Frolics 2009

Frolics 2009 – Final results

MV finally make it to the top!

Final position (best five out of the six events)	Club	Cumulative individual scores	Trophy points
1	MV	2597	97
2	HH	2533	94
3=	SLOW	2514	92
3=	LOK	2475	92
5	HAVOC	1709	79
6	DFOK	1568	76
7	SAX	1435	73
8	CHIG	1677	72
9	TVOC	1370	67
10	SO	644	58
11	BKO	399	32
12	SN	196	22
-	GO	0	0

Congratulations to MV as Frolics champions for 2009. After coming in fourth in 2004, third in 2005 and 2006, and second in 2007 and 2008, they’ve finally made it to the top, and are worthy winners of the much cherished London bus trophy. The ‘best x out of y’ rule has caused some controversy in the past but this year MV would have won the title either way.

HH are the main beneficiaries of being able to drop their lowly result at Nonsuch Park to pull up to second overall, leaving SLOW and LOK to jointly complete the top four. Some might say that last year’s champions LOK could feel a little hard done by as they were second before the rule and in fact over the six events had the highest number of individual points scored [LOK 2903, SLOW second with 2894, and HH third on 2766 only a fraction ahead of MV on 2762]. Clearly it’s not just about the numbers; turnout and strategic targeting of events helps.

But let’s not get too analytical – remember Frolics is only a summer fun series after all.

Further down the table, HAVOC were the best of the chasing bunch, having vied with rivals DFOK all season. And SAX managed to leapfrog CHIG at the death, thanks to dropping their worst result - their no-show at Horsenden. TVOC and SO were not too far behind the middle group, while BKO and SN also scored points at the two or three events they could easily get to. This year GO did not put in an appearance, but most Frolic events are a long way from their home territory.

For the record HH won at Epping, a just reward for their efforts to encourage members to get there on the day – not far off a quarter of the field and the highest club turnout at an event this year. MV also made the effort to travel from the other side of London, scenting overall victory, with SLOW in third place. The next bunch were hard to separate with SAX taking the honours closely followed by HAVOC at their home fixture and LOK in sixth place only.

LINK to Frolic Statistics and historical results

26 July – Epping SW (HAVOC))

	Club	Score (top 6 runners on handicap)	Points (for trophy)
1	HH	536	20
2	MV	505	19
3	SLOW	496	18
4	SAX	435	17
5	HAVOC	431	16
6	LOK	428	15
7	DFOK	413	14
8	CHIG	356	13
9	TVOC	322	12
10	SO	48	11
-	GO	0	0
-	SN	0	0
-	BKO	0	0

Well done to everyone who took part in the series, even if you weren’t a ‘scoring’ runner. Let’s all look forward to the 2010, which may well be time for a celebration as the 21st anniversary event (although I have to confess my personal records are not conclusive on this).

Greg Birdseye
Frolics co-ordinator
28 July 2009

Frolics 2009 – round 5 results

19 July – Nonsuch Park (MV)

	Club	Score (top 6 runners on handicap)	Points (for trophy)
1	MV	568	20
2	SLOW	532	19
3	LOK	478	18
4	DFOK	378	17
5	HAVOC	369	16
6	SO	313	15
7	TVOC	302	14
8	SAX	239	13
9	HH	232	12
10	BKO	224	11
11	SN	74	10
12	CHIG	67	9
-	GO	0	0

The end of the season is fast approaching.

At Nonsuch Park, MV had their day in the sun, fielding a strong team to take top spot by a comfortable margin. SLOW also were close to home and easily took second place, with LOK trailing in third.

Perhaps surprisingly, we then had two of the east London clubs, DFOK and HAVOC, putting in a strong performance after travelling to the other side of the region; by contrast HH – one of the ‘big four’ – were unusually subdued on the day. SO, TVOC, and SAX again produced solid mid-table results.

In the overall table, we again have a tie for first place, with MV jumping up to share the lead with LOK this week, and HH slipping back to fourth after their disappointment at Nonsuch. SLOW also move up a place, and are now only 3 points off the top. HAVOC are still pushing hard, and conceivably could even make the top four with their last event to come at Epping.

