competitors aged 12 – 18 and about 50 adult team managers/drivers took part from as far away as the Lake District, York and Devon. The winners were Nottingham in the 'Large Clubs' Open race, Southdowns in the 'Large Clubs' Handicap race (BOF ages 120 and under) and Quantock in the 'Small Clubs/Schools' race. The weather was kind, and members of SLOW and other SE clubs provided magnificent support in ensuring that the event ran smoothly: thank you all. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves – even the organisers and helpers – despite the sleep deprivation! (For detailed results, see the event's website.)

Ginny Catmur – Editor

Midge's Mutterings

NO SNAPPY HEADINGS

I'm in the grip of Olympic fever at the moment and can hardly think of anything else. What a shame it is that our world-class orienteers are not there sharing in what must be the greatest sports event ever. I am sure orienteering must be as wide-spread throughout the world as beach volleyball or even triathlon. I think I will start a campaign to get orienteering into the Olympics – anyone prepared to join me?

Congrats to Ed Catmur yet again – this time on being invited to join the GB Junior Squad. Wow! And good luck to Simon Turner as he heads off to the University of Nottingham to join Tom Fry in a cracking relay team. Simon recently planned his first event – an Army championship on Winterfold, which I gather went well.

Ed and I attended the BOF Club Coach training weekend at Lakeside earlier this month. I think we both got a lot out of it, but actually qualifying as a coach is quite daunting and entails taking on a lot of responsibility for the welfare of the people you are coaching. Rewarding and good fun, but not to be undertaken lightly. I can certainly recommend the course to anyone who is interested in coaching.

Plans to hold junior training sessions in late August and early September foundered – no doubt due to the time of year. We still intend however to pick this up again next year and also to try different approaches – for example shadowing and discussion is being offered to SLOW juniors at the Long Valley badge event on 2 October. We hope to get the club tent to more events this autumn to provide a focal point for us all to meet and some shelter for those essential post-event analyses.

The map of Battersea was completed for the Millennium String of Pearls schools/beginners' events held in early September. We have had some extra copies printed so they may be used for some sort of event in future.

The Peter Palmer relay has just been and gone and though I was unfortunately not well and not there, I understand it went well. I know a lot of hard work went into the event so well done and thank you to all involved. On the competitive side there was disappointment for our junior team, but I hope you all enjoyed the experience anyway. There's always next year.

We had an enjoyable O/Cross race (short cross-country run followed by an even shorter O course) on Wimbledon Common, in which the M20-s got the better of the M45+s for once, and club picnic on 20 August rounded off with a very competitive game of softball. At a recent committee meeting we began to discuss how SLOW should celebrate its 25^th anniversary next year. Vicky outlines on page 7 plans for a quiz evening in January and a 25^th anniversary dinner in the autumn – as close to the day that the club was formed as possible. I am keen that we have a few different celebratory events throughout the year – if you have any ideas or suggestions please get in touch.

Still no news from the Lottery about the SE bid for electronic punching. Watch this space.

Planning and organising for the OK Nuts Trophy event to be held on 10 December is under way. Please note the date and be prepared to offer your help. SLOW will be hiring Sport Ident electronic punching for this event.

Finally please note:

The SLOW AGM will be held on Tuesday, 14 November 2000 at 8.00pm (preceded by a 7.00pm run) in the Robin Hood pub (upstairs room) near the Robin Hood Gate of Richmond Park.

Chris Robinson – Chair

Quiz Question

According to the BOF Bulletin (August 2000, p. 14), 'At present orienteering is one of the two non-Olympic sports funded by UKSport.' Which is the other? [Answer here]

OK Nuts 2000

SLOW's major badge event of the year, the OK Nuts, will take place on Sunday 10th December, 2000 at Winterfold and Pitch Hill. The map was used for JK99 and has had minor revision during the summer with a new print run. The planner will be Paul Canham (assisted by Ed Catmur on Picover), the organiser Andrew Trimble and the controller Phillip Robinson (SN but also a local member of SLOW). The car park is likely to be the big field used for JK: this is about 2 miles south of Shere in Surrey. We hope that the starts and finishes will be fairly close together near the car park on the northern edge of the map. We have arranged to hire Bristol OK's electronic punching equipment.

Andrew Leaney has kindly agreed to be entries secretary. Please enter using the form on the flyer if you intend to run; please make a formal entry, rather than a verbal one, to Andrew. If you are able to help on the day please write something on the form to say so. Please could you make an effort to get an entry in early and not leave it to the last minute. If you are not sure you want to commit yourself to an entry at this stage but are willing to help on the day I would greatly appreciate it if you could either phone me or send me an email. Finding personnel for the day is the most time-consuming job for any organiser and if you could rather than me having to go through the SLOW membership list it would make my job very much easier.

Don't worry if you are a very new SLOW member and don't feel that you have much experience of orienteering; everybody is most welcome. It really is the best way of getting to know other club members, as everyone is very friendly. Even if you help you will probably be able to run as well. At the moment you will have to pay for your entry but this will be reviewed once we know the likely budget. You can pay on the day (but without the EOD penalty). There are colour-coded courses to choose as well as badge courses. Do get in touch with if you are able to help. I hope to see lots of you there on the day.

Andrew Trimble – Organiser

Training Diary: Tuesday Training

I hope you have all had a good summer and have fitted in lots of training. It's back to training in the dark and putting on those cuddly Hellys. Tuesday training schedule – all sessions from the Thames Hare and Hounds clubhouse, 7.15 for 7.30 unless otherwise specified.

The BOF club training weekend on the 21st and 22nd of October in the Lake District now clashes with the rearranged Caddihoe Chase date. Orienteering on sand dunes in Devon is pretty good technical training, and it's a national event, so SLOW will be there, not in the Lakes.

Heather Walton

Secretary's Stuff and Membership Matters

SLOW AGM

The Annual General Meeting of South London Orienteers and Wayfarers will take place on Tuesday 14 Nov. 2000 at 8.00 p.m. in the Robin Hood Pub (upstairs room), near the Robin Hood Gate, Richmond Park. Nominations are invited for Officers (as listed above) and should be sent to the Secretary, Diane Leakey, to reach her by 8.00 p.m. on Tuesday 14 November.

New Members - Welcome!

• Brian and Rosalind Page
• Denzil Sharp
• Guy and Sophie Hargreaves

Change of Address

• Sue Hatton has moved

Diane has received several letters from BOF:

1 A complete set of amended rules for this year's Yvette Baker Trophy (Junior Inter-Club Competition)

2 Discussions with the Forestry Commission for 2001 to 2003 are almost complete. Here are some of the changes:

a) Agreements will in future run in calendar years, instead of changing mid-year as previously

b) Charges from January 2001 have been increased in line with inflation

c) Charges will in future be based on actual numbers, not estimated numbers. Clubs will submit a statement after the event and be sent an invoice. There will be a minimum fee of £25 if an event is cancelled.

3 Running Fitness magazine has now agreed to publish a subheading for O-ing events in its 'Destination' section. This magazine is aimed at all types of racing, and may help to attract sports-minded 'runners' to try orienteering. All event organisers: To list your event for free, request a copy of their form from Gail Parker or Publicity Officer Anne Leaney.

4 An English Clubs Conference is to be held at Crewe on Saturday 18 November to discuss the formation of a home national body to represent England in a four-nation structure, and to consider the implications for English clubs and the English Regional Associations. The discussion and decisions will then be used to formulate more detailed proposals before the 2001 BOF AGM. All English clubs are being invited to send two reps. to the Club conference.

Below BOF set out what they think are the key issues which need to be discussed and decided. Responses are requested by 27 October. Representatives need to named by then as well.

British Orienteering Federation

ENGLISH CLUBS CONFERENCE, November 18, 2000

Clubs Consultation: Key Issues

The issues we would like to discuss on November 18th are:

1 What should be the name of the new body (the English Orienteering Association? Orienteering England?)?

2 What should be the constitutional structure of the new English body?

i A federation of clubs

or

ii A membership organisation (with individuals, rather than clubs or associations as its constituent, voting members).

iii A third option is a federation of associations, though this interposes another tier between clubs and the national body. In the past this has led to blocks to dialogue between clubs and the national body, though regional associations have played an important role (see below).

3 Payment of membership fees: should payment to the English body be:

i by individuals, as at present?

or

ii by Clubs on behalf of their members, as proposed in 'Towards a New BOF'?

Note that membership of the English body will include membership of BOF, without payment of a separate membership fee.

4 The scope of membership:

i should every orienteer in England be a member of the English body and BOF

or

ii should there be a category of restricted local club membership?

In many sports, club membership carries with it membership of the national body. At present many club members benefit from the services provided by BOF without contributing fully to the costs, other than through the levy.

Restricted local club membership could take various forms, e.g. social membership, introductory membership, or participation limited to club events.

5 The role of the English Regional Associations (ERAs).

There is no intention to abolish the ERAS. They are likely to remain as at present, performing a valuable role in junior coaching, fixtures co-ordination and whatever else the constituent clubs feel is a useful activity. However, they will no longer have a constitutional role in the English association as the relationship will be between Clubs or individuals and the English body.

6 Other issues?

The BOF Action, Group will be considering the relationship between the four home national bodies (HNBs), the division of roles and responsibilities between BOF and the HNBS, and how other activities currently undertaken by the ERAs will be managed.

However, there may be other issues on which you would like to comment, give us ideas or advice, or which you think we have forgotten.

Timescale:

23 September 2000 Report to BOF Council (with possible meeting of the English Action Group and representatives of English Associations)

September/October Consultation by Clubs and written responses

28 October 2000 Meeting of English Orienteering Action Group

18 November 2000 Club Conference – to consider results of consultation and proposals/ recommendations

20 January 2001 Report to BOF Council

14 April 2001 BOF AGM

Diane Leakey – Secretary

Gail Parker – Membership Secretary

South-East League

THE NEW ORIENTEER'S GUIDE TO THE S.E. LEAGUE

The South-East League is a competition open to all clubs, groups and schools in the region who wish to compete. All Badge events registered in the South-East are normally used as League events. However, if there is an entry restriction imposed of fewer than 800 competitors, a Badge event may be deemed not to be a League event, by arrangement between the organising club and the SEOA committee. This applies principally to those events in the north and west of the region which may attract a high proportion of competitors from other regions.

Although Badge events are largely devoted to courses set for specific age groups, there are usually several colour-coded (not age-group based) courses available, with entry possible on the day – shown in publicity as 'EOD'. These latter courses do not qualify for multiple points in the League scoring system but are treated separately – see below.

The League scoring system is basically the same each season, with each age group having a target which reflects speeds attained in National status competitions. To achieve the best score for your club, you must complete one of the courses set for your age group. However, it is strongly recommended that you do not attempt one of the longer or more technically difficult courses, even if it is an 'official' one for your age, until you have the necessary experience and fitness. A very slow or incomplete run on a long course will not only not benefit your club, but more importantly may cause you unnecessary physical distress or injury; it may also involve many of the organising club's members in having to mount a search for you if you are out too long. Move up the range of courses gradually. If in doubt, ask!

The age groupings at Badge events are shown by M (Men) or W (Women) followed by the age group, and then, for seniors, L (Long) or S (Short) and, for juniors, 'A' or 'B'. The long and short courses should be of the same technical difficulty, whereas the 'B' courses are both shorter and easier than the corresponding 'A' courses. The number indicates the age you have reached or will reach during the current calendar year. It defines the upper year of each two-year junior age group, but the starting year of each senior age group. Thus 'M 14' is the course for boys who will become 13 or 14 this year, while 'W 40' is for ladies who will become 40 to 44 this year. The courses get longer up to M and W 21, in two-year groupings, then from M and W 35 get shorter with each five-year age group. All except the very young and the very old groups have a 'short' or 'B' option.

At most events there will be a 'String' course. This allows the very young to follow a marked route, unaccompanied if considered prudent.

Successful completion of a String or Colour-coded course, or of one shorter than the appropriate course for your age group, will score one League Point for your Club.

Probable South-East League Badge Events for 2000/2001

• 1 Oct. 00: CROC, Long Valley
• 19 Nov. 00: SO, Houghton
• 10 Dec. 00: SLOW, Winterfold
• 7 Jan. 01: MV, Ranmore
• 21 Jan. 01: HH, Ashridge
• 04 Mar. 01: SAX, Brede High Wood
• 25 Mar. 01: GO, Godalming

South-East League 2000/2001: Scoring System

Below are the mins/km target rates for each age group. They are unchanged from last season.

