We had intended to have two consecutive days in Stonedown, Friday Feb 3rd was to be a Forest league event with some 150 children from local primary schools competing. Unfortunately Doris – Storm Doris that is – intervened and with the Met. Office forecasting heavy rain and very strong winds a decision had to be made on Thursday to go or not. Prudence (not Doris’s sister) dictated that cancellation was the safest course and, although Doris did abate somewhat, the schools seemed relieved that the event was to be postponed. Charlotte was in the woods to take delivery of the Loos and found it a bit scary at times, so the right decision was made.
Saturday was a marked contrast with almost still air and sunshine and 58 runners enjoyed the challenges of Alan Yeadon’s courses during the day. Perhaps the only distressed runner was Ricky who having navigated to his penultimate control found it to be missing – the victim of a too efficient collector of controls removing controls nit in use for the subsequent night event! There was an excellent response to the night event that followed with 17 adults and a contingent of 12 children from BKO having a go at the score course.
All seemed to have gone well with the two events of the day but Nature had the last word by delivering a short period of heavy rain one hour ahead of schedule resulting in Charlotte and Ricky having to take home a saturated and mud-coated tent. They kindly delivered this to Peter and Joan the next day, still complete with copious water and mud, for rehabilitation. Thanks guys.
The Schools League event has now been rescheduled for Tuesday March 28th and if anyone could spare some time to help – the team is short of some pairs of hands – please contact Liz Yeadon liz.yeadon@btinternet.com.
Results for the day courses are here and for the night event here