Chairman’s
spot
Here we are again
with the summer nearly over and looking forward to the start of a new season. It
doesn’t seem two minutes since I last penned my thoughts so it is perhaps as
well that we have reduced the EMEWS output to only four a
year.
Whilst on the subject
of this newsletter I would again ask members to consider relieving John Cooke of
this additional role to the many others he holds down.
John does an
excellent job but did take it on board as a temporary
measure.
If anyone has an
interest in the idea of desk top publishing why not speak to John without any
commitment and just find out what is entailed.
On a different tack
this is your newsletter and contributions on any subject which you feel
might interest other members are more than welcome.
Looking forward to
the season ahead we have an exciting Galoppen in prospect as detailed elsewhere
in this letter. We have thirteen scheduled events spread throughout the region
and your best six efforts will count towards the league. The rules of the
Galoppen have be refined and are also outlined by Roger Williamson, the
co-ordinator.
Presentation to last
year’s Galoppen winners will take place at the C4 at Ratby Woodlands on October
7th which is the opening event of this years competition and next
year we hope to revert to normal practice and present them at the first C4 after
completion of the league. As the league finishes slightly earlier than some
years terminating with the LOG event at Twyford Hills on April 28th
this presentation at present looks
like being Burbage Common on May 12th giving members an opportunity
to run on this new map of an extended area.
We also have an
interesting programme of night events for the sadists amongst our planners (and
the masochists who appear to like taking part). There are seven events, two each
from NOC, DVO and LEI and one from LOG. We intend to run these as a league as
has been done in the past and are currently looking for a volunteer to process
the amalgamation of results. Not an overly taxing task given the numbers who
usually participate.
I would impress upon
clubs and their organisers that it is imperative that results are sent in
promptly to assist this task.
Whilst on the subject
of fixtures Ian Whitehead has expressed a wish to give up the fixtures secretary
role and we are looking for a volunteer to replace him. As I understand it the
job largely involves exchanging emails but the jobholder would have to attend
most of our six meetings each year.
The winner of the
competition for a development grant was from DVO and was to extend their Urban
Events project. This complied with the guidelines of bringing the sport to new
areas and populations and they have been awarded £500 towards their
project.
This competition in
it’s present form will not be run next year as we hope to appoint a development
officer and will await that person’s views and suggestions as to how to
stimulate development within the region. In any event the development fund is
now fairly depleted and we will have to agree some mechanism for topping it up.
One suggestion put to me was for an element of levies on badge events to be
allocated to this purpose but no doubt there will be numerous other suggestions
and, as they will all have an impact on our budgets, may well have to be
deferred till next year when allowance for whatever is agreed can be made in
reviewing that years budget and fees.
At the AGM, we
received members approval to create the role of Development Officer which
function has previously been shared amongst other members of committee and would
like members with an interest in that field to consider putting their names
forward for the position. This role does have a seat on the EMOA committee
giving an opportunity to have a say in how we manage the affairs of the
region.
We also needed a new
Treasurer as Bob Alderson has completed his three years tour of duty and I am
pleased to report that Roger Edward’s has volunteered to take over the role.
The housekeeping
amendments to the constitution as detailed in the last EMEWS were supported by
the members present.
I am pleased to
confirm that as promised the AGM was brief, lasting 45 minutes as it did and
would ask you to bear this in mind when deciding whether you can afford the time
to come to next years. After the formal meeting an open forum took place to
allow members to have a chance to discuss the various major changes taking place
within the sport and their implications at club and regional level.
Amongst the items
causing much discussion at present is the report of the BOF Membership Working
Group chaired by our Vice Chairman, Ranald Macdonald and this was discussed
fully with a contribution from John Woodall as BOF
Chairman.
Ranald was not able
to make the meeting being out of town but as I understand matters the main aims
are to simplify membership structures, define the relationships between BOF,
Clubs, Associations and ordinary members and to give more of a say to clubs and
members by the vehicle of an annual club conference. It also addresses the definition of
‘family’ membership. It concedes the need for the retention of local members but
suggests these would be de facto members of their regional association if one
exists, without the need to pay additional membership fees. The refining of
membership structures will have an impact on how regions run.
The working group
also suggest which events BOF and non BOF members can compete in and suggest
that at events where non BOF members can compete, BOF members should be given a
discount of at least a pound. This will not be mandatory to allow flexibility
where CATI and introductory events are concerned.
The first such
conference is to be held on the Saturday afternoon before the Newborough Forest
BOC2001 event in October. As an added attraction Sir Chris Bonnington will be a
keynote speaker. This will of course be followed by the BOF AGM (October
20th).
Looking further
ahead, we are to run day 2 of the 2004 and still require a planner. Many members
have offered to assist in either putting out controls or actually planning some
of the courses and we now have one volunteer to take overall responsibility but
it should in fact be very much a team effort. If anyone else is interested
please make the fact known before our next committee meeting when the matter
will be aired.
