Grim Determination!!!

Grim Determination??? How badly we underestimated the numbers and enthusiasm as we organized this meet! If you weren't there to see it, you almost surely would have guessed that ice, snow, fog and rain would have relegated this meet to a few grimly determined orienteers taking what little comfort could be found from the knowledge that the fewer of us, the greater share of honor.

But it wasn't to be. A happier bunch of smiling faces rarely graces our CTOC meets. Nineteen happy warriors returned victorious over slop in the streets, snow in the hills and random ice under foot. The cynics and skeptics need only examine the photographs to transform them into blushing Pollyannas.

Some of the old war horses trod the course with their customary speed and precision. How much speed and how much precision? Those of you who know the Russes and Sergeys of our team can make reliable estimates subject to confirmation in the results below. Ben and Jeff continue to set a high standard. That's all old news. Jeff's ultra-running friend, Dennis Ahern, came out to try our sport. He acquitted himself well on the intermediate course with a second place finish.

The new news and really welcome news is a number of younger orienteers. We were so happy to have them that in a moment of financially untenable compassion David waived the $5 map fee for non-member high school students. We offer our apologies, but not refunds, to any young person who might have paid up before Connor exploited David's weakness. In the future we'll restrict David to dealing with Russ and Sergey.

As happy as we are to have these young orienteers join us we must acknowledge there are some things they lack. (Excuses? “My eyesight fails me.Twenty years ago I would have seen that shortcut on the map.”) If you added up all of their BMIs, we'd venture the sum would fall short of our BMI leader whose identity shall remain undisclosed. Welcome Parker, Connor, Natalie and Alex. We hope to see a lot more of you and your friends at future meets.

Ben Brock's Riverstone students weren't the only young folks to grace the intermediate course Saturday. Jeff Olsen is a remarkably composed seventh grader who brought his dad to aid in his pursuit of an orienteering merit badge. They familiarized themselves with procedures on the beginner's course and then took on the intermediate course. Weather and time intervened to prevent a finish. Nevertheless Jeff and his dad reported good progress. Best of all was the enthusiasm that promises to overflow into the scout troop.

And then there was Jay Morgan out with his kids again on the intermediate course. Those of you who know Jay appreciate his love of the longer courses. He must have decided to raise his kids right. Plaudits to Jay and mom.

No meet is complete without a culinary sensation of Russ Pilcher's making. No need to ask Sergey which control was the most important. It was his last control, or should we say out of control. Shown here is Sergey coming off a hand rail to attack Russ's liverwurst.

We don't want to beat our own drum, but we do feel obligated to quote some of the praise we received for the meet. “Clearly, our best meet of the year! Thanks John and David for hosting, it was a great way to start of the rest of my life.” Rest assured that your meet directors will not be shopping for larger hats on the strength of this compliment. However somewhere cleverly concealed in the transparent superficiality and evident disingenuousness is an essential truth of orienteering—every meet is a great way to start the rest of our lives. As pleased as we were with the meet, we look forward to the December meet when we can say January's edition was the worst meet of the year. Let's have a great 2013 orienteering!

Meet directors,

David Murray
John Murray