oldglutton6

Forest Sprint @ Scolty 25/4/16

It’s never to late to come along and join in the fun for the Forest Sprint Series – although best 4 of 6 scores count towards the final score you don’t have to attend all 6. So even if you missed the first two come along to Scolty and get the old legs and brain working overtime on a short, sharp dash around a 3km course.

You’re also more than welcome to come along and treat it as a lovely evening walk to get some fresh air and exercise of course.
Bring the dog, bring a friend, bring the family.

See you there?

Parking in the Forestry Commission car park signposted from Banchory.
Registration: 18:00 to 18:50
Starts: 18:30 to 19:15
Fees: £4 Senior, £2.50 Junior/Student

(JD)2C rankings after Corsedarder

Latest (JD)2C Rankings after Corsedarder here.

Well done to:
Douglas Walmsley leading M10 at the moment with sister Mairi 3rd W10
Stuart Prince lying in 3rd in M8
Hannah and Judith Kuhnel joint 3rd in W8
Olivia Coman 3rd W16

Remember that all you have to do is come along to any of the nominated events and you will automatically be entered into the (JD)2C.

Spoiler alert – coming along to events will also earn you Junior Participation Awards and Badges. Eddy Coman is currently beavering away adding up all 2017’s data and will shortly be revealing who qualified for what last year.

Next (JD)2C event will be Glen Dye on 6th May. Details here.

(Message from Scott Reynolds – if you check the standings and find a mistake, especially re shadowing, please let him or Laura Farquharson know. Ta.)

Jon Duncan Junior Deeside Cup 2018 full rules and points scheme and list of events for you to target (although we’ve still yet to finalise the full list. Like to keep you guessing but hopefully not much longer now.)

Glen Dye – Level C Event – 6th May 2018

Introduction
Welcome, come and have a great time in one of Gramp’s flagship areas. This counts towards both Jon Duncan Junior Deeside Cup and GRAMP Champs.

Location
Streetmap Link
Postcode: AB31 6LU    what3words: emulated.expert.drank
Lat/Long: 57.006816,-2.585495 OS      Grid Ref: NO645907

Parking will be in the north west area of the map on forest tracks. This will be signposted from the B976 just west of the junction for Potarch, between Finzean and Strachan.  If coming from the south, follow the B976 over Cairn O’Mount and fork left at the AA Box in Glen Dye.
Toilets available at Bridge of Feugh and the main carpark in Banchory en route.

Registration and Start Times
Registration: 10:30 to 12:30
Starts: 11:00 to 13:00
Courses Close: 14:30 or maybe later TBC

Registration/download will be adjacent to parking.
Distance to Start/Finish and suitability for buggies TBC.

Courses
Gareth is busy putting the final touches to a full range from White to Brown – more details to follow asap.

Guide to course difficulty (thanks BKO).

Entry
Entry on the day, or, to help our IT team, if you think you are probably coming to the event and have a fair idea of which course you would like to run, please email your name, BOF number and course to grampoc@gmail.com (subject EEE Glen Dye). A map will be held for you till noon. No obligation to run if you change your mind.
Senior: BOF/SOA member £6, Non-BOF/SOA member £8
Junior: £3

Officials
Planner: Gareth Yardley
Organiser: Laura Farquharson (looking for offers of help from Gramps please)
Controller: Andy Oliver MAROC

Dogs
Well behaved dogs and their owners welcome

Notices
Safety – A risk assessment will have been carried out by the organiser, but participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event. Health – Full leg and torso cover is required due to ticks. Waterproofs may be compulsory if weather is really bad so bring them just in case.

Public Liability – Please be aware that British Orienteering Federation (BOF) event insurance only covers non-member participants  for public liability for 3 events in any one year (this includes helpers, parents shadowing and competitors).

Privacy – when entering our events your name may appear in the results section of this website or in newspaper reports. Grampian Orienteers data privacy policy

Photography – In line with the policies of British Orienteering, the organisers of this event request that any person wishing to take photos or video showing children should register their details with event volunteers before taking any such photos or videos. The event organisers reserve the right to ask people to refrain from taking photos or video and may, if such warnings are ignored, refer the matter to the police.

Relay Teams for British and Scottish Relay Championships

British Relay Championships @ Torphantrick 20th May
The British Relay Championships are being held on the 20th May up at Torphantrick up in Royal Deeside. It is probably one of the most runnable areas in Deeside, and should be a cracking venue for the Relays. If any Gramp member wishes to run at the relays, please let David Esson know asap. Closing date for entries is 4th May but he’ll do the team entries so all you need to do is email him asap with your name, age class, whether you prefer a long or short leg and TD5 or lower.
Doesn’t matter if you are competitive or not, if you fancy it, put your name down for it!

The various Relay courses are the following:

Men’s Premier (20-35)
Women’s Premier (20-35)
M14, W14, M18, W18
M40, W40, M50, W50, M60, W60, M/W70

Mixed Adhoc, Junior Adhoc, Mini Relay

So you can see there is a wide range of courses to suit everyone and if we don’t have enough takers for an age class team then we’ll mix and match you into an adhoc as competitive or fun as you want. Best bit is that the Club pays, so really you get a free run in an awesome area, if you fancy it!

Scottish Relay Championships @Roseisle 27th May

Having had a practice run at Torphantrick, the Scottish Relays are the next week up at Roseisle beside Burghead. Think Balmedie/Forvie but with trees so if Torphantrick is going to be fun, then Roseisle is going to be phenomenal! More details on the relay categories to follow and closing date for this is 13th May.

Let David know if you are interested in running here too! david.esson

(All Gramp members should have already received an email with this info – if you didn’t then it’s time to check we have your email address up to date so please email webmaster to confirm.)

GMC 2018: Braemar 10th/11th November update – ONLINE ENTRIES OPEN

Grampian Mountain Challenge  –  Scotland’s Friendly Sociable Winter Mountain Marathon

More info now available:
GMC18 – Information, Rules and Kit List (published 15 Feb)
GMC18 – Flyer

*****Online entries via SiEntries now open – click here*****

Feel free to download the flyer and send it to friends or display at work or whatever it takes to help spread the word and fill the 100 places available.

LOOK! There’s a small group of GRAMPs currently in touch with each other to try and arrange a Mountain Marathon day – nothing too formal, just a chance to bounce tips and ideas of each other and go out to practice navigation on a mountain/moorland sort of scale. If you want to join in then email webmaster@grampoc.com and I’ll put you in touch.