It just remains to
wish you all a good season ahead
Roy J Denney
And what did you do
during the foot and mouth disease of 2001, Daddy?
A final word from me
as I finish my time as Chair of DVO. Not that I’m disappearing as I’m still
Vice-Chair of EMOA as well as one of your BOF Councillors!
The last six months
have obviously been frustrating for everyone and foot and mouth disease doesn’t
appear to be finished yet; I heard an item on Farming Today suggesting that it
might go on well into 2002. It has obviously played havoc with our fixtures
lists but, like many other clubs throughout the country, we have had to show
some ingenuity to keep our members active. So, with a slimmed down schools
league, six street O events, Sunday runs, weekly circuit training, summer
evening events and our Club Championships, together with a number of social
activities, we at least managed to keep a core of the Club involved. However,
also like many other Clubs, we don’t seem to have kept contact with our less
active members during this period, despite regular mailings and regular emails
on our discussion list. It obviously means that, as orienteering does get going
again, we are going to have to make real efforts to encourage them to get
involved again.
We obviously lost our
Badge Event at Shining Cliff in February as it became one of the early victims
of FMD. We have also now had to postpone the Badge Event at Chatsworth as the
planners are not allowed off the paths. However, we are still hopeful that both
will take place next year – in March and October,
respectively.
On the matter of
fixtures, I was more than mildly irritated to hear that there is a rumour going
around DVO is only putting on Badge and local (C5) events to make profit from
the former and avoid paying levy on the latter. This is completely untrue and,
as a member of the Fixtures Sub-Committee as well as chairing our committee
meetings, I can assure those so concerned that the issue of levy is never
considered when we put together our fixtures list. We have been putting on a lot
of C5s recently – and will continue to do so – after a period when we put on
none. They form part of our Schools League as well as offering an opportunity to
provide dedicated help for newcomers, something we committed ourselves to in our
Development Plan. We are trying to increase participation in the sport by
putting on low key events which don’t require large numbers of helpers of use
our better areas. Further, our last Badge event at Eyam Moor in November 1999
actually made a loss!
Over the period
September 1999 to July 2000 we had planned to put on one C3, seven C4, six C5,
two N5 and nine local events as part of our summer evening series. By contrast,
in the year September 2001 to July 2002 we will be putting on one C3, six C4,
five C5 and two N5 events, in addition to our summer events. Admittedly one our C4s may have to go as
we had to reschedule the Shining Cliff Badge Event and another may be downgraded
to reduce possible attendance because of parking problems. We are also going to
put on more street O events as part of an award received from the EMOA – for
which thanks! In addition, we are organising and planning the qualifying and
training day for the British Schools event in November.
As I said above, none
of the decisions about fixtures are taken with regard to either profit to be
made or levy paid. We aim to put on about two Badge Events every 18 months, with
a consequent easing of other fixtures so as not to put too great a burden on a
few people who typically do most of the key jobs at events.
Anyway, having got
that off my chest, on to lighter manners – at least for those involved – it’s
worth reporting that DVO has been making great efforts to ensure we have a
successful relay team in the future with the appearance this year of Sarah
Chaffey, Sarah Duckworth and Matthew Jackson, with at least one more on the way.
Sarah D and Matthew got their first taste of big events with their participation
in the Swiss 6-days - part of an enthusiastic, if not wildly successful, DVO
contingent. At least the food and wine were good, the event centre facilities
were excellent and, when there weren’t the dramatic thunderstorms and lightning
displays, the weather was hot. Some of the orienteering was quite good as well!
(The full story is in Newstrack – well, at least the editor’s version –
www.dvo.org.uk)
Back to events, is
there interest out there in the East Midlands for a one-day inter-club
competition? It’s just an idea floating around at the moment but it could
involve a short race in the morning followed by relays in the afternoon. It
could be competitive but also allow for scratch teams between clubs to ensure
that everyone gets a run. Let me have your views and I’ll put it to the EMOA
Committee.
Ranald Macdonald
Outgoing Chair
Derwent Valley Orienteers
Sports Personality
of the Month
My nomination for
sports personality of the month this month goes to Graham Johnson of DVO for
putting his sport above mere monetary concerns. On day 4 of the Swiss/Italian 6 Day
Event Graham got his spectcles caught on a
branch within 20 or 30 yards (sorry, metres!) of the finish. The branch whipped off the spectacles
clean as a whistle leaving Graham
with the decision whether to stop and look for his spectacles or carry on
to the finish and come back to look for them. Some people would have said that, as
these were not cheapo reading glasses but relatively expensive varifocals,
Graham would have been quite justified in stopping there and then to search for
them. However Graham’s competitive
instincts drove him on to the finish.
Needless to say his subsequent search for the spectacles, despite
assistance from a number of people including yours truly, proved fruitless. I feel that this shows a true
competitive spirit regardles of the consequences.
Ed
ps. A late contender
for the title was Pete Leake of LEI.
