Sitting down to write these comments, I thought I would refer to what I said last year in order not to repeat myself too much. A lot of what I said then still applies though - I am still amazed that one club can put on such a huge event year after year and, judging by your comments at the end of the event, this year seems to have been voted one of the best ever.
The scene was set when I visited the proposed assembly area with Keith MacDermott, our permissions officer. The improvements that Scarborough Motor Club have made to the camp over the last few years convinced us what a fine assembly area it would make. We were faced with a very difficult decision as to whether we could fit the camping into the park as well and our original thoughts were that we could make it work - just ! Over the next few weeks we began to wonder whether it would be too tight but, after visiting the area when a major inter-regional motorcycle event was taking place, where most of the competitors were camping on the areas you now know as Campsites A, B and C, I knew it was not only possible but would make for a great atmosphere. Almost at the last minute, as lots of late entries flooded in, we again started to get nervous - hence the additional areas of grass cut on the Friday morning which enabled us to fit you all in.
I was unsure whether you would like the campsite being split up into smaller groups, but a number of you took the time to say how much you enjoyed it as it created a friendlier atmosphere. We would welcome more comments to enable us to decide whether this should become a design feature for future years.
As some of you may know, Dave Raymond from NATO sustained a nasty broken ankle out in the forest on day 1. Dave has asked me to pass on his thanks to David Anderson who found him and stayed with him till help arrived and to Ian Hopkins from HOC who gave up his run to report it to the finish. My thanks to the Scarborough Mountain Rescue Team and to the EBOR members (Graham Capper, Steve Whitehead and Simon Schmuck especially ) who helped to extract him from the forest. Dave is now well on the way to recovery and is recuperating at home.
I also need to thank a group of people without whom the White Rose would not happen. Special thanks go to:
I'd also like to thank our sponsors and equipment suppliers:
Yorkshire Water, Morrisons Utility Services, the Army and Osbaldwick Scouts
And finally, grateful thanks go to Paul Manton, Eileen Race and the members of Scarborough & District Motor Club for the use of this superb venue.
Many of you attended the prizegiving on Saturday and Sunday and I know lots of you were pleased that prizes were awarded to the first three runners in all classes. If you think this is the way it should be at all events, please make your feelings known through the orienteering media. There are still a number of unclaimed prizes.
Found property:
One pair of 'O' shoes, a single 'O' shoe !
one compass and a watch.
Lost property:
One dibber.
Please contact me to arrange collection of prizes or lost property from future events.
On behalf of the club, I would like to thank you for coming, hope you all had a great weekend and look forward to seeing you all again next year and if you enjoyed it - please feel free to tell everyone else what they missed.
Nev Myers Event Co-ordinator 01904 767677 Neville@myers-n.demon.co.uk
I was flattered to be approached in mid-June 2003 by Nev Myers and asked to control the White Rose, so I decided this was the ideal time to move up from Grade 3 to Grade 2 Controller. A quick flick through BOF Rules, Appendices and Guidelines confirmed that by this stage Planning would be complete (even if appointment of the Controller should have been November 2002) and that I could visit the forests at leisure to agree courses with Jeff Harris.
The reality of course was that the draft maps appeared mid July and the first opportunity to evaluate the courses and visit the area (Day 1 only) was the weekend before the Scottish 6 Day. To cut a long story short I did visit 99% of control sites, reviewed and discussed all courses, confirmed control descriptions, produced control load statistics and thoroughly checked the printed maps by Friday 22 August, 12 hours before the first competitors set off into the forest. There was not much slack left in the system but all credit to Jeff for the huge amount of effort he had to squeeze into the same timescales.
I met up with Jeff on a scorching hot day and we decided the logical first step was to wander up to the start and look at the direction competitors would set off on, especially Juniors. Our route took us through thistles and head high bracken across what looks like a nice open hillside from the valley. Jeff led me along to the recently felled area, the trees lying crazily along the path that courses were originally going to follow. Jeff handed me a map with 75 circles, the vast majority on light to dark green and spaced up and down each side of the river valley. After visiting a couple of controls with Jeff to determine what I was looking for (orange fluorescent tape) I ploughed off down the first major re-entrant in search of the first small gully. Three exhausting hours later I had only just managed to get to the small bridge at the southern end of the area, with the prospect of a similar battle along the west bank. This proved even tougher, and after I slid down the steep slopes to visit controls to the east of the "yellow" areas I was quite concerned about what the reaction of some of the competitors would be!
I made a number of suggestions to Jeff (constructive criticism), and when he produced the next cut of courses the result was very satisfying and close to the final versions you ran on the day. Quite a few controls on the east bank were removed, as I didn't think competitors would find following each other too much of a problem. A string of short legs on the east bank were removed to give the long leg (147 to 153 or 154) with various route choice options. The longer courses were taken over the fields to a) avoid the steep bank and b) give competitors a nice view. A river crossing half way down the valley would have made that a viable option for other courses but there was no guarantee it would be dry and even more climb would be introduced. Jeff relocated the finish further east to gain a bit more distance and improve the variety of terrain. The only problem course was JM4/JW4 (too technical I said) but Jeff insisted it was OK. We resolved the situation by adding a control that forced competitors along the top path and made them count re-entrants more easily.
