Planner's Comments

We were blessed with fine weather on the day which helped to boost numbers as did the closeness of the Frolics scores before this final event of the 2009 season.

Many people were very complimentary about their courses. I decided to keep everyone in the woods until the finish to avoid any problems with cattle enclosures and, if it had been a very hot day, I felt you would welcome the coolness of the forest. Some people said they were pleased they did not have to climb the hill up towards the hunting lodge to the south of Chingford Plain.

Because Epping Forest is heavily used, paths proliferate rapidly. Also, I discovered whilst out control checking that the mapped vegetation is very variable. Many areas of slow run and some of walk would have been mapped as white on other maps. However, when planning the Frolics and extension courses I wanted to give you the opportunity to get off the paths and to provide some route choices. So, I made use of “green” areas. I think the biggest surprise was visiting the pollarded sections which look like something from another planet.

I had printed 70 each of the Frolics and extension maps but we ended up a few maps short. I am sorry to those later runners on the extension who had to have a recycled map; thank you to everyone who donated their map at download. If anyone would like a copy of the map I can either email the PDF version or post a printed copy. Please let me have you details and which course or part you would like.

Thanks to my brother Tony for looking over the courses and making constructive comments and, for managing the SI kit and results. Also, thanks to Barbara and Paul for taking on the organisation. The organisation was not easy as quite a few HAVOC members were either away or otherwise engaged on the day leaving nine of us and a co-opted LOK member to run the event. My thanks go to everyone who gave their time to help out and to all the competitors for coming and making the hard work worthwhile.

Janet Biggs
chairman@orienteering-havoc.co.uk.