grampoc
Josie clocks 100!!
The following GJOs were given Participation Award badges at the Junior training event at Countesswells:
5 courses completed Hannah Will
10 courses completed Duncan Will
10 courses completed Kirsty and Morven Farquharson
First club member to qualify for the 100 Award is Josie Gomersall – that’s real dedication to orienteering.
Well done everyone!
Oonagh
CONGRATULATIONS GJOs @ the Junior Inter-area Competition 2011
Kate and Rob Wilkinson, Naomi Lang, Laura Barraclough and Sasha Chepelin were all picked to run for the North Area Team (GRAMP, MAROC, MOR, BASOC, INVOC) at the Junior Inter-Area Competition down in the borders 29th/30th October.
North Area Team came 2nd overall after Saturday’s Relays and Sunday’s Individual results were added into the mix. Well done guys!
You can see their results at http://www.rstrain.ndtilda.co.uk/results_11/jia/res/ and http://www.rstrain.ndtilda.co.uk/results_11/tt/d_res/
Sasha also took part in the Tinto Twin Night Event (is there no stopping him?!) and won his class. Congratulations!
Technical info for competitors – age classes / how to use Emit / jargon busters
How to use the Emit timing brikke: How to use the Emit brikke
BOF age classes explained
Seniors: M/W21, M/W35, M/W40, M/W45, M/W50, M/W55, M/W60, M/W65, M/W70, M/W75, M/W80
Your age class is dictated by the age that you will be on 31st December of the current year.
E.g. if my birthday is on March 14th and I will be 46 then I am M/W45 from Jan 1st of this year through to Dec 31st of the year before I turn 50. On Jan 1st of the year I turn 50, I then become M/W50.
Juniors: M/W10, M/W12, M/W14, M/W16, M/W18, M/W20
Same idea as above except it’s anyone that age or younger by Dec 31st of the current year.
Jargon Buster
Try this A-Z Jargon Buster on the SOA website and if you still don’t get it then ask one of the club old timers to explain.
GRAMP Officials Expenses Claim Form
You can claim expenses from the Treasurer for event and other club activity related expenses by using this form and following the instructions on it.
Technical info on OE2003 / EEE system / RouteGadget /Emit
OE2003 Timing Software: Notes on Using OE2003 v2 2a
Notes on how the EEE system works with regard to Registration and download: EEE Notes
GRAMP events are hosted on RouteGadget UK and there are guides there to uploading events and using Routegadget to plot your route and run the animation etc. This link takes you to the RG UK home page which in turn will give you links to the most up to date versions of the guides.
EMIT Backup Card Punch Layout
When looking at this, remember that it’s showing you pin locations on the top of the Emit controls. If you look at the Emit backup card while it’s still on the brikke you’ll be looking at the mirror image (think about it…and I dchallenge you to do this without miming the punching action!) so you need to detach the card and flip it over to check the pin punches.
Technical info for Organisers
Organisers’ Manual 2011
Organisers Checklist Jan11
Notes on using OE2003 and the EEE System
Example flyer: Example Flyer
Course entry sheets (for ticking off maps sold): Course entry sheet pdf Course entry sheet xls
Ready reckoner (makes the maths easier for Registration bods!): Ready Reckoner pdf Ready Reckoner xls
Course stubs (should be loads of these already in Organisers’ box):
Reg stub White
Reg stub Yellow
Reg stub Orange
Reg stub Long Orange
Reg stub Light Green
Reg stub Green
Reg stub Blue
Reg stub Brown
Plus some you might need for SOLs:
Reg stub Short Green
Reg stub Short Blue
Reg stub Short Brown
Reg stub Black
Risk assessment forms:
BOF Risk Assessment Form
BOF Sprint Risk Assessment Form (takes into account urban aspects often encountered in Sprints)
There may be one of these from a previous event on your area that you could use as a starting point – ask the Fixtures Team.
Non BOF Members Insurance Details pdf
Non BOF Members Insurance Details xls
EEE – Early Email Entry
For each competitor please tell us: Name, Club, Age Class, BOF No (if known otherwise we can search on our archive) and Course. We need your email address too in case we need to contact you with any queries.
New to Orienteering?
Click here for a video or read on….
So you want to know what this orienteering thing is all about?
