Report

Firstly, let us congratulate Martin Rea, who very nearly cleaned our most difficult event yet, Peter George and Shirley Child, who overcame all adversity and won their respective events, well done.

Overall, this year's event was too hard. Apologies to all of you who made this comment (and those who didn't, but felt it anyway). Gary Zoller agreed to set the clues for the first time, and I think the lad got carried away! Those of you who have ever set such an event will know how difficult it is to get the standard right - some clues that we expect to be straightforward, are considered tricky by some competitors, and vice-versa.

Of course, you have a right to expect clues to be correct. Unfortunately, this was not the case on far too many occasions this year. It always amazes me that the top-flight competitors can not only manage to complete the sections, but point out exactly where we have gone wrong! (I'm glad they do!!) The checking process this year was very rushed, due to a mix-up with new organisers. This will not happen again.

We must apologise for the one day delay in dispatching the event, the envelopes were posted in our main sorting office on the Wednesday and not the Tuesday as advertised. However, judging by your comments, the Post Office then took a hand and added further delays to some competitors. I know at least one competitor who received the event on the Thursday, whilst another was still waiting on Saturday and one never arrived at all. The overall length of the event is designed to allow for these added delays and all answer sheets returned were marked. Sorry if your event arrived late, but we have no control or influence on the Post Office.

Numbers were up slightly this year, 90/25/55, National/Main/Beginners, but returned answers were down at 33/9/22 i.e. 37/37/40% respectively. Many thanks for the useful comments included with your answers, its good to see some of you, but not as many as we would have liked, enjoyed the event. Your comments certainly help during marking. We are sorry, but due to other pressures we will be unable to give individual answers this year.

Last, but not least, we extend ours and your thanks to our sponsors, without whose support, this event would not be possible:-

Rally Navigation Services, For the National Event and the National Table Top Rally Championship.

RallyMaps of West Wellow and David Arnold of CSMA Motoring & Leisure, for supporting the Main and Beginners Events.

And finally, YOU, all the entrants, since without you there is no event.

As our thank you to you, watch out for the discount voucher, to be sent out with next year's regulations.

Happy and successful plotting in the future - THE ORGANISING TEAM.