Day 1: TempO - Leeds University campus - Prizewinners.
Open class
1 Ian Ditchfield MV 283.5s
2 Tom Dobra UBOC 287.4s
3 Nick Barrable SYO 315 s
Junior class
1 Matthew Leitch SO 364.5s
2 Anna Harris DEE 487s
3 Tim Dalheimer IK Vikings OK 502s
Day 2: PreO - Ampleforth Abbey - Prizewinners
Elite Open class
1 Peter Huzan SLOW 18pts + 10.5s
2 Iain Phillips LEI 18pts + 12.5s
3 Anne Straube OD 18pts + 14s
Elite Para class
1 John Crosby NATO 15pts + 16s
Elite Junior class
1 Anna Harris DEE 18pts + 20.5s
2 Matthew Leitch SO 14pts + 14.5s
3 Emma Phillips LEI 13pts + 28.5s
Peter and Christine Roberts putting out kites at Ampleforth
TempO Comments by Peter Roberts (Planner)
After 2 years of mapping and planning the event has finally finished. The TempO area was fixed fairly early on. The PreO area took a little longer viewing 6 areas in total and mapping and planning 2. The reserve area was at the White Horse and was very technical feature wise and the PreO map has been adapted to be used at the Ebor event in April for a control picking course.
Ampleforth was decided on because of the facilities and good walking surface.
Each day posed a problem in that all equipment could only go out on the day. Not such a problem at Leeds as we had more time. At Ampleforth we met the controller there on Thursday afternoon in the storms and marked each site with soluble paint to make the set up on Saturday easier.
We just hoped they did not cut the grass again before Saturday. You will have noticed how well manicured the grass was.
These events would not have happened without the dedication of Christine my wife, Wilbert the controller who checked everything precisely and the organisers Alan and Margaret Parker with their friends and family.
Putting these events on with so few helpers is a strain in itself and thanks to the competitors who helped out on the day.
As a disabled competitor on a wheelchair I am indebted to Christine and Wilbert for accurately measuring out the kite locations. Christine surveyed the hilly parts of Day 2. For the rest you can blame me.
For the past two days I have had a good rest, now just need to find the house under all the junk!!
Day 1 St Georges field
There were a number of limitations here first with avoiding the string course and then with not going near the gravestones or monuments.
Mapping was a little easier here but I had a shock on Wilbert’s first visit when he said many of the trees were in the wrong place. I then produced the base at 1:1000 and carefully check all the point features and I think in the end I was pleased with it. It was lucky we checked the map 2 weeks before the event to find a newly planted tree in cluster4.
This is a public area so we had to be aware of the favourite lunch spots.
Designing the viewing stations did present a problem but we ended up with a varied course. If I am asked what is my favourite control is and that has to be Q3 at cluster 1.
Go onto google maps street view to see the views as they are in summer.
Day 2 Ampleforth Abbey
I seemed to have planned several courses here when we were asked to change car parking and assembly. But we did end up with a good assembly point at the Windmill pub. And as for them building extra courts !!!!!!
I tried to produce a varied course using the best bits of terrain. Maybe not as technical as a contour area but enough to satisfy the most ardent TrailO enthusiast.
Thanks go to Ampleforth Abbey for use of the area and Andrew Slingsby for facilitating. I understand the tea room was busy.
Day 3 Kilnsey
We had intended to put out a DIY course en-route to the start but results preparation for the prize giving meant we were needed elsewhere so sorry about that.
PreO Ampleforth comments by Peter Roberts
The viewpoints(VP) were very carefully chosen.
Elite Class:
1. Z The 2 kites are in a lower re-entrant.
2. B The correct location could be proved by going down to the junction and then keeping order in memory.
3. B The circle was halfway between the western buttress and the southern wall end. It was also opposite the eastern buttress.
4. Z The kite shows over the wall and therefore cannot be at the foot of the wall. Its location to the steps also gives it away.
5. A From VP only 2 trees can be seen but moving downhill shows the correct kite.
6. Z Kite C looks to be in the middle of the crag from the viewpoint but the crag goes round the corner therefore the correct location was further south.
7. D To solve this you had to go back up the hill to check the trees.
8. C The distracter was kite A but could be fixed in relation to trees.
9. D The correct kite can located by going round to the feature although the fence corner could be seen from the VP.
10. Z The VP was placed so the re-entrant in the circle was behind a tree. The dummy kite was perhaps too far up the hill to fool you.
11. C You could see 3 kites from the top and 4 from the bottom. B kite was a distracter and A kite was for 20 later.
12. B This control was passed after leaving VP10 and correct kite could be seen then. But at VP order changed.
13. B The re-entrant could be fixed by using a compass bearing from gravel corner. It was tempting to Z because a trick of the light seemed to suggest it was elsewhere.
14. A The difficulty here was not being allowed to go right up to the kite and some estimation was need with surrounding features.
15. A The controller thought one of the trees was wrong hence the sign on the tree. The correct kite could be placed when going past and using contour from VP. Note order changed.
16. A Difficult to see through the shrubs and fix from surrounding trees.
17. C Almost the same problem as 16 except you had to go round the southern road to see where kite D was. From VP it could be B or C but lining up with 16 was C.
18. A This kite could be viewed when walking south towards 15 and its position with the container noted.
19. A The kites were passed on the way to 15. The contour passing through the circle close to 2 of the trees to the north identified the correct answer.
20. Z Although not stated on the description list the correct location has to be at the foot of the crag. Having maybe solved it at 11 you were tempted to put C.
21. C A low spur best fixed by using the surrounding features. Kite D was a distracter.
Time control 1 A the kite had to be seen through the railings although kite B was clearly visible.
Time control 2 E there was a kite between all tables and care had to be taken to count correctly.
To do well you had to be fast at the Time Controls. Initially we had problems on where to put them and I think they were better at The Windmill rather than on the course.