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Provisional results, penalties and mini mass start have been added.
Many thanks to the planner Robin Smith who offered up some really interesting courses in a nice bit of wood and I think he got the 3 course standards spot on. The short was mostly on line features, but with the option later on of going direct rather than around on a line feature. Long was a good technical challenge. Being in March the courses had to be restricted to the wooded area mainly as the open marsh areas have ground nesting birds coming in, although the open area at the start was usable as it is alongsice the road and heavily used anyway. Tha's why it was not possible to have a spectator control. Originally the event was scheduled for Browndown Camp area but Landmarc kicked us off as it is a SSSI in places and they would not allow any civilians on there after Feburary and it also needs English Nature written approval. Perhaps next year if we hold it in Feb?
We are looking at the format of the relay as attendance is 50% of what we get for the Harris event and considering having either a series on mini mass starts for each leg to shorten the day and then just add times afterwards, or perhaps even just run it as a normal league event with the Blue course designated as the relay course and then we just add the times of the fastest 3 from each unit. Perhaps have major & Minor teams on the Blue and then Vets, Women as best 3 on the Light Green and U25 best 3 on Long orange. The aim is just to get more people taking part. We lose the spectator part of the relay, but not many stay for that anyway. Thoughts on this concept would be appreciated. Please email allan@baoc.info and I will review with my AOA Tech Advisor hat on.
Follow this link to see the drone videon of the start and whole area shots. Interesting to watch the different start techiques, some just run anywhere whilst they check the map, including in the wrong direction, others work out where first control is and then shoot off and some just walk and wander. Great pics though. There were 3 first controls with the Long cse being furthest away.