New club kit running tights

In a bid to move away from the red and the castle, which some folk have said they don’t like that much, we’ve been mulling over alternative themes still connected to the Aberdeen coat of arms or other symbols and can now proudly unveil the new club running tights:

• made from ultra industrial rip-stop lycra blended with typhoon proof kevlar for maximum protection
• impregnated with a proven anti-tick chemical based on leopard poo
• guaranteed to incapacitate your rivals with incredulous laughter

We’re looking for volunteers to give these a whirl at the upcoming British and Scottish Champs. Interested?
Email fashionvictim@grampoc.com with your size and we’ll do the rest.

Wot’s WOD?

We’re on the WOD map!

Hazlehead 23rd May is now officially registered as a WOD 2018 event.

Come and be part of the biggest mass participation orienteering event ever.

WOD 2017 saw an amazing 288,007 participants. OK, time to fess up – not all at Hazlehead but at 2,265 locations in 79 countries which is still mindbogglingly large numbers. Come and help us beat that in 2018 and bring some friends.

https://www.facebook.com/Worldorienteeringday/
http://worldorienteeringday.com/

World Sprint Orienteering Championships 2022

Exciting news on the SOA website yesterday confirming that The Scottish Orienteering 6-Day Event Company, along with the bid partners of the Scottish Orienteering Association, EventScotland and the City of Edinburgh Council are submitting a bid on behalf of British Orienteering to stage the World Sprint Orienteering Championships 2022.
Along with the announcement is a map showing 5 embargoed urban sprint areas in and around Edinburgh.

Let’s hope they get it as although it will mean a lot of hard work the buzz from being involved in something as big as this is tremendous and the spin off publicity is great for attracting newcomers – STV and The Adventure Show are bound to film it if nothing else.

2017 AGM roundup and Roll of Honour

Quick summary of you for those of you who didn’t go to the AGM – and it’s very quick as it was a long time ago and I can’t remember much now. Sorry – should have posted much sooner.

Busy year: Forest Sprints, Summer Series, Level C events, Urban etc.
Scottish 6 Days – another successful day planned and co-ordinated by Gramp
Some discussion on map updates and changes required due to IOF introduction of new mapping symbols and control descriptions plus can we put on some Mountain Bike O in 2018?
Emit kit – new controls, whether to invest in more new brikkes soon
Events: are we taking on too much with such a packed calendar now that membership has waned somewhat? what do the members think we should concentrate on in 2018 or happy to carry on at same level?

Subject of training/coaching came up again as not much progress on the good intentions mooted in 2016 AGM.
Would still like to organise more coaching- but need someone to plan it and liaise with coaches – either the few remaining qualified coaches in Gramp or outsourced. If you’re interested in either becoming a coach or doing the coordination thing please get in touch with the committee. You don’t have to be a medal-winning orienteer just enthusiastic and we can get you some training/mentoring.

Confirmation of entry fees for 2018 to stay the same:
Level D (summer series, urban sprint etc) £4 and £2
Level C £6 and £3

Adrian Will thanked all for effort and time over the year
Chairman’s Awards
Musgrave Trophies:  Helen Anderson and John Lang
Chairman’s Quaich: David Esson – planning S6D, organising Forvie SOL and just generally always being first to offer help

Committee update:
Adrian Will           Chairman (really is his last year due to work commitments)
John Lang             Secretary
Ian Hamilton        Treasurer
Stuart Anderson   Mapping
Helen Rowlands   Fixtures Coordinator and Officials
Helen Anderson   Membership

Liz Sloan is no longer Social Secretary due to job down south so any takers to step in?
David Esson has joined the committee as man without portfolio as Sam used to say
Sarah Wallace has taken over Publicity/Social Media from Alex McLachlan (again job commitments abroad)
David Kirk has taken over from Gordon Urquhart gaining permissions to use areas for events
Anyone fancy playing with their smartphone to set up some Permanent Courses and take over from Stuart as POC mannie/wifie?

Club Championships Overall Trophy Winners

Class 1st  (Trophy)
Junior Women  Josie Gomersall
Junior Men        Paul Caffyn
Senior Women  Sarah Wallace
Senior Men        Jack Gomersall
Veteran Women    Rachel Scott (who is still reeling from that bombshell!)
Veteran Men          Gareth Yardley
Super- Veteran Women (>55)   Lesley Gomersall
Super-Veteran Men (age over 55)  Bob Daly

John Duncan Cup Medal Winners:

Class
M8        Gold          Oli Robertson
M14      Silver         Sam Griffin
M10      Bronze      Robert Prince
W16      Silver         Josie Gomersall
W8        Bronze      Emily Robertson
W12      Bronze       Kirsty Farquharson

Grampian Orienteers Roll of Honour for 2016  

Scottish Elite Development Squad:    Tim Gomersall, Sasha Chepelin

Scottish Championships:
1st
W60S Individual:  Jayne Macgregor
3rd
M55S Richard Oxlade

SOL winners:
M50S 1st Pete Lawrence
M70L 2nd Neil McLean
M12B 2nd Noah Griffin
M55S 3rd Richard Oxlade
M60L 3rd Robert Daly
W40L 3rd Carolyn McLeod

SOUL winners:
WSV 2nd Lesley Gomersall
WYJ 3rd Morven Farquharson

Scottish Night Championships:
W 45L 1st Helen Rowlands
W50L 1st Carolyn McLeod
W55L 1st Lesley Gomersall
M70 2nd Neil McLean
M55L 3rd Richard Oxlade
M/W open 1st Keith Yardley

GRAMP Champs 2017

2017 GRAMP Champs by age class.pdf
2017 GRAMP Champs by category (for trophies).pdf

Congratulations to all our trophy winners!

Juniors: Josie Gomersall & Paul Caffyn*
Seniors: Sarah Wallace & Jack Gomersall
Veterans: Rachel Scott & Gareth Yardley*
Super Veterans: Lesley Gomersall & Bob Daley

*these folk retained their 2016 titles – Lesley retained her winning streak but moved up a category this year

The trophies were presented at the AGM. If you weren’t there and think nobody else might have collected on your behalf then contact John Lang asap.

