As organiser of the event the last thing I expected was to get a run on the day. However in the end I think I had the best of runs…on the string course. The planners, Dave and Pippa Weir took the string through a delightful area close to the parking field giving competitors the chance to experience a varied woodland scene.
I accompanied another competitor around and had to move fast to keep up as we jumped over a burn, clambered up a steep bank then dropped down to a pond where we disturbed a few noisy ducks. Pippa had skilfully provided her own drawings from nature for all but the last control site where we were surprised to find six teddy bears sitting around a small table enjoying a picnic, including a jam tart.
And of that other event going on in parallel - well I hope you enjoyed your day. We ordered the weather and it was delivered on time, otherwise the parking would have been difficult. There has been much positive feedback on Moncreiffe Hill.
With more than 270 competitors, it was one of the best attended colour coded events the club has put on. I would like to thank the 27 helpers who turned out to help. With their support the job was made so much easier.
Liz Fraser
It was rewarding to see so many people running the courses at Moncreiffe Hill - and still looking cheerful at the finish. After enjoying several sunny days checking control sites during the winter, I'm glad the weather was good for the competition. The haze spoilt the spectacular views, but the car park field had the relaxed atmosphere of a 6 Days event.
I chose to concentrate the courses on the north half of the map, where the gradients are gentler and the terrain more varied. This area had suitable paths, tracks and line features for the White, Yellow and G (Orange) courses. By using a figure of eight loop for F (Light Green) and E (Green) courses, I kept those competitors largely off the paths, but the thicker vegetation they ran through did make for slightly slow times. The longer courses - A to D - dropped below the cliffs for long legs through forest mapped white. In March, with the bracken and other undergrowth flattened, the open woodland was highly runnable and, despite the big climb back up, many times were impressively fast.
In accordance with the CompassSport rules, I planned the course lengths as ratios of the A (Brown) course. Since this was the first use of the map, it was difficult to estimate running speeds, but 7.8km seemed a reasonable length for A, compared to other areas. In fact, it would have been hard to make the course any longer, without putting in an extra loop - not easy without adding too much climb. Low winning times were most noticeable on the C (Blue) course, where some competitors suggested another control would have been useful below the cliffs.
Maybe the next time we use Moncreiffe Hill the planner will focus on the south half of the map - that would take medium and short course competitors into a different world of ancient oaks and towering redwoods.
Felicity Martin
Was it because of the Compass Sport Trophy, the new area or the weather that the number of competitors at the event was the highest for a colour coded event in the Central Belt for some time? Whatever the reason I hope that all who did come enjoyed the varied terrain, if not necessarily the steep hill on the south side, offered by Moncreiffe Hill. Maybe now the south side of the hill will be worth a closer look when driving north on the M90. With the higher than normal entry the results show some close competition throughout most classes and I hope this added to the after run discussions.
Felicity’s attention to detail and the opportunity to leisurely run through the area both contributed to making this an enjoyable event to control. The organisation went well, however, if Liz had known before the event the actual numbers of vehicles that would turn up this might only have added to her worries about the parking field.
Thanks to all those who made comments after their run.
Rab Philp, KFO
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