PLANNERS’ REPORT
Wow what a great weekend. Our back to back night and day orienteering challenge with two tough races in 24 hours brought out the best performances and like the Autumn O sport equinox takes us nicely into the night O season. 46 competitors finished both events with ages ranging from 12 to 75 and total times from as little as 45.08 to as long as 214.41. Looks like a good decision to go with middle distance races. The first Night race of the year requires extra concentration and competitor mistakes included clipping 102 instead of 120, convincing oneself that control collection had already removed 103, and finding a lost tape for 106 and persuading others it was the actual control site. Everything was however still in the correct place when Marcella collected the flags on Monday in daylight.
As usual only just over half our runners were brave enough for Carmichael hill at night so the number completing the night and day challenge are only a fraction of the whole entry. All the more accolades are due to the 46 that did complete both, especially as the combination of a tough night hill and a rough forest in the day took no prisoners but did produce a great set of close races and the best orienteers did win through. Congratulations to all our Trophy winners and particularly to the M/W12 and M75 pushing the boundaries. Dave McQuillan winner of the Old Goat for M70 has kindly donated a trophy for M75 won by Jim Clark. The best multi age “sport for life” in the country just did it again! The most difficult planning challenge was to try and get TD4 courses in both locations and dark orange, day yellow and even light green were tougher than we would have liked. Again we apologise that a string course was impossible when based in a motorway service station.
We are grateful for access permissions and building use from Carmichael Estate and Cairn Lodge services and wood access from Mr Mitchell and Hargreaves for Scottish Coal.
Thanks are due to Ewart Scott our controller for his thorough support, Robin and Sheila Strain for fantastic timing and results services, Ted and Val Finch for start clocks and day start help, Phil and Gerry for parking, and Les Smithard, Les Dalgleish, John Robertson, Paul Caban, Blair and Emma Young for starts.
Equally thanks are due to Heather and Les, Phil and Terry and Lynn and Emma, and Sally and Rona Lindsay, who helped on the vital road crossing at Cairn Lodge.
Finally thanks to Marcella for organising her umpteenth Tinto Twin, Lorna for entries and website, Val, Trish, Lorna and Marcella for super soup and Janet Clark for fantastic annual pumpkin pie.
Without all these generous helpers our annual multi day event would be a struggle for a club that is largely back to its founding members after nearly three decades.
Thanks for coming and in particular thanks for helping!
Dick and Trish Carmichael