In case you’re wondering how the points are calculated, these are the Gramp Champs rules:

• You have to be a member of Gramp to qualify.
• The Champs are run over 10 nominated events with the best 5 scores counting for each runner.
• Within each event, the Gramp member who is highest placed for each course scores the maximum course points:
  White 200, Yellow 400, Orange 800, Red 1200, Light Green 1600, Green 2000, Blue 2800, Brown 4000.
• Points for subsequent runners are calculated using this formula: score = [(winner’s time)/(runner’s time)]*(maximum course points)
• Men and Women’s Junior, Senior and Veteran divisions are used to decide Championship positions and individual totals are modified to try and make competition within these divisions as fair as possible:
  M/W10 +100% of total, M/W12 +50%, M/W14 +32%, M/W16 +24%, M/W18 +16%, M/W20 +8%, M/W21to M/W40 +0%, M/W45 +5%, M/W50 +15%, M/W55 +25%, M/W60 +40%, M/W65 +60%, M/W70 +80%, M/W75 and over +100%
• Any questions – contact Iain McLeod

2017 events were: Glen O’Dee, Potarch, Crathes, Tyrebagger, Sluie, Coull, Cambus O’May, Forvie, Scolty.

2018 events have already started happening but full list will be announced soon pending permissions so watch this space…..

Would you like to see the Gramp Champs results published at intervals throughout the year? Would this encourage you to attend more events? If you want the results in Excel format so you can do a bit more analysis and figure out which 2018 events to target for maximum points then contact webmaster@grampoc.com.

Scottish Sprint Championships 2018

Sprint is one of the many different flavours of orienteering that seems to be getting more and more popular. It can be done in forest* or urban settings but in either case involves very short courses with lots of controls and twists and turns to keep your brain, lungs and legs at max capacity for 12 – 15 minutes if you’re at the top of the field or at max fun for much longer if you’re not so speedy but enjoy the opportunity to use your navigation and decision making skills every inch of the way.

Route choice is paramount – which way to go round a large building or lake when at first glance it looks 50:50? which side of an uncrossable hedge is the control? – but don’t spend too long overthinking it as you’ll waste vital seconds. Quite often for big events there will be a prologue race and then the final with combined times counting towards your final position as was the case at this year’s Sprint Champs held at Stirling University 10/3/18. If you want to see what sort of course to expect if you decide to have a go next time then take a look at FVO’s Routegadget.

Well done to our speediest Gramps:
Sam Griffin 4th Junior Men 16- (just 19 seconds off the podium)
Tim Griffin 6th Veteran Men 40+

*And here comes the shameless plug – keep your eye on our website for info on the local GRAMP/MAROC Forest Sprint Series starting 11th April.

CompassSport Cup Qualifier 2018

Thanks to Tim Griffin, Oonagh Grassie and Anne Hickling for flying the Gramp flag at this year’s CSC qualifier at Beecraigs 11/3/18. Between them they scored 280 points – just enough to keep us off the bottom of the table for the small clubs’ CompassSport Trophy.

I know there were several others who entered, or were going to, but couldn’t make it on the day for various reasons.
Even so it looks like Gramps generally aren’t interested in this competition or travelling further afield than Aberdeenshire to compete.  Am I right?

What can the club do to get a few more of you interested?
Training?
A club captain’s call to arms?
More social events to build up the team spirit?

Let the committee members know next time you bump into them (although maybe halfway round a course in the middle of Glen Dye is not the best time or place but you know what I mean.)

Rachel

Summer Series 2018 – Weds 23rd May to 15th Aug

Summer Series Events – fun, friendly events with something for everyone on Wednesday evenings. Events will have an easy (white/yellow standard), medium (orange standard) and two as-hard-as-we-can-make-it courses of different lengths (generally referred to as short and long tech).

Starts  6-7pm, courses close 8pm (unless changed for a particular event, please check website for any changes)
Seniors £4, students/juniors £2

Junior attendance awards up for grabs again. (That means CHOCOLATE!!)

Links to maps showing the car parking/registration locations will be added nearer the time.

Continue reading →

Forest Sprint Series 2018 – Weds 11th April to 16th May

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.

Links to all parking locations will be confirmed soon so check back here nearer the time or on each clubs’ website.

April 11th    Foggieton    GRAMP  Results
April 18th   Tillyfourie   MAROC  Results
April 25th   Scolty           GRAMP
May 2nd      Tilquhillie   MAROC
May 9th       Mulloch       GRAMP
May 16th     Bellwood      MAROC

One course TD3 or Orange standard i.e. medium difficulty, about 3km, with lots of controls and route choice in a relatively small area so full on concentration required just as much as fleet feet. Great for developing Juniors too if accompanied by a TD3 standard runner. Best 4 scores out of 6 will count towards the FSS league results.

Registration: 18:00 to 18:50
Starts: 18:30 to 19:15
Fees: £4 Senior, £2.50 Junior/Student

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Introduction to Orienteering Hazlehead – 3 sessions 14th & 28th April and 12th May

Click here for more details and registration form.

Mountain bike centre at Durris

Bit quiet on the orienteering front until the Forest Sprints start (more details on those to follow very soon) so in the meantime here’s something that might interest those energetic crossover athletes amongst you.

The North East Trail Centre Organisation have unveiled plans for a new centre for mountain biking in Durris (Cairn Mon Earn at the summit of the Slug Road)  with a chairlift, ski slope, cafe etc etc and also ideas for nordic skiing trails and other activities like “orienteering”. Mountain bike orienteering maybe? as mooted at our AGM?

Take a moment to tell them your thoughts and ideas by completing their survey – open until March 15th.  Click here.  (It’s a bit of a monster link so might not work – if so go visit the NETCO Facebook where you’ll find the original link and see what they’re all about.)

Bennachie under threat?

Some of you will be aware of ongoing discussions/plans for the dualling of the A96 from Aberdeen to Elgin and that some of the alternative routes under consideration would encroach upon Bennachie and its surroundings. From a purely selfish orienteering point of view, or from a wider ranging appreciation of the other benefits that Bennachie offers, you might like to take a look at the Save Bennachie Campaign website. Although lately the area around the Bennachie Centre has been thinned and felled quite a bit so we’re not really able to use it at the moment it’s still worth hanging onto for the long term as it’s a good bridge between us and MORland to the north and a great place to attract newcomers to the sport.

SOA wants to tap into your thoughts about orienteering in Scotland

The SOA are reviewing if they’re really focusing on the right things to achieve their aims, and if/what they should be doing differently.
Richard Oxlade and Anne Hickling are leading on this as the ‘strategic’ team. There is an online survey with a deadline of 28th February so please take a look and respond to help direct the SOA over the next few years. The survey is short and sweet and is really designed to get you all thinking and talking about how GRAMP and SOA can work together to develop membership, performance, club activities. As the old adage goes: if you don’t ask, you don’t get, so wax lyrical and help Richard and Anne on their mission to help us.

