Dartboard 2- JAN23

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Dartboard

Edition 2 Issue 2 January 2023
Brighton City Race: P10 Where are all the juniors? P16

Happy new year! I Hope everyone has had a great Christmas break and are all set for the intense part of the Orienteering season. I have certainly enjoyed the Christmas break and have loved the festive races such as the Brighton City race and the Wellington College event

This issue contains lots of interesting content such as reports of the two above races and there is a double page guide on interacting with the club on Facebook. There is also an article with advice for juniors who are moving up an age class this year.

Red Course

The red course is a course which I believe is extremely underrated. It’s perfect for established runners who may be new to Orienteering or for people who would like to go out for a run with a bit of a difference.

To my understanding, a red course is TD3 (Orange standard) but has the length of a green/blue course (4-6km). Unfortunately, it is extremely rare that you come across red courses in events these days as juniors go from orange to light green and most adults with some experience will

generally test themselves on green courses.

I believe, though, that red courses could be extremely effective in local club events when adult newcomers give the sport a go. Most would want a longer course than orange to get a decent run in, but would not cope with the technical difficulty of green or blue.

If newcomers felt comfortable with competing on a course which is physically appropriate to their standard but at the same technical standard as a beginner, then they would perhaps feel more comfortable after a while to attend bigger club events such as the SE league. Perhaps this could be something we consider adding to the KOL in the future. It would definitely attract running adults who would be more likely to bring friends along from running clubs etc

I wish everyone good luck in any upcoming races and hope to see people out and about at events.

Luke Bennett (Editor)

the SE
Champs 2022 Contents: Editorial 2 Games! 14 Chair’s message 3 Wellington college 16 Coaching Focus 4 Photos of the Month 17 Meet the members 7 Where are all the Juniors? 18 Facebook guide 8 Portugal O meeting 2023 20 SE League roundup 10 Calendar 22 Fit food recipe 11 Answers 23
Neil Speers at
Night
Dartboard Editorial
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Luke at the Gdansk City Race Photo: Robert Lines
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Brighton City Race

Message from the Chair

Dear members

I wish you a Happy New Year for 2023! The last three years have been tough, so some rest would be good. So while I hope that we will all stop making silly mistakes while orienteering and our ranking will sky-rocket, I simply wish that we will stay healthy and keep enjoying life and orienteering; and that the Russian invader will be defeated severely so we can have peace and good time for many years to come in Europe.

Our main event is coming soon on Sunday 22 January at Chelwood. The event is part of the SE League where we are doing very well this year; we even managed to beat SLOW at the last SE event! So overall we are 4th in Division 1 where only the big clubs are ahead of us.

We are very keen for all members to join the race and also to help if it is possible. All volunteers will get a free run if they sign up by Sunday 15 January (using the code Helper) and an extra £5 voucher at Tom's the caterer if they are part of the glorious list of the 2022/23 event organisers (please contact Andrew or I to receive your voucher).

Please keep enjoying Luke's brilliant Dartboard and see you in the forest! Antoine

Antoine at the Cambridge City race 2017

Coaching Focus– Contour handrails

When you first start orienteering you will probably find that you are using “handrails” all the time. Handrails are line or long features such as paths, streams, fences, earth walls etc. They are excellent aids to navigation and enable the orienteer to make their route safe and help simplify their map reading. All courses up to and including orange will predominantly use handrails, with the orange course starting to have controls just off the line feature. In the leg below, taken from an orange course, the orienteer has several route choices. Obviously, they could go straight but risk getting pushed off course by the patches of dark green vegetation, so it is probably safer to follow either the minor water channels to the east or a combination of earth walls and minor water channel to the west.

indentation in the hillside. Follow the re-entrant uphill until you reach a flattened area and then a follow an east bearing into control 4.

