Author: Alan Gartside

Three years ago I posted a paper about the possibility of introducing regularity testing as a way of comparing folk of different orienteering speeds. That paper is still on the web site “Resources>LVO Public Folders> hCOW>hCOW concept.pdf”. My intention was to proceed with drawing up the definition of the calculation needed and to implement it in a spreadsheet. That intention was brought to an abrupt end, exactly three years ago yesterday, by a collision with a bluebell-covered rock in Hillsborough Forest which led to full thoracic surgery to scrape the gunge out of my damaged lung. However, isn’t lockdown wonderful! Read More …

BOF has closed down its lapsed members listing (perhaps it thinks that folk who have not yet rejoined are lost to the sport). However the lapsed LVO members names can be found highlighted in the Colour Standards list at “Resources>LVO Public Folders>Colour Standards>Colour Standards.pdf”. It shows 78 lapsed and only 9 new members – that makes a big hole in the size of the club. So have a look at the list to see if you can identify any of the pink names, give them a call and ask/plead/cajole/threaten them into rejoining for 2020, ready to run over forests, hills Read More …

Congratulations to those who braved Storm Jorge at Parkanaur, especially Planner Lyle Fleming and Controller Richard McCourt. Unfortunately a painful ankle stopped me being there as well. From the results the Colour Standards and Spring Cup tables have been updated and created respectively and can be found in the LVO Public Folders “Colour Standards” and “Club Colour Series” respectively. As Green was the top course on the day no-one could achieve better than Green as your current 2020 standard – you need to get to Castle Archdale next week to try to beat that. The relatively small turnout and the Read More …

I haven’t seen an announcement about the scoring for the Spring Cup series, so here’s how I intend to calculate the standings unless informed otherwise: Green – 4 classes – senior & junior men & women Orange – 4 classes – senior & junior men & women Yellow – 2 classes – junior men & women junior is taken to be age class 20 and younger Scoring is by place points amongst the LVO members taking part – for the slower amongst us this looks better than the NISeries which uses relative performance to assign points. Results from both events Read More …

With the upcoming NI Score and Night Champs as well as the starts of the NISeries and Spring Cup leagues you need to be aware that you won’t collect championship places, league points or colour standards if you are not a current member. You can check your membership status via the colour standards table (Resources>LVO Public Folders>Colour Standards>Colour Standards.pdf); if you are highlighted as green (New – welcome!) or clear you are ready to go; if you are pink or yellow your membership has lapsed and you don’t qualify. The table has been updated to show your best colour achieved Read More …

Happy New O-Year to all! In the Colour Standards folder (Resources>LVO Public Folders>Colour Standards) your 2019 colours have been transferred from the Colour Standards table to the Colour History table. The 2020 standards will start to appear whenever you achieve a standard time in a 2020 event and have 2 achievements in the preceding 12-month period. The colour events are listed in the Colour Standards table. The Colour Standards table also shows your membership status and there are still a lot of folk in the pink (you really are lapsed members now!). Please take a moment to get your membership Read More …

The Colour Standards table has been partially updated to show the 2020 events at which colour standards can be achieved, so get your diaries out! The 2018 events have been dropped off the list so anyone whose 2019 colour depends on a result in that year will appear to be short of the required 3 counting events but, fear not, the records exist to prove your worth. The next phase of the table update will be to move the 2019 colour achieved into the history table and then wipe the slate clean for 2020. In the meantime the table also Read More …

Following yesterday’s slippery Autumn Trophy event at Belfast Castle the following table have been updated: 1 Colour Standards – Resources>LVO Public Folders>Colour Standards>Colour Standards.pdf. This was the last colour event of the year and shows, at the right-hand side, your colour achievement for 2019. When the table is reset at the end of the month this will transfer to the history table and the slate will be wiped clean for 2020. Don’t forget that this table also shows your membership status – get rid of the pink highlights asap! 2 Autumn Trophy – Resources>LVO Public Folders>Club Colour Series>2019AutumnTrophy.pdf. Needs two Read More …

The Colour Standards table has been updated with the Hillsborough results. Don’t believe what the event results show as standard times; have a look to see if you qualified for a colour standard. The table can be found under “Colour Standards” in “LVO Public Folders”. The table also shows membership status – make sure you’re changing from pink (lapsed) to clear (current) as soon as possible!

The Autumn Trophy scores, after 2 of the 3 events, are available in LVO Public Folders>Club Colour Series. The scoring is by place points, with 2 to score (indicated by an asterisk at the entry). May I point out that I am currently on the podium in the Green Senior Men class, testament to the truth of the old adage “if you’re not in you can’t win”? So get along to the final event at Belfast Castle to knock me off the step.