Richard will feed back the results at a workshop in April in order to generate actions, to which you are also invited. More details here.

Next (JD)2C counting event – Shooting Greens 18/2/18

Not long to wait now for the next episode of the great (JD)2C challenge.
Registration & Start Times 10:30 – 12:30
Check the MAROC website for more details.

PS Open to anyone not just Juniors…

And now for something completely different…

Here’s the map from EUOC’s Big Weekend Indoor O laid on by Prof Graeme Ackland of INT in “his” offices (JCMB Building in Uni Kings Campus).

Indoor O map – EUOC Big Weekend 2018

The staircases are all given letters so you can spot where they come out on successive floors, green lines across corridors are fire doors you can open and go through, black lines are locked doors or walls. What’s not mapped is a handful of earnest scientists who were working late on a Friday evening for some reason trying to dodge flying orienteers and ignore the thundering feet outside their offices.
Nor is the treacherous ice on the roof on level 9 mapped but at least there were handrails along the parapet to hang onto. (Risk assessment? Yep – risky but let’s go for it!)

If you’re intrigued by this, try Googling the Stockholm Indoor Cup – a much grander affair across sprawling school complexes including darkened cinemas with video loops, mini maze sections made out of desks, disco lights and music and a chicken run past spectators while trying to get your head around the latest up, down, there, back… takes Indoor O to a whole new level (geddit?)

10/2/18 Event Safety Workshop

MOR and INVOC are jointly offering a Event Safety Workshop:

>     Sat 10 February, Nairn Community Centre, 3-6 pm

Interested members can register with Ali Wiseman at secretary@moravianorienteering.org

If you’re organising a Level C event or above you’re supposed to have done one of these workshops although we realise that it’s not always possible to time it right so can sign things on your behalf while mentoring new organisers. Topics covered include risk assessments, first aid cover, rescue plans, planning out your event layout to avoid traffic-pedestrian clashes,  planning your volunteer rota to avoid personality clashes leading to need for First Aid…..
As well as the serious stuff there will be a chance for a blether with our neighbours from the north.

Back of Bennachie Results – Sun 4th Feb 2018

It turned into a beautiful winter’s day at Back O’ Bennachie (after a cold wet start) – blue skies, no wind, and a tough hilly forest and moor to test you all.

Here are provisional results and split times.
Routegadget has been loaded here, please add your routes!
You can also analyse your splits on Splitsbrowser.
Splits are also loaded up to Winsplits Online.

Taken a wee while (sorry – holidays and handovers) but results now uploaded to BOF site and ranking points will be calculated overnight 20/2/18.

Course details were as follows:

White 1.8k 40m
Yellow 2.1k 40m
Orange 2.3k 45m
Lt Green 3.0k 80m
Green 3.6k 140m
Blue 4.6k 210m
Brown 5.6k 225m

A (JD)2C event.

Our very grateful thanks to:

Organiser;   Lesley Gomersall
Planner :      Sam Gomersall
Controller:   Drew Tivendale (MAROC)

Jon Duncan Junior Deeside Cup 2018

Woohoo! Here we go again and battle commences for those much loved (JD)2C trophies.
Rankings following Corsedarder.

Here is the provisional list of events so far and rules. We’re still in the process of getting permissions finalised for the rest and there will be 10 nominated events eventually.
If you enter any of these events you will automatically be included in the (JD)2C rankings so all you need do is get out there. Good luck everyone!

• The (JD)2C competition will be run over 10 events with the best 5 scores counting for each runner.
• There will be 5 classes for girls and boys, using the ‘standard’ age classes, i.e.M8, M10, M12, M14, M16, W8, W10, W12, W14, W16
• Within each event, the Gramp/Maroc Junior who is highest placed for each course scores the  maximum course points: White 200, Yellow 300, Orange 400, Light Green 500, Green 600, Blue 700, Brown 800
• Points for subsequent runners are calculated using this formula:
  score = [(winner’s time)/(runner’s time)]*(maximum course points)
• Every effort will be made to provide a White course at each event. However, if this is not possible, the JDC organisers will review how many events will qualify for the M8 and W8 classes.
• If you are being shadowed or running in a pair, please declare this when you register. You will score half points for your run.
• The competition aims to provide competition in each age class. Juniors may choose the course
  appropriate to their ability. More difficult courses earn higher points.

IOF review of control description and mapping symbols (2017)

During 2017, the IOF carried out a big review of control descriptions and mapping symbols. We won’t be able to update all our maps to comply straight away but we will be doing so as and when logical to do so over the coming months.

Control descriptions: no major changes you need to know about that I can see apart from the addition of a new symbol for out of bounds areas like flowerbeds in parks and urban areas which looks like a flower head in a box (right).
There a couple of others but not that will affect our areas or those of neighbouring clubs but if you want to take a look at the full details then look at the International Specifications for Control Descriptions 2018.

Spoiler alert! That document is not as grim as it sounds and actually worth having a look to teach or refresh yourself if you’re a bit sketchy on these as it has some great illustrations from page 18 onwards of what the feature described in the control description looks like both on a map and on the ground, some examples below (click each to enlarge):

(We used to have some small foldout guides to hand to beginners explaining control descriptions. Maybe an idea to cobble some more of these illustrations together to print on the back of maps for beginners to refer to for Summer Series events?)

Map symbols: most of the changes are tweaks to colours and line thickness to try and enhance legibility of maps for everyone but especially for the older age groups or those with colour blindness or other visual impairment.
The International Specification for Orienteering Maps 2017 will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about these specifications (and some!) so to save blowing your minds I’ve had a quick flick through looking for major changes or additions that I think we might come across.

Addition of a coloured outline to the ride symbol showing runnability.
E.g. rides in open woodland often have thicker vegetation due to more sunlight getting through to ground level so are actually harder to run along compared to surrounding terrain. You could figure that out quite quickly when you get there and not a problem in open woodland but worth knowing in advance if the ride goes through light or dark green – look for a white or yellow band surrounding it as shown here otherwise don’t bother.

(Think this is a new one.) Variation on the rough open land (shown here) and open land (yellow background) with trees –  now shows green spots for bushes/thickets and white spots for trees.

