at Moors Valley Country Park
Dick Keighley comments: "A huge attendance today: well over 280 runners in all, including all the family groups. One of our biggest Canter entries for a long time: possibly the biggest ever. Thanks to all the WIM team who made it all possible."
Planners - Andrew Howard & Harry Bratcher-Howard, Organisers - Andy & Karen French, Controller - Kevin Pickering.
Father Christmas was Brian Hodge and the Elves were Grace French, Pippa Skinsley, Monty Bratcher-Howard & Alice French. The list of helpers also included Roger Moore, Lynn & Chris Wilson, John Warren, Kirsty & Eamon Staunton, Steve Mallison, Hilary Pickering, Karen Pickering, Lynn & Chris Branford, Jo Stanley, Kath Pike, Elizabeth Horsler, Trevor Bridle, Tamsin Horsler, Phil Harvey and John Oakes. What impressive teamwork!
Photographs by Chris Branford & Mike Kite
A cracking good event!
This was perhaps the biggest and best Canter I can recall. The weather was kind, the WIM teamwork was superb, and the Planners introduced a subtle variation on normal Score event rules which gave pause for thought.
Final Details informed us, "...we have planned a route of 8 controls that are easier to find and will take you on a loop around Moors Valley and back to the finish. These controls run in the control code sequence 131-138 and take you on a route that includes all 3 novelty controls." So, a bidirectional Yellow-type course with 150 bonus points. No doubt this was to aid the enjoyment of beginners, young children & families, but it also posed interesting decisions for slower, experienced orienteers.
Many treated this like a Harris relay leg, with a spine of 8 controls and loops through trickier terrain as far as time allowed. I did two small excursions, to 152 & 147 and 141 & 156. Maybe I should have gone for 146 or 140 too, but that's the sort of pressure that 60 minutes with 20 point penalties imposes. I finished with less than 3 minutes to spare so not a bad run.
Thank you again to all concerned. A special gold star for Hilary, in charge of mulled wine & mince pies - the perfect ending!
Mike Kite