But the ‘best five out of six’ calculation can make a big difference in the final shakeout, so nothing is yet certain. A look back over the previous weeks, suggests that MV might be best placed at this stage as they can disregard their low score from round 1 but, equally, HH’s result at Nonsuch also could become irrelevant.

So, all still to play for….

Overall position after five rounds

Position after five rounds	Club	Cumulative individual scores	Cumulative points (for trophy)	Change in position since last week
1=	LOK	2473	92	-
1=	MV	2269	92	▲ 2
3	SLOW	2392	89	▲ 1
4	HH	2229	86	▼ 3
5	HAVOC	1534	78	-
6	DFOK	1359	74	▲ 1
7	CHIG	1388	68	▼ 1
8	SAX	999	56	-
9	TVOC	1047	55	-
10	SO	596	47	-
11	BKO	399	32	-
12	SN	196	22	-
13	GO	0	0	-

Greg Birdseye
Frolics co-ordinator
21 July 2009

Frolics 2009 – round 4 results

12 July – Wimbledon Common (SLOW)

	Club	Score (top 6 runners on handicap)	Points (for trophy)
1	SLOW	546	20
2	MV	522	19
3	HH	485	18
4	LOK	480	17
5	CHIG	357	16
6	HAVOC	254	15
7	TVOC	241	14
8	SAX	236	13
9	DFOK	205	12
10	BKO	116	11
11	SO	68	10
-	SN	0	0
-	GO	0	0

As expected, SLOW brought out the big battalions at Wimbledon and scored an easy win, while MV comfortably picked up second place. It was a nice change starting at the south end of the common, even though that meant we were in the green areas even sooner! The bracken also seems to have made strong growth very quickly.

Nevertheless, the weather was kind – for the fourth week in a row – and SLOW are to be congratulated for attracting one of the biggest Frolics turnouts in recent years. Interestingly, almost a quarter there on the day were not current members of a club, and there was a good handful of non-Frolic clubs represented as well, even from as far afield as Canada and NZ. Perhaps the fame of Frolics is spreading?

Overall, it’s getting even tighter at the top. Last week LOK were only just ahead of HH on trophy points and with a very slim margin on cumulative individual scores. Now, they are absolutely equal on points and the individual score difference – this time in favour of HH – is even smaller. Clearly, every second counts and even those minor moments of indecision out there in the woods might affect the award of the trophy at the end of the season.

SLOW and MV closed the gap beneath the top two, and further down the table, the three east London clubs continue to fight out their own battle, with this week CHIG and DFOK swapping places. The season is now boiling up nicely with two rounds to go.

Overall position after four rounds

Position after four rounds	Club	Cumulative individual scores	Cumulative points (for trophy)	Change in position since last week
1=	HH	1997	74	▲ 1
1=	LOK	1995	74	-
3	MV	1701	72	-
4	SLOW	1860	70	-
5	HAVOC	1165	62	-
6	CHIG	1321	59	▲ 1
7	DFOK	981	57	▼ 1
8	SAX	760	43	-
9	TVOC	745	41	-
10	SO	283	32	-
11	BKO	175	21	▲ 1
12	SN	122	12	▼ 1
13	GO	0	0	-

Greg Birdseye
Frolics co-ordinator
15 July 2009

Frolics 2009 – round 3 results

5 July – Shooters Hill (DFOK)

	Club	Score (top 6 runners on handicap)	Points (for trophy)
1	LOK	478	20
2	MV	477	19
3	HH	455	18
4	SAX	451	17
5	HAVOC	427	16
6	SLOW	380	15
7	DFOK	303	14
8	TVOC	268	13
9	CHIG	230	12
10	SO	150	11
-	BKO	0	0
-	SO	0	0
-	GO	0	0

Despite both being based largely on the other of London, LOK and MV had the highest turnouts at Shooters Hill, and this perhaps influenced the result on the day, with the two clubs occupying the top two places – LOK just edging it by one point on the individual scores.

HH, with only six runners, scored well also to finish with third place. SAX had one of their best results in recent years and were only just behind in fourth.

We are now halfway though the series, and four clubs are setting the pace in the overall table. SLOW in fourth spot did not have a full turnout at Shooters Hill, but with Wimbledon to come they can expect to be back in contention soon.

