Club News by Karin Kirk news@octavian-droobers.org
HARVESTER NIGHT RELAY EVENT
Octavian Droobers fielded a ladies team for the annual nationwide overnight relay competition held this year at Winterfold Forest in the Surrey Hills and organised by South London Orienteers.
Julie, Rachel and Jill Emmerson were joined by Anne Straube and Sophie Kirk. The race started very late on Saturday night and finished as dawn was breaking on the Sunday morning. It was a very exciting event finding controls in the forest using head torches and congratulations to the ladies who came 4th taking a total of 333.11mins not too far behind winners Southern Navigators 322.42mins.
SUMMER TRAINING CAMPS FOR JUNIORS
Congratulations to club juniors who have been selected for summer tours this year in Sweden. The annual tours are run by the Junior Regional Orienteer Squads organisation whose objective is to develop orienteering talent from the 12 British Orienteering regions. From the West Midlands region OD juniors Matt Elkington M20 and Julie Emmerson W18 have been selected to attend the Gothenburg 10 day training camp in mid-August and Harrison McCartney M16 and Nathan Lawson M18 will be going to Stockholm for the 2 week camp also in August.
Harrison McCartney and Nathan Lawson have both also been selected for the 5 day British Orienteering Talent Development Summer Camp, which this year will be held in Sedburgh at the end of July.
The Newark event, part of a series of 18 urban races at different towns and cities around the country, starting in the park by the river and ruined castle in glorious sunshine proved very popular with club members. Chris McCartney had a great run and came 3rd in the M40 class on the 5.7k course finding 22 controls in 39.02mins only 1 min behind the winner from Manchester Orienteering Club. Club chairman Liz Phillips also came 3rd in the W40 class taking 46.35mins on the 4.8k course. Coming 2nd, only 20 seconds behind the winner of the M65 class was Mike Hampton who took 31.23mins on the 3.6k course visiting 19 controls along the way, Bruce Bryant was 3rd on the same course in 32.54mins. Karin Kirk was 4th on the 2.8k course for W65’s taking 35.54mins.
At the Rushall Wood event organised by Berkshire Orienteering Club several Octavian Droobers competed and top placings were achieved: Dave Marr was top M60 on the long Brown 8.9k course taking 1.29.54mins. On the Green 4.8k course Ant Walker was 1st M45 in 1.00.28mins, John Ward 2nd M65 in 1.05.33mins and Trevor Simpson 1st M75 in 1.15.36mins. Liz Cross was 1st W40 on the Short Green 3.7k course and Hilary Simpson top W75 in 58.28mins. Top junior was Alfie Bullus who was 1st M14 on the Light Green 3.5k course taking 40.26mins and Diana Hailey 1st in the W70 class taking 1.09.42mins.
20th May 2014
SCHOOLS, LEAGUE AND BEGINNERS WEEKEND
This was a very active weekend for the club with juniors competing for their respective schools in the West Midlands Schools Championships, members running in the West Midlands League both in Staffordshire and volunteers organising a beginner’s event at Daventry Country Park.
Many club juniors achieved some great results at the West Midlands Schools Championships. Congratulations to those who gained top three placings: Harrison McCartney winner of Year 11 boys event taking 23.23mins on the 4.6k course, Stephen Elkington 2nd in 28.18mins and Hamish Rogers 3rd 28.50mins. Julie Emmerson won the Year 11 girls 3.9k course event in 22.24mins, Rachel Emmerson was 2nd and Rhiannon Cope 3rd in 35.55mins. Callum Pearman was 2nd in the Year 9 and 10 boys event 3.9k in 32.04mins. Ella-Rose McCartney was placed 3rd in the Year 9 and 10 girls 3.4k event taking 29.09mins. Felix Lunn won the Year 7 and 8 boys 2.9k event in 17.48mins and Oliver Lunn was 3rd in 20.51mins. Josh Jelley tied with Matthew Hartland from Walton Chasers as the fastest runner on the run in from the last control to the finish taking 14 seconds.
Octavian Droobers, current leaders, well ahead of Walton Chasers, competed in the league event at Mansty Woods. Top scorers on the courses were Florence Lunn W10 on the Yellow 2.1k coming 3rd in 25.05mins, Oliver Lunn M12 and brother Felix Lunn M12 1st and 2nd on the Orange 3.02k course 38.32mins and 41.27mins respectively, Sam Leadley M14 2nd on the Light Green 3.24k course taking 45.35mins and Peter Carey M70 1st on the Short Green 3.36k course in 31.25mins. On the Green 4.21k course Suzanne Humphries W50 came first in 36.37mins ahead of Ian Prowse M60 37.11 and Robert Brandon M65 37.39mins.Andy Emmerson M55 came 3rd on the Blue 6.59k course in 48.30mins and Alistair Powell M35 was the top runner on the longest course the 8.87k course taking 58.15mins.
Karin and Phil Kirk and many helpers welcomed over 100 participants to Daventry Country Park as part of the annual Countryside Day. Two short beginners’ courses were planned and many families participated. Fastest runners were Chloe Andrews 6.30mins, the Robinson family of Jake, Ben and Sam Robinson, from Daventry, 7.14mins and Paul and Joe Quinney, from Harbury, 8.49mins.
13th May 2014