Gigantic boulder so high and steep it’s impossible* to climb. We don’t have many of these but Maroc’s Dinnet  map may be featuring some soon. (*Sounds like that’s just going to act as a distracting challenge to the likes of Gareth and Ian H to me!)

Vineyard or similar cultivated land containing dense rows of plants offering good or normal runnability in the direction of planting.  One for RR to use when they they next update the biomass plantations on the Carmichael Estate map.

Gramp website stats

I know how some of you nerdy folk out there just love graphs and stats so here’s a quick selection from the GRAMP website back end stats facility that illustrate one or two interesting things:

The 2012 spike was due to Scottish Relay Champs traffic for that year as we organised it at Craig Coinnich. Otherwise it does look like traffic is falling off slightly – could be due to more folk checking our Facebook page in preference? Or maybe we’re slacking in spreading the word about our wonderful sport? Sarah Wallace has taken over as publicity/social media guru so have a chat with her if you think you can help in that regard.

Most popular posts for 2017 include some obvious ones like Summer / Forest / Autumn Sprint Series and the Forvie SOL pages but look what’s at number 4…. Permanent Orienteering Courses.

Can you help Stuart Anderson with setting up/maintaining a POC local to you? How about getting out that flashy new smart phone you got for Christmas and setting up some Mobo courses?
And once that’s all set up and running, leave some intriguing QR codes dotted about to lure folk to take a look?

Finally, here’s a world map showing where someone or something looking at our website supposedly comes from. Bear in mind that a lot of these “views” will be bots rather than actual people in Laos or Bangladesh or other unlikely areas wanting to find out about our next event but it looks pretty impressive, doesn’t it? We can always dream.

Have you renewed your membership yet?

From 1st November this year, the SOA introduced an additional membership option, to give existing and new members the option of joining their local club and the SOA only.
There are therefore two options for membership renewal:

1. British membership (joining your local club, the SOA and British Orienteering)

• The primary option for members who participate competitively and hence enter Scottish/UK events, and who wish to take on official and coaching roles
• You can renew your membership as normal by logging on to the British Orienteering website.

2. Scottish membership (joining your local club and the SOA)

• Additional option, for people who primarily orienteer locally and who don’t take part in competitions across Scotland or the UK. There are some limitations on event entry and taking on official and coaching roles but we can mentor you which will cover the paperwork aspect and still allow you to get involved helping put on the local events you enjoy so much.
• You can join as a Scottish member online.

For more information and to understand the differences between British and Scottish membership, click here. To explain why SOA introduced the option, read more here.

Whichever option you choose Gramp look forward to seeing you all plus friends and families again next year starting with the Hogmany Hangover Handicap at Tyrebagger on 2nd January.

Sasha’s in the GBR Senior Squad for 2018

British Orienteering has announced the GBR Senior Squad for 2018, and there are a good number of Scottish and Scotland-based athletes included in the squad not least ex-Gramp Sasha Chepelin. Congratulations!
(And next year I promise to try and keep better tabs on his international apearances and results as this year it was all al bit under the radar. Any Gramps out there who spot things like this or any other Gramps’ achievements that deserve to be trumpeted then don’t be afraid to send me an email reminder. Rachel)

Scottish Score Championships 2017

A good day for Gramp today. Congratulations to these guys who swept ~20% of the podium places between them:

Champions
M21 Jack Gomersall
M40 Pete Lawrence
M55 Sam Gomersall
M60 Bob Daly
W50 Carolyn McLeod

Plenty of 2nd places too – W60 Oonagh Grassie, M60 Rob Hickling, M14 Sam Griffin, M35 David Esson (robbed by a MOR ringer but Pete redressed the balance there!) – and Tim Griffin was 3rd M50 with a bit of judicious scrambling.

MOR hosted this year’s Score Champs at Quarrelwood near Elgin, an intriguing little area with 6 or 7 extremely complex patches in and around old quarries interspersed with open almost featureless (in comparison) stretches.

No big value controls but rather a fairly even sprinkling of 10s and 20s which made for quite a dither for most trying to decide which clusters to target first – out west weaving up and down the hillside to hoover up the ‘interesting’ ones close by first or up onto the fast running at the top to warm up legs and brain first and hope you have enough steam to tackle the slope at the end?

Scolty results on BOF site now

Got there in the end:   BOF results and points

Jon Duncan Junior Deeside Cup 2017 Final Rankings

Overall 2017 final rankings   and Winners table

Big congratulations to Oli Robertson who retains the M8 Trophy and Sam Griffin for 2nd M14, just pipping Maroc’s Joel Gooch at the final post , and Josie Gomersall 2nd W16.
3rd places go to Emily Robertson W8, Kirsty Farquharson W12 and Robert Prince M10.   Trophies and prizes will be awarded at the Gramp AGM.

Any Junior from Gramp or Maroc is automatically entered into the (JD)2C. You win points by running in any of the 9 nominated local Level C races listed below, with a sliding scale depending on your course and how well you do.

To try and keep things as fair as possible, only half points are awarded to shadowed competitors which is why we ask you to declare this when entering.

8 Jan     MAROC  Glen O’Dee
19 Mar  MAROC   Potarch
9 Apr    GRAMP   Crathes
30 Apr  MAROC  Coull
28 May GRAMP   Tyrebagger
18 Jun   MAROC  Sluie
17 Sep   GRAMP   Scolty  postponed
1 Oct     MAROC   Cambus O’May
15 Oct   GRAMP   Forvie
5 Nov    GRAMP   Scolty

• The (JD)2C competition will be run over 9 events with the best 5 scores counting for each runner.
• There will be 5 classes for girls and boys, using the ‘standard’ age classes, i.e.M8, M10, M12, M14, M16, W8, W10, W12, W14, W16
• Within each event, the Gramp/Maroc Junior who is highest placed for each course scores the  maximum course points: White 200, Yellow 300, Orange 400, Light Green 500, Green 600, Blue 700, Brown 800
• Points for subsequent runners are calculated using this formula:
  score = [(winner’s time)/(runner’s time)]*(maximum course points)
• Every effort will be made to provide a White course at each event. However, if this is not possible, the JDC organisers will review how many events will qualify for the M8 and W8 classes.
• If you are being shadowed or running in a pair, please declare this when you register. You will score half points for your run.
• The competition aims to provide competition in each age class. Juniors may choose the course
  appropriate to their ability. More difficult courses earn higher points.