In order to progress beyond orange courses, then less obvious handrails will need to be used. These may include edges of marshes, vegetation boundaries, a line of crags etc. However, probably the most important skill to develop in order to improve your orienteering is contour interpretation. This will enable you to now start to use contours as handrails for route choice. Contours are the brown lines on the map that indicate the shape and steepness of the ground. A long re-entrant, the bottom of steep slope, a ridge or hilltop, a change of gradient or even a single contour line can all be seen on the map and then followed safely in the terrain. The benefits of using contours as handrails are that they are accurate, always around you and change little over time. In the example below, there are several ways of going from control 3 to 4 depending on your route choice. However, a relatively “safe” route, would be to contour eastwards out of control 3 until you reach the re-entrant. The re-entrant is the

In the next example, the flat hilltop makes a useful handrail before aiming off downhill to hit the path north of control 9

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Have a look at the leg 9-10 below, taken from the M18 course at the 2022 Junior Home International held at Creag Dhubh and think about how you would go about completing it. What handrails could you use to keep you safe and in close contact with the map? Consider the shape of the land as shown by the contour lines, whether the ground is steep or flatter and other large features, such as the marshes and crags, that may aid navigation.

Finally, a useful way to improve your contour interpretation is to practise matching contour shapes on a map with the ground. To do this plot a line on a map which weaves itself around distinctive contour features and then go and follow this line through the terrain checking off these features. See whether they look as you had visualised them. Check out the maps from some of the DFOK permanent courses at https://www.dfok.co.uk/ anytime such as Shorne Country Park and Bostall Woods where there is plenty of intricate contour detail to see and match up.

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4

Meet the members

Danni Angelova

When and why/how did you start orienteering?

I enjoy being outdoor and I am very happy to be part of this exciting adventure sport that exercises body and mind.

I've heard about the orienteering activities when I was at school in Bulgaria but I didn't know then that it's kind of a sport. After hearing my friend and neighbour David LeFevre talking with such great passion about orienteering, I decided to give it a try.

Where’s your favourite area to go orienteering?

I enjoy searching for the controls in the forest but urban orienteering is what I've enjoyed mostly so far. It seems I feel more confident around buildings when looking to make decisions which way to go. However, I love the forest too so don't be surprised if I change my mind about it soon!

Do you have a funny/ embarrassing orienteering memory?

Don't let me start talking about embarrassing moments, they are so many. One that comes to my mind straight away is when I finished a course in good time and without getting lost not even once. I even had my photo taken at the final control which was quite close to the tent with the team doing the downloads. However, soon after the download showed that I was disqualified after missing a control. That was totally unexpected at first but I can laugh at it now...

What do you do when you’re not orienteering?

I work full time (in the medical research sector) but I also like singing in a choir as well as mending clothes.!

What is the most important thing you have learned which you would tell a newcomer?

It's like learning any new skill. Reading the map theoretically helps a lot but practicing this new skill is what really helps gaining results. It's great that there's plenty of help out there and joining a club like DFOK is an excellent way of starting to do orienteering.

What’s your biggest achievement/ proudest moment?

I am very proud of being a member of DFOK since 2021, the club's been very welcoming, friendly and helpful. My biggest achievement so far was the move from Orange to Light Green Course. It's a level which involves completing more difficult tasks than before but it's worth the challenge.

Which DFOK member would you like to see interviewed for the next edition?

Many thanks to David Lobley and Luke for giving me the opportunity to take part in this edition of Dartboard! I'd like to see Francis Ronneau- Bradbeer interviewed next.

The moment Danni finished from her story in question 3!

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Next Issue: Francis Ronnau-Bradbeer Dani competing at the Milton Keynes SEOUL event in September 2022.

How to post on Facebook

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Type here to create a post and click on the image button to the right to add images When you are ready, click “Done”
Select the photos that you wish to post. Write your caption here. Remember to tag @dartfordorienteers.
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our account.
you are ready, click “Post” Next issue: Why is social media important to a sports club?
Click
In your caption, mention @dartfordorienteers When

SE League Monthly Round up

Message from Luke Bennett:

Well done to every DFOK member that took part. As I live local to Epping Forest, I know how tough it can be in places! This is a great result and puts us in a good position going into 2023!

Message

from

Keith

Parkes:

Good news, DFOK got 10 points for Epping, even beating SLOW! After 4 events we are now ahead of GO and Saxons!

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Fit Food Recipe

Tuscan Chicken

Ingredients

• 6 large chicken thighs (bone in)

• 2tbsp plain flour

• 2 tsp paprika

• 2tbsp olive oil

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 large red pepper, finely diced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2tsp tomato purée

• 30g fresh cherry tomatoes, halved

• 150ml white wine

• 150ml chicken stock

• 150ml pouring double cream

• 150g spinach

• 55g parmesan grated

Method

1) Place the chicken thighs in a bowl. Add the flour and the paprika and season well with salt and pepper. Toss together to coast

2) Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over a high heat. Add the chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. Set aside on a plate.

