Co Chairmans Chat 14 May

Posted on Tue, 14th May 2019 by Jason Falconer
Club News, Event Reports

A number of events to report this last weekend. On Friday the Dorset Schools Champs were held for the second year in Avon Heath C.P. Wimborne set up and organised the day which I promoted and its pleasing to see 4 schools from the 10 that attended were from Poole, so well done Baden Powell, Haymoor, Poole Grammar and Parkstone Grammar all making it there on the day. Scores were varied amongst the many who would have been competing for the first time using .S.I, with the addition of our Lyra and WIM Harry B-H making it along to race in the individual competitions- they had a great time out racing Agnes Brooke who is at PGS, Top times from the regular Orienteers of course. ! The overall teams are here, and the individual winners here.

Then Saturday. Fonthill saw 35 go onto the delightful forest there, with Wessex Runners coming 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 so thats half of the top ten- well done all.

Jolyon says “On Saturday a number of WSX members vied for top 10 places at the Fonthill Sarum summer series on the odds and even score. A delightful summers day with plenty of climb. Route choice was key and Alan and James led the field with Roger, Jolyon and Lyra in the top 10.

On Sunday we headed with Arthur to Wavering Down for the BOK galoppen. The series of hills at the west end of the Mendips give great views down the Severn estuary, over the Somerset Levels, and across to south Wales and Hartland Point. The hills were covered in spring flowers and butterflies and a vast network of dark green vegetation with limestone crags and boulders on the steep southern slopes. There was a LOT of climb, and the bright sunshine made for very tough courses. Jolyon on Brown and Rebecca and Arthur on green had good runs. Esk came 2nd / 28 on a tricky yellow and Lyra 1/24 on light green, securing the light green galoppen league. The event was very socialable with cake sales, a BBQ and a bar. Great fun and a great event to finish the SW league for 2018/2019.”Thanks for the write up, last time I raced there was 2011 Galoppen, I came 8/25 on a 8.7 Km Brown course and yes- tough terrain!
Tim Houlder also went to the Wales event on the Carneddau.

Monday evening yesterday the first of Wimbornes Summer League events in Ashley Heath, Alan and James were at it again in a field of 46, coming 1, 2, very cool running boys. This evenings event was a good plan where it got chewier as you went, first half quite easy then they controls were more spread out further from the start- made route choice very hard but as you can see James got the lot! I got a 5th which was good out of 46 entries, no offence to Lyra who came just below me- its a race I’m still after the 1sts too. A 11.5 KM distance race on a school night- bring it on,

http://

i enjoyed seeing the Pine groves of this new map, and ran a section of the Castleman Trailway that was part of the old Somerset and Dorset Railway, you probably know it. Thanks to Wimborne for another new map of our local area, if youre keen on exploring they have also just set up another Permanant course in Thorncombe Wood, its Dorset and lots of mature beech and earth features so well work a visit.

So my biggest shout this week goes out to the Medlock family, making it to 4 events in 4 days, now thats dedication. Pure Grassroots magic in my book – now coach advice is- have a rest! Now the distances tonight made me think about the number of Orienteers Ive seen recently picking up distance race wins, Charlotte Ward got a 1st on the Yorkshire 5,000 metres (5 k) track championship recently, with a p.b of 17.27, awesome. Also Kris Jones won in Edinburgh on the Scottish 5KM champs, another 1st. These Orienteers love the navigation but can also turn to out and out speed for distance races, well the amount of Urban races that we do as clubs now shows how the transfer works. I really think that these Urbans get you running in a way that Orienteers never used to , along with the amount of Sprint Wins we have coming in at present in Internationals we have something going on! So get involved dont stand back and watch. Get into Orienteering.
Well thats all folks, if youve still got energy, theres tuesday training this evening, short hill reps is the session, looking like more sunshine weather so get out your trail shoes and shimmy on down to the Talbot Heath with us, the best kept secret right in the middle of Poolemouth.
.
Orienteering Club