SOL Rankings 2017

Congratulations to the following GRAMPs for top 3 placings in this year’s Scottish Orienteering League final rankings:

W40L 3rd Carolyn McLeod (running up a class or two)
W60S 2nd Oonagh Grassie
M12B 2nd Noah Griffin
M35S 1st David Esson (who also got his Organiser’s badge for Forvie)
M50S 1st Pete Lawrence (who also got his Most SOL Points Overall badge)
M55S 3rd Richard Oxlade
M60L 3rd Bob Daly
M70L 2nd Neil McLean

And others who made it into the top 10:
M21E Rachel Scott (retaining her What Does She Think She’s Playing At? badge)
M12B Connor Whitelaw, M40L Ali Robertson, M55L Iain McLeod, M55S Stuart Anderson, M60L Paul Duley
W12 Morven and Kirsty Farquharson, W16 Josie Gomersall, W50L Laura Farquharson
W55L Lesley Gomersall, W55S Anne Hoy

Ex-GRAMP virtually in the Guardian

Not to do with orienteering so even more of a double-take when I read Mark Mon-Williams’ name in this article.

Wonder if he’s tried using junior orienteers for his study as their eyesight and balance must be better than the average?

Jon Duncan Junior Deeside Cup – rankings after Forvie

Rankings

Good to see several of the GJOs taking on the contour challenge at Forvie. Most of you made it out alive and kicking at the other end and even if you didn’t we hope you enjoyed the day anyway.

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Only Scolty left to go now to round off this year’s (JD)2C on Sunday 5th Nov. Don’t miss out on your last chance to boost your scores. Trophies have been gathered in already for engraving ready to present at respective club AGMs so good luck everyone and hope your name is on one!

Forvie SOL 6 – Results

The Clothing Dump Pram “Who would believe that the Organiser used to fit into this?” Photo and quote Lyndsey Esson

Final Results and BOF ranking points added 22/10/17

Thank you for coming to Forvie.  Tricky area, init ?!  We hope you enjoyed your runs.  None of the controls blew away (phew) and the weather improved, and the wind dropped, as the day went on.   Nevertheless we were very pleased to have a van to host the timing computers (thanks to Dennis McDonald and U Drive ).  We hope you liked seeing the wi-fi results on your smartphones (using our extended range wireless access point).

Here are final results by Course, and by Class, and Split Times.

Routegadget is loaded up – please enter your squiggles.

Split time analysis can be found at WinSplits Online .

BOF ranking points

Pre-O
Results and maps with answers

Thanks

Our thanks go to the Forvie ranger, Annabel Drysdale, and SNH for permission to run on the National Nature Reserve. Also to Andy Harper for use of his field for parking and AUOC for assisting with control collecting.

Many thanks to Dennis McDonald and U Drive for their generous support with van hire.

Courses

Courses/age classes chart

Officials

Planner – Ian Hamilton GRAMP
Controller – Sarah Dunn MAROC
Organiser – David Esson GRAMP

Deeside Night Cup 2017/18

To try and make best use of the darker nights, the DNC will start and finish a bit earlier again this year and also includes an event in between Christmas and New Year to keep the momentum going. Two courses 3km and 5km at TD5/Green standard as far as possible. No concessions to the dark.

Check the details on the DNC blog .
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01/11/2017   MAROC Birsemore
08/11/2017  GRAMP Hazlehead
15/11/2017   MAROC Shooting Greens
22/11/2017  GRAMP Countesswells
29/11/2017  MAROC Potarch
06/12/2017 GRAMP Crathes
13/12/2017 MAROC Carlogie
20/12/2017 GRAMP Glen Dye
27/12/2017 MAROC Glen Tanar
03/01/2018 GRAMP Raemoir TBC
10/01/2018 MAROC Coull
17/01/2018 GRAMP Balmedie
24/01/2018 MAROC Balnagowan
31/01/2018 GRAMP Tyrebagger
07/02/2018 MAROC Corsedarder
14/02/2018 GRAMP Scolty
21/02/2018 MAROC Sluie + prizegiving + meal

As this is a shared series, we operate a separate blog with full list of dates, venues, travel maps, final results and chat – DNC Blog.  Once it kicks off in earnest check there rather than here for up to date details like snow reports.

There are lavish prizes for the best M/W Junior and Senior in each Cup and a host of frivolous prizes for things like the Toughest of the Tough for the most gruelling courses and Best/Worst Mistake. Seriously though, this is one of the most competitive leagues around and worth turning out for if only for the challenge of finding your way around areas you thought you knew pretty well until someone turned the lights out!

GMC 2018: Braemar 10th/11th November

Grampian Mountain Challenge  –  Scotland’s Friendly Sociable Winter Mountain Marathon

The GMC will be back in 2018 staying with its traditional date slot and will be over the weekend of 10 / 11 November 18.
It will be held in the Braemar area. All the usual features will be present, including a remote overnight camp with catering and heating, kit transfer to and from the camp, and orienteering and traditional hill sections over the two days. Ali R has agreed to take on the job of Planner once more, and Dave K and Ian H are again doing the Organising and Controlling.

GMC18 – Information, Rules and Kit List (published 15 Feb)
GMC18 – Flyer

*****Online entries via SiEntries now open*****

Feel free to download the flyer and send it to friends or display at work or whatever it takes to help spread the word and fill the 100 places available.

Aberdeen Uni Urban Sprint 27/9/17 Results

Results   Splits

A great lesson in reading your control descriptions carefully tonight (Team JFF had photographic evidence of number 5 skulking on the wrong side of the fence to where they were) and if that didn’t catch you out then the straight line belt from 11 to 13 missing out 12 did. Thanks to David for a fitting finale to this year’s series.

Congrats to the following folk who either retained or gained a new trophy:
JU16   Sam Griffin (GRAMP) & Rachel Salway (MAROC)
J          Lachlan Kirk (GRAMP) & Josie Gomersall (GRAMP)
Open  Janne Heikkinen (AUOC) & Claire Tunaley (MAROC)
V         William Nicolson (INVOC) & Carolyn McLeod (GRAMP)
SV       Gary Longhurst (FVO) & Lesley Gomersall (GRAMP)
UV      George Esson (GRAMP)
Newcomers  Petra Hampton & Dominykas Kardokas

Final rankings after 5 events (best 3 scores to date) and by Category

Trophies will be presented at the GRAMP AGM or passed to non-Gramps some other way – Newcomer winners please email webmaster@grampoc.com to claim yours (or see you at another event soon?)