His claim originates from day 2 of the Twin Peaks event at Macclesfield
Forest. Pete decide that a 2.5 Km
walk to the start was an insufficient warm-up for the event so he decided to run
back to assembly to get properly warm (funnily enough his decision to return
coincided with the moment when he went to clear his SI card at the clear
station). I believe that the driver
of mini bus for the very young and the very old (the organisers description, not
mine) decided that Pete by this time looked sufficiently aged to deserve a lift
to the start so he only had to run 5Km instead of the 7.5Km he might have had to
run.
East Midlands
Galoppen 2001 - 2002
The Galoppen is an
informal competition with no entry forms or entry fees - it is open to all
members of East Midlands Orienteering Clubs and affiliated schools and
groups. To take part you simply
compete as an individual at the Colour Coded (C4) events within the region which
have been nominated as part of the Galoppen. Once you have run a given colour course
on at least two occasions, you will be automatically included in the league for
that course. There will be a
handicapping system to enable juniors, seniors and veterans to compete against
each other with a fair chance of success.
The handicapping
system will be the same as in previous years; It has been refined over the years and
found to be as fair as possible.
There are 13 events included in the Galoppen this year; in each league
the best 6 events will be counted.
The results will be
processed by computer; for the
system to work efficiently it is essential that you enter the same details on
your control card at each event: ie forename, surname, sex & age class and
club or group.
The Galoppen events
for 2001-2002 will be: Ratby Woodlands (7 Oct), Sherwood (28 Oct), Bourne Woods
(11 Nov), Eyam Moor (2 Dec), Harlow Woods (23 Dec), Walesby (13 Jan), Stapleford
(27 Jan), Burrough Hill (3 Feb), Grace Dieu (24 Mar), Swithland (6 Apr), Byron’s
Walk (14 Apr), Crich (21 Apr) and Twyford Woods (28 Apr). All events especially
the later ones are subject to permission being obtained. See next EMEWS for
updated information. It is proposed
that the prize-giving will be at the LEI Burbage Common event on 12 May
2002.
Inclusion in the
Galoppen leagues is automatic. If
you do not wish to be included please let us know.
The prize-giving for
last season’s Galoppen will take place at the LEI Ratby Woodlands event on 7
October.
The
Williamson family, 63 Loughborough Road, Quorn, Loughborough, Leics LE12 8DU Tel: 01509 412132
East Midlands
Galoppen Rules 2001 - 2002
1.
The Galoppen will take place at a number of specified Colour-Coded (C4)
events and will be open to all members of EMOA clubs and affiliated schools and
groups.
2.
The Galoppen will comprise 14 leagues, with separate male and female
leagues on the Colour-Coded courses White, Yellow, Orange, Light Green, Green,
Blue and Brown. (There will be no league for Red courses.)
3.
Any member may participate in any of the Colour-Coded leagues, with the
exception that M/W 14s and above who are members of the EM Junior Squad will not
be counted as competitors in the Orange league or below. When a person has run a given
Colour-Coded course at 2 Galoppen events, s/he will be included as a participant
in that league. A person may
compete in more than one Colour league, both within the Galoppen as a whole and
at any individual event, only the first course tackled will be deemed to be
included. No person will be given more than one prize at the end of the
Galoppen.
4.
The results for each Colour-Coded league will be calculated on the basis
of the best points scored by each participant at 50% of the events (rounded
down).
5.
At each event points will be allocated to each participant as
follows
(i)
The race time of each competitor will be adjusted by an age-based
percentage handicap (see below).
(ii) The winner of each league on
the basis of these adjusted times will be given 1000 points.
(iii) Other competitors will be given
points according to the formula:
competitor’s score = 1000 x competitor’s
adjusted time / winner’s adjusted time
6. The
percentage handicap adjustments will be as follows:
M/W 10 - 62%
M/W 12 :
68% M/W 14 : 73%
M/W 16 :
79% M/W 18 : 85%
M20 : 97 % W20 :
94%
M/W 21 : 100% M/W 35 : 94% M/W 40 : 88% M/W 45 : 82%
M/W 50 :
76% M/W 55 : 71%
M/W 60 :
65% M/W 65 : 60%
M/W 70 :
55%
M/W 75 + 50%
The above percentage
adjustments will be applied to the race time of all competitors on all courses,
with the exception that any Senior or Veteran competing on White, Yellow or
Orange courses will be given a handicap of 100%.
7.
The age class used for each person will be that which applies at the date
of the event. (The class for some
people will change as we move into 2002.)
8.
The Organisers cannot guarantee to include competitors whose full details
(name, sex & age class and club) do not appear in the official results of a
given event. If a competitor uses
different names at different events the computer will assume that they are
different people. (Please use the same details at all
events!)
9.
Appeals against the results of any event in the Galoppen should be
made in the first instance to the
Organisers within 10 days of publication.
If necessary, the Organisers will refer the appeal to the EMOA
Committee.