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We had just one technical exercise on Wednesday. A circular grid of 17 controls to be collected in the order set by each of six courses. It was in darkness with SI boxes placed on yellow stakes. The middle stake had a control kite to aid relocation if required. What skills were practised? Map setting; planning ahead (leaving the control site quickly in the best direction for the next control); choosing best route to next site; compass use?; control card checking; ignoring other headlamps: I have linked course 5 to this article for your perusal. To increase the difficulty of this exercise the control marker on the centre stake could be removed. Apparently Sam used the centre kite successfully for many of his routes. Obviously the straight route for each leg is shortest; the challenge is to select it quickly.
Each course was at least 600m so it was possible to keep up a good pace for that period of time. Participants were able to dictate their rest period between runs, allowing time to download. Total distance for all six courses was 4.2km approx. Times are shown here.
The circles grid adds a little more difficulty to the usual square grid that we use in training known as ‘naughty numbers’. The circles grid is a suitable alternative to setting up a ‘Maze’; however the practice of making route choices is lessened.
Having access to SI equipment for both our HALO club nights is a bonus. We can add that competitive element into some of the exercises where appropriate. Neil Harvatt holds 48 SI boxes, stakes and kites for North Bank use and likewise I hold the same for use on the South Bank of the Humber.
See you next Wednesday.
Brian Slater, UKCC Level 2 British Orienteering Coach
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