Another cold crisp night - perfect for running about in the dark.  We started inside with the technical training, then we had a good run around outside.  Three seperate kites were placed around the school site - each kite had 3 stakes 50m away from it on different bearings.  The task was to find the correct stake by taking a bearing from the kite using a "white map" (Hence no relying on familiar features around the site).  Quite a difficult task but managed superbly well be everyone.

The evening was rounded off by a map symbol challenge in the Gym.  The "map" was 10 map symbols, these had to be converted into descriptions, then reading from a table converted again into a control code.  A memory exercise as well as learning map symbols.  For example if the first two symbols were a depression (31) followed by a marsh (35), then you had to go to control 31 then 35.  The codes were on the wall, so the trick was to see how many you could memorise.   Well done to Bella, Helena, Matthew and Lindsey for completing all four map symbol courses.

Results here for indoor exercises here.

Surprisingly no-one has yet claimed the diamond encrusted watch left on the 9th January.

Don't forget - East Park this Saturday.

The cold frosty night provided perfect conditions for orienteering training on the Longcroft School site.  Although you stood around at your peril.  So we started off indoors with technical traiingon compass bearings.  Then outside to put these skills into practise.  This was followed by the option of a long or short course using needle punches.  The long course required accurate compass bearings to find a few of the controls which were just a cane with a needle punch. Not easy to find in the dark.  However - everyone suceeded, which was pretty impressive.

The evening finished off with controls sited on stakes on a 5 by 4 grid at 15 metre intervals.  It was surprising how hard it was to see some of them.  There were six seperate courses to have a go at, the first two maps had control numbers, but not the final four - you had to be confident you were at the right control. Even though it was a relatively small grid, compass bearings were essential for navigation.  The sixth course was simply a sprint around the grid, punching the outside 12 controls.

Only one person completed all six, well done Lindsey.  Results for the outdoor timed exercises are here.

The League positions of the White, Yellow and Orange courses are here.

The League positions of the Technical course are here.

Full rules are here.

Next event is on Saturday January 28th at East Park, Hull (starts from 10am to 12noon)

It was good to see such a good turnout on the first Club Night of 2012, 20 altogether with a perfect 50:50 split of members and non-members.  The activities were all indoors (to the disappointment of some members who have a love of the cold and the dark!)  involving running exercises, map symbol relays, netball numbers (with a small dose of mental arithmetic) and finishing off with timed sprint courses using the SI equipment.  Example of one of the courses here.  Eight people (Jake, Helena, Jackie, Lindsey, Matthew, Mary, Ken and someone else) managed to complete all six courses.  Jake would have had the fastest time overall, except for a slow time on the last course when he gallantly helped one of the younger members with their course. Results for those timed activities are here.

Lost property - A diamond encrusted watch with black strap was found in the changing rooms (39 diamonds, 1 missing).  Contact Neil (neil@halo-orienteering.org.uk) if it is yours.  Due to the incredible value of this item, I will need some confirmation that it is yours - model, serial number, time showing, that sort of thing.

Hope to see you all next week - and a few more.  There will be some outdoor activities next week - unless the weather prevents us.

NOT Friday 3rd February - new date FRIDAY 17th FEBRUARY

HALO Event & Social - ALL INVITED!

New Year's day saw 14 runners split into three teams take on the Barmby Moor event.

Neil had prepared an excellent double sided map showing the urban and rural elements which gave all the runners choices of how long they spent in the village before returning to the finish at the house.

With 16 controls in the village and 14 in the fields managing the time was always going to be crucial. Barmby is triangle in shape and has an inner ring road so the controls had you visiting the points as well as a trip round the inner part before the long leg back to the house. With 10 controls grouped in pairs around the field the last few minutes consisted of runners criss crossing in all directions before the countdown saw them all race to the finish.

Brian Ward was first home with all controls and Neil and Paul also managed the maximum. In addition all 14 finished in time so no penalty points.

