TT2003 - Five Diamonds

Internet Table-Top Rally Championship 2003
Round 1 - Five Diamonds Rally
Results Summary

Well, I suppose I'm as glad as the competitors that the Five Diamonds TT Rally is over. With hundreds of e-mails flooding my inbox, particularly in the last few days of the event, and over 4000 route checks marked, it has been a daunting but satisfying task.

For a TT organiser the ideal is to have one competitor who has a perfect score since it means that the level of difficulty was just right, and that's exactly what happened on the Five Diamonds. I am also amazed at the general high level of scoring with just three points separating the top 6. My commiserations to those who faired less well or were so disillusioned that they failed to supply any answers.

Table-top rallying demands patience, inspiration, problem solving skills and plotting accuracy, and some may be discouraged by their attempt. Don't be! I have supplied very detailed solutions to the route cards so that competitors can see how the cryptic clues were solved and how the routes were defined. Study these to understand how "Crow's" mind works and kick yourself that the route cards were not really that difficult after all. Then come back encouraged to tackle rounds 2, 3 and 4.

Five Diamonds Trophies

Congratulations to Peter Robertson as the first winner - his comments make interesting reading. And "Well Dones" to Mike Biss and Malcolm Heymer in second and third places, who headed the leader board until the last night. A spreadsheet of answers and marking is available for downoading, as well as a copy of the solutions.

Thank you for the mostly favourable comments, if I choose to exclude those that question my parentage. Your remarks will help to make the Cloverleaf Rally in June even better.

"Crow"

Final Results Table

Pos	Name	Marks	Pos	Name	Marks
1	Peter Robertson	100	25	Bernard Northmore	66
2	Mike Biss	99	26	Paul Megretton	60
3	Malcolm Heymer	98	27	Steve Skepper	60
4	Peter Smith	97	28	Alan Edwards	57
5	Francis Tindall	97	29	Graham Gardner	55
6	David Bell	97	30	Clive Hodgson	55
7	Donald Clarke	95	31	Mick Wicks	54
8	Ian Buxton	94	32	John Elkin	45
9	Mitch Fielfing	94	33	Ian Canavan	39
10	Steve Barber	93	34	Carol Moulton	37
11	Mick Lowe	91	35	Brian Banks	36
12	Jeremy Rodgers	91	36	T J Hassall	33
13	Peter Randall	90	37	Tim Hare	26
14	Henry Carr	89	38	Martin Moore	23
15	Stephen Daniel	86	39	Shane Glynn	22
16	Anthony Davies	85	40	Robert Owen	21
17	Gillian Goodlass	82	41	Mick Clarke	18
18	Tony Widdowson	81	42	Alan Jones	15
19	Keith Cunningham	71	43	John Taylor	12
20	Alan Crabtree	70	44	Richard Wardle	12
21	Iain Tullie	70	45	Graham Dance	9
22	Sarah Talbot	70	46	Paul Hardy	8
23	David Ketley	68	47	Eric Richardson	7
24	Steve Pashley	67	48	Mark Rodbert	4