Well….. the basic idea is to navigate your way around a course, usually in the woods, using a specially drawn map which shows features such as streams, fences, boulders and crags. You have to start at the Start (!), finish at the Finish (!!) and visit a series of control points along the way, but it’s entirely up to you how you get from point to point and whether you run hell for leather or bimble round with the kids and dog and have a picnic en route. If you like treasure hunts, the outdoors, running or any combination of these then give it a go.
Where do events take place and how to find them?
Our fixtures list shows what’s happening where and when and gives you a grid reference and a link to Google maps online maps so you can find us. When you get close to the event carpark you’ll probably see red and white orienteering signs to show you the way. The summer events are particularly ideal for beginners being either in or close to Aberdeen and hopefully warm enough that it doesn’t matter if you take a while to get into the swing of it.
What to bring?
Trainers or lightweight boots and tracksuit bottoms or similar that you don’t mind getting a bit mucky; a large clear plastic bag to put your map in; a compass if you have one for orientating the map; a drink/snack for afterwards; a few £s to pay for your map.
What to expect at your first event….
Having parked, look out for a queue of people by a car or tent waiting to register. You’ll be asked for your name (so we can keep track of who’s out there and the time taken for keen competitors) and which course you want to try. Don’t be afraid to ask advice about which course is the best for you. To begin with try the yellow/orange courses as they are based on tracks or other linear features such as walls. Eventually you’ll work up to a light green and beyond where things start to get a bit more technical. You’ll be issued with a map, a set of control descriptions and usually an electronic timing device called an emit brikke (the system comes from Scandinavia.)
The map…. will look a little strange at first with colours and symbols that might as well be hieroglyphics, but 
you should be able to recognise tracks, paths, streams and contours. There should be a legend printed down the side to explain the other features but for beginners courses you’ll be using linear features so make sure you know what a track, path, stream, fence and a wall look like and forget about the rest for the time being. The other thing you should note about your map is the scale – we use 1:10,000 or 1:15,000 scale maps to get the necessary detail in. That means that 1cm on the map represents 100m or 150m on the ground respectively. Imagine what the 100m dash looked like on the school playing field and that should help you judge the distance you need to go between controls.
The control descriptions…. will show a list of controls and you must visit them in that order. Control sites are marked by special orange and white “kites” to make them easier to spot at a distance. Each control on the list will have a number or letter code next to it. When you actually reach that control, it will have a code physically attached to it so you know you’ve got the right one. The list also gives a brief description of the feature that you’re looking for, e.g. path/stream junction, fence bend, to help you home in on it once you’re in the right area on the map. The desciptions are in the form of a pictorial code – just ask someone for a translation or ask for one of our cards explaining the different symbols.
The brikke…. should be attached to your finger using the strap and fits snuggly in the palm of your hand, orange side facing outwards. Every time you get to a control, including the Start and Finish, place the brikke 
onto the base plate, orange to orange, and make sure that the red LED on the control flashes. At the Start, as soon as you lift your brikke from the control, any previous timing data is wiped and the timing starts for your run. (So don’t punch the Start again by mistake instead of the Finish if you’re bothered about timing!) Again, don’t be afraid to ask for help on the use of these – there is always someone hanging around to help beginners.
Starts…. generally you can start whenever you like after you’ve got your brikke and map but there will be a last start cutoff time and also a time when all courses close, as obviously the people organising would like to get home sometime the same day! If you want you can leave your car keys at registration before setting off.
Finish…. once you’ve punched the Finish control, go to the download point (often the same place as registration) and hand in your brikke. You will be given your time on a slip of paper which also shows how long it took you between each control. IMPORTANT – Even if you don’t finish your course, you must still go to download to hand in your brikke – this is the only method we have of knowing that you’re back safe and sound and we don’t need to call out International Rescue.
FAQs
What should I wear?
A pair of trainers or lightweight boots and jogging bottoms or similar will do fine to begin with. You might also want to bring a light cagoule if it looks like rain and something to change into afterwards as it can be a bit muddy at any time of year.
Do I need to know how to use a map and compass?
A rough idea of what North is all about should be more than enough. Although we use compasses, we don’t take bearings the same way as hillwalkers do – rather we use the compass to make sure that the map is orientated correctly relative to North as there are special lines on an orienteering map that represent magnetic North. Ask for a lesson on how to do this when you register or have a look at this online guide to using a compass.
Who can take part?
