A record 32 competitors. Well done Nick, few would have believed informal night events in Kent would be this popular. At this rate there will soon be more at our night events than our day events.

Thank you everyone who donated to the Woodland Trust. I shall try to persuade them to use the money to plant runnable beech woodland rather than more unmarked fences. Both myself and Nick were too busy to recce the control sites so Nick armchair planned the course, I thought this would be OK on the simple farmland of Hucking. That was until reaching controls 41 and 42 and finding the 1000 metre long barbed wire fence blocking access. Oh dear… There were a few more surprises as well. Next time I promise to leave the corner cutting to the competitors.

Results are below. Jonathan and Neil Crickmore were clear on 14 points but it was the group of Rob Lines, Ramon, Robin, James and Lars just ahead of the pack with 12 points that picked up the star prizes in the Hook and Hatchet. Laura Pearson was the first woman home with 10 points.

Thanks to Phil Craven for putting out controls and helping with the stampede at 8.40. Thanks to Phil Basford for printing the maps. Thanks to Dave Cave-Ayland for helping Phil beat the postal strike by delivering the maps by hand. Thanks also to Dave, Phil and Nick Hope for collecting in controls.

The Kendal family have been given 8 bonus points for finding my compass which I dropped when putting out controls. What are the chances of that? Everyone else had trouble finding shiny red and white flags.

Next weeks event is the first street event. It will be on Wednesday in Tunbridge Wells. Street orienteering is becoming increasingly popular so I am looking forward to it. Details are on the SAXONS website www.saxons-oc.org

Hucking Estate Results (1pt per control & 1 pt off per minute or part, off).