Porto City Race Night Podium for Pete

2nd M Supervet* in the Night Race on Friday in the build up to the Porto City Race finale on Sunday.
When interviewed by our roving reporter, Pete commented “Finally all those freezing cold nights in Deeside have paid off. Cheers!” as he cracked open his prize, a bottle of Poças Tawny Port**, and cranked up the aircon.

* Age categories over here are different and broader.
** No qualms about alcoholic sponsorship either.

Balgownie Urban Sprint 20/9/17 Results

Results   Splits

Couple of folk got caught out by the loop from 10-11-12-13 and  forgot one of the controls. Oops!
The rest of us just caught out not reading the map properly around that area and at least two of us realised afterwards that we used key alleyways once but then promptly ignored them a second time around. Mind games – “surely the planner can’t mean me to go back up there?” – are intregal to the urban challenge and we really should have known to expect some crackers from Pete!

Overall points after 4 races here.  And standings by age category here.
Lots of folk look to have it in the bag already (e.g George, Lesley, William Nicolson and Sam Griffin) but some other categories are still up for grabs theoretically and a mispunch next week could shatter a few dreams of receiving one of our much-coveted trophies so make sure you watch for the LED flash – should be easier next week as it’s darker sooner all the time.

Westhill Urban Sprint 13/9/17 Results

Results  Splits
As always, any spelling mistakes or other corrections please email webmaster@grampoc.com asap.

OK, hands up all those who got caught on the wrong side of the fence between 9 and 10?
Thanks to Mark Stockton for another great wee course with some interesting route choices all the way to the end. (And thanks to to Mrs S for holding off the inevitable tonight so Mark didn’t have to dash off on paternity leave mid-event! Let us know when it’s time to pass on the Gramp’s Most Junior Orienteer T-shirt if the Robertsons still have it.)

Good to see more new faces – I’m told “someone” was stirring things up over on our Facebook page – cheers James! Team JJF – we missed your smiley old faces. Next week?

Overall points after 3 races here.  Next week is when the best 3 from 5 rule kicks in so time to squeeze that last ounce of speed from jelly legs and burning lungs for those of you into (and capable) of such masochism. The rest of us will just enjoy exploring the odd corners of Balgownie we’ve never been before.

Scroll to the bottom of the overall results for an explanation of the age categories used in Urban Orienteering races. Check the Scottish Orienteering Urban League page for details of bigger urban races in various locations throughout Scotland and if you happen to be in the right town at the right time then give it a go.

SOL 6 Forvie 15/10/17

GRAMP are pleased to welcome you all to the amazing landscape at Forvie, guaranteed to keep you on your navigational toes all the way round with intricate contour features hidden within the bigger dune structures which are challenging enough in their own way.
Terrain is mostly vegetated dunes with some marshy bits, a smattering of thickets in places and just enough paths to be able to cater for the TD1 and 2 Junior courses without mitigating the challenge for the rest.

It’s windswept, it’s wild, it’s wonderful (in our not-so-humble opinion but we’re sure you’ll agree).

Online entries via Fabian 4 – click on the logo below
Open Wed 20th Sept
Close midnight Sunday 8th Oct  (limited EOD subject to map availability)

Final details (web page)
Final details (PDF)
Including:
– how to get to Forvie
– course lengths, map scales, fees
– location of Start/Finish relative to Assembly, accessibility
– safety info and facilities

Here’s a quick reminder of the SOL course/age class system and a link to our RouteGadget so you can get a taste of what to expect if you’ve never run here before. You will probably already had a taste of ScotJOS baking before and will be pleased to know they will be running a cake stall at Forvie.

Parking will be in the field next to the Forvie Visitors Centre courtesy of the farmer, Andy Harper (and we will be collecting £1 per car for his nominated charity, Macmillan Cancer Support), and we are also indebted to the Forvie ranger, Annabel Drysdale, and SNH for permission to run on the National Nature Reserve.

Planner: Ian Hamilton GRAMP
Organiser: David Esson GRAMP
Controller: Sarah Dunn MAROC

Duthie Park and Ferryhill Urban Sprint 6/9/17 Results

Results     Sorry, no Splits this week as the laptop was playing up. Hopefully business as usual next week.

Thanks to John Lang for several interesting route choices tonight leading to differences of over 500m recorded on different folks’ GPS. Do you take the time to eyeball the differences accurately before committing or do you just plump and then run as fast as you can along your chosen route?

Different control seemed to cause a few “mp” tonight but again we’ve given you all the benefit of the doubt as many had eye witnesses and you would have had to run pretty much past it anyway on the way back into the park. Don’t forget to check for the flashing LED before leaving a control.

If you were a trophy winner last year, please bring it back and hand it in to registration at any of the events.

I’ll post details about Westhill tomorrow.

Overall points after 2 races here. Scroll to the bottom for an explanation of the age categories used in Urban Orienteering races.
Check the Scottish Orienteering Urban League page for details of bigger urban races in various locations throughout Scotland and if you happen to be in the right town at the right time then give it a go.

Westburn & Victoria Parks Urban Sprint 30/8/17 Results

Results  Splits
(If I’ve mispelled a name or mis-guessed an age group let me know webmaster@grampoc.com.
Age groups are used for trophies at the end of the series, best 3 results from 5 count towards your total. I’ll post more on that after a couple of events when I’ve calculated points to date.)

Thank you to Tim Griffin and helpers for kicking off this year’s series in grand style.
50 runners – which may be an Urban Sprint record for Gramp – zig-zagging back and forth at incredible speeds in some cases, although William did look as if he’d been for a swim half way round by the time he collapsed at the Finish.

One or two folk had trouble getting number 8 to register whereas others had no problems. I’ve given you all the benefit of the doubt, and the person who didn’t start their brikke properly so it read 64 minutes initially, and re-instated you as it’s the first in the series but remember it’s your responsibility to check all controls flash at you to indicate a successful read. Worth sacrificing a few tenths of a second to make sure you’re not disqualified in future.

Junior Training 7th Oct ***NEW DATE*** and Junior Inter Area Competition 28th/29th October

***NOTE CHANGE OF DATE FOR TRAINING***

Jess Halliday is looking to organise another North Area Junior Training Day on 30th September, in the Grantown area. This is building up to the Junior Inter Area Competition on 28th/29th October. So calling all GJOs – if you’re interested then pass your names on to Carolyn McLeod and we’ll see if we can’t get a bit of backup for the twins this time.

