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The SENiLe league was formed by a
handful of keen but frustrated night orienteers back in 1986; frustrated
because there were not many events in the near vicinity. The concept for
setting up the league was proposed by Steve Waite of CROC and rapidly
endorsed. Or rather as Steve puts it himself he was just told to "go
ahead and do it". Steve was certainly the driving force to getting the
league up and running in the early years, as he recalls in
'SENiLe, the beginnings'.
In the first season there were 6
events, a good start for a fledgling proposal. With minor
modifications the SENiLe league has continued since that year, and we
have now completed 20 seasons of the night
league. Having persuaded regional clubs to hold 139 events over
20 seasons, an
average of 7 a year, the league has
continued to provide a supply of local low-key night
events to orienteers in the South East. The league itself
may be the motivating force to hold some of the events in
the first place but it has always been the intention that
the events are also there to introduce orienteers to the
pleasures and skills of night-O. With that in mind the
league has broadly followed principles established early
in the league's history and to this day SENiLe events
still have courses suitable for novices. Long may that
continue.
The colour schemes of the league were developed from an idea by Mark
Blackstone of LOK. Mark has since moved away and is now
the co-ordinator for the Western Night league based
around the Bristol & Gloucester area.
In 1993 Keith Tonkin took over the
reigns as league and results co-ordinator. The league has
continued to promote the holding of night events,
although with some decline in numbers within the sport
average attendances have dropped. Some small changes have
been implemented to ease the organisation of SENiLe
events, and further changes may need to be made going
forwards. It is hoped that the SENiLe series will to
continue for some time but like all things may need to
evolve. Keith Tonkin moves the history forwards from
1993..... 'SENiLe II, the sequel'.
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