Rayner Trophy 2018 Report
Route: Grotto Bay to Koeberg Nature Reserve
The Rayner Trophy is a long standing Scout competition held in the Western Cape and has been run annually since 1954. It takes the form of a hike with activities along the way for which Scouts are judged and awarded marks. Participants are required to be fit Scouts between the ages of 14½ and 18 who carry an overnight pack and who are self-sufficient from a food and water point of view. Every year, the venue is a surprise to the Scouts and only revealed on the day a few hours before the competition starts. The competition has been held as far north as Beaver Lac in the Groot Winterhoek to Gaansbaai to the Riversonderend Mountains above Villiersdorp.
This year 23 teams of 4 senior Scouts started at Grotto Bay and Scouts hiked south down the coast for 16.6km and camped at the Silwerstroom campsite. The next day Scouts again hiked down the coast for 17.8km and finished up at the Koeberg Nature Reserve. Scouts were accompanied by 34 adult leaders or “judges” who evaluated teams and who ensured safety on the 34km route. Scouts passed through the Dassenberg Coastal Catchment Partnership section and experienced hiking through Strandveld and Fynbos.
Activities included kit and uniform inspection, Kim's game, pioneering constructions to assist hopping over a fence, building a sand castle, panoramic sketch, beach sled, cooking, stalking, navigation, flotation device, First Aid, simulated treatment for a snakebite and stretcher construction for an injured patient, wire woggle, finding north without a compass, orientating and reading a map, quizzes, Morse code, edible plants and others. Scouts also got special tasks to complete along the way called spare time activities (STA’s) an included a fuzz stick, origami boat, sudoku puzzle and a weather station. The leadership ability of each team is also tested.
To do well in the competition, Scouts need to get special training over and above that of just Scouting skills. These comprise leadership and how to ensure they get the best marks possible out of a judge which includes a charm offensive and exuding an air of confidence while not being over the top. There are other tricks too. Teams need to be carefully selected so that there is one good leader, three followers, somebody who is good with handcrafts, somebody else who is a bright spark and can answer quizzes well, somebody who has good Scouting skills and so it goes on. The competition was won by 1st Claremont. 6th Rondebosch was second and 2nd Kenridge was third.
Nigel Forshaw
Regional Team Coordinator – Scout Programme Western Cape