Club News by Karin Kirk news@octavian-droobers.org
TOP PLACES FOR CLUB MEMBERS AT WEST MIDLAND LEAGUE AND COMPASS SPORT CUP
The West Midlands League at Shoal Hill, Cannock Chase, saw some fine wins for club members. Organised by Walton Chasers the long course of 9.2km with 175 metres of climb saw Alistair Landels M45 win in 52.25mins, over 5 mins ahead of Potteries Club Martin Pigott, Alistair Powell M35 was 7th and Sam Leadley M18 was top junior in 71.39mins. Top juniors on the Blue 6.4km course were Oliver Flippance M16 41.57mins and Felix Lunn M16 45.24mins and on the same course Anne Straube W40 was top woman taking 49.03mins. Bruce Bryant M60 clocked up 31.23mins to take 2nd place just 41 secs behind winner on the 4.5km Green course, Juliette Soulard W45 was top woman in 35.31mins on the same course.
Top 3 on the Light Green 3.9m course were: Florence Lunn W14 40.58mins, Pippa Smart W14 50.37mins and Tabitha Lunn 51.26mins. Matt Bambrook M14 won the Orange 2.9km course in 36.25mins and Finley Flippance M12 was 2nd in 40.56mins. Adam Landels M10 was 3rd on the White 1.5km course taking 13.54mins.
OD now lead the league with 6946 points after 8 events and contributing to this score are 5 members who have scored the maximum 500 points: Finley Flippance M12, Josie Smart W12, Tