The Pharce

the oxford university ORIENTEERING club newsletter

Michelmas 1998, Vol. 1

Welcome back!

Well, I hope you all had an enjoyable summer vacation, and that you're back and ready for a busy term of orienteering. This issue of The Pharce contains everything you need to get going with orienteering this term. We've got events to go to, training to try, and socials to enjoy-it's all detailed here.

With any welcome back comes the need to renew OUOC memberships. Due to the user costs of OUOC, we can't offer life memberships. Your annual fee goes to events, transportation, publications, advertising and socials (like free drinks...read on.) The fee for new members is £6, but for a renewal it's £9. The low newcomer fee is meant to encourage first-time orienteers. Hopefully you'll agree that £9 is still a deal for a year of orienteering.

This issue should have come with a Michelmas term card, as well as a membership form for you to fill out. If you're missing these things just let me know and I'll sort it out.

Good luck this term-in the woods, and out. Please drop me a line if you have any questions.

--Dave Donaldson, Trinity


The freshers are coming!

Two events are key to our annual new membership drive, and we'll need everyones' help to make each of them effective.

The first of these will be Welcome Drinks (formerly known as Freshers' Drinks). Lots of alcohol will be purchased both for freshers, and for all existing members! Please drop by, if not just for an evening drink. We need all members present to talk to freshers, create a 'big club' atmosphere, and to enjoy OUOC's first social. Merton College JCR; Tuesday 1st Week, 8:30-10:00.

The second event will be our Freshers' Orienteering Event. This is meant to be an introduction to orienteering for freshers and all other beginners. All members will get a chance to run, but we'll need most people to offer help and instruction to newcomers for part of the afternoon. The goal is to make beginning orienteering as easy as possible. Shotover Park; Sunday 2nd Week, buses leave Oriel Square at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30.


Top events

In a little more than a week we'll be back in the woods and moors of Southern England. There are plenty of great events this term; here are the highlights:

Badge Event: Southampton Sunday, 4th week (Nov. 1). New Forest terrain: wide open woods in places, but primarily moorland. New Forest ponies are an added bonus. Always a large event. Closing date is October 11, so contact Ian Cumpstey as soon as possible for a late entry.

CUOC Sprint-O: Cambridge Saturday, 5th week (Nov. 14). An annual event for university students-probably as much fun as you'll ever have orienteering. Multi-round knock out event on Saturday afternoon, with social for hundreds of uni. students that night. We'll stay over with a Tab, but will drive home early on Sunday. A great event for members of all abilities; go to have fun!

Badge Event: Epping Sunday, 8th week (Nov. 29). Another large event just north of London. Awesome terrain without a long drive. Don't miss this one!

Holiday Training: Lake District Sunday-Thurs., 9th week. Just like last year, we'll be joining up with our friends from Cambridge for some training in the beautiful orienteering terrain of the Lakes. This is likely the best opportunity we have each year to improve our orienteering. We've booked the same village hall-type place in Coniston-a huge, modern facility with pool, table tennis and table footie.


Training:

Part of succeeding at orienteering (and enjoying the sport more) is physical fitness. We'll try to meet once or twice a week this term to develop our running in a relaxed, social environment. Here are the planned runs so far - more to follow. Contact Steve Fisher (Training Officer) for more information.

Hob Nob Run: Meet at Trinity Gates every Wednesday at 6:00 for an easy 45 minute run. Always followed by drinks and Hob Nob biscuits at Andy's.

Longer Run: Meet at Trinity Gates every Tuesday at 5:00 for a longer run of 60-80 minutes. This should be of extra interest to those training for the Varsity Match in March.


What's New?

After having over 50 participants in May's Cuppers Event (the highest participation in many, many years), OUOC is looking to grow further. Here are some of our goals:


Social Calendar (by Andy Macleod)

Club Lunches Every Wednesday at 1:00, Trinity College Arts Room (Front Quad, staircase 7)
As always, our chance to meet weekly to discuss upcoming activites, and life in general. All Welcome!

Trip to the cinema Tuesday 2nd week
There's a showing of 'The Exorcist' (a favourite of mine) at the Phoenix on Walton street. Apparently tickets are free on production of a Bod card. I've got my ticket but I can't get one for everyone else, so if you want to go, you'll have to make the long trip up north yourself. Anyway, anyone who wants to go, meet in Jude the Obscure at 9:30ish.

Pub-O Wednesday 3rd week-28th October
A street orienteering event, where every control happens to be licensed premises. It's not just a pub crawl with maps because we're orienteers, honest. Well, OK then it is. Meet in Radcliffe square outside Brasenose at 8:00.

LaserQuest 5th Week-Date to be determined
Run around with big guns shooting each other. Then go to LaserQuest.

Roving Meal 6th Week-Date to be determined
This huge meal takes place at several different rooms in Oxford, with one course in each host's room. It usually involves lots of drinking and cycling (although after 'The Port Incident" last year, probably not at the same time). Drop me a line if you feel like hosting a course-you don't have to be the world's greatest cook, many hosts just provide snacks and drinks.

Christmas Curry 8th week (date to be confirmed)
An OUOC tradition for as long as I can remember (That's about two years) is to go for a curry around Christmas time. Hence the Christmas curry.

Email Andy Macleod (Brasenose) for more information on any of the above.


Contacts:

(If you ever have a question about something in OUOC, ask it to the right person here)

General questions or comments to entire club:

Serious (to everyone): ouoc-all@tailor.linc.ox.ac.uk
Less serious (nearly everyone): ouoc-crap@tailor.linc.ox.ac.uk

General inquiries, newsletters, beginners, meetings, anything else:

President: Dave Donaldson, Trinity, david.donaldson@trinity.oxford.ac.uk

Registering for an event, upcoming events, driving, logistics:

Secretary: Ian Cumpstey, St. John's, ian.cumpstey@st-johns.oxford.ac.uk

Your account with OUOC, reimbursals, financial stuff:

Treasurer: Christine Ashton, Jesus, cashton@Jesus.ox.ac.uk

Upcoming training events; when, where, what:

Training Officer: Steve Fisher, Nuffield, steve.fisher@nuffield.oxford.ac.uk

Upcoming social events, club lunches; when, where, what:

Social Officer: Andy (Nailest) McLeod, Brasenose, bras0473@sable.ox.ac.uk


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