Each competitor's score at a League event is calculated, a total score for each club produced and published in SENAV and/or distributed to clubs, and also displayed on a board at later League events.

If you wish to calculate your own score:

multiply the distance of your course by your target rate above

This number, in minutes, is your target time, and achievement of this scores 100 points. For each 1% more than the target time you lose 1 point, so double the target time should reduce your score to zero. In fact each successful course completion, however slow, is awarded 1 point.

Example: Course distance 6 km, M16 rate = 7 mins/km. M16 target time is 6 x 7 = 42 minutes. If you take 56 minutes (one third more than target) you score 66 points; if you take 63 minutes (one half more than target) you score 50 points. It is possible to score more than 100 points, using this method.

You may run 'above' your age group course (i.e. a harder course). You then score at the mins/km rate for the official age group on that course; you may run 'below' your age group course (i.e. an easier course) but this, or completion of a string or colour-coded course, will only score 1 point. 'S' and 'B' courses are scored at the mins/km rate for the age group concerned, and 75% of the resulting score awarded. When club scores have been totalled, match points are awarded. The winning club receives 20 points, the second 18, then 16, 14, 12, 11, 10, 9 etc. When necessary, these scores are all raised to allow the last-placed club 1 Match Point. Total Match Points for the whole season decide the final League positions.

An analysis of each competitor's scores is sent to club Secretaries as soon after the end of the season as I can manage, but provision of interim club or personal scores will be available if SAE is sent with request.

South London Orienteers & Wayfarers

Individual Performance Analysis - S.E. League 1999/2000

Competitors on colour coded and string courses are not itemised; their score was added to the Club's total at each event, but is not included in the Club's average score per run. 'H' indicates points given to non-competing helpers; these points are included in the competitors' total points and number of events attended columns, but not in their, or the club's, average score per run.

Event code: ESW = Epping SW; AR = Ash Ranges; EE = Epping East; WW = Waggoners Wells; SA = South Ashdown; OW = Oldhouse Warren

Philip Gristwood – SE Fixtures Secretary

Pete's (P)review

Not much to report on the team front this time. The Peter Palmer Junior Team Relays will have happened by the time you read this – see elsewhere for more details. I shall provide my annual report at the AGM – I hope to see you there.

There is a Thames Hare & Hounds 5 mile cross-country race (not too serious) on Saturday 9th December at 3pm, probably from the clubhouse. If you would like to take part, then please let me know soonish. If we get 8 people then we can make up a team.

Looking ahead to next year, the main dates currently are:

• 18 March CompassSport Cup Round 1, Worth Forest, Crawley (Southdowns area)
• 14/16 April JK Easter Event, Forest of Dean
• 29 April CompassSport Cup Final, POTOC [maybe!]
• 6/7 May British Champs weekend, Londonderry/Omagh
• 19/20 May Harvester Trophy, Dipton, Northumberland
• 22/23 Sept. Peter Palmer Junior Team Relays, Sutton Park, Birmingham

Peter Huzan – Captain

Croeso 2000 5th – 8th August 2000

The postponement of the Caddihoe Chase weekend gave me an opportunity to write a report on this marvellous event which took place in north Wales at the beginning of August.

It was well attended by SLOW and there were some good results across a range of age classes: in fact SLOW achieved four first places: Ralph Street (M10A); David Catmur (M14B); Simon Evans (M20L) and Sarah Brown (W45L).

I had decided to run W21L, which for five days' orienteering was quite a challenge for me. Luckily my course was identical to the M18A and M45L, which meant that I had a bit of help round a few controls by seeing familiar faces.

