OD WIN WEST MIDLANDS LEAGUE
After 11 events in 2012 OD members notched up 7234 points to comfortably win the West Midlands League. Harlequins came second with 6785 and Walton Chasers third with 6566 points. Top club scorers with 500 points each were Matthew Elkington M18, Aimee Morse W16, Julie Emmerson W16, Tom Jeffries M40, Lesley Ross W45, Frank Smith M80, Sheila Carey W65 and Hilary Simpson W70. John Bowman M70 scored 499, Barry Elkington M55 498, Stephen Elkington M16 and Hamish Rogers M16 both scored 489, Suzanne Humphries W45 482, Calum Barnetson M20 400 and Andy Emmerson M55 377.
The first of the West Midlands League 11 events for this year takes place this Sunday at Brandon Wood, near Coventry.
Graham and Liz Urquhart organised the Saturday event at Pooley Fields which, despite the cold and some early snow, attracted many new members and first timers. Annabel Stock W14 won the Yellow 2.1k in 24.03mins and Hazel Jonas W45 came 2nd in 36.26mins. Both were competing at their first ever event. New member Tom Leyden M45 won the Orange 2.6k course in 24.02mins ahead of junior Alfie Bullus M14 26.03mins and John Bowman M70 28.28mins. On the Green 4.3k course with 18 controls Chris McCartney M40 came in 1st in 27.31mins ahead of Nottingham Orienteering Club’s Andis Celinskis M21 31.18mins and Ian Gamlen City of Birmingham M45 32.22mins.
In New Zealand several club members have been competing at the Orienteering World Cup and Oceania World Cup Carnival, a 7 multi day competition in difficult terrain compensated by lovely weather. Riina Kuuselo W21 was competing for Finland at the World Cup, honorary member Graham Gristwood M21 for GB and, recent member, Will Critchley M21 for Canada. Competing in their age classes Mike Hampton M65 came 2nd in the Sprint Championships and 4th on Day 7, Hilary Simpson W70 2nd on Day 2 and Trevor Simpson 5th on Day 6.
At Big Moor, in the peak district, on the long Black 10.7k course with 255metres of climb Ian Embrey M21 came 4th in 91.27mins and Aimee Morse W16 came 5th on the Green 4.1k course in 53.88mins.
15th January 2013