WINCHESTER CITY AND NEW FOREST WEEKEND
The appeal of navigating around Winchester City and through the New Forest attracted Octavian Droobers orienteers and produced some great runs. The Winchester Urban race was staged by the British Army Orienteering Club and the 47th annual New Forest event was organised by Southampton Orienteering Club.
Running through the College grounds, around the Cathedral and through the city, top ten places were secured by several club members at the Winchester event. New member, studying at Coventry University, Mateusz Podsiadly M20 came 7th on the Men’s Open 7.49km course in 58.50mins, 3 minutes behind the winner. In the Women’s Open Sophie Kirk W21 was 6th on the 6.81km course taking 65.18mins. Competing in the Super Veteran Men’s 5.5km course for M55+ Barry Elkington came 8th in 52.59mins. Sue Bicknell W70 came 6th in the Ultra Vet Women (65+) 3.78km course in 57.32mins and on the Ultra Vet Men’s (65+) 4.24km course Bruce Bryant M55 came 1st in 41.57mins and Mike Hampton M65 6th in 48.40mins.
The Kings Garn Gutter event area in the New Forest also provided some successful club runs on the challenging muddy terrain, including deep streams, marshy open areas and through the beautiful woods.Competing in the age class courses junior Heather Rogers was 3rd in 48.49mins on the 4.67km W16 course. Mateusz Podsiadly won the M20 8.55km course taking 51.31mins and another new club member Kin Kwan Kwok, from Birmingham University, came 2nd in 61mins. On the W21 8.55km course Sophie Kirk was 3rd in 66.33mins and Ronja Fell 8th in 70.43mins. Lesley Ross W45 took 56.20mins to come 3rd on the 6.99km W35 course and Anne Straube W35 was 4th in 57.10mins. Gaining a 7th place in 56.40mins was Liz Phillips on the W50 5.89km course.
Barry Elkington was also placed 7th on the M55 6.99km course taking 53.09mins. Dave Marr was 10th on the M60 6.99km course in 62.24mins and Mike Hampton 9th in 49.04mins on the 5.89km M65 course. Carolyn Marr was 3rd on the W65 4.19km course taking 49.35mins, Sue Bicknell 5th W70 on the same course in 62.31mins and Hilary Simpson 2nd on the 3.33km W75 course in 54.45mins. Roger Hailey took 3rd place on the M75 4.19km course taking 50.58mins and Trevor Simpson was 7th in 53.20mins also on the M75 course.
Colour coded courses at the event provided some winners and good places too and on the beginners White 1.79km course Freddie M10 came 8th in 42mins and brother Daniel Walker M10 10th in 44.27mins. On the Blue 6.99km Daniel Roth M40 was 4th in 60.20mins, Green 4.67km course 9th for Liz Cross W40 in 54.54mins, Short Brown 8.55km Richard Gardner M60 was 7th in 74.53mins. Bruce Bryant M55 was 1st on the Short Blue 5.89km course taking 48.25mins, Stephen Elkington 2nd in 49.29mins and Kevin Ross M50 8th in 59.57mins.
At Tankersley Woods in Yorkshire, on the complex wooded area, scattered with old bomb craters and bell pits, Nathan Lawson M18 was 1st on the Short Brown 7.6km course in 42.28mins and Julie Emmerson W18 4th in 47.04mins. Rachel Emmerson W18 was 4th on the Short Blue 7.4km course in 56.27mins and Andy Emmerson M55 was 3rd on the Blue 6.8km course in 55.35mins.
4th Nov 2014