Sunday
6th February 2011
(rearranged from 6th December 2010)
Hawkbatch
Yvette Baker Trophy Final 2010 (Level B)
Local (Level D) Event
Comments
Controller's Comments
My top priority was the YBT courses. I did not want any protests, so they had to be right:; controls in the right place, courses of the correct length and to the right technical difficulty. I was particularly keen on having the course lengths right (distance and climb). It is my belief that courses should not be made longer when the event is a final but planned to the consistent standard as given in the guidelines.
It was getting the courses to the right technical difficulty where Richard and I disagreed. He wanted to squeeze the maximum amount of technical difficulty he could whilst I wanted a progression through yellow, orange, light green to green. It all came down to our interpretations of the guidelines but the final courses were very good, especially in using the best of the terrain and avoiding the worst of the brambles. Well done, Richard.
The weather in December was a significant problem. This put a considerable burden on Rachel having to make a difficult decision but the right decision was made and a successful final was achieved. Wind, in my view, is the organiser's biggest headache but with the help of the tried and tested Harlequin teams this too was overcome. So a big thank you is required for Rachel and Richard, the Harlequin team leaders and their teams, who delivered a memorable event.
Russ Fauset (HOC)
Planner's Comments
Thanks to all those who ran at the YBT final and the local event that preceded it. I hope you enjoyed the courses. We tried to keep you out of the worst brambles, and certainly the snow in December had helped to make the wood a bit more runnable. On the other hand, we hadn't anticipated that a whole section of the wood would have been logged between the original event date and the actual one! To those on the long courses in the morning, I apologise for the control in the SE corner that was a little too high - put it down to the rush to get controls out on Saturday and still run at the British Night Champs! Thanks to my controller Russ Fauset for his hard work improving my courses and anticipating problems, and also to Andy Hemsted for his useful advice on planning for juniors. Thanks also to Rachel for all the organisation, and to all the HOC helpers, many of whom stayed long after their event was finished. In particular, thanks to the small group of control collectors who stayed right to the bitter end: Peter Langmaid, John Embrey, and Lesley and Eric Brown.
Richard Dearden (HOC)
Organiser's Comments
Following the cancellation of the December-scheduled YBTF, we were very keen for this event to go ahead without interruption by the weather. Unfortunately it was the wind that turned on us this time. I realised it was particularly windy when the red and white tape enclosing the funnel stretched to double it's previous length immediately after being secured! We just about managed to stop the registration and download tents being blown away, but only because we had dedicated helpers holding the roof poles down continuously. This anchor-method worked fine until the prize giving when the tent was seen somersaulting across the field behind the crowd watching prize giving! No harm was done (to tent or person). Many of the YBTF clubs worked hard to try and erect their tents alongside the finish funnel, however the wind made this almost impossible. A couple of tents lay on the ground covered in crouching juniors; I suspect this was a temporary solution to the question "what do we do with the tent when we can't put it up, or take it down?". Despite the wind, I think the event was enjoyed by all. The morning local event was perhaps a little compressed, but we're happy that the courses could be enjoyed by both the non-YBTF and YBTF competitors alike.
Thanks to the members of HOC who contributed massively to the successful running of the event; their ability to run large events seamlessly is a tribute to their dedication week after week. Special thanks go to Richard Dearden for planning the great courses, Russ Fauset for keeping a close eye on him and also to Robert Vickers who guided me through the subtleties that are required in planning a national event. Further thanks go to Carol and Mike Farrington who played a key role in ensuring that entries were converted to start times and to Brenda Morgan who attended specifically to present prizes (in somewhat difficult conditions!). Finally, thanks also must go to Mr. Gatehouse, the farmer, who was particularly helpful during the planning period, but also on the day (when you need a man with a tractor!).
Rachel Dearden (HOC)
LOST PROPERTY:
We have a number of lost property items:
Small Thermos flask with black cup
Silver ear phones
Black, grey and white scarf
Snack-sized Mars bar (lost near the results display!)
Lid from a thermal mug
If you wish to claim any of the above, contact me at hawkbatchybtf@gmail.com
and we shall arrange a delivery mechanism.