Umstead Park, Reedy Creek area June 4, 2000 event
Bob Smith, meet director

While you can't be certain what the weather will be at a June meet, you can usually expect it to be warm and humid. Heat stress can be a problem, so BOK June meets usually feature a Score-O as a way to limit the time people spend in the woods. In Score-O, there is no set course. Each control has a point value, based on distance and difficulty, and the objective is to collect as many points as possible within a limited time. If you go overtime, you lose points.

This spring's roller-coaster weather rolled right on through the meet. On Saturday, when I set the distant controls, it was sunny, hot and humid. I felt like a wrung-out dishrag by the time I got done. Later that day and into the night, severe thunderstorms moved through with heavy rain, wind, and lightning. Sunday was calmer and cooler, but overcast and very damp with isolated rain predicted. Since the picnic shelter wasn't available, we set up a plastic tarp over the start table and hoped for the best. Apparently it worked; the rain never came, and we even saw the sun occasionally.

The changeable weather didn't seem to dampen enthusiasm, because about 100 people showed up for the meet. A large group of folks from SAS Institute came for a special class on orienteering, arranged through their health and wellness program and taught by Joseph Huberman. Many of them stayed around to try a course during the meet. We also had a contingent of Young Marines (a program I wasn't aware of before), with their leaders and parents. There was also the normal assortment of experienced orienteers and first timers.

Besides the Score-O, the meet also had a White course for beginners. This was a good starting point for the Young Marines, who were learning about map and compass use for the first time. Most of them took the course in teams of 2, though one did it by himself and one team had 3 members. The team of David Russell and Stephen Clarke finished first overall, while the team of Aaron Vander Bee and Charlie Russell tied with the Chang family for second place. One of the Young Marine teams apparently took the scenic route and got off the course for a while. This caused some concern among the leaders and parents, but in true orienteering (and marine) fashion, the boys found their own way back. 

The Score O was set up so people could compete on different levels, rather than all being lumped in one group. Those who went for only 5 and 10-point controls were classed as Yellow level. Those who also went for 15-point controls were classed as Orange level; 25-point controls were classed as Brown level, and people who went for any of the controls on the other side of Crabtree Creek were classed as Red level. If people on the same level collected the same number of points, their finishing times decided who ranked higher. That happened more often than I would have guessed!

To encourage people not to stay out a long time, the penalties increased as overtime increased. For the first 5 minutes over, the penalty was a relatively light 1 point per minute or partial minute. After 5 minutes over time, it increased to 5 points; after 10 minutes, it increased to 10 points.

At the Yellow level, Bill Wilson came in first with 85 points and no penalty. David Staudacher and Frank Whitley actually collected 95 points, but lost 80 of them to overtime penalty.

At the Orange level, Tom LaPonte collected 130 points in well under the time limit. James Whitney was second, with 125 points. Joseph Huberman might have done better, but his thumb compass was on the same hand he used to hold a retractable dog leash-which contained a metal wheel which threw off the compass. Finishing times determined 4th through 7th place, since 4 entrants had the same score. The same was true for 8th and 9th place, where Lori Huberman lost to Pamela Whitney by one second. That finish deserves an asterisk, however, since Lori was delayed by a park ranger who was searching for the "missing" Young Marine team and stopped her to ask if she'd seen them.

Time was also the deciding factor on the Brown level. Peter Brock and Gordon Pitz both got 150 points, but Peter did it faster. Ruth Bromer also collected 150, but lost 2 to overtime penalty.

On Red, Rob Stevens collected the highest total (240) and had only 3 penalty points. Nils-Olov Hagelin was 15 points behind, with the same penalty. Mike Sigmund, who had spent most of the meet helping keep the registration and start organized, came in third. He received 11 minutes credit for picking up controls while he did the course (including one that Joseph Huberman never found because it was picked up before he got there).

A very large "Thank you" goes to Mike Sigmund, who saw that things were getting chaotic at registration and generously pitched in to help run the meet. Let me know any time you need help with a meet, Mike! Joseph Huberman taught the beginner class, in addition to the special class for SAS Institute. Mike Sigmund, Ruth Bromer, and Carlie Huberman helped pick up controls. Thanks to all of you!

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