And this year we have a more even geographical spread of events, with three out of the six on the east side of London. This is beginning to be reflected in the results with HAVOC, DFOK and CHIG closing up on the usual big four.

Overall position after three rounds

Position after three events	Club	Cumulative individual scores	Cumulative points (for trophy)	Change in position since last week
1	LOK	1515	57	▲ 1
2	HH	1512	56	▼ 1
3	MV	1179	53	▲ 1
4	SLOW	1314	50	▼ 1
5	HAVOC	911	47	-
6	DFOK	776	45	▼ 1
7	CHIG	964	43	▼ 2
8	SAX	524	30	▲ 1
9	TVOC	504	27	▼ 1
10	SO	215	22	▲ 1
11	SN	122	12	▼ 1
12	BKO	59	10	-
13	GO	0	0	-

Greg Birdseye Frolics co-ordinator
10 July 2009

Frolics 2009 – round 2 results

28 June – Horsenden Hill (LOK)

	Club	Score (top 6 runners on handicap)	Points (for trophy)
1	MV	537	20
2	HH	530	19
3	SLOW	516	18
4	LOK	492	17
5	DFOK	306	16
6	HAVOC	256	15
7	TVOC	236	14
8	CHIG	222	13
9	SN	122	12
10	SO	65	11
11	BKO	59	10
-	GO	0	0
-	SAX	0	0

Another new area, an even hotter day than the previous week, and a good time had by all (give or take a few brambles and the odd navigational error). The Frolics course was more popular than the planner expected and maps had to be recycled – thanks to all who volunteered to surrender theirs.

It was tight at the top of the order, with a score difference in single figures separating MV and HH, and LOK pushed down to fourth, despite having the largest turnout. ‘Home’ ground is clearly less of an advantage when it’s equally new to everybody.

Even this early in the series, the ‘big four’ are staring to exert themselves, with HH jumping to the top overall and LOK dropping back a place. With a full turnout this week MV join the leading group. Further down the table CHIG, DFOK and HAVOC are neck and neck and still in touch as we move on to Shooters Hill.

Overall position after two rounds

Position after two events	Club	Cumulative individual scores	Cumulative points (for trophy)	Change in position since last week
1	HH	1057	38	▲ 1
2	LOK	1037	37	▼ 1
3	SLOW	934	35	▲ 1
4	MV	702	34	▲ 3
5=	CHIG	734	31	▼ 2
5=	DFOK	473	31	▲ 1
5=	HAVOC	484	31	-
8	TVOC	236	14	▲ 1
9	SAX	73	13	▼ 1
10	SN	122	12	-
11	SO	65	11	-
12	BKO	59	10	-
13	GO	0	0	-

Greg Birdseye
Frolics co-ordinator
2 July 2009

Frolics 2009 – Round 1 results

21 June Claybury Park - CHIG

	Club	Score (top 6 runners on handicap)	Points (for trophy)
1	LOK	545	20
2	HH	527	19
3	CHIG	512	18
4	SLOW	418	17
5	HAVOC	228	16
6	DFOK	167	15
7	MV	165	14
8	SAX	73	13
-	BKO	0	0
-	GO	0	0
-	SN	0	0
-	SO	0	0
-	TVOC	0	0

Link to individual results with scores

The summer solstice, a warm sunny day, newly mapped area, nice terrain with contrast between woods and open grassland (ok, a bit brambly, but no more than to be expected at this time of the year). So where were you all?

It was an early start to the Frolics season, and possibly some competing events in other regions were more of a draw for the clubs in the SW quadrant, but those who didn’t make it missed a very nice Frolics opener. The area is more interesting than some of the ‘park’ areas we use regularly and is certainly worth a revisit another year.

In terms of the result, LOK made an early start to the defence of their title and perhaps stole a march on one or two others who couldn’t manage a full turn out. Even though we are again operating on a ‘best 5 out of 6 results’ basis, there’s no harm getting points in the bag early on. HH challenged well and CHIG on home turf also scored useful points for the series.

Early days, but watch this space as the season develops!

Greg Birdseye (Frolics co-ordinator)