Sunday 10th July 2005
Highgate Common Local Event
Comments
Planners' Comments
First an apology. From the results it certainly looks as though in the conditions the courses were generally too long. Only Yellow and Blue fell well within the guidelines. Green was just inside (most finishers with in a time of 45 to 75 minutes), but only just. I did think with the unavoidable path running on this course the times would have been quicker, but I got it wrong. Light Green and Orange were the worst two time wise, but all I heard from people off the Orange course was that they enjoyed it, so I missed the guidelines but at least the customers I spoke to were happy. Light Green! I did not hear any comments from competitors on these courses. Maybe they were too exhausted. Checking the splits, the surprise to me was the big variation to control 9, the knoll that used to be an island in what is now a dried up pool? Of course I knew where it was, so it was very easy to me, but I suppose a knoll in a depression is not too common. So again apologies to all who found the courses too long.
To all who came on a sweltering hot day, thanks for making all the effort worth while. Special thanks must go to my daughter Heather who was 'volunteered' as organiser, she did an excellent job at short notice especially as she was still away at University until 4 weeks ago, to Alison Sloman who did a fantastic job getting all the equipment to me and taking it back after the event, the Chambers, the Farringtons who came back off holiday the day before and still turned up to do the electronic bits and posted the results on the web the same day, the Ford family, Russ Fauset, Charlie Nelson who were all roped in at the last minute, Robert Vickers and his volunteer helpers from the ARDF lot and of course the control collectors, I really was dreading going around again to collect everything, and everyone else who helped that I've missed. Thanks to everyone.
Barry Houghton
Organiser's Comments
So after being dropped into the role of organising (not that I mind, but in future perhaps someone could check that I actually know about it!) the planner and I proceeded to step on each other toes in our eagerness to get this event together. Once we decided to communicate with each other, the whole process was a lot smoother and after a last minute panic we were set up with just about enough volunteers to run the event. Despite the intense heat, all of the volunteers did sterling work. Here I must second the thanks that should go to the Ford family, who were keen to run almost anything; the Chambers, who even managed to get there without their car; the Farringtons and their computer genius; Russ and Charlie on the finish; the Hartmanns on the enquiries; Alison on the start, equipment collection and several other bits and pieces; Robert Vickers clocks and road signs; the ARDF orienteers who helped put up the registration tent; the control collectors (who must be a little mad to want to go for another run in that heat!). A final thanks to the planner, whose courses proved a little long, but were nevertheless praised by several competitors.
Heather Houghton