Dear All

Latest League attached and a few words below. There was a blue towel left at Dorchester if anyone knows its home let Chris Branford know. Don’t forget the prize giving will be on Monday 3rd April at the Wimborne Town Urban event.

Please circulate widely and particularly let people know the last event on Monday 6^th March has been moved to Broadstone Rec. Also can you reiterate to organisers that for forest events competitors must carry a spare torch or batteries. This is not just for their own safety, but if on a bitter night a search party has to be raised it puts them at risk too. It is also incumbent on the organisers to ensure those who collect controls in at forest events have a spare torch. If they get caught out it is unlikely there will be enough people left to form a search party. For Urban races competitors must wear something reflective. It is probably prudent in an urban environment for control collection to be done in pairs – especially at that time of night.

Dorchester – Monday 6 February

The weather was pretty foul but I hope that didn’t put you off as it was a gem of a race. Plus a new map to run on. Di Tilsley had planned a really challenging course. This can be borne out by the multitude of different routes taken. I’m still finding different and better ways! The rain may have been chilly to start with but you soon warmed up, as did the brain. That didn’t stop me from making one or two stupid errors. I will blame the rain for some of that as reading the map in those conditions was difficult. Some adopted the stop and work out the route, memorise it and go for it. There was plenty of ‘how do I get to that one’ and ‘which side of the wall is that one’. Get it wrong and you wasted those precious minutes. Jo Pickering and I were running together at one point before she missed a not so obvious alleyway and took the long way round. Becca Ellis ‘following me’ ended up in a back garden – but I won’t tell anyone Becca. (see I told you I would get you back for calling me fat!). A few of us adjourned to the local hostelry for a well-deserved meal which rounded off the evening perfectly. Congratulations to Helen Bridle (class will out) who showed us all how to do it. Thanks to all those involved for what turned out to be a great night.

The League leaders are starting to become clearer. In the Open there are only four who can now win. Rob Finch, but he has to attend all the last three races and win them, achievable but unlikely. Andy Snell has a mathematical chance but must win all the last three races without Gavin or Peter improving their scores – again achievable but very unlikely. Peter Suba is probably favourite providing he scores well in two of the last three races. Gavin although currently top will not be at the last two races which give Peter his chance. On the female side Annie is looking favourite but Jo and Becca can still outdo her.

In the Handicap League Gavin is favourite for the men’s trophy and Charlotte again for the womens, but there are still challengers who can could take both titles. Mike Frizzel is looking favourite to again take the prestigious ‘most events attended’ title.

Regards

Gavin

Open 14    Handicap 14