Caddihoe Chase maps

I feel that some explanation is needed for the reasons behind the decision to colour photocopy the Caddihoe maps. Such methods have been used with success at major events before, including both the last two British Schools Championships so it wasn’t as if this was a pioneering approach.

As fairly small clubs it was essential that the event did not result in a loss for either WIM or WSX but at the same time the entry fees had to be fixed at a realistic level, not too high that it would deter the many orienteering families who come to the Caddihoe Chase every year. It is an inescapable fact that the current level of BOF levy makes many clubs very wary indeed of putting on National events and BOF may need to consider the idea of a differential levy in the more outlying regions of the country.

Using traditional map printing/overprinting methods was a very high added cost at an event which needed maps printing at two different scales (1:15 000 & 1:10 000) as well as the overprinting 20 courses on each of two days. Overprinting costs in the region of UKP35 per course. Clearly this was a major concern when budgets were prepared. Consideration was given to traditional overprinting methods, to digital printing from O-CAD and to colour photocopying from a master produced from O-CAD by inkjet printer on highest quality. Test printouts were produced and these appeared to copy with satisfactory results: colour photocopying became our preferred option.

But then other factors came into the equation. Many of the major officials were heavily committed to WOC’99 which meant that their time was limited in the months immediately before the Caddihoe. And then the army took a hand and began to make regular small but significant changes to the tank training area which meant that many courses would need amending. This work went on continuously during the summer months. Most of the changes, except those which occurred within 14 days of the event, were incorporated into the map. Eventually, in order to give us the flexibility to have courses produced on an up to date map, photocopying became our only viable option.All the maps were printed out by inkjet on photo paper - all masters were approved by the controller.

Unfortunately, the copying was not as successful as we had expected it to be. The finished copies were not always as sharp as the originals, and the brown of the contours and the red of the course overprint became almost identical, although they were clearly very different on the inkjet originals. It would seem that the machine used coped well with short runs but the colours began to vary considerably when a large print run was used.

The main sufferers were those orienteers using the 1:15 000 version of the map. The organising clubs accept that the colours of the map were not all that they should have been and those of you who stayed for the prizegiving on Sunday would have heard the Controller’s considered view of the matter. Most people accepted the map as it was and coped with no trouble but there were a small but significant number of vociferous competitors who made their feelings clear to the controller on the day.

Fortunately for the sanity of the event officials, amidst all the controversy, an equally vociferous number of runners went out of their way to comment positively on the event, on the quality of the planning ( they liked it). Almost of the juniors got round their courses on a potentially difficult area for them. Almost uniquely for a large scale event in the last year or so, all the controls were correctly placed, and no courses were voided, something which appears to have passed with little comment.

Wimborne Orienteers would like to apologise to those orienteers who felt that the quality of the final photocopied map spoiled their enjoyment of the event, but wish to emphasise that in the final analysis, it was an effort to produce the most accurate map of a continually changing area, rather than merely cost cutting, that meant photocopying had to be used.

Dick Keighley
Chairman, Wimborne Orienteers

PS Thank you to the large number of orienteers who have e-mailed tell us how much they enjoyed the weekend. This has made one or two of the officials feel much happier than they did at the end of the event itself.