3) Add the onion and pepper to the unwashed pan and fry for 4-5 minutes over a medium heat, until soft. You may need a little more oil. Add garlic and fry for 30 seconds

4) Stir in the purée, tomatoes, wine and stock and bring to the boil. Return the chicken to pan. Cover, and reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

5) Add the crem and spinach to the pan and stir until wilted. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cheese and serve piping hot.

This Tuscan chicken recipe originated from Mary Berry, but was adapted by my Grandma. It is perfect if you want a quick, simple but healthy meal to prepare you for a race the next day. Don’t worry about making more than required as it can easily be frozen and used another time!

If you have a recipe you would like to share, please email me at editor@dfok.co.uk and I will include it in a future edition.

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Tuscan Chicken

Brighton City Race 2022

The Brighton City Race was an event that I’ve been looking forward to for a while. Not only does it have a great, festive atmosphere and a mad mass start, it was also the finale of the South England Orienteering Urban League (SEOUL), which I had a real chance of winning in the M16 category.

Going into the Race, I needed nothing but a win, as the current leader, Nathan Taylor (TVOC) was 3 points ahead of me. Over the year, our times had been very similar with him beating me on a few and me beating him on a few. But with the last race, we were going head to head in the final.

On the start line I think we were both quite nervous but as the start beep went, I was off the mark first and quickly set my map and had my first few controls planned. I recon I was about 5 seconds ahead of him until I hesitated on control 2 and was on the wrong side of the road at control 3. This was where he caught up. For practically the rest of the course, we were neck and neck with him being in the lead for a control or two and vice versa. We must have gotten some strange looks from the public who were eating dinner outside some beautiful independent bars and restaurants as everyone else was quite far behind us so it just looked like two boys charging through the narrow alleyways in hi-vis jackets! By the 13th control, my legs were numb from the cold (and probably a lack of warming up) but I had to keep going because so much was at steak.

I was in a good position at the last control and was fairly confident that I could keep my lead on the run in. That was until I turned the corner and found that there were a bunch of Morris dancers blocking the road! Rather ruthlessly, I ran through them (as did Nathan) and the sprint was on! We scrambled for the finish and I just about punched before him!

1:2500 5m contours

The only controversy came at download when we discovered that the one of the two finish boxes was out by approximately 1 hour and 33 seconds so there was no way of knowing whether me and Nathan and punched in the same second or at least a second apart. If we had punched in the same second, it would have been a draw and he’d win the league. We both felt that this would have been a disappointing way to end such a competitive year and we were considering shaking hands and taking joint first in the league. It wasn't very mathematical however, it would probably have been fair. Later though, Tom Dobra, the league co-ordinator, discussed the issue and we all came to the conclusion that as it was a mass start and I had punched slightly before Nathan, I would come 1st and win the SEOUL league.

I was relieved to hear this and very happy to win the league, taking home a prize of a Christmas pudding! It has been such a great year of competition between me and Nathan and I can’t wait to continue in 2023!

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GPS Luke Bennett Brighton Lanes

Score in the Lanes

I just love the whole madness of the annual Brighton City Race (“BCR”) and after missing 2 events because of Covid it was great to see it return this year. Planner Neil Crickmore always tries to introduce an element of novelty to the event, and this year we were promised of a “Spanish Score” section around the tourist packed alleyways of the Lanes district of the city which turned out to be 13 controls, all of which had to be visited but in any order.

Unlike most events, the BCR is a massed start format which, together with its indoor Assembly Area at a local school always makes for an excited (and somewhat warm and fuggy) atmosphere as competitors gather to collect their numbers and sealed maps, and in the case of my wife make half a dozen changes of clothes before deciding on the perfect combination of underwear, vest, T-shirt, fleece, windproof, o-top, and waterproof, all remarkably achieved within seconds of us departing for the start just by the beach.