The first day was on Sunday 6th August at Gwanas and Tyddyn Du, a few miles east of the Event Centre at Dolgellau. I was lucky to have a later start on that day so by the time I started the mist had cleared on the lower slopes. However, visibility was very poor at the start. After the first control, which was quite easy to locate, controls 2–5 all proved quite tricky as I could only see a few feet in front of me. I was overtaken shortly after control 2, a knoll, by Richard Catmur (M45L). After that I struggled through the mist to the next three controls, then downhill over a crossing point on a fence. Then the course took me uphill and I ran alongside the hill on my way to my next control, a boulder, which was easily located just north of a large re-entrant. The mist then started to clear and after a tricky control 7, where Paul Street (M45L) overtook me, I sped up on my way round controls 8 to 10. Control 11 caught me out as it was at the foot of a 2m crag shortly after a crossing point and I ran straight past it on my first attempt. I then went back to the crossing point and hit the control on my second attempt. After that it was a straight run to control 12 and then to the finish. My time was 103.47 minutes, which for 6.7 km was not bad for me. The winning time on that course was 56.26 minutes by Cornelia Luder from Switzerland.

The second day was held at Penystryd very close to the chalets in the Holiday Village at Bronaber just south of Trawsfynnydd. The ground was a bit rocky and difficult to run on on my way to the first two controls, and I was again overtaken by Richard Catmur on my way to control 3. Then after running through a rocky forest and a couple of marshes disaster struck at control 4 when it did not register my SportIdent card. Fortunately Edward Catmur (M18A) was following close behind and had the same problem so I proceeded to the next control at a marsh, through a gate. By this time it started to rain really hard and, put off by the duff control at 4, I had a disaster trying to locate control 6. I had proceeded from control 5 across a crossing point due east rather than south-east which meant I was too far north of control 6, but in the rain and mist I did not realise this. Rather than proceed further in the wrong direction I went back to the crossing point and started again. This mistake meant that I lost 10 minutes. I continued round the rest of the course, through some very high bracken to control 8, control 10, a difficult middle crag, then through a knee deep marsh with water lilies between controls 12 and 13. My total time on that day was 105.48 minutes. This was a disappointing result for only 5.8 km, but that day in the end did not count in the overall result as only the four best days were taken into account. The winning time on that day was Sarah Rollins from the British Army Orienteering Club who finished in 50.15 minutes.

The third day was a fast area on open moorland in Llechweddgain, with the Welsh Guards in attendance in the assembly area. It was raining hard when we arrived and I was soaked on my 30-minute walk uphill to the start. Fortunately, shortly after I started the rain became less persistent and then stopped. On my way to control 4 (a long leg) I decided to take a direct route over a hill passing many sheep on the way and had a good view of the lake in the centre of the map. Later I was told that I should have contoured round to the north of the hill thus avoiding most of the climb. Though not being as scenic, this would have improved my time. After that it was a quick run round the rest of the controls, punching a few closely spaced controls to the south side of the lake on my return to the final control, number 17. My time for the 8 km course was 102.40 minutes. The winner was Anna Morsell from Sweden who took 53.48 minutes.

The next day, Wednesday was a rest day. Following a visit to the tourist attraction at Portmeirion, I spent the rest of the day visiting my parents in my former home, Porth Dwynol, Trearddur Bay, which was one and a half hour's drive from where we were staying in Criccieth. My brother, David, sister-in-law, sister, Sarah, brother-in-law and three baby nephews were staying on their way back from Ireland so the house was quite busy. Swimming in the sea was not an option because ..... yes, you've guessed it, it was raining again.

Then came Day 4. This day I had an early start and it was back to the holiday village at Bronaber, where the Assembly area was located: a coach took us to the start at Moel y Geifr and Cwm Moch, a mountain very close to Trawsfynnydd Power Station. It was misty and wet and we had to climb quite a distance to start near the top of the mountain. This time I had to negotiate a few slippery rocks on the side of the mountain on my way to the first two controls, then past a marsh and downhill to the next control. It was uphill through bracken to control 4 and then I was lucky to locate control 5, a boulder in the middle of a marsh, as the visibility was so bad because of the mist. My run on that day was 100.04 minutes for 6.3 km. The winner was Anna Morsell in 56.01 minutes.

