Results for DVO Colour Coded Event, Stanton Moor, 07/03/2009

Saturday 16:10 provisional results uploaded

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Routegadget is now available.

Controller's Comments and Analysis

Firstly, many thanks to Steve Taylor for planning a set of challenging and innovative courses. As you saw, Stanton Moor can be a technical and physical area! Thanks also to David Vincent and his willing band of helpers.

Thanks also to those of you who took part, made positive comments about their run - including constructive suggestions - and, hopefully, went home happy after another DVO event in good weather! We were certainly pleased with the numbers given it was a Saturday, with many also going to other events on the Sunday.

My analysis of the provisional results shows most of the courses were either too long or a combination of both too long and too physical in terms of the majority of finishers being within the recommended time as laid out in the BOF Guidelines. Eagle-eyed Mike Godfree, just prior to sending the maps for printing, spotted that Steve and I had the map scale set at 1:7,500 instead of 1:10,000 and we had to make rapid last-minute adjustments to shorten the courses, which is never a satisfactory state of affairs. Mike also provided us with other advice and suggestions which, as relative novices with OCAD, we would not have thought of.

However, the two courses which perhaps give most cause for concern are Light Green and Blue, whilst we had many very positive comments about the Green and Brown (though apologies for the doubts about the location of number 6 on the Brown). Leading times about 10 minutes less on Light Green, Green and Blue would have made a significant difference. We apologise to those who felt their runs were spoilt by the undue length or physicality but I would suggest that, on the whole, the courses were planned at the appropriate technical level. This is sometimes a problem for those progressing up the colours where each should show a significant development from the one before rather than just being longer.

Steve suggested using butterfly loops for the first time at a DVO event and most people seemed to welcome the innovation with the opportunity to run round a small, technical area a few times. In other than a Local Event there is a case for using the loops to split up runners on the same courses; I'm not sure in this case.

Ranald Macdonald, Event Controller Derwent Valley Orienteers

Report sent to Local newspapers (Matlock Mercury, Belper News, Derbyshire Times, Ashbourne News Telegraph and Ripley and Heanor news)

Intricate Moor fully tests Orienteers A bright sunny end-of-Winter morning with the promise of the Spring greeted the organisers of last Saturday’s orienteering event on Stanton Moor. Attracting a field of over 240 runners this was comparable with the turn-out for a Sunday event. Steve Taylor planned excellent courses which tested all the runners on this top-class area. One novel idea was to take the senior course in loops around a central location at one stage (butterfly loops is the technical term) thus fully exploiting the technicality of the intricate area.

Former United Kingdom and Derwent Valley runner Kim Baxter née Buckley showed that being nine months pregnant was no hindrance to a good run. Kim took a gentle stroll around the area but such is her navigational ability that she was sixth on the Light Green course. The club’ s first-aider however probably had kittens when she was informed!

Petr Basus from the Czech Republic and currently running for Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club was first on the top course, the Brown Course, taking just 65’ 50”. Teenager Harriet Lawson showed age was no barrier coming fourth on the senior green course well ahead of many seasoned and experienced orienteers.

The next major event in Derbyshire is at Linacre Reservoirs on Sunday May 16. Meet at 10am, all welcome.

The article then gives a list of local results.

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