So, mass start, big pack of runners, and me in superexcited overly competitive state, desperate to cling on to the leaders, what could possibly go wrong? - Yep, you guessed it, off I set, head down, legs pumping, thinking something along the lines of “everyone's going in the same direction so my control must be this way and I just have to switch on when the pack splits.” Which was fine, except for the fact I was up with the Course 1 runners who ran straight past my Course 3 control without so much as a sideways glance and it wasn’t until they started to cross onto the beach and I came across and very distinctive circular building that I realised I’d overshot by 350m! resulting in a 4 min time loss on the leg and no hope of seeing the leaders ever again.

Remainder of the “Line” element of the course was uneventful. Uneventful for me that is,

And then to the Spanish Score element where we had to tick off the 13 controls shown below between no 100 and the finish. Biggest problem for those of my age and above was remembering which controls had been visited, but looking at the results it seems most managed it ok, and by numerous different routes made it back to the finish. One of the best things about the format (since we all had the same 13 Controls) is you can use the split times at Control 100 and finish to compare times from runners on different courses. This shows Keith and I were just 3 seconds apart despite taking totally different routes which perhaps goes to prove what I have always said –“Route choice doesn’t matter much in the South-east, just pick your route and go for it!”

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Brighton Lanes Score 1:4000 5m contours Nick Barrable 1st 86 78 77 76 88 73 72 83 81 90 84 91 89 David Lobley 86 78 77 76 88 83 81 90 84 72 73 89 91 Keith Bennett 90 81 78 86 77 76 88 73 72 83 84 91 89 Julie Lobley 86 77 76 73 88 78 90 81 83 72 84 91 89 David and Danni 86 78 77 76 88 73 72 83 81 90 84 91 89
Alfie the dog feeling festive!

Sudoku-O

Games! Answers on Page 23! 12
Spot the difference! EXTRA HARD Map: Acorn Woods Scale 1:5000 Contours 5m Credit: British orienteering
editor@dfok.co.uk 13
If You have any suggestions for games or any fun content, feel free to email me on

Wellington College

Now, for those of you who know me well, you will be more than aware of my issues with map reading. I could cope with white and yellow courses when Luke and Jake were little, where I would follow them around various courses. However, the South East Sprints in and around the Olympic Village and Hackney Wick back in 2017/18 (Luke was 9) saw me get hopelessly lost, completely frustrated and then feeling rather silly when Luke had to come and find me. The course had pretty much closed and the organisers were waiting for me. That was the last time I ran by myself. As Jake grew in confidence with his map reading he would happily take the map and let me run behind him. It was a great partnership. He would navigate and I would get a run and was able to snap photos of various DFOK members on their course for our growing social media platform.

With the history of me and orienteering out of the way, fast forward to 29th December, Wellington Collage. Luke has been on at me for ages about doing another event on my own. In a moment of weakness I agreed . I was thinking to myself that at least being in a college the grounds would have clear boundaries so I wouldn’t be physically be able to wander so far off track I would be lost in action for hours. I agreed to an orange course and Keith registered me before I could change my mind.

So here I was, stood in the starting pen, Jake a few spaces ahead of me. The beeps go dutifully every minute. I pick up my control descriptor and breathe a sigh of relief that they have written descriptions and I don’t have to try and work out those little pictures!! As I get to the front with a few seconds to go I realise there is no sign of any maps!! Quietly, so not to appear completely clueless to the other competitors, I asked the guy in charge of the start where my map was. He was very kind and quietly said back, “ it’s just around the corner where you will also see the start kite”. So thinking quickly, and being rather proud that the thought came to me, I decided to find out where north was so when I did run off to get my map I would be able to orientate it quickly.

Beep, Beep, Beep and I’m off. Picking up my map, proudly originating it, I find the start and number 1, thinking briefly I probably should have worn my glasses. Heading off down the path towards number 1, with the scale of 1:4000 meaning absolutely nothing I clearly overshot the cut through to number 1. Realising I had probably gone too far I headed back up the path I had bounded down Since finishing and

talking with Luke I realise now part of the problem I had locating number 1 was interpreting the brown dotted lines as some kind of path rather than the gully they were actually representing!!! 8 minutes 53 seconds later number 1 was located and dibbed. Had I got to 10 minutes I can tell you all, I would have given up!!! About the only bonus to my bumbling around for number 1, it brought me to my number 10. Making a careful note to myself to remember that nougat of information for later.

