Chairman's Chat

Well, the summer recess is over again but we can all look forward to another exciting season of Orienteering. The summer brought some notable events with the climax being the World Championships in Scotland. The highlight for me was the WOC '99 Short Race and watching Yvette Baker at the spectator control, where she had already caught up the previous champion. Her entry into the finish field was greeted with tremendous cheers, which seemed to be coming from all teams. Her winning margin of over a minute was proof of how well she competed. The presentation ceremony was very emotional but it was good to see how all the teams were pleased that after so many years of consistent orienteering Yvette had achieved a Gold medal. Congratulations to Yvette - you have done us all proud.

The only disappointment is that the publicity which one had hoped for after Yvette's win has not materialised. Clubs have prepared themselves for a large increase in enquiries but nothing has come about. I will be raising this at BOF Council and suggesting that major efforts are made to ensure that Yvette's win gets recognition in the "BBC Sports Personality of the Year " Awards. Why don't all orienteers send in their votes for her?

Since my last Chairman's chat the EAOA AGM has taken place. This was very well attended and brought a high standard of debate on the constitutional changes. The changes to the method of funding of EAOA were approved and will come into effect from Jan 2000. Since then we have set up a sub-group to look at updating the Constitution as a whole. Hopefully this will remove some of the anomalies that exist at present.

In my last chat I mentioned the possibility of a Short Race series. So far I have only been asked by SMOC about this: they are planning to put on a short race event on 27 May 2000. If other clubs are interested it would be best to use events within a month or two of the SMOC event. I hope that other clubs will take up this idea.

In the last Points East I was pleased to read Ursula's editorial on e-punching. It is obvious from her comments that she is very impressed and has seen the range of benefits that it brings. The major EAOA concern about the purchase of the SportIdent system was the problem of vandalism and the possible loss of the relatively expensive control units. At present we are carrying out trials using dummy control units at a selection of colour coded events. So far, after 3 events, none of the units have gone missing. But one answer to those who expressed this concern is that, as Ursula explains, there are no registration, finish or results teams and these people could be used to carry out patrols in those areas of the competition venue which are thought to be most at risk from vandalism.

The next few weeks see a mass of events both locally and nationally. There is a local event on nearly every weekend from now until Xmas and also numerous badge events in the Midlands and the Peak District. For those of us who like to travel around the region and to badge events, it is becoming more and more difficult to fit all these events in. I just don't know when I'm going to get that conservatory finished!!

Happy orienteering. We and the Orienteering way are One.

Tim Eden (NOR)