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| oldSTAGER - August/September 2004 | |||
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Following on from the success of the Internet Table-Top Rallying Championship in 2003, a new and extended series has been announced for 2004/2005. Last year 80 entrants competed over four rounds. A different person won each event, though it was the podium consistency of Mike Biss - more associated with his driving successes on modern road rallies - that brought him the 2003 navigational title. The Championship drew praise from those who relish the challenge of a month to solve tough navigational and plotting problems in the comfort of their home. But there was criticism from the road rally competitors who were looking for a cheap and novel way of honing and practising their skills for real events. Ray Crowther (a.k.a "Crow"), who organises the Championship conceded: "The skill level required was about right - for Master navigators - since the winners almost cleaned each event, but many of the road rally navigators struggled. I've addressed that problem for 2004/2005. Now there should be a competition suitable for all classes of navigator, including co-drivers." This year there will be two Navigational Championships: The Masters Championship, which will be similar in format to 2003, and a new Road Rally Championship. They will run in parallel, but the Route Cards will be in two parts. Part 1 will be based upon road rally navigation: straightforward map references, grid lines, tulips, herringbones and spot heights etc. - imitating the kinds of plotting typically encountered on road events. Entrants in the Masters will additionally need to solve Part 2 - much tougher versions of clues, where almost anything can be expected to confuse and frustrate. The Route Cards will be published on the Internet and competitors will submit their answers using a web-based form. The four Championship events will be running in September and November 2004, and January and March 2005. Entry fee is £12 for the Masters series and £8 for Road Rally series. Two OS Maps, 188 and 193, will be required. A third competition, the Rally Round Championship, will be based upon the board game of the same name, with the rules adapted for Internet play. The route to be followed on the (downloadable) map board will be  defined by a simple Tulip road book. The skill will come in choosing and using a Driver, Navigator and various car parameters to give variable advantages over the standard rules. Competitors will have to tackle road, selective and regularity sections, and special stages with the objective of minimising their penalties. The Rally Round events will run in October and December 2004, and February and April 2005. Entry fee is £10. Awards will be presented to each event winner and Championships' podiums, but the balance of the proceeds will be donated to Cancer Research. Full details and examples can be found at http://table-top-rallying.org.uk. The website has also had a face-lift and now includes articles on navigation, useful links and a navigational rally event calendar. |
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