A Few Comments

I've been off for the last week now, and it was thanks to Stephen for getting the results online for the Belvoir Forest results last week. We've been experimenting with a new facility for allowing organiser's to post results directly onto the website. Feedback will be used to improve the procedure and potentially provide the same facility for the mainstream orienteering websites.

As for what's been going on - there's been some debate over people who mis-punch at WEE Series courses. The official line is that they should really be disqualified, but this doesn't fit in with the friendly and informal approach being sought at the WEE Series. The suggestion after the Ormeau Event was that missed controls should be penalised as a time penalty. Two minutes was used on this occassion, but a ten minute penalty might be more appropriate. Comments are welcome from all competitors on this ruling. The idea was to allow people to still be clasified and earn points, but not to encourage simply running around a loop missing out all controls.

Finally, in relation to handicap percentages allocated to competitors. Any requests to have your value modified should be made before the end of first series. All comments will be viewed fairly, but any allocated handicaps will be fixed for the second set of events in August. You have your opportunity to make comment now.

I'll leave it to Stephen to comment on the enjoyable (if damp and slightly stingy in shorts) courses. The final event of the first series will be taking place at Ballyclare. If you're stuck for a lift out to the event, drop me an email. I'll be driving out from Belfast, and can offer a lift to anyone stuck for transport.

Declan

What Happened- An Organiser's Report

Numbers were of course down on last week, particularly on the short course, though the reduction on the long course was only 28%.

Despite the weather and the mud, I hope that the courses were challenging and enjoyable. Sorry that the long course was a little short and the short was a little long. The WEE series using parks needs to be planned with cable ties in mind which was a factor I hadn't taken into account until after the maps were printed. I was able to find something secure to tie the controls to close to the ideal location, but it would have been better to plan with this in mind, so planners for the rest of the series may like to take note.

The second half of the long course from Control 8 onwards was the same as the Youth Games on the previous Saturday. Interestingly the few who completed both courses didn't do much better second time around on the more technical legs. There's no doubt that Leg 13 caused the most problems and tests the ability to slow down when changing from easy to trickier terrain. Check out splitsbrowser to see the graphical representation of this. The link to splitsbrowser is on the left of the screen.

Fortunately following on from the Youth Games, I also had the club's Magic Tent and the convenient picnic table gave a dry area for the registration and some shelter for competitors.

Thanks are due in particular to Declan, not only my assistant for the evening but also the coordinator of the series, and to Alan for collecting in all the controls as light faded.

Results, Splits and league tables are now up. Declan now takes the lead on the long course, but Ann Savage and Rosemary Croley with only 2 events attended are strong contenders along with Johnathan McCloy.

Just a reminder that there's more of the same this Saturday 20 May at Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor. Starts between 12.00 and 13.00. The benfits of the enlargement of the EU has brought for the first time Slovakian String Courses to Northern Ireland courtesy of Igor. I'm told this will be great fun for juniors and novices, but I'm hoping I can have a go myself!