On the day (with the exception of M35L) the spread of results (and the formula should be based on Recommended Gold badge Times) looked about right. Competitors who decided to run Long instead of Short because the distances didn't look very much possibly had a nasty shock. Post race comments were almost entirely positive - I missed much of the feedback however as I was tending to the casualty lying in the forest with a broken and dislocated ankle!
The only disappointing note on the day was the failure of a few competitors to remember to download. Apologies were received and accepted from two competitors. The EOD pair on the Red might still be lying out there. One W21 (from an overseas club I believe) never spoke to us and despite the notices on Day 2 again competed but didn't download. Please please download first thing on future events, before you wash, before you change, before first aid (ask Steve Whitehead) and before you drive home.
Langdale had to be checked and confirmed two weeks before the event! Once again I set out into the forest in really hot weather, having already completed the outstanding Day 1 control sites. After floundering up to my waist on the first ride I could see why Jeff had decided against his first options for the Juniors. I enjoyed following the ditches through the dark green and was rather surprised to find that the forest road had grown 1 km in a week since Jeff's last visit. Navigating the ditches in the stripy green was challenging and though one could argue about small ditches, big ditches and extraction lanes ad infinitum the control sites chosen were all exactly where Jeff had placed the tapes. I finished the day sinking rapidly in a marsh in the middle of the area and pondered about how we could relocate controls in the area. I think Jeff suggested we map it as uncrossable and print a warning on the final details. Courses were able to approach the marsh with caution, though I did hear one competitor was rescued after shouting for help!
JM/JW2 (Yellow) proved to be the problem course and we hit on the idea of sending juniors down the ride and along the ditch in the dark green. If you are small I reckoned it probably seemed a pretty good line feature. Jeff bashed the bracken to get them out of the forest, probably appreciated by the senior competitors who found this convenient elephant track. We are sorry we couldn't do the same for every other ride in the forest.
On the day, comments were again favourable and winning times faster. Naturally the competitors who didn't like Day 1 liked Day 2 and vice versa!
Overall I was very pleased with the event, and think Jeff planned excellent courses for all standards. I hope EBOR let him have a small break now. I haven't had to comment on the event organisation - as always EBOR put together an enthusiastic band including the team putting out SI Units (and bringing them and the kites back); well organised start team, finish team, results and enquiries. I did say no to controlling the Relay however! It was a pleasure working with EBOR and they made me very welcome, even if a churning stomach bug prevented me enjoying the club BBQ.
Colin Matheson (Newcastle & Tyneside Orienteers)
At this years White Rose all three days, Barns Cliff - Day 1, Langdale - Day 2 and Low North Park - Day 3, offered different orienteering challenges in terms of terrain and technique. I tried to get the best out of each area and keep competitors in the best bits of the forest, or out of the worst bits (honestly!). Judging by your comments at the end of your runs the majority of you thought this had been achieved.
My one disappointment of the weekend was the mistake I made with Control #122 - River Crossing in the Relays on Day 3, I marked the control in the wrong place on the map, anyone effected by my error please accept my apologies. I hope it didn't spoil your run too much or your overall enjoyment of the event.
Obviously an event such as the White Rose can't take place without the help and co-operation of numerous people, most of whom no doubt Nev will mention, however I would like to thank the following people who were of particular help to me as planner: -
See you in the forest.
Jeff Harris, Planner
Another fine dry day in North Yorkshire - we are definitely being spoilt for weather this year which in turn gives us excellent riding. The time limit was too long for this event - 2½ hours would have been better. Then only 2 riders would have got them all - 16 was too many. If it had been wet I am sure that the scores would have been much lower. However I have had a few emails from riders who regularly score a lot less who really enjoyed visiting so many controls within the time limit.
Most riders chose to go round Harwood Dale first - mainly because the climb up into Broxa looked excessive. However there were lots of variations even amongst those riders who scored 525. I really enjoyed the small intricate tracks around the spurs in Broxa. You had to keep in close contact with the map before the long fast descent down Whisper Dale.
Control 106 wasn't working so you have been given the points if you reported it at the finish. (However it could appear anywhere in your splits without a time). If you visited it but forgot to report it please let me know which control you visited before and after and I will amend your score in the Ebor/Clok League.
Thanks again to the planners (Andy & Corinne Parsons) as well as all of the helpers and control collectors. Please let me know if there are any errors. It is getting more interesting as more riders get 6 counting scores.
I have already had 4 offers to plan events next year so please let me know if you want to volunteer. I will publish a list of proposed dates and venues in a fortnight. Results of all our MBO events are on the TCA, Ebor and Clok web pages www.trailquest.co.uk www.eborienteers.org.uk www.clok.org.uk
Steve Willis