SSAGO News

In December 1973, a comet flew across the night sky, capturing the imagination of the public at large. Comet Kohoutek was a sight so wonderful, that it inspired an enthusiastic group of students at the University Bristol Scouts and Guides Society to launch a competition. Kohoutek was organised for the Scouts and Guides across Avon, and consisted of a series of challenges that each team must complete. The competition ran for over 30 years, until ending in 2006. With the recent revivals of Bristol and UWE SSAGOs, the two clubs banded together to restore to the competition to its former glory.

Badge from the 2000 competition

The 1987 competition was called off due to February snow. This is also an early example of someone not being able to spell “Kohoutek”*

In October, a committee was assembled, with representatives from the two societies, and the Scouting and Guiding counties. The team set aside their degrees for 6 months, and with the help of student volunteers, they planned out a day-long competition of competitions. Since it was the first run of a revival, there was an initial plan to keep the event relatively small scale, however on the day, there were 200 young people, as well as a further 50 volunteers running the bases.

Fast-forwarded to Saturday morning, with quizzes and queues

Fast forwarding to Saturday morning, at 9am the first participants started to arrive, and the day began! The teams scattered around the field before their initial briefing, to undertake a challenging quiz, based on the theme of Kohoutek: space. At 10 o’clock, the competition began in earnest, as the teams of Guides and Scouts were sent to their starting bases around Woodhouse Park, our host for the day. The teams were as given a “pilot” (an egg), who they had to look after throughout the day, not breaking it, and making sure it didn’t get stolen by members of another team, who would then gain bonus points. Throughout the day, pilots were captured, “hospitalised” and generally encouraged the spirit of competition between the teams (and some mischievous base runners).

There were 20 bases in total, including classic Scouting and Guiding activities such as a sisal trail in the woods, both a spaghetti tower and a spaghetti Martian building competition along with firing catapults the furthest. There were also a multitude of space-themed competitions, from moving the Moon and dodging comets, to human spaceships and blind spacesheep.

A lost sheep wanders onto the neighbaaring campsite

Guides and Scouts take on the Space Assault CourseTM

Special mention goes to “Lift-Off”, an activity in which the participants had to rescue a ping-pong ball from a leaking pipe, and Space-Suit, in which a space suit is required, to protect an unwitting Scout/Guide from the barrage of comets. Comets made of flour. The special mention is not just reserved for the two messiest activities, however. Special mention is deserved for the coincidental genius of having these bases next to each other, such that soggy participants would then be caked in a floury paste, much to everybody’s schadenfreude.

Scouts about to get a soaking

Somebody forgot to read the risk assessment

Once everybody had finished their activities, there was only one way to end such a great day. The whole site descended on the campfire circle, where there was a fire ready and waiting. Everybody took part in singing along to the campfire songs, until the organisers-inchief came down to announce the scores.

Shoutout to Andy’s camp blanket

Hearty congratulations are in order for 23rd Bath, who came runners up (and were the winning Scout team).

All of the Kohoutek team offer our massive congratulations to the winners of Kohoutek 2017...1st Portishead Guides!

The University of Bristol Guides and Scouts & the Scouts and Guides at UWE would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped out on the day, both the organisers John, Matt and Shona, and the representatives from Guiding and Scouting, who helped out on and leading up to the day. We hope everybody had a great time, and look forward to seeing more of you next year!

The Scores

* Photo credit: From the University of Bristol Special Collections: DM1815/5/7-8, Scout and Guide Archives