Events 13-17 May
Sussex, Bodmin Moor & urban
Andrew's souvenirs from the urban race
Credit:
VP
Two contrasting areas were on offer on the sunny weekend of 13/14 May, with nine travelling to Sussex for some forest and urban action, and another five tackling some fast open formerly mined terrain just off the A30 in Cornwall
Sunny Sussex weekender
A small number of QO members travelled to the Chichester area at the weekend to take part in Southdowns Orienteers' weekend. Within 24 hours you could compete in three different events! Congratulations to Andrew Page with a well deserved second place in the urban event - others had to be content with more moderate placings. Great to experience some varied events in glorious sunshine. Also good to see the all the newly joined Carter family being brave enough to take part in an event not on home turf!
- Rosie Wych
Close 2nd for Andrew at Chichester Urban Race this weekend (see picture), maintaining his 2nd position in the league!
- Vikki Page
Also pictured is an excerpt from the Matthew Carter's Green course on Day 2; he finished 16 out of 62 starters. Matthew's daughter Chloe finished 3rd on White.
Contouring section on the Green, NE Rewell, Sussex
Credit: Routegadget
part of Jeff's route on Brown (note: #20 was used twice)
Credit: Routegadget
Hardhead Downs, Cornwall
Some incredibly fast times were recorded in this area of contrasts. The Brown course started off with two loops round steep open hillside where the going was difficult underfoot. To follow was a more gently sloping grassy runnable field with numerous clusters of old mine-workings. In between these tricky clusters, the going was very fast and there were plenty of catching features like the overhead wires and gullies. Going straight or aiming off generally paid dividends.
On a fine day such as this, the excellent visibility diminished the significant challenge the courses could have presented on a misty day. Ben Chesters won his Brown course in just 46 minutes. Previous events here have also seen lightning quick runs so I am guessing that the planners factor the mist in! Tony Milroy and Bill Vigar may have noticed this as they both ran "up", each completing the Green rather than the Short Green course.
- Jeff Pakes
The winner's route on Green near Siston
Credit: Routegadget
Graham H
Credit: Wendy Carlyle
Urban orienteering
Graham Hartley has been running well at BOK's Wednesday evening summer urban series- on 17 May he was just 16s behind the Green course winner Peter Maliphant BOK. Richard Sansbury was only 20s behind urban specialist and former QO member Gavin Clegg on the Blue. The previous Wednesday, Graham was two minutes behind the winner John Simmons BOK and beaten into 3rd place by only 23s by John's wife Alison.
Click here for Graham's review of a previous BOK summer series
Next up
Those who enjoy or are maybe curious about urban orienteering have a feast of events to look forward to relatively locally.
Wimborne host the South West Sprint O championship this Sunday (21 May) at Blandford Forum
Besides their summer urban series, BOK are also having a weekend of urban-O in the city centre, the BOK Blast on 10/11 June.
- see details on Summer events listing