Pretty well anybody can take part in normal orienteering events – there is usually a short course of 1km or so on main paths aimed at kids plus a series of courses getting progressively longer and more technical. We have a couple of ladies who manage to get round quite rough stuff with the aid of sticks and although not as fast as they used to be they still enjoy the navigational challenge. There is a special brand of orienteering originally created to allow the physically disabled to compete on an equal basis called Trail-O, but these are specialised events that don’t take place that often.
Is it really competitive?
Yes and No! If you find that you and orienteering click, you can progress to the level where you compete nationally or even internationally. On the other hand, probably 50% of Gramp’s members are more than happy to take part for the simple pleasure of being outdoors and getting a bit of exercise both physically and mentally.
How much does it cost?
Local events typically cost £2 per adult per course, bigger events £6 upwards (unless you join a club in which case you get a discount.)
Entry fees are usually advertised in the event details. If you want to join Gramp then there is a small annual fee – check the Joining post for current fees.
Is it always the same kind of courses described here?
Generally, yes, but there are other variations on the theme such as Night-O, relays or Score events where you have a time limit in which to find as many controls as you can in any order you like. There are long distance events in moorland/mountain terrain, mountain bike O, park races and street events . For the summer series, Gramp members get really creative and put on all kinds of inventive courses to try and give a simple area a bit more of a challenge for experienced orienteers.
Can I practise anywhere else apart from the organised events?
There are several Permanent Orienteering Courses (POCs) in the Gramp area and also some up the Deeside valley which are looked after by Maroc. And Bennachie FC visitor centre can supply you with maps for the semi-permanent courses always available there, details on the POCs page.
Where can I look up all these new terms and abbreviations I keep coming across?
Try the most excellent Jargon Buster courtesy of SOA – sorry that’s jargonese for Scottish Orienteering Association – and Fixture List De-Bunker.
Technical info for Planners
Emit control numbers – as of 19/5/2012
Check with Rob prior to your event for changes, and if you need to borrow MAROC’s.
Mounted on Aluminium Stakes (36)
130-137
221-248
Free Hanging / on Canes (22)
43
96
102,103, 105, 106
138-140
154-156, 158
161-169
2x Start, 3x Finishes (all control number 249)
GRAMP Ocad maps
We keep a stash of up to date maps on our private Yahoo Group site. Contact the mapping co-ordinator to get yourself invited to join the group in order to access the maps and also check which version you should be using, how to get them printed etc etc.
Course planning
Planners Guidelines Jan 11
Check the BOF website for full guidance on course lengths and standards and planning advice.
http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/page/planners
Condes planning software
Check the Condes website for up to date guides and downloads. Rob Hickling can supply you with a password for using Condes.
Got anything you’d like to share?
Have you come across something quite interesting online – doesn’t have to be orienteering related – that you think the rest of us might enjoy? Send me a link and I’ll publish it here.
VHI 2011 Relays – partial results
Firstly, I would like to offer a wholehearted apology for the error that caused us to void the relay result and, by consequence, the overall Veterans Home International 2011 event. Quite simply, we made a labelling error for the all of the 2 Women + 1 Man category courses, i.e. on 4 of the 8 Courses. This resulted in competitors being given the wrong length courses for their legs, which meant that many senior veterans were sent out on much longer courses than anticipated, which after their efforts to conquer Birsemore Hill yesterday was, I’m sure, less than welcome. There was also confusion for later leg runners, who also had to run out of class and, no doubt, a severe feeling of let-down. The fact that this problem was greeted with such grace, forbearance and, amazingly, sympathy from competitors was truly humbling. I can’t say how grateful we all are for your responses, especially as I know of the long lengths many people went to to come and represent their country.
Following consultation, the Team Managers agreed that the preferred option was to not to attempt to declare a result on the basis of the remaining classes and as a result, there are no 2011 Relay, Overall or Stonewall Trophy Winners. It was felt that the extent of the voided courses was such that any result would not be fair. If the courses voided had crossed both categories, there may have been a case for declaring a result.
We will publish the results of the ‘valid’ relay courses and attempt to reconstruct the splits of those who ran on the wrong course so that we can provide a set of results by gaffle.
I hope you all enjoyed the Individual Event, narrowly won by England, the social evening in Ballater, that the problems on the Relay did not ruin your weekend and that at least some of you enjoyed running around what is a beautiful forest on courses that attracted praise from the competitors.
I’d like to record my thanks to all of the Team from Grampian and Mar Orienteering clubs that put the events together for their hard work and commitment as well as the landowners and the staff at the Lodge on the Loch.
