.

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Controllers Comments.

I volunteered to control Shoal Hill Only 4 weeks ago ( and only a few days after completing controlling Croft Castle ) when I heard Chris was concerned that at that late date they had no controller . Having worked with Chris before I knew the courses would require very little amendment and apart from some minor tweaking and working out a system of map issue and hand-over as neither of us had been involved in a relay event before I think we provided some good courses and some excellent weather for you all.

One problem which is unique to relay events is that to prevent following a system of "gaffellng" is used for which a basic route of the correct grade and length is designed but at many points three controls in close proximity are used by the three legs of the relay team with all the teams completing all the variations but at different legs. Because of limitations of the map this can lead to some compromises on control sites and led to the choice of site 195 "between thickets" and the error in leaving the surplus tape which led to the problem. I tried to be fair to all competitors involved and believe that the correct decision was made.

Mick Comery

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Planners Comments

I completed the taping of control sites just before Easter. There was,
however, then a significant delay before - with time running out - Mick
Comery stepped in to control the event. During this delay, several of my
original bright red tapes disappeared; possibly eaten by birds. As a
result, when Mick and I couldn't find my original tape for Control 195
(Between Thickets), we concluded that it too had disappeared and retaped the
site. Little known to us, the original tape - on which was written the
number 195 was a very short distance away. This led to some controversy on
the day. As the splits show, many competitors navigated quite quickly to
the actual control, which, after a number of checks, was confirmed as being
correctly positioned. Several competitors, however, found my original
(numbered) tape (and were able later accurately to describe its appearance
and position). Not unreasonably, these competitors concluded that the
control had been vandalised (a not infrequent occurrence at Shoal Hill) and
ran on. Although initially shown as having mispunched, all competitors who
reported that they had found the tape, and not the control, were
subsequently reinstated by Mick. I'm sure that we would all, after
reflection, agree that this was the only reasonable decision.

Controversy aside, I had planned the courses to, hopefully, provide variety
and to balance the requirements for good navigation with an element of
racing necessary for a good relay. I also attempted to locate controls in
areas in which vandalism would be unlikely, and am pleased to say that we
got through the event without losing a single control (although one
competitor did have to "educate" a young boy who was about to take the most
northerly control home with him).

My thanks to Mick for his constructive and patient controlling, to Mark,
Cath and Neil for producing the maps, to my son David for pasting
descriptions on to the maps and bagging them (at five pence per map), to
Craig for putting out the controls to the east of the map, and, most
importantly, to you all for coming along and - I hope - having a good time.

Chris Earnshaw

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Organisers Comments.

Last September when I agreed to be a first time organiser for this event, there were two things I did not know. The first was that we would be moving house only a fortnight after the event and the second was that on the Tuesday before the event, my mother would need to undergo an emergency four hour operation for what turned out to be a perforated duodenal ulcer. While sitting by a bed in Intensive Therapy at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield while Mum was sedated, I kept my mind occupied by writing out the labels for the map bags, so if the writing was a bit shaky, I apologise. If COBOC get any new members who are ITU nurses, that's why!

When word got round at WCH of my difficulties, the team leaders virtually took over the event from me and left me as a day organiser, for which I am most grateful. And it seemed to be a good day, particularly the weather, where it was almost too warm. That apart and an issue mentioned elsewhere in the comments, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

As I said during the presentations, I would like to thank Chris and Mike and their helpers, the WCH team leaders and their helpers, the landowners for both event and car park, the Shoal Hill warden and anyone else involved either before, during or since.

And can we please see if there are some trophies not returned from previous years? It was the junior events, where trphies mean the most, where they seem to have gone astray over the years. Lets make sure next years organiser can present a full set.

Andy Waters