Hawksmoor 2005

Controllers Comments.
The Brambles

Early in the Planning process, I asked Bob to send so that he could send me copies of his draft courses. “What’s your address?”, he said. “8 The Brambles.”, I replied. “Brambles, ha”, Bob laughed mirthlessly, and I began to guess that the brambles to be found at Hawksmoor might be a bit of an issue.

Ultimately, Bob’s excellent courses avoided the worst of the brambles, but, inevitably in an area such as this, featured a significant amount of climb. This did not appear, however, to detract from the enjoyment of most competitors, although when I spoke to finishers the words “challenging” and “physical” appeared quite frequently in the comments offered.

Three competitors, all on the Light-Green course, constructively queried the sighting of Control 240, a path end mapped as being in a clearing that was no longer present! When I first checked Bob’s taping of this site I navigated straight to the tape (and clearing) from a nearby path/ride junction (not, admittedly, the attack point to be used by Light-Green competitors). On the day prior to the event, however, I found that significant felling had occurred in the area and, when combined with the appearance of some new extraction lanes, on my initial approach I overshot the control and had to relocate from one of the nearby platforms. On the day of the competition it is obvious from the split times that this Control proved to be quite difficult to locate for some competitors and that, at best, the map was misleading. Conversely, however, more than half of the competitors on the Green course and a smaller number on the Light-Green course went straight to the flag. In retrospect I would agree that it would have been better to avoid this area of the map once it became apparent that felling was in progress, and must take responsibility for not taking this decision. I apologise to those competitors that feel that there time was adversely impacted by the leg in question. On the other hand, it does appear from the splits that, on both Light-Green and Green courses, the leaders in the relevant classes were impacted to at least the same extent as those behind them so, although the split times available would allow us to modify the results to exclude this control, my initial view is that the times should stand.

My thanks to Bob for planning some excellent courses and for making the job of the controller very easy. Thanks also to Norman and the usual efficient team of helpers (many of whom could be found wrestling with a rogue tent well after most competitors had gone home), and, of course, thanks to all of you for coming along. I hoped that you enjoyed the day.

Chris

Planners Comments.
Hawksmoor would be a planner’s dream, well for longer courses, if there was no undergrowth or environmentally restricted areas. Because of these initial armchair courses were radically revised, and some compromises had to be made to avoid these. I was also determined to have the start and finish very close to the car park, given that the courses would be on the physical side and the weather could have been even colder.
Based on the winning and distribution of times the length/climb combinations seemed to work (brown winner excepted, this was a good 15 minutes less than the side bet between the controller and myself).
Late forestry workings around 238/239/240 did cause me some concern, and some of you a little confusion. I double checked these when collecting them in and am certain they were all in the right place. Some felt 240 was too far west, I think there was confusion with an extraction lane that appeared, after maps were printed, on the vegetation boundary to the east .That apart there seemed no real problems with finding the controls, and I am grateful to Chris Earnshaw, my controller, for the time he gave to check this out.
Lastly, our real thanks must go to the WCH members who guided me through my first go at OCAD and Ident programmes. And for helping collect in controls after hard runs. I must particularly mention my daughter, Sarah, who gave a few hours, and a lot of patience, in doing the OCAD maps for us.
Bob Dredge

Organisers Comments.
When Walton Chasers selected a bleak, wet field at 750ft for an event in January they had to find a daft organiser. That's how I got the job.
The weather was always a worry but fortunately there was little rain in the preceding week. So we got away with it -- helped by orienteers who know how to drive on muddy ground. The plan to exit by the bottom gate had to be abandoned because of the depth of mud churned up by farm vehicles.
Due to our system of having regular team leaders the rest was easy, thanks to Rod Niven (registration), Dave Thomas (signs and parking), Dorothy Wilson (enquiries) Tom Roach (start) and Tim Gray (results) -and Neil Lawford for the map. Also, of course for the essential field, farmer Mr H Whitehurst.
Norman Hall