Templars Park Summer Series Grand Finale 16/8/17

Thanks to David Kirk for a brain-bending finale to the Summer Series using some new additions to the fringes of the Templars map to give us a guided tour of part of the hotel grounds next door and some particularly vicious patches of nettles we’ve not visited before. (Top Tip: don’t lose your footing and sit down in them. Still stinging even now!)

Junior Attendance choc coins were dished out along with spot prizes of teeny cactii awarded for most complex map, most prolific control collector and lots of other things I can’t remember.  (Do nettle stings affect the memory?)

Hoist by his own fiendish petard again, it will take David a wee while to figure out the points for the Technical Score course so in the meantime here’s a space filling photo of some diehards who just couldn’t bring themselves to  abandon the BBQ when there’s important unfinished mallowy business to be toasted.

Update from Dave:

Here are the Templars results.

Apologies to all the people who tried to make it across the swamp on the north west side of the area – in hindsight I should have marked that area OOB.

The biggest mistake made by quite a number of people, resulting in loss of numerous points, was only recording one checkpoint in a particular Section. That meant that all their subsequent controls were voided until they got back to that area again and visited another. I hope you all enjoyed visiting the new areas.

Scolty Summer Series Results 9/8/17

“Of all the control sites in all the features in all of Scolty Woods, he had to pick mine.”
Pete Lawrence, Planner for Scolty Level C in Sept on parts of Calum McLeod’s courses last night

A gorgeous sunny evening saw us scampering round the lower levels of Scolty on Middle Distance style courses much appreciated by tired legs post-6 Days.
Thanks Calum and helpers. Results attached.

Scolty SS Results 9-8-17.pdf

Scottish 6 Days 2017 Royal Deeside

Back home now after a great holiday in deepest, darkest Deeside and it’s good to see the sea again after a whole week of heathery hillsides, silvery birch and bouldery… bouldery… um… bignesses? (Sorry, been a long and energetic week.)

Congratulations to the following successful Gramps:
1st Sam Griffin M14B and Oonagh Grassie W60L
2nd Pete Lawrence M50S and Carolyn McLeod W50L
3rd Lachlan Kirk M18S and Helen Greenwood W75S (plus Lesley Gomersall Supervet W in Sprint Race)

Top Ten Finishers: Noah (chocolate? what chocolate?) Griffin M10B, Murray Anderson and Kevin Reynard M50S, Sam Gomersall M55L, Richard Oxlade and Ian Searle M55S, Bob Daly M60L, Neil McLean M70L, Hannah Will W12B, Maya Reynard W14B, Lesely Gomersall W55L and Helen Greenwood W80 (don’t ask – it’s just the way the scoring system works!)

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As well as champions we have unsung heroes in our midst including:
– Helen Anderson, Gareth Yardley, David Esson and Murray Anderson who were Day 3 Organiser and – Planners – big thank you guys for taking on the major roles and making life pretty easy for the rest of us
– Richard Oxlade, Tim Griffin and Rob Hickling who controlled other days
– Sheena Farquhar who assisted with a heart attack patient on Day 4
– Anne and Rob Hickling who organised, planned and controlled the Trail O
– Bob Sheridan who kept his sense of humour despite turning 50 on Wednesday and having it announced every minute at the end of each list of names at the far start on Day 3 by his “friend” Tim Griffin.

Anyone got any photos or other anecdotes they’d like to share with us all?
Send to webmaster@grampoc.com please.

More photos from Old Glutton, Sam Gomersall, Helen Anderson and others on our Flickr page here

Thanks to Andy Johnson  you can get a flavour of Trail O (and other days) by checking his Flickr account. Trail O is all about fully understanding the info on your map and control descriptions coupled with careful observation and being able to judge distances, contours, features and orientations all from 10 to 100m away from the viewing point on the path. Each problem has one or more kites dotted about and you need to identify which kite, if any, is correctly placed to match the control circle and description. It’s tricky but also oddly addictive once you get inside the midset!

Keith Yardley showed a promising talent for this coming 16th on the Elite course against some experienced opposition. He’s pictured here doing the timed controls, used for tie breaks.

Sasha running really well at JWOC

SOA website has a post with regular updates on how Scottish athletes are helping Team GB rack up some great results at this year’s JWOC with Sasha playing a big part.

In the Middle Sasha comfortably made it through the heats to the A Finals finishing 7th, missing a podium place by only 1 second.
In the Sprint he had an excellent run to finish on the podium in 5th!
And the Long saw him in 7th place again. Excellent set of results which has certainly got the Nopesport crowd buzzing (although looks like he risks being eclipsed by his own haircut?)
Relay – 9th – think I’ve got that right but my Finnish isn’t so good. Maybe Lena can confirm for us?
Check this space… for links to GPS, live results and Arena video/commentary.

Other ‘locals’ doing well are Grace Molloy and Jenny Ricketts 19th/24th Middle A Final and 20th/13th in the Long respectively and 2/3 of the W20 Relay Team who came an amazing 5th place.

Well done guys!

Jamie Stevenson 2017

This year’s Jamie Stevenson Trophy took place at Kinnoull Hill on Sunday 25th.
Morven and Kirsty Farquharson were the only Gramp representatives which must have felt a little odd in the parade but looks like they didn’t mind too much.
Both girls ran well on the Orange course scoring 187 points between them and I am delighted to say that Kirsty was 3rd. Well done to Kirsty!

Carolyn

Crathes Summer Series 21/6/17 Results

Results

Squelch, squelch, drip, drip, splish, splash, sploooosh… Thanks go to Bob Sheridan for having faith in the hard core bunch of nutters that we all are and still thinking it was worth setting out controls and sitting patiently in the rain waiting for us last night.

So many hard core nutters in fact that late punters on the Long Tech had to nurse round recycled soggy maps. Sorry about that – maybe due to Maroc being back in the game now their WOUD series has finished.

I’m enjoying watching the weekly intra-family battles of the Gomersalls, Dunn/Musgraves and occasionally the McLeods too. E.g. this week:
Jon Musgrave      33.34
Ewan Musgrave   34.14
Sarah Dunn          34.44

Thinking of starting a sweepstake on the outcome by the end of the season but to make it Junior friendly only confectionery bets are on. What do you think?

Balmedie next week and unless we get a repeat performance weatherwise we’ll be firing up the BBQ too so bring food and drink.