It has been an pretty empty training log in the last week, which is a good indication of the week. Overflowing full. The weekend culminated in my mother visiting for the first time in six years, playing for a dance on Saturday evening in Newstead and just to add to the experience, organising a four map orienteering event today. As is my usual practice, its time for reflections whilst the angst is still fresh in the memory.
What went well-
the format. Four races in a day on four mining terrain maps.
the weather. After promising blue skies in the publicity, thet eventuated towards the end of the event (see following photos.
Welcome assistance collecting controls from Peter Galvin (injured), Peter Searle, Julie and Ilka.
Panoramic views from the finish control where most of the last course was visible.
What could have been better:
course 3 control descriptions on the Prince of Wales map. Its a complex process designing multi map courses on condes. Some things it does automatically, some things need to be done manually, and breaking the control codes between maps is one of those.. I forgat about this.
naming the event- It was only after the event started that I realised that BendigO-Ringen was the perfect name for a weekend of bush sprint maps on mining terrain on the same weekend as the original oringen. Why go OS to run 5 maps in 5 days when you can run 5 in 2 days at home.
Mapping- I had to fieldwork two of the four maps and ran out of time due to other less than happy goings-on during the first part of the year. The last map in the four was pretty rough. Not good for my mapping reputation.
-informing owners of the old red sticks that they would need a hire stick and forgetting to bring hire sticks anyway (julie solved that one)
-failing to get eventor and OE to talk
Conclusions:
Its a good format for an annual event, but its too big for me to manage reliably. If nothing else was happening in life it would be ok. So if its to happen next year it will need others involved. Some maps are available (South Star, New Argus, New St Mungo, Ironstone Hill). Others would need remapping (south Fiddlers, Golden Gully). The following year there may be good maps at Dunolly, Tarnagulla and Inglewood.
Spectating from the finish area. Panoramic views.
The promised blue skies.