South London Orienteers and Wayfarers

The First Event in the 2005 Frolics Series

Sunday 3rd July 2005

Hawker Centre, Ham Riverside, Surrey

• Flyer (Acrobat pdf file)
• Location map
• Results

Organiser: Paul Street, 020 8940 9583

Updated: 24th June 2005

FROLICS is the London Inter-club Series that takes place each summer, coordinated by LOK. The principle is that everyone runs the same course and time allowances allow a single results list. This year the events are on the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th of July. Ths SLOW event gets things underway.

Originally the "First Running Of London Inter Club Series" there was a strong bias to the social side with events in London Parks on Saturday mornings and pre-entered teams of 8 from different clubs locked in friendly rivalry before recourse to the pub. Nowadays the events have become more normal: Sundays, entry on the day, and no limit on team size, but it is hoped the basic sociability coming from everyone running the same course carries on.

The course is light green, approximately 4km with a good M21 able to finish in about 24 minutes.

The handicap allowances are based on age, sex and experience, and have been refined over the years. 20's and 35's get 1 minute, 40's 2 minutes, 18's and 45's 3 minutes, 50's 4 minutes, 16's and 55's 6 minutes etc. Women get 7 minutes. Those without a recent gold get 4 minutes, without a recent silver 7 minutes, and beginners with no regional event form at all 10 minutes.

There are always a couple of ringers who finish with adjusted times below 20 minutes but one of the great charms is the way that for most people a minute better or worse makes a big difference to your overall place. It's the best way for mortals to imititate the feeling of a World Cup Sprint Race!

Clubs need 6 runners to complete the course, and each event is scored as in a league. Doing well normally means getting a mixture of experience and newcomers, as one or other of the events often tends to favour one or the other type - so talk your friend into coming along. Last year's overall winners were Happy Herts, but they may find it a bit more difficult this year with three of the four events south of the river and the final round on Hampstead Heath.

• July 3rd - SLOW at Ham Riverside
• July 10th - DFOK at Foot's Cray Meadows
• July 17th - MV at the Hogsmill Open Space
• July 24th - LOK at Hampstead Heath

This year's SLOW event is hosted from the Hawker Leisure Centre and is being planned by the SLOW Chairman and Man-with-a-Van from the World Cup Don McKerrow. SportIdent support is provided by the ever innovative Gavin Andrews, and a delightful morning is in prospect for all who come along.

Apart from the main Frolics course there will be a yellow course and an "extension" for those wanting more distance, that is after their sprint finish in the blazing sunshine on the Frolics course they set off again to pick up extra controls. For youngsters, and those young at heart, the "Naughty Numbers" will be in attendance.

Registration will open at 9:30, with start times from 10 to 12.

Entry fees are not yet finalised but will be posted here shortly.

For further information contact webmaster@sloweb.org.uk