The final scores were

Brian Ward and John Butler - 530 points

Brian Slater, Paul and Pat Simmons - 560 points

Mary, Ken and Amanda - 630 points

Neil, Fran and Ellen - 650 points

Paul, Helen and Pat - 700 points

So next New Year's Day will see a trip to Doncaster!

Cleethorpes Country Park on Saturday will be the first round in the new Saturday HALO League. Best four results from the next seven Winter Events to count.

Click here for details

HALO is organising for the third year the Final of the East Riding of Yorkshire Schools Orienteering Championships at 4 pm on Tuesday, 1 May 2012 at Burton Constable Hall.

Prior to that there will have been 13 cluster competitions for years 5 and 6 at various schools in the East Riding at which HALO has offered to have a presence at and to give a hand if required. (Last year over 500 children from 45 schools, many of whom had little or no experience of orienteering, took part in the cluster competitions.) The top 20 scorers from each of the cluster events are invited to take part in the Final. Awards are made to the first three and the best school in each year group.

In 2011 there were 200 young people from 29 schools in the Final, and in 2012 there could be even more - so we will need Club members’ help on the day. Don't wait to be asked - please let Neil Harvatt or John Butler know now that you are available.

What a way to end the term - a record turnout - 24 participants.

The instructions, I thought, were straightforward, not everyone agreed!  12 controls marked on the map, but with names rather than numbers (Pipers, Drums, Geese, etc).  Click here to see map.  30 minute time limit to get them all (1 point per control), 2 bonus points available for every control visited in the same order as the final verse of "The 12 days of Christmas". (Longest consecutive chain would score 2 points for each if not all in correct order).  1 penalty point for each minute (or part) over 30 minutes.  That's not fair, I hear you say, what if I don't know the song? No problem - the verse was printed out and copies hung at the Geese and Calling Birds controls.  This was followed by an indoor exercise on the same theme, but it turned out the hardest part was interpreting the clip art symbols. (What does a calling bird look like?)

Outdoor results are here.  Indoor (and overall) results are here

Many thanks for all who took part and for bringing food for the now traditional end of term feast which was enjoyed by all.

Congratulations to the top three on the night, Lindsey (1st), Bella (2nd) and Jake(3rd).

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all and see you on January 9th 2012.

Results for last Mondays timed activities are here.

Next Monday (19th) will be the last of this term and will be followed by the now traditional "feast" in the gym.  All welcome.

We will re-start on January 9th in the New Year.

The results for the first five standard courses can be found here.  Lindsey and Helena seem to be dominating the top spots with wins also for Bella and Paul.

The Snooker results are here.  Sorry they were not available on the night.  However there were very few errors on the course, only three disqualifications and two of  those from experienced club members.  They are shown in red on the results.  A few made mistakes but then realised and corrected so no disqualifications, these are shown in yellow on the results. Well done to George for comprehensively (2 seconds faster than Lindsey!) beating the rest of the field, not easy when you have to combine strategy with memory and both at speed.

The snooker map is here

HALO now has its own Facebook page and you can find the link to it on the HALO home page - click on the f top right hand side.

If you are a Facebook member Like the page and then you’ll receive regular updates about events, results, photos etc.

If you are not a Facebook member don’t worry, the website will continue to contain all the usual information too!

If you would like to add an update to the page, or have some photos to share,  send an email to either Helen Smith or Brian Ward and they’ll be happy to help.

Three HALOites picked up (nice yellow) pots from the Final Round of the EBOR Autumn Sprint Series.

A series of 4 day time Sprints and 4 night time Sprints finished at Clifton Hospital last night, Wednesday 23rd November.

A super series, very informal, but with fully waterproof and very professionally produced maps, all credit to Steve Whitehead

and his band of merry EBOR helpers!

Photo's from Clifton Hospital and the presentation - including HALO winners - Amanda Ward, Helen Smith and Brian Ward

can be found on the HALO Facebook here :-

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Humberside-and-Lincolnshire-Orienteers/190873247650813#!/media/set/?set=a.222384314499706.53389.190873247650813&type=3