The final day of the event on Friday was held at Gorddinan, a few miles east of Blaenaeu Ffestiniog on the A470. Parking space on this day was limited so in order to enter we were obliged to have a minimum of four passengers in the car or to travel to the event by train. We managed to meet this requirement by travelling with the Leaneys and Paul Canham, and parked at the end of a very long forest track on the other side of the A470 from the event. The area was open moorland. The final details stated that one could expect 8 min / km, but because of the tussocks and marshes I thought that that was very difficult to achieve without being in danger of twisting one's ankle. I started off with a quick run to the first control and then downhill to the second control, which was located near the first. The hardest and longest leg was then to control 3, which involved climbing up some very steep crags. After a slow run to control 4, alongside a marsh, I was helped by elephant tracks round the rest of the course. My time to complete 4.9 km was 84.15 minutes. The winning time was 42.46 minutes by Anna Morsell.

I think that an improved level of fitness would have helped me to run faster round all of the courses at Croeso, but I think it will be some time before I achieve that first place, if ever! My overall position was fourteenth out of twenty seven.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to north Wales and the event, despite the wet weather.

Jenny Thomas

How SLOW fared at CROESO

• M10A (12): 1 Ralph Street
• M12B (9): 3 Guy Hiddleston
• M14B (10): 1 David Catmur, 6 Ian Hiddleston
• M18A (23): 3 Simon Turner, 15 Edward Catmur (3 days)
• M20L (3): 1 Simon Evans
• M21L (45): 8 Tim Rogers, 16 Malcolm Fisher
• M21S (47): 12 Andrew Leaney
• M35L (48): 21 Gordon Parker, 35 Paul Szarvas
• M40L (75): 17 Mal Lyon, 26 Paul Canham
• M40S (25): 17 Mervyn Rodrigues
• M45L (90): 22 Paul Street, 28 Richard Catmur, 32 Charlie Turner
• W14A (27): 8 Charlotte Turner
• W21L (27): 14 Jennifer Thomas
• W40L (35): 10 Anne Leaney, 23 Gail Hiddleston
• W45L (45): 1 Sarah Brown, 40 Virginia Catmur
• W50L (46): 14 Teresa Turner

Mourne Madness…

Sitting in the plane flying over the Irish Sea, I'm growing steadily more apprehensive, wondering just how I ever let myself agree to spend a weekend running up mountains – an hour out on an orienteering course is fair enough, but two days?

The Mourne Mountain Marathon is the little brother of the KIMM and the LAMM, taking place every year in the Mournes, south of Belfast, and I had somehow got myself entered on the 'C' (novice) course with Tom Norton, an orienteer from Oxford who'd done this sort of thing before… Mountain marathons involve pairs of nutters running a ridiculously long, hilly course over two days, and, as if that weren't enough, carrying all their kit with them to survive the intervening night. Sounding like fun? No, I wasn't thinking so, either…

Arrive in Belfast, to find that Tom's forgotten the lightweight karrimats we were going to be sleeping on. No worries – we spend the next hour running round looking for somewhere that sells bubblewrap. Bubblewrap??? Well, you see, you can throw it away after the night, thereby cutting down on the weight you're carrying on day 2… Getting the idea? I was getting scared…

The first day, teams have start times at one-minute intervals, and we start pretty late – soon to get even later, as we miss a path within 5 min of the start, and take a 20 min detour up (and then down again) an impassable bramble-covered hillside. But at least things can only get better – and, surprisingly, they do! As we climb higher, and visibility deteriorates into the fog, Tom's map-reading skills mean we start picking up places. The third, 6 km leg, ending with a 2 km contour along a foggy hillside, earns Tom my everlasting admiration, as he drops us straight into the control. Halfway through today's 20 km now, and all the energy drink I've been consuming must be having an effect, as I suddenly feel like racing! We storm the rest of the course (it does help that we've had most of the climb already), but even so I'm impressed to find at the midcamp that we're lying in 11^th place, 3^rd mixed team, out of the 150+ teams in our course! Unfortunately, it does mean we'll have to race tomorrow, as we're obliged to at least break into the top ten…

Day 2 has a mass start. Apparently the trick here is to start at the front, which we do…and we manage to stay there – well, for the first half km, at least! We're the fourth team to the first control, though by halfway we've dropped to 9^th. 'Downhill all the way from here', lies Tom, but unfortunately for him I can read the control descriptions, and the next one says 'summit'…! Towards the end, a risky bit of route choice (straight-line route but with 500 m through 'green' forest, vs. longer, safer, path route) pays off (green has unmapped fire break through it!) and as we drop to the 5^th control, teams 4 to 6 are just leaving it – and the remaining 2 km are downhill – fantastic! We get ahead as everyone is dithering over the location of the penultimate control, and fly the last leg to finish in 4^th place, bringing us up to 7^th overall, and 2^nd mixed team.