Controls 2,3 and 4 took me into the rather urban looking part of the course. The shapes of buildings actually helping greatly with the location of my controls. That lovely big circular looking build helped me out a lot. Controls 5 and 6 took me into a wooded area, seeing the back dashy lines and recognising those as paths off I went, wondering to myself, still believing the brown dotted lines were also some kind of path, if it would be obvious to spot the difference on the ground. 5 was finally found and 6 quite quickly after, favouring going back to the road to take advantage of my ability to run rather than my navigational lack of ability to make my way through the undergrowth. Control 7 was straight forward thanks to building shapes and paths but looking forward to number 8 and beyond they were all long legs, with lots to look for and check off. Anyone running past me must have thought I was slightly crazy, talking out loud to myself describing everything I should see and pass. Once I had found number 9, after 6 minutes of looking, I was off, very smug that I knew exactly where 10 was. Control 11 was a lucky find. I knew the rough direction and as I got close there was a stream of other orienteers queuing up to dib number 11. I made a conscious decision on route to number 12 that I would again take advantage of the fact my running in better than navigation. Choosing a much longer route but along very obvious roads and paths. Controls 13, 14 and 15 were found with ease and I was on my sprint to the finish. Luke and Jake there to welcome me back. Despite my disaster on route to number 1 which nearly saw me quit there and then I was proud to have got round in under an hour only slightly gutted I hadn’t started my watch so have no idea the distance I ran. Maybe, just maybe, without making any promises, I might try an orange again.

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Jake and Tina at the start

Photos of the Month!

From this issue, I will be running a picture competition. take pictures from events and send them to me at editor@dfok.co.uk . The winner each month will be entered into, “Photo of the year!” Thank you to everyone that took a picture at an event. It really helps provide interesting content for our social media which promotes the club.

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Sn-O Angel Photo: Neil Speers Photo: Sarah Findlay Photo: Geoff Goodwin Photo: Andrew plummer

Where are all the Juniors?

This is a section just for juniors! We will pin down a junior monthly and if any junior has a story they would like to share then please email me on editor@dfok.co.uk

Maxime Pesenti—M18

What’s your favourite orienteering terrain?

Wooded area with easy runnable ground and lots of scattered trees that provide shade, this terrain sometimes allows for quick shortcuts.

What is the most valuable thing you have learned that you would tell a newcomer?

Before arriving to a control, make sure you check in which direction the next control is, so that you can flow through without stopping and losing easy time.

What’s a funny/embarrassing story from an event?

Starting my race, and realising that I forgot my compass. The area was wooded with very rough terrain and not many paths, so completing this course was a nightmare, and I most likely came last place

What’s your favourite DFOK area?

Shooters Hill because it’s close to where I live.

What’s been your most enjoyable moment as a junior?

Getting to eat a well earned burger or chile con carne and can of soda from a stall after a big race. It always felt like a reward and that the hard work paid off

Do you do any other sports?

I enjoy basketball and play leisurely on occasion

Which DFOK junior would you like to see interviewed next?

Vadim Pesenti

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Maxime finishing at the Yvette Baker final in July 2021

Junior development

In the Orienteering world (especially in the UK), there are plenty of orienteering opportunities for juniors. I am lucky enough to have experienced a lot of them; Junior Inter-regional Orienteering Championships (JIRCS), Lagganlia summer tour and the Yvette Baker final. These competitions are for competitive juniors to race against the best in the country, and juniors who just like the sport and want to try new terrains and gain valuable experience. Whether you are competitive or not, one of the hardest stages of junior development is the transition from Orange to Light Green (M/W12-M/W14).

My time as an M12 was significantly disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and so I hadn’t competed on as many orange courses as I would have liked to in order for me to move up to light green confidently. Physically, I was ready. I could comfortably run 3-4km without tiring, however, technically and mentally, I struggled on my first few light green courses. This was probably because I had never really ventured off paths before and never had the need to read contour lines or follow vegetation boundaries.

I think this was emphasised at the British Middles 2021 at Summerhouse Knott. The winning time for bottom year M14 was Finlay McLuckie (Moravian), with a time of 24:25; I had taken 1 hour and 2 minutes! This was largely because I struggled to read intricate contour details and so never felt confident leaving paths.

