Author: Alan Gartside

I’m planning to set up a TrailO exercise at our top-grade events this year. It will take the form of a TempO cluster near assembly or on the way to the start. It is the intention (assuming all the stars align!) to have one at each of: Carnearney 1st June Slieve Martin 22nd June Tollymore campsite 22nd June Whitespots 7th September Glenarriff 19th October and, if re-arranged, Castlewellan. The results will be combined to form the Club TrailO Championship 2024. This was last contested in 2018, won by Lyle Fleming. It’s time an attempt was made to wrest his crown Read More …

The various tables can now be seen . Being the first colour event of the year there’s not much meat on the bones but they can help guide your preparation for what’s to come. The official NISeries tables are available for download from the NIOA website but can be viewed (without downloading) at “Resources>OneDrive Public>NISeries>NISeries2024.pdf”. They show that Planner Olivia and the weather conspired to make it a tough day out. The Colour Standards can be viewed at “STANDINGS Colour Standards>Colour Standards.pdf”. With three events dropping off the 12 month window there are several examples of standards being lost (not Read More …

The NISeries event at Drumkeeragh next week is the first colour event of the year and thus kicks off the hCOW calculations. Last year’s finishing handicaps are brought forward so that your performance can be used to adjust your handicap rather than set it. The initial handicaps can be seen in the hCOW2024 folder (on the home page at “STANDINGS” click on “hCow” then “hCOW2024”). The names highlighted are presently lapsed members so although their performances, should they take part, won’t contribute to the scores they will be held for retrospective application should a membership renewal turn up later. Don’t Read More …

The Colour Standards table has been reset for 2024. It shows a number of things: first of all it’s a membership list – if your name’s in green then you’re a new member and most welcome; let’s see your name progressing up the results lists as the year goes on. If your name is clear then you’ve rejoined for 2024 – well done; if you’re in the pink then you haven’t so get on with it – you don’t want to have to start paying non-members entry fees! If you’re yellow it means that you forgot to rejoin in 2023 Read More …

With Whitespots being the final colour event of the year it’s time to do the final calculations. The NISeries tables have gone to NIOA for publication but a copy can be found on the club website’s public resources. Congratualtions to class winners Áine McCann, Olivia Baxter, James Ewart, Ann Savage, Cecil Armstrong and Aran Power for topping their class; Paul Graham led Light Green but didn’t have the requisite 4 results to be considered as a winner. The Colour Standards table has been updated and sets your 2023 colour standard achievement. That has been carried into the Colour History table, Read More …

The NISeries tables are published on the NIOA website; you can find a copy on the club site by clicking on “Resources”, “OneDrive Public”, “NISeries”, “NISeries2023.pdf”. A number of classes are already decided (it’s 4 results to count from 7); the brown women class is going down to the wire with Áine McCann and Moiré O’Sullivan sharing wins (thought for the day – does having an accented vowel in your name improve your orienteering? I think I’ll register as Álán to see if I can improve on my dismal return to colour-level events). The colour standards table can be found Read More …

The hCOW calculations have now been completed. You can find the tables by going to “STANDINGS” on the website, then click on “hCow” and select “hCOW2023”. As predicted the event results see a large proportion of the Light Green competitors clustered at the top of the event result (Event10Gosford.pdf) with Philip Baxter putting in a mammoth 7mins54secs/km beating of his handicap. It was certainly a fast event amongst the year’s programme with only 8 out of 44 competitors not beating theit handicap on the day. Bring on the Cavan Burren for a bit of a reality check! The hCOW table Read More …

The Autumn Trophy and Colour Standards tables have been updated with the Gosford results; go to the “STANDINGS” heading on the website and click on the “Autumn Trophy” or “Colour Standards” links. Congratulations to the AT winners; while there may be folk with lower scores in somes classes they won’t have the asterisk against their entry signifying that they didn’t score in each event. Note that event officials received notional points equal to their points in the other event – getting involved in event organisation reaps league benefits AND it’s one of the best ways of improving your technical skills. Read More …

As with the Autumn Trophy calculations, the hCOW calculations for Gosford will use the Light Green results as the second course. Provide the fitness is there, the reduced technical difficulty should lead to improved handicaps and therefore better Regatta Table standings but don’t despair, the following week at the Burren should provide the perfect antidote!

The various tables have been updated with the Portstewart and Cairn Wood results. With just 3 colour events left in the year (the Autumn Trophy 3 event has been changed to a training event) it’s time to look at what is needed to achieve 2023 goals. There’s the NISeries (4 to count, 2 events left), your colour standard (3 to count in 12 months, 3 events left), the Autumn Trophy (2 to count, 1 event left) and the hCOW and Regatta tables (7 to count, 3 events left). You can get to all of the tables via “Resources>OneDrive Public” or Read More …