Once again, please accept my apologies and I wish you all luck if you are selected next year.
Regards,
Pete Lawrence
2011 Veterans Home International Coordinator
09/10/11_VHI_Relays_Coull_2M+W_Results VHI_2M+W_relay_points
09/10/11_VHI_Relays_Coull_2M+W_Splits_by_gaffle
Splits for unaffected S and L course runners plus times for affected runners:
09/10/11_VHI_Relays_Coull_2W+M_Splits by_gaffle
Autumn Urban Sprint Series 2011
We decided to experiment this year by keeping the regular Wednesday pm slot going through the autumn by using some of our urban maps. Not quite as popular as the Summer Series but we still had a regular core of runners including some of our Cosmic friends who, although being more used to running flat out over the hills, still seemed to really enjoy the extra dimension of getting their heads around such detailed maps.
07/09/11_Hazlehead
07/09/11_Hazlehead_Splits
14/09/11_Duthie_Park_and_Ferryhill
20/09/11_Balgownie
28/09/11_Aberdeen_Uni
05/10/11_Seaton_and_Hillhead
Bob Sheridan (as he whizzed past me at Balgownie):
“This is my kind of orienteering! I like running FAST!!”
SOL 6 Glen Dye Sept 25th 2011 – Results
Routegadget Winsplits
BOF results showing ranking points
Glen-Dye-SOL-6-Results.pdf
Glen-Dye-SOL-6-Splits.pdf
SOL_6_Glen_Dye_string.pdf
Joining
2012 MEMBERSHIP SCHEME
N.B. The following assumes you are a new member. Existing members will receive their renewal forms from BOF every December and don’t need to follow the instructions below.
To join GRAMPIAN Orienteers you must decide which level of membership you would like, i.e. either:
1) Local Membership of British Orienteering or LBM
2) National Membership of British Orienteering or NBM
The benefits of the 2 levels are laid out below, but in simple terms if you will only enter events in Scotland then join as a local member LBM, but if you might want to enter events outwith Scotland, i.e. in the rest of the UK or overseas, then join as a national member NBM.
Both types of BOF membership also include membership of SOA (The Scottish Orienteering Federation) and GRAMP.
As in 2011 BOF, SOA & GRAMP are offering FREE LOCAL MEMBERSHIP FOR NEW LOCAL MEMBERS until the end of 2012. Total fees for National Membership are listed below for comparison.
| Fees |
Local |
National |
|
| Senior |
£0.00 |
£38.00 |
Seniors = 21 or over on 1st January 2011 |
| Junior |
£0.00 |
£10.25 |
Juniors = Under 21 on 1st January 2011 or a Student |
| Family |
£0.00 |
£57.00 |
Family = Up to 2 adults and multiple juniors |
If you join/joined between 1st September 2012 and 31st Dec 2012 your membership will be valid until 31st December 2013.
N.B. If you decide not to join at all then you will have to pay an extra £2 to enter most of GRAMP’s (and some other clubs’) bigger events.
Once you receive your membership card please remember to bring it to all events to claim the members’ event fee.
How to Join
Complete this form (with the payment details as below) indicating which level of membership you require and return to BOF, with your cheque if applicable, to the address on the form.
| For LBM: | ||
| Club and Association details: | ||
| Club Name: GRAMP | Association Name: SOA | BOF Fee: £0 |
| Club Fee: £0 | Association Fee: £0 | Total Fee: £0 |
| For NBM: | ||
| Club and Association details: | ||
| Club Name: GRAMP | Association Name: SOA | BOF Fee: £4.75/22.00/31.00* |
| Club Fee: £2.50/7.00/12.00* | Association Fee: £3.00/9.00/14.00* | Total Fee: £10.25/38.00/57.00* |
| * for Junior & Student/Senior/Family | ||
If you have any questions about completing your form please contact the GRAMP Membership Secretary:
Jayne MacGregor,
135 Desswood Place,
ABERDEEN,
AB15 4DP
Tel : 01224 638906 (h) 0797 990 1151 (m)
Or use the contact form here.
It is possible to join online via the BOF website. If you are new to orienteering (i.e. you haven’t belonged to any club in the past 3 years) then make sure you tick the ‘New to Orienteering’ box that appears if you select LBM in order to qualify for the free local membership deal with SOA and GRAMP. It also takes BOF a long time to pass your details on to our Membership Secretary so best to send her an email on the address above so that she can get you registered for our newsletter and email list for club related info.