Since then, I have worked on a lot and am much more confident with coming off paths and using other features, such as contours and have been able to challenge some of the top M14s this year. It was all part of a learning experience and am glad I struggled as it pushed me on to train more and practice new techniques in local events. I still have a lot to learn but I hope that my following tips will help juniors who will make that jump from orange to light green this year.

1: Don’t be afraid to use different line features

I took the red route at Summerhouse Knott in 2021. However, I could have contoured around the hill which was a much safer, simpler shorter route. Or even the green route and use the re-entrant and then follow the wall into the control.

The blue route is 50m shorter than the red route.

This leg is quite a simple leg, most people would choose to follow the red route to the path junction and then down the hill into the control. However, the blue route leaves the path at the first path junction which is also where a vegetation boundary and an earth wall is. These features are also reliable features to follow until the bend. At the bend, you can take a compass bearing to the path which the control Is adjacent to.

2: Practice new techniques at local events

Local events are great places to practice new techniques. Compass bearings are extremely important to learn so I’d recommend spending a few extra seconds making sure you have an accurate bearing and have selected big collecting features (things you’ll see on the way) to boost your confidence when venturing off paths.

If you have any questions or tricky legs which you’d like to discuss, don’t hesitate to ask our club coach, Allison Page: coach@dfok.co.uk or me and if you’d like to know more about my experience: editor@dfok.co.uk Good Luck at future events!

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Shoreham woods 02.22 Summerhouse Knott 2021

Portugal O Meeting 2023

Affectionately known as POM, the Portugal Orienteering Meeting takes place over each Mardi Gras weekend, so seven weeks before Easter and is predictable way in advance. Shrove Tuesday is a bank holiday in Portugal so this facilitates a four day event from Sunday to Tuesday. Here’s some thoughts as to what to expect from POM. The first has to be the break from UK weather. Sitting roughly midway between New Year and Easter, it is an ideal time to take a few days out and head to warmer climes further south. It’s not always what you would call “warm” and especially so in years when the event is in the north of Portugal or the central mountainous region but rain is rare. Clear blue skies are the norm. Depending on when Easter falls, the week of POM may not always coincide with school holidays and in 2023, for example, most Kent school holidays are one week earlier. Even when they coincide the flight and accommodation costs are surprisingly good value.

include an area with a flag from each country with a participant. At POM 2023, there’s a night sprint, two middle distance and two long distance races with one of the latter being a World Ranking Event (WRE) for Elites which attracts top orienteers.

Then there is the terrain. When the event is in the large Alentejo province, as it will be in 2023, the forests are often a mixture of cork oak and holm oak, both fairly small, quite stubby, trees that grow spread out. Open with scattered trees often features strongly on the map so there’s plenty of yellow. The areas therefore look straight forward but I’ve fallen into that trap many times. There are fewer tracks than UK areas, subtle contours and intermittent areas of magnificent boulder clusters. It is so easy to find you went off the bearing to the wrong set of boulders leading to significant time loss.

Next comes the competitors. Scandinavia is largely covered with snow and POM has become a “go to event” for the Nordic orienteers to get in some practice before the start of the season with the Danish Spring Cup. There’s usually a healthy UK contingent in the well over a thousand competitor total. It is also interesting to see the age range of the Portuguese participants; much younger on average than in the UK.

Next on my list is the most interesting towns and villages. This is not the Algarve. You don’t see carbuncles in the middle of villages as you do in many other places around the world. There’s much more respect for the traditional style of building. Lots of surprises too in what you can see as a traveller, from dinosaur footprints to well preserved monasteries, hill top castles and other buildings open to the public. The events in 2023 take place about 40kms south of Evora, a beautiful city with a ring road around it and largely traffic free inside the city walls. There’s the prominent remains of the Roman Temple to Diana and the Capela dos Osos, a chapel with thousands of bones making up the interior walls. Just north of the city is an ancient aqueduct traversing the countryside. These are just a few the fascinating places in what is a very pleasant city just to walk around and absorb it all. Many of the small towns have a carnival on either or both of Sunday and Tuesday.

