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2024 DCA Peak District Cave Exploration Prize

DCA

Well-known member
The DCA Peak District Cave Exploration Prize competition is back on again for 2024! There will be three different prize categories on offer this year:
  • Most New Cave Discovered at a single site, by digging, diving or climbing, within the Peak District caving area during the calendar year.
  • Runner-Up Most New Cave Discovered at a single site, by digging, diving or climbing, within the Peak District caving area during the calendar year.
  • Most New Cave Discovered at a New Site Via a Previously Unknown Entrance, i.e. not through an extension of an existing cave
For full details of the rules and prizes, head to the DCA website: https://thedca.org.uk/peak-district-cave-exploration-prize/
Happy digging!
 
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Yes, it could be a bit confusing. If you ignore the phrase "at an Existing Site" it makes it clearer. Really, it just means a completely new cave as opposed to an extension of an existing cave.
 
Really, it just means a completely new cave as opposed to an extension of an existing cave.
In that case, it would be better to delete "At an existing site" from the criterion. Otherwise the rules are quite clearly saying one thing but are supposed to be interpreted to mean something else.
 
My fault entirely. Somewhere in the edit from last year's to this year's text I managed to mangle the instructions! Website updated.
(If a Mod is able to, could you change the first post's text please)

In 2024 there will be three different prize categories on offer:
  • Most New Cave Discovered at a single site, by digging, diving or climbing, within the Peak District caving area during the calendar year.
  • Runner-Up Most New Cave Discovered at a single site, by digging, diving or climbing, within the Peak District caving area during the calendar year.
  • Most New Cave Discovered at a New Site Via a Previously Unknown Entrance, i.e. not through an extension of an existing cave
 
My fault entirely. Somewhere in the edit from last year's to this year's text I managed to mangle the instructions! Website updated.
(If a Mod is able to, could you change the first post's text please)

In 2024 there will be three different prize categories on offer:
  • Most New Cave Discovered at a single site, by digging, diving or climbing, within the Peak District caving area during the calendar year.
  • Runner-Up Most New Cave Discovered at a single site, by digging, diving or climbing, within the Peak District caving area during the calendar year.
  • Most New Cave Discovered at a New Site Via a Previously Unknown Entrance, i.e. not through an extension of an existing cave
Moderator comment: First post edited as requested.
 
Pity there isn't a "most significant breakthrough" category. Administering that would be less than easy, as it's somewhat subjective. But it it was a category, I'd strongly recommend the team currently pushing Whirlpool Rising, which is arguably the most exciting thing to have happened in the Peak Cavern system for some time.
 
It's coming up to the time of year when entries are required for the 2024 DCA Peak District Cave Exploration Prize. The three categories are:
  • Most New Cave Discovered at a single site, by digging, diving or climbing, within the Peak District caving area during the calendar year.
  • Runner-Up Most New Cave Discovered at a single site, by digging, diving or climbing, within the Peak District caving area during the calendar year.
  • Most New Cave Discovered at a New Site Via a Previously Unknown Entrance, i.e. not through an extension of an existing cave

Send you entries to secretary@thedca.org.uk

If clubs / individuals have already emailed entries and not received a reply, please message us on this platform as we have recently moved servers so could be having forwarding email issues.
 
The winners of the 2024 DCA Cave Exploration Prize have been announced.
Congratulations to members of the Eldon Pothole Club for their winning entry with 141m of new passage being surveyed in Little Waterfall Swallet.
Second place went to the Buttered Badgers for their 120m extension to Rowter Hole.
For full details please check out the DCA website:

IMG_20250201_184830_MP.jpg
 
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