Benefits –National BOF Membership
· Insurance cover (liability to 3rd parties) at events registered with British Orienteering
· Quarterly issue of the British Orienteering magazine, Focus and for juniors 3 copies of the junior magazine, Route Choice #5
· Eligibility to compete in Level 1 British Championships, Level 2 (JK, national, regional) and Level 3 (local) events in all regions
· Discounted entry to Level 2 (JK, national, regional) and Level 3 (local) events in all regions
· Discounts for sponsor supported deals
· Papers for the AGM and a vote at the AGM
· Mailings will be, Nov (Focus + renewal), Dec/Jan (Membership card), Feb/Mar (Focus + AGM), May/Jun (Focus), Aug/Sep (Focus + WOC report)
In addition National BOF members can be event officials or Grade 1,2 & 3 Controllers
Benefits –Local Membership of British Orienteering
· Insurance cover (liability to 3rd parties) at events registered with British Orienteering
· Newsletter to be investigated (1 or 2 sides)
· Eligibility to compete in Level 2 (JK, national, regional) and Level 3 (local) events
· Discounted entry to Level 2 and Level 3 events within the club’s region only (i.e. Scotland)
· Discounts for sponsor supported deals
· Papers and vote at the AGM
· Mailings inc Nov (Newsletter + renewal), Dec/Jan (Membership card), Feb/Mar (Newsletter + AGM papers)
In addition Local BOF members can be event officials (planners & organisers but only Grade 3 Controllers)
Note: If you intend to enter events outwith Scotland on a regular basis you are advised to opt for national BOF membership to avoid paying increased entry fees.
Summer Series 2011 – Results and Awards
A big thankyou to all our organiser/planners for helping to put on another cracking Summer Series.
Overall results and awards files below plus individual event files in no particular order.
summer_series_results_2011_final.pdf
2011_SS_final_awards.pdf
Templars_results.pdf
Crathes_results.pdf
Mulloch_Results.pdf
Scolty_results.pdf
Bennachie_Results.pdf
Tollohill_results.pdf
Duthie_results.pdf
Hazlehead_results.pdf
Kingshill_SS_29-06-2011_Results.pdf
Balmedie_220611_results.pdf
DunnottarResults15 june2011.pdf
Perwinnes_Results_3-6-11a.pdf
Foggiton results.pdf
Countesswells Results 17 05 2011.pdf
Permanent Orienteering Courses
Can’t wait for our next event before getting another orienteering fix? Here are details of some Permanent Orienteering Courses in the area. Continue reading
Committee members and other useful club contacts
Blue = committee To contact anyone on this list, click on their name.
Chairman: Pete Lawrence
Secretary: Ian Hamilton
Treasurer: Kevin Reynard
Mapping: Vacant but emails will be forwarded to someone who can help
Emit kit and club archive: Rob Hickling
Fixtures
Fixtures Coordinator and Officials: Vacant
Fixtures Permissions: Adrian Will
Fixtures Registration (British Orienteering): Adrian Will
Membership: Jayne McGregor
Newsletter: Rachel Scott
Website: Rachel Scott
Coaching: Ali Robertson
Child Protection: Sean O’Sullivan
Publicity: Sam Gomersall
Social: Helen Anderson
GJO team: Kate Robertson, Doug Guy, Carolyn McLeod, Oonagh Grassie, Ewen Rennie, Ian Barraclough
Summer Forest Sprint Series 2011
GRAMP organised 3 out of the 6 Summer Forest Sprint Series 2011. Results from our events shown here – the Tollo Hill results are/were with the rest on the Maroc website for reasons I’ve forgotten now.
13/05/11_Dunnottar_Sprint_Results 17/06/11_Newmillhill_Sprint_Results
13/05/11_Dunnottar_Sprint_Splits 17/06/11_Newmillhill_Sprint_Splits
Sprint O is great fun – lots of controls in quick succession in a relatively short distance and fast running alone is no use in this discipline if it’s of the headless chicken variety! You really have to look closely at the map, make snap decisions about route choice, execute them quickly and cleanly while all the time trying to read a jiggling map and watch where your feet are going. Give it a go.
Sun 5/6/11 Balmedie Level C Colour Coded Results
Do not be alarmed by the amazingly quick winning times on some of the longer courses – there was a bit of a hiccup at this event as some courses had to be truncated/rerouted on the day to avoid various slumbering ravers and their detritus.