The maps, course planning and organisation aspects are also exceptionally good yet there is always a relaxed atmosphere. There are marquees for competitor use, including the serving point providing hot food to eat at long tables with chairs. The arenas are spacious and

The Portuguese people are charming and most welcoming of tourists. English is widely spoken and speaking the local language is not expected, unlike in at least one country nearer to the UK. There is an emphasis on good home cooking and evening meals are served much earlier than in neighbouring Spain.

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Many DFOK members have attended POM in the past.

Finally, there’s pastel de natas a’plenty in all of the many small bars. You can now get these Portuguese custard tarts in a few UK Supermarkets but there’s an art to making them well, needing an extremely hot oven. In the centre of Lisbon, just outside the centre at Belem and also in some other cities, there are shops selling only pastel de natas. It is a most interesting 15 minutes joining the queue outside, noting how fast it moves, ordering (which just requires saying the number you want, from one to a dozen or more) and then watching the way customers are served, always beautifully wrapped despite the speed of service.

There is always an event at the end of the week of POM. This year it is the Costa Alentejo O Meeting (CAOM) which takes place over three days (middle, long, sprint) near the coast of Alentejo and also includes a WRE for elites. Doing both events provides six middle or long distance races in eight days as well as the two sprints.

Louise and I will be going to Portugal so I can participate in POM 2023. We move on to CAOM2023. I won’t have missed a POM since the first one we went to in 2007. Perhaps you now have a better feel as to why!

Scale 1:7500 5m contours

POM2020 Day 1 M65 Course

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Santo André & Santa Cruz
20 January 2023 Calendar
SAX
05
MV
07
SO
07
HH
10
12
SO
14
SN
14
DFOK
15
SO
SO
17
MV
19
SAX
22
DFOK
24
SLOW
26
SAX
28
SO
01 Jan New Years Day Score
Mote Park Maidstone
Jan Kent Night Cup 9
Abinger Roughs Dorking
Jan SOG A7
Washington Common Washington
Jan HH Saturday series
Sherrards Park Wood Welwyn Garden City
Jan London Street SLOW Inns Of Justice Temple
Jan Kent Night Cup 10
TBA TBA
Jan SN Local Event
Wellesley Woods Aldershot
Jan Kent Orienteering League 5
Buckmore Park Chatham
Jan
Regional Event
Broadstone Warren Forest Row
Jan MV Winter Series
Reigate Reigate
Dec Kent Night Cup 11
Trosley Country Park Vigo
Jan SE League and SE Long Champs
Chelwood East Grinstead
Jan SLOW Night
Esher Common Esher
Jan Kent Night Cup 12
Scotney Country Park Lamberhurst
Jan SOG A8
Ditchling Common Burgess Hill Club Contacts
*Events
SAX
07
11
16
19
21
MV
23
SAX
25
CHIG
28
SLOW
February 2023
Chair– Antoine Pesenti– chair@dfok.co.uk Coach- Allison Page- coach@dfok.co.uk Mapper– Andrew Evans– mapping@dfok.co.uk IT and Comms- Phillip Craven- enquiries@dfok.co.uk Treasurer– Keith Parkes– treasurer@dfok.co.uk Dartboard- Luke Bennett- editor@dfok.co.uk Secretary- David Dawson- secretary@dfok.co.uk Social Media- Tina Bennett- tinabennett021276@gmail.com Membership– Geoff Goodwin- membership@dfok.co.uk
sourced from seoa.org.uk. Correct as of 21/12/22 04 Feb KOL 6
Trosley Country Park 04 Feb HH Saturday Series HH Mardley Heath 05 Feb National SE League GO Waggoners Wells
Feb LOK Street LOK Highgate 09 Feb Kent Night Cup 14 SAX Perry Wood
Feb SN Local event SN Frensham Heights School
Feb Kent Night Cup 15 SAX Milton Creek
Feb SE League LOK Holmbury
Feb MV Winter Series
Epsom
Feb Kent Night Cup 16
Haysden Country Park
Feb CHIG Regional and SWELL event
Wormley Woods
Feb SLOW Night
Wimbledon Common Wimbledon

Map extract: Acorn Woods Scale 1:5000 Contours 5m

Credit: British Orienteering

If You have any suggestions for games or any fun content, feel free to email me on editor@dfok.co.uk

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