rodingrally_2009_results
53rd RODINGS RALLY (2009) Report & Results Saturday 14th/Sunday 15th November 2009 Dear Competitors Thank you for taking part in the 53rd Rodings Rally. By Friday 13th November registrations for 78 teams had been received, with 72 turning up on the night. We were pleased that so many of you turned out given the wet and windy conditions. Teams entering the 10 checkpoint event are required to find nine checkpoints in the forest, and return to the final checkpoint at High Beach Village Hall within 8 hours. 13 teams (out of 39) achieved this within the time limit, congratulations again to Suffoc who sailed round the course in 3 hours and 56 minutes. They were over an hour ahead of the team who bagged second place – N Downs Mountain Rescue – good to see a different name near the top of the board! The 10 Checkpoint Group Trophy (the 3 highest placed teams from the same organisation) was won yet again this year by the Alchemists whose top 3 teams discovered a total of 27 checkpoints in 20 hours and 49 minutes. Since 2008 the YHA Trophy has been awarded to the highest placed 10 checkpoint team from a YHA group. This year the trophy returns to South Middlesex Local Group, whose first team located all 10 checkpoints in 6 hours 55 minutes. The 5 checkpoint event, where teams were required to locate checkpoints 1, 3, 5 and 6, as well as the village hall, was won this year by Nick and the Oldies in 2 hours and 6 minutes. Well done & congratulations, you win the Vic Halsted 5 Checkpoint Trophy. The 5 Checkpoint Group Trophy (for the 3 highest placed teams from the same organisation competing in the 5 checkpoint event) returns to East Barnet School. The top 3 teams from the school - located 15 checkpoints in 13 hours and 13 minutes. Hot on their heels were 3 of 5 teams from Danbury Mission: DMs Sporty, Speedy and Down Under took 13 hours 40 minutes to locate 15 checkpoints. The Suffolk Orienteering Club trophy for “Best Endeavour” is awarded to the team of young 7th Stoke Newington Scouts who enthusiastically found two checkpoints at their first attempt at the event, undeterred by the weather. The Walking Stick Prize goes to Danbury Mission Down Under who managed to go round the course backwards for two checkpoints, although they did eventually return to complete the correct course. Trophy winners will be contacted shortly to confirm delivery arrangements. As previously mentioned we were grateful that so many of you turned up on the night, despite the weather. It was good to have some new teams, as well as those that participate year after year. We often wonder what brings you all back….one long-standing competitor emailed us after the event to tell us why. …. we want to be in the forest at night, soaking up the atmosphere, hearing the owls call, snuffing the tang of wet leaves, and trying (and often failing) to avoid the slap of holly branches in our eyes. We revel in the coded calls around the checkpoints (occasionally, in the attempt to confuse other teams with one’s own fake calls), and in the sheer, joyous juvenility of being abroad in the deep, dark woods when sensible folks are long abed. Of course, we also crave the competition, the excitement of chasing down other teams, the fear of being caught by them, the exhilaration of finding that tent dead on your bearing, and even the despair of wandering fruitlessly around the checkpoint area as other teams arrive and depart. (Tom Townsend, Rayleigh Rockets. His full article may be found on the Epping Forest Outdoor Group website: www.efog.org.uk) The solutions to the clues are enclosed with this report. As stated on the Rodings Rally information sheet sent out with the entry form, 25p out of every each competitor’s entry fee received is donated to charity. This year we will be donating at least £60; the specific charity to which the donation is sent will be agreed at our AGM in January. Hope you all had a good time and thanks to those of you for your comments after the event. Any feedback – good or bad – is welcome! We would be grateful if you would take a few minutes to read the lost property list below. Any property unclaimed after 3 months will be donated to a local charity shop. We are still awaiting confirmation on the date of Rodings Rally 2010. We will keep you posted on this! Ann Lowther & Sue Stirling On behalf of Epping Forest Outdoor Group LOST PROPERTY Boots, size 8 (have you picked up a pair of Hi-Tec size 9s in error?) Trainers, size euro 45 Head torch Sweater Overtrousers Black nylon container If you think any of these items belongs to you or one of your team mates please email Ann & Duncan Lowther This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with a brief description, or ring 020 8508 0874. Results
CLUES
Checkpoints 1,3,5,6 were on both the 5 & 10 cp events. Some teams had difficulty with checkpoint 1. Checkpoint 4 also caused problems, probably because although according to the map the area should be scrub/thicket, it has recently been partially cleared and new footpaths have appeared.
Number of teams reaching checkpoints were as follows:
* These checkpoints were on the 10CP route only and so had fewer teams reaching them |