Club News by Karin Kirk news@octavian-droobers.org
OCTAVIAN DROOBERS FINISH IN 3RD PLACE
After 20 events the results are in for the UK Orienteering League and Octavian Droobers finished in 3rd place from over 100 clubs. Bristol Orienteering Klub was 1st with a total of 6844 points, South Yorkshire was 2nd with 6418 and OD 3rd with 6415 only 3 points behind. This great result shows the willingness and enthusiasm of club members to compete at events all around the country, from Cornwall to Scotland, and proves that the club has a wealth of talented and excellent orienteers. The contributing team members are: Anne Straube, Hilary Simpson, Lesley Ross, Liz Phillips, Chris McCartney, Oliver Lunn, Felix Lunn, Nathan Lawson, Alistair Landels, Mike Hampton, Sue Hallett, Jill Emmerson, Barry Elkington, Sheila Carey and Sue Bicknell.
Congratulations to individuals in the UKOL who won their age classes: Nathan Lawson M20 class with 467 points, from a possible 500 points, calculated from his best 5 races, Anne Straube won her W40 class with a score of 487 points and Sheila Carey won W70 class with 498 points.
Club members competed at Wombridge, near Telford, in the West Midlands League event organised by Wrekin Orienteers on Sunday. Mike Hampton was the top scorer, finishing 1st in 34.32mins on the 3.7km Short Green course. Achieving 2nd places, on the urban, park and woodlands courses were Bruce Bryant 49.25mins on the 5.1km Green course and Tom Jeffries taking 53.36mins on the Blue 6.6km course. Chris McCartney was 3rd in 54.55mins and Lesley Ross 5th in 58.04mins on the Blue course. On the longest Brown 8km course with 140 metres of climb, David Leadley took 66.40mins ahead of 5th placed son Sam’s 71.59mins. Young juniors had good runs on the Yellow 1.7km course finding 13 strategically placed controls in 14.24mins (Henry Jeffries 2nd), 16.35mins (Max Straube-Roth 3rd) and 19.45 (Ruben Jeffries 4th).
20th November 2017
FELIX WINS BLUE COURSE AT DUDMASTON
The West Midlands league event was well attended by Octavian Droobers in an endeavour to remain top of the table. The 9th event of the year was organised by Harlequins Orienteering Club, and the races were run around the beautiful woods close to Dudmaston Hall, near Bridgnorth. On the Blue 6.5km course with 190 metres of climb Felix Lunn (M16) found all 21 controls in a great time of 50.35mins, Lesley Ross (W50) was 2nd in 60.15mins, Chris McCartney (M45) was 4th in 62.04mins, Anne Straube (W40) 5th in 66.45mins and Barry Elkington (M60) 6th in 58.15mins.
On the longest course, Brown 7.7km with 275 metres of climb, Alistair Landels (M45) was 2nd in 60.25mins, David Leadley M45 was 3rd in 60.29mins and Sam Leadley (M18) was 6th in 66.30mins. Jacob Oxtoby (M14) was 1st on the Green 5.2km course taking 47.53mins to locate and punch 17 controls. John Bowman (M75) was 4th in 47.28mins and Rachel Alexander (W60) 6th in 55.01mins on the Short Green 2.8km course. Florence Lunn (W14) also came 1st on her Light Green 3.4km course taking 43.24mins and Tabitha Lunn (W14 was 3rd in 52.52mins. Another junior 1st place was awarded to Lewis Oxtoby (M12) who raced around the Orange 2.4km course in 31.09mins. The club’s youngest juniors did well: Max Straube-Roth (M10) was 3rd on the 2.1km Yellow course in 20.32mins and Adam Landels (M10) was 2nd on the White 1.7km in 18.26mins.
Hartshill Hayes Country Park, Nuneaton, was the venue for Saturday’s orienteering event. Organisers, Keith and Margaret Willdig and Jane Stew, planned 4 courses and attracted many newcomers. The woods were in beautiful condition with little undergrowth, producing some fast running on all courses. Young club member William Newton (M10) was fastest on the Yellow 1.5km course taking 11.33mins, Hannah Wheeler (W10) was 2nd in 13.17mins and first timer Eleanor Mulhern (W10) was 3rd in 20.21mins. Paul Quinney (M50) was 1st on the Orange 2.1km course in 27.15mins, John Bowman (M75) was 2nd in 35.52mins and Hannah Wheeler (M10) on her 2nd run was 3rd in 47.51mins.
On the Green 3.6km course Bruce Bryant (M60) was 1st in 37.27mins, Cameron Williams-Stein (M14) was 2nd in 38.08mins and Pete Carey (M70) was 3rd in 42.34mins. Sam Leadley (M18) was 1st on the Blue 4.8km course taking 44.26mins, Benjamin Rauffet (M21) from City of Birmingham OC was 2nd in 47.52mins, Kris Smith (M35) from British Army OC shared 3rd place, 48.52mins, with Andy Emmerson (M60).
West Midlands League
The club will be competing at Wombridge, near Telford, at the next West Midlands League event organised by Wrekin Orienteers on Sunday 19 November. The start and assembly will be at the Leisure Centre and close to the athletics track. The terrain is mixed between 65% urban and parkland and 35% woodlands. The 7 courses of varying lengths from 1.7km up to 8km will include courses for beginners as well as experienced orienteers.
14th November 2017