So, my verdict, after nearly 8 hours of racing over 2 days? Well, to my surprise, I enjoyed it! So if anyone else has ever vaguely wondered about trying one of those crazy mountain marathon things, give it a go – you might surprise yourself!

Oh, and as for how I got talked into it – don't ever let me get drunk around those Oxford orienteers again, or who knows what I might agree to do next?

Caroline Catmur is not looking for a KIMM partner – well, not this year…

SLOW at the Swiss Short-distance championship ...

Two members of SLOW were seen wearing SLOW tops at the Swiss short-distance championship. Some competitors found the word 'SLOW' very provocative and in order to calm the situation it had to be explained what 'SLOW' stands for.

And then there was the other SLOW member seen in the hot finish area (on this day the temperature was 30 °C in the shade, but there was no shade in the finish area!) with nothing on but his shorts, displaying, front and back, the Union Jack ...

Stephan Rudolf

BG Energy Challenge 17^th & 18^th June 2000

Postscript to the item in SLOWprint 130: the two teams from BG Technology raised just over £11,000 between them for Children's Aid Direct, a charity that helps needy children in places such as Kossovo and Albania. Thank you for your support.

Jim Mallinson

Planners' and Controllers' Courses

SEOA is organising two courses on Saturday 7th October at Oaklands College, Welwyn Garden City. Each will include a practical session in Sherrardspark Woods and will run from 10am to 4pm. Both courses are free of charge.

Planners' Course – intended for club members who lack the experience or confidence to plan colour coded courses. The course will cover the basics of course planning and give advice on organisational matters and best practice. The use of various computer programs will also be covered.

Grade 3 Controllers' Course – intended for club members who have some experience of planning at local or colour coded level and are interested in either becoming a controller or improving their planning skills. Attendance at such a course is required for all prospective controllers.

For catering and other organisational purposes we need to have an idea of numbers beforehand. Could those interested therefore contact me by September 23rd. [Please apologise to Neil: this issue of SLOWprint is late! – Ed.]

Neil Crickmore – SEOA Competitions Officer

SLOW Socials

2001 - SLOW 25TH ANNIVERSARY

2001 is an important year for SLOW. In November the Club will reach the grand old age of 25! There will be a special anniversary dinner to celebrate this in mid-November, so make sure you mark this in your diaries. More details to come in the new year.

2001 New Year Celebration Quiz

... But we also intend to welcome in the true millennium. To kick-off our 25th year we are planning to hold a Celebration Quiz with other SE clubs. The date will be 20 January: the Box Hill Fell Race day. Food (buffet/nibbles) and a pay-as-you-go bar will be provided. I'll be approaching a few of you closer to the time for quiz contributions (the experts here know who they are...). Cost will be low, no more than £5 for adults and £1 juniors.

Please contact if interested as it will help in determining amount of food and teams etc.

Vicky Robb – Social Secretary

Oxford Parks Race: Sun. 22 Oct.

Here's one for those of you that would prefer running through parks in a beautiful university town to getting lost on Braunton Burrows at the (re-scheduled) Caddihoe. The course will go around Oxford, through South Park, Headington Hill Park and the University Parks as well as Oxford Brookes University and a couple of colleges. The organisers are hoping that the event will be attended by a large number of people from around the university as well as quite a few orienteers. The map of the university parks has been re-drawn and extended to include the other parks and electronic punching will be used. You can read about the event at http://www.oxfordparkrace.org.uk/

Answer to Quiz Question: Water ski-ing

General

Copy date for Issue 132 (November 2000) will be Fri. 24th November Letters, event reports, articles, cartoons, gossip, scandal, notices, small ads, court circulars, births, deaths and marriages should be posted to Ginny Catmur; electronic copies via e-mail or on 3¼" disk are particularly welcome.

The current SLOW e-mail directory can be accessed by filling in the form at http://southlondon.orienteers.co.uk/emaildir.htm. The e-mail directory will be sent to your address and your details will be added to the directory.

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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