I am soooooooo impressed with everyone's dedication to the day. The most awful weather at times but you all strove through wet adversity and sticky mud, and still emerged smiling. Last year was the hottest event; this year the wettest - that's British weather for you.

The rain played havoc with the courses and objects to find, and I still haven't got the bottom of the strange disappearance of codeboard B7 part way through proceedings! Apologies for the field map being out-of-date - that's a long story.

Donations, with a few to come, and sales of cards and preserves already total a massive £355.10 which will be gift-aided to the Multiple Sclerosis Society. (We believe the chickens raided their treats money box for the the odd 10p)

As always your generosity overwhelms me. THANK YOU.

The competitors ....

Robin Hernaman
Our clear overall winner for the day. Well, he is, I think, an ever present attendee since we started this silly business, so he's had lots of practice. Well done.

James Hustler
Puzzle cacher extraordinaire. Second best performances on the Search Trial (pipped by seconds) and the Time Trial. A foundation for a great second overall.

Andrea Weston/Paul Carlier
More ever present attendees. Andrea also made those gorgeous quiches you had for lunch. Consistent performances by Andrea earned her the third overall award. Paul took second prize on the Average Speed Trial.

Len Graves
Intrepid explorer and multi-sporter from Woodbridge and without Wendy this year who is in Switzerland. Took home the 2nd prize in the Search Trial.

Robert Price/Sylvia Price
Extreme puzzle cachers from Milton Keynes. Thanks for the heavenly carrot cake and Danish pastries. Fortunately there was some leftover so I will visit heaven a few times this week in weak moments. Clear winners of the Time Trial.

Melanie Nel/Ray Bashford
Caching fanatics, chicken devotees and winners of the Search Trial - just. The chickens send their happy clucks for the treats that you bought them.

The Woosey Family - Robin/Angela/Alice/Alexander
Tudwick Roaders, fellow chicken lovers and maybe potential geocachers after enviously watching others looking for things in strange places. Robin/Alexander won the Distance Trial with a mere 1 centimetre error - remarkable! Angela and Alice walked off with the Average Speed Trial prize.

Rob Roebuck/Gina Hollick
Long standing rallying friends and enthusiastic supporters of our events. Took second prize on the Time Trial.

Sarah Harmer/John Harmer
Both former drivers for your male host on rallies in days well gone by; now addicted geocachers. Sarah is poet Laureate designate for geocaching. Claimed the prize for second on the Distance Trial.

Grahame McCord/Gilly Ryan
GPS-less Geocachers who could find a pin-head in a haystack. What a shame Gilly couldn't get to us until the afternoon because of work commitments. Grahame soldiered alone mostly but was the first to find one of the new geocaches for the day.

Special Mention to:

Christine
Head of Catering and Venue management, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, and general Superstar.

Absent Friends:

Essex Geocachers
At a meeting last Wednesday the proceeds (£67) of the raffle were kindly donated for today's fund-raising.

Richard Edwards/Tricia Edwards
Stuck in Spain, but thanks for the donation.

Anne Culverwell
Couldn't make it but generously provided fruit cakes, highly commended fridge cake and other yummies which you never saw.

Jenny/Simon Butler
Jenny decided to rest her (baby) bump. Perhaps just as well as the excitement of the day may have brought a premature Butler into the world. Thanks for the donation.

Category and Overall Positions

() Excluded from category awards as winner of overall or other category award

Overall Award Winners
1st Overall - Robin H
2nd Overall - James
3rd Overall - Andrea

Search Trial Awards
1st - Mel/Ray
2nd - Len

Time Trial Awards
1st - Sylvia/Robert
2nd - Gina/Rob

Distance Trial Award
1st - Robin/Alexander
2nd - Sarah/John

Average Speed Award
1st - Angela/Alice
2nd - Paul