57th Rodings Rally - Saturday 16th / Sunday 17th November 2013

 

EPPING FOREST OUTDOOR GROUP

Dear Competitors,

Thank you all for entering the 57th Rodings Rally and well done to everyone who took part. We had a terrific entry this year, 96 teams were registered to start and for those of you who just missed the deadline, bad luck and please try to be a bit quicker next year! The provisional date for the 58th Rodings Rally is 15th/16th November 2014, so please save the date in your calendars.

Of the 56 teams entering the 10 checkpoint event, 13 teams managed to find all 10 checkpoints. The winning team CHIG (Chigwell and Epping Forest Orienteering Club) steamed round in 3 hours and 55 minutes, 43 minutes ahead of the South London Orienteers, on what many people thought was a more difficult course than usual. Special mention also should go to Squadron B of the Wanstead and Woodford Air Cadets, the only under-20 team to enter the 10 checkpoint event, who managed to find 9 checkpoints in 8 hours and 3 minutes, a valiant effort for a young team.

In the five checkpoint event, the team to beat once again was DM Go Faster from the Danbury Mission, who went round in 2 hours and 12 minutes, followed by Dean, Regis and Matt in 3 hours and a minute.

The Group Trophies, awarded to the group or club with the three highest placed teams in each event, went to the Rayleigh Rockets in the 10 checkpoint event (27 checkpoints in 18.23 hours) and to the 7th Stoke Newington Scout Group (13 checkpoints in 18.19 hours).

The Rockets Trophy this year once again went to the team DM GO Faster, for completing the 5 checkpoint event in the fastest time. Nine teams in this year’s event were under 20, including one team, Squadron B of the 241 Air Cadets who entered the 10 checkpoint event. Well done to you all and we hope to see more teams in this category in the future.

The YHA Trophy again went to the South Middlesex YHA Group. As they have been the only YHA group to enter for a while, we expect to delete this category from next year.

Finally the Suffolk Orienteering Trophy for endeavour was awarded to the Dynamic Duo from the 7th Stoke Newington Scouts, two young ladies who were still going on the course, arriving at checkpoint 6 at 6.45am and making it back to the village hall with just over half an hour to spare.

Trophy winners will be contacted shortly to confirm delivery arrangements if not already received.

As stated on our information sheet, 50p from every entry is donated to a charity nominated each year at our AGM. Those of you who entered the 2012 Rally may be interested to learn that your donations went to Haven House Hospice for Children. A small party from EFOG went to visit the Hospice in April 2013 and found it a very moving and rewarding experience.

Feedback section:

Every year we have some feedback from our contestants, which is always most useful. For those of you who have put up entries on the Facebook page, please be advised that Susan Carroll isn’t on Facebook, so if you would like this information to get to the EFOG, please can you email me directly.

This year, due to the unavailability of our usual expert starter, Annette Kurton, we had two novices, Pam and Madeleine, bravely stepping into the breach. Here are their thoughts…

Pam –

It was a very positive experience. Also, delightful to “meet” participants – very many regulars as well as quite a few newcomers – there was a huge variety of very enthusiastic people. Extremely rewarding to hear first hand just how much the rally is appreciated by participants.

Madeleine –

I wasn't sure what to expect, but thanks to Tony's experience and unflappability, and mine and Pam's enthusiasm, all went fairly well.  After a steady start, at busy times it got quite hectic, but everyone got away eventually, and I think we all found it a positive, enjoyable experience - thankfully the weather was quite mild, although definitely blankets next year!

It was also great to finally meet the competitors - I'd always wondered what sort of people would give up a Saturday night to run around a forest trying to solve fiendish clues and find the craftily-hidden checkpoints; well they all seemed very nice, and very keen, and I hope they all had a great evening.

And thanks to Maz, Jana and Katie from EFOG who visited a couple of times, and to Duncan, Peter G, Chris and a chap whose name I don't know for constructing and demolishing our little camp.

Russell Banks of St Aubyns School Cadets –

Just a quick note to say thanks very much for organizing such a great night's fun on Saturday night. The cadets and instructors all enjoyed it immensely. It's fantastic that we get the chance to spend some time in the forest at night time. The weather was once again very kind to all the competitors.

If you could pass on my thanks to everyone involved I would be grateful.

Tim Cartwright of the Cockney Nimrods writes -

Many thanks for another great event. It seemed more difficult than in the last couple of years but that is a good thing to me.

Normally I grab the card back at the end of the night and mark down the times we were at each time point, however I forgot to grab it this year (due to tiredness no doubt).

Would you be able to send me the time we were at each checkpoint (Cockney Nimrods 3 – team 77). This helps the post analysis, which will no doubt last for a good couple of weeks.

Many thanks

Ps – Our other 2 teams did terrible so we have gloating rights for another year!!

Mike Fleming of the Wychelm Badminton Brigade –

To "Sue the hand",

I'd like to thank you and the other team members, on behalf of the 'M.A.N.' and 'Badminton Brigade' teams for putting on another great event this year.

We had 2 new 'attendees' this year (should have been 4 - but work commitments cancelled 'The Belly Sliders' team). They thoroughly enjoyed the evening, so much so, that when asked if they'd take part again, replied "Oh God yes!"

I'm sorry that I never got to see you, other than just "the hand", but maybe next year.

What could have been a VERY interesting encounter, was the guy at the tea hut who had the rubber skull mask. Had one of our crowd not been tipped off by her fiancé, then I think you'd have heard her scream from where your tent was pitched. Great idea, we'll have to wear something like that next year.

Looking forward to seeing how far up (or down) we are in the final results, and we'll definitely be back (with more teams) next year.

Many thanks again to all of you who took part and we look forward to seeing you all next year.

Detailed Results, and the answers to the clues, are available HERE

On behalf of Epping Forest Outdoor Group:

Ann Lowther & Sue Carroll

 

Lost Property:

If you or any of your teammates have mislaid any of the following items, please contact us to claim them back. : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Any property unclaimed after 3 months will be donated to a local charity shop.

1. Grey, black and blue (horizontal striped woolen hat

2. Pair ladies (small) black soft leather gloves

3. Black head torch with 'LED Headlight' woven into the black headband