Organiser's report
What a scorcher! I'd like to thank Geoff Newton for all his efforts
with regard to this event, which went far beyond the planners normal
duties. Geoff acted as both organiser and planner for the entire event
until I returned from holiday just a week and a half prior to the event.
To return with everything sorted out for me was a great relief, and left
me with just the 'on the day' organisers duties to perform - by far what I
prefer anyway!
With a loyal and enthusiastic band of club helpers everything on the
day seemed to go smoothly, thank you to all the Moles who assisted. Once
again you did all your roles very efficiently - so I disappeared into the
err...open space! to sample the course! Great training it was for the
Scottish 6 it was too! The atmosphere in the car park seemed very
friendly - for me a large part of what the frolics is all about. Thank you
to those who complimented the event too - those sentiments go a long way
to encourage you to do it all again!
Congratulations to SLOW on their victory in the frolics competition -
sets the series up very nicely for the finale next week!
Finally two pieces of lost property were left behind: 1 A left handed
Moscow thumb compass and 2. A childs (7-8 yrs) t-shirt, white and black
with a '23' logo on it. Contact me if either of them belong to you.
Mark Rowe (020 8844 1370)
Mole Valley
Planner's report
Mid July is not the best time of year to orienteer in
South East England, let alone on the Hogsmill with its rampant nettles,
brambles and blackthorn. When it was proposed to hold the Frolic here last
year I vetoed it for this reason. However a Saturday event last October on
a sunny autumn day went down very well with the punters so I relented for
this year.
In addition to the nettles etc, it’s too small, it’s
devoid of contours, and it’s packed full of line features. However the
thickets, fences and streams do introduce route choice and the area has an
element of novelty for the orienteer who has done everything. For what its
worth, the area was the site of one of the earliest gunpowder mills in the
country and is a haven for wildlife. I saw five herons in one day on the
build up to the event.
Each event held here in summer or autumn needs a path
clearance session and on this occasion I overlooked some of the approaches
to control 204 which inconvenienced some competitors, for which I
apologise. However those of you who complained the control was in the
wrong place were subsequently found to have mismarked your maps.
Given the roasting temperatures, the Frolics Course
was probably too long for the oldest and the youngest competitors. There
seemed to be very few in those categories on that course however, which
perhaps says something about the Frolics generally these days.
Geoff Newton
Mole Valley |
Mole Valley Orienteering Club