The 56th Rodings Rally - November 2012

This years Rodings Rally took place overnight on 17/18th November. By 15th November – the last date for registration - 77 teams had been registered. As in 2011, the 2012 Rally - according to most competitors - turned out to be a most enjoyable event...

This annual event consists of 10 checkpoints scattered throughout Epping Forest, the final one being High Beech Village Hall, which also acts as Headquarters for the night. Competitors are required to find either 9 checkpoints – plus the village hall (the 10 Checkpoint Event), or 4 checkpoints plus the village hall (the 5 Checkpoint Event)

Those teams that had entered for the 10 Checkpoint Event needed to locate nine checkpoints in Epping Forest, and to return to the final checkpoint at High Beach Village Hall within 8 hours. Out of the 37 teams entered for this event, only 18 teams did this within the time limit. The winning team, Suff Folk, sped round the course in 3 hours and 9 minutes, quite an achievement for an approximately 10 mile course deep in the forest at night! In second place – and only 45 minutes behind - were the CamRacers.

The 10 Checkpoint Group Trophy is awarded to the three highest placed teams from the same group or club. It was won for the second year running by the Cockney Nimrods, whose three teams discovered a total of 30 checkpoints in 15 hours and 41 minutes. Hot on the heels of the Nimrods were long-time rivals Rayleigh Rockets, whose top three teams found 30 checkpoints in 16 hours and 2 minutes.

The YHA Trophy has been awarded since 2008 to the highest-placed 10 Checkpoint team from a YHA group. Yet again South Middlesex Local Group, whose 1st team found all 10 checkpoints in 5 hours 22 minutes, took first place.

The rest of the competitors – who had entered for the 5 Checkpoint Event - were required to locate Checkpoints 1, 5, 6 and 8, as well as the village hall. The winners this year were DM Go Faster - a team from Danbury Mission - who completed the course in 2 hours and 2 minutes. Competition was in the form of the Barnet Strollers who finished in 2 hours and 41 minutes.

The 5 Checkpoint Group Trophy (for the 3 highest placed teams from the same organisation competing in the 5 checkpoint event) was awarded to newcomers 1st Moreton & Fyfield Scouts, who were the the only contenders for this trophy. Their three teams found 15 checkpoints in 19 hours and 11 minutes. Well done, and we hope there will be more competition next year!

The winner of the Rockets Trophy (awarded for the first time in 2011 for the fastest team in the 5 checkpoint event with the majority of team members age under 20) was the DM Go Faster team from Danbury Mission. Well done! This was an excellent result given that this team were overall winners of the 5 checkpoint event and were inaugural winners of the Rockets Trophy last year. It was pleasing to see that ten of the teams entering the 5 checkpoint event qualified as "young" teams.

Finally the Suffolk Orienteering Club Trophy for "Best Endeavour" was awarded to the 1st Moreton & Fyfield Scouts. They had three teams of very young competitors, and two of the teams spent over seven hours in the Forest to find all their 5 checkpoints.

25p out of each competitor's entry fee received is donated to charity. As usual the charity benefiting from this year's event will be agreed at EFOG's AGM in January. In 2011 a donation of £200 was made to the Epping Forest Conservation Trust, whose chair, Judy Adams, later came to speak to the club on behalf of her Group.

Well done to all who entered, and we hope to see you again at Rodings Rally 2013!

For a detailed look at the Results, plus the answers to the Clues - click here (this will open in a new window as a pdf file)

For an EFOG member's view of participating in the Rally - click here

For a selection of competitors comments - click here