This South East league event was held in memory of Simon Greenwood (SAX), chair of the SEOA for some 20 years or more before his untimely passing in December 2022. We hope to make a donation to the Orienteering Foundation in his name from the proceeds of the event.
The Balcombe Estate is privately owned and we would like to particularly thank Simon’s family for allowing us to use the woods today, Samantha Collins (the administrator for the estate), Jamie Kirkman (Head Forester), Ross Dymond (Gamekeeper) and Graham Larwood (Tenant Farmer) for their advice and assistance in all matters related to our organisation, access to the Event Centre etc.
Results are at:
Event details were at https://mvoc.org/event/mv-sel-2024-25/
Reflections from the planner, Keith Masson:
Always a bit of excitement/trepidation when going into the woods at Balcombe on a non-event day as, even though you think you’ve cleared it with the estate office, you never know if you’re going to encounter someone with a big gun – only happened once this time!! Having said that the estate people are always friendly and helpful – which is nice. Biggest thanks to Graham Larwood (farmer) who not only moved livestock to an Out Of Bounds field but cleared bramble and made a gap in his fence to help us.
Great work from Tim and the Start Team with the Start set up – made it look like it had all been planned – not the case!! Have to thank the Mike’s:
Mike Murray for his helpful and conscientious controlling.
Mike Bolton for his usual calm and professional organising.
Mike Elliot for his map update and event map/course checking.
Also: Samantha at the estate office and the estate employees for all their help. Not Forgetting: Tim, John, Peter and Nigel for control collecting and Mark for putting out controls.
Hope you all enjoyed your course in the Balcombe ‘Adventure Playground’ (thanks for the quote, Dave Cumins).
Organiser’s Report, Mike Bolton:
This was the fourth(!) time that I have organised an event at Balcombe so the site and the folks who work on the estate are now familiar friends. It’s great to have a location where permissions are straightforward and everybody on the ground is so helpful. Thank you Balcombe Estate.
Chatting to the finishers as they returned to download I was pleased to hear that Keith’s courses had been well received. A number of you were also kind enough to thank us for putting on the event. Such comments make it all worthwhile so, thank you, in return.
I was ably helped by the many Moles and their friends who turned out on the day to fulfil all the various roles – 29 in all. Too many to name but as the saying goes “We couldn’t have done it without you”. I must particularly thank Mike Murray for his cool, calm and collected approach to controlling.
I would like to close with a few thoughts on the future of orienteering. Race signup now has a fascinating function – ‘Insight’ – which takes you to an analysis of the entries. Here is just one of the graphs:
So over 75% of you are aged 50+ and a good 20% are 70+. Keith is a mere youngster as an M60, I’m now an M75 and Mike Murray is an M80. Whither our beloved sport in 20 years’ time? All the more reason to donate to the Orienteering Foundation as we shall, in Simon Greenwood’s name, with a chunk of the ‘profits’ from Sunday’s event.
Controller’s Report, Mike Murray:
I can usually go on for a bit – and sometimes for quite a bit – on how pleasant it was to be on our own whilst ‘working’ through the forest and fields of Balcombe prior to race day.
This time the sunshine was in short supply but the variety of the terrain encountered was always a joy.
Did any of you get lost whilst out on your course and perhaps have trouble in relocating?
I heard of no hard luck stories although some did wander off their intended route on the longer courses.
Keith did some amazing work in planning and then in setting out all the controls and making safe all the fence crossings.
My special thanks to him for making it all so easy for me, to Mike B for his seamless and smooth organising and to Mike E for his mapping and cartography.