Club News by Karin Kirk news@octavian-droobers.org
WINNERS AT POSTENSPLAIN
Fifty five Octavian Droobers enjoyed the woods at Postensplain in the Wyre Forest, near Bewdley in Worcestershire, and many scored good points to help the club in the West Midlands league battle for top position. There were added attractions of fallow deer and a rare sighting of some two-barred crossbills with several groups of birdwatchers in tow.
Class winners were Lesley Ross W45 who took 69.45mins on the Blue 6.7k course with 190 metres of climb and Barry Elkington M55 98.49mins on the Brown 8.8k course with 305 metres of climb. Stephen Elkington M16 won the Green 4.4k course in 41.24mins, and other class winners on the same course were Mike Hampton M65 42.52mins, Trevor Simpson M70 60.55mins, Heather Rogers W16 50.06mins, Margaret Willdig W60 56.03mins and Sheila Carey W65 52.39mins. Roger Hailey was top M75 and took 53.26mins on the Short Green 3.5k course and Hilary Simpson top W70 in 65.38mins. Felix Lunn was the top M12 on the Yellow 2k course in a very fast time of 13.58mins.
The national urban league has now been completed for 2013 and after 16 races which were held throughout the UK, culminating in Edinburgh, 4 club members took top 10 places after taking the results of their best 7 performances. They are: Liz Phillips W45 3rd place in the Veteran Women 40+, Mike Hampton M65 4th place in the Ultravet Men 65+, Harrison McCartney M16 7th in the Junior Men and Sheila Carey W65 10th in the Ultravet Women 65+ classes.
3rd Dec 2013
OCTAVIAN DROOBERS TOP THE WEST MIDLANDS LEAGUE
Octavian Droobers now top the West Midlands League having scored a total of 6207 points ahead of Wrekin Club’s 6033 and Walton Chasers 5767. Of the 15 competitors who count across all ages Stephen Elkington M16 and Sheila Carey W65 have both achieved maximum points of 500 points having come first in at least 5 out of the eight events so far this year. With two more events to take place this year OD hope to win by a clear margin. The next one is at Postenplain, near Bewdley, Worcestershire, on 1st December and the final one takes place at Coombe Country Park, Coventry.
Tudor Grange, Solihull, attracted many families and younger juniors who thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine and courses planned by organiser John Middler. New junior Charlie Glover M8 went round the short 1.5 Yellow course in 13.39mins; Felix Lunn M12 was 2nd in 13.56min and Peter Markham M8 3rd in 22.05mins. Sisters Tabitha Lunn W10 and Florence Lunn W10 were separated by only 1 second, 23.14mins and 23.15mins respectively.
On the Orange 1.9k course and visiting 13 controls around the park Sam Leadley M14 came 1st ahead of Felix Lunn M12 14.15mins (on his second run), Oliver Lunn M12 was 3rd in 16.12mins, new junior Ruby Donaldson W12 was 4th in 17.11mins and Pippa Smart W10 5th in 21.59mins. Alex Ivanovs M21 won the Green 3.8k course with 21 controls taking 22.41mins, Rob Smart M45 2nd 29.58mins, Mike King M55 3rd 31.26mins, David Leadley M45 4th 31.36mins and Robert Rose M21 from HOC 5th 32.41mins.
Leicester Orienteering Club hosted two events over the weekend and several club members competed. Pete Carey came 4th on the Ultra Vet 4.1k course taking 36.39mins around the town of Ashby de la Zouch on Saturday. On Sunday the event was based at Conkers Discovery Centre on the Leicester/Derbyshire border and the conditions underfoot, boggy marshlands, water features and new plantations, taking in part of the new National Forest proved challenging.
Top club juniors were Harriet Lawson W18 who was highest placed girl on the Blue 7.1k course taking 64.36mins and Alfie Bullus M14 who came 4th on the Light Green 4k course taking 42.00mins. Toni O’Donovan was top women competitor taking 87.41mins on the long Brown 9.2k course and Ondrej Bajgar was 3rd M21 on the same course taking 87.50mins. Lesley Ross W40 took 1st place in her class on the Blue 7.1k course in 69.07mins. Mike Hampton was leading M65 on the 5.7k Short Blue course 59.00mins, Trevor Simpson M70 and Hilary Simpson W70 both won their classes on the Green 4.8k course taking 60.59mins and 75.30mins and Roger Hailey M75 came 2nd on the Short Green course in 55.1mins.
26th November 2013