The first Tinto Twin event in October 1988 attracted over 600 competitive runs and had over 75 people complete the night and day challenge. Our 31st and last Tinto Twin this past weekend , the first one ever held in the Spring rather than Autumn, had under 150 competitive runs but still 39 completed the full challenge. There would have been more but snow on Sunday morning held back regular trophy winner Angela and her team from south of the border and Roger and others from Edinburgh.
Event delivery of this stature in a two day event format annually for over three decades for a very small rural club, latterly with only 5 very senior members, is a major challenge and we are very pleased to have “put it to bed “ with a final flourish.
We ourselves don’t recall such a snowy previous Tinto Twin but regulars like Bill Stevenson does, saying it was in the 1990’s. Former club member Ross McLennan did a fantastic upgrade of our early Carmichael Estate maps in Feb 2019 taking the never used before (for orienteering) Harleyholm hill from the 1997 1:15 whole Estate map originally by Harvey’s and Stirling Surveys. The day event central Estate map was updated for a big new hill wood planted last year and funded by the EU and the village hall last used in 1988 was a great venue for the night with the Carmichael farm shop and Bistro successfully used for the day venue.
Fortunately we had planned middle distance courses as the cold was a factor at night and visibility in blizzard conditions a factor in the day. Our challenge has always been tough enough as back to back night and day orienteering events within 24 hours without adding life threatening weather.
Planning is only a part of the delivery and Ted Finch controlled us, Lorna ran entries and registration, Blair and Ewart Scott did both starts, Robin and Sheila Strain did all the timing and results service and Marcella organising and trophies. Typical for the Tinto Twin, Blair, Robin, Sheila and Marcella were all also able to run both night and day!
So what went wrong with such a big delivery and such a small team in such bad weather ? Heavy overnight rain on Friday night brought flood water down from Tinto Hill and the Carmichael burn was uncrossable on Saturday so control 113 was moved 30 metres across the burn from a spur in the field to a spur by the burn. This put it closer to 117 also by the burn in a bush another 50 metres away and 3 runners failed to check the numbers and mis-punched. In the spirit of the final TT event for competitors entered to run in the day as well, we the delivery team, agreed to reinstate them.
Carmichael Estate was used for the 1988 event night and day and again this weekend for our final delivery and Tinto club decided to do the usual soup at night in the village hall and treat the runners to a complimentary lunch in the Carmichael Bistro on the Sunday. This was much appreciated and prize giving was a celebratory party. Regretfully our team of control picker volunteers like the Lindsays had to be dismissed as the snow returned. So Alistair Dunlop and Paul Caban did quite a few and the rest were collected by the club members ourselves in the sunshine on Monday.
Thank you to everyone who ever attended and supported this event. It’s been a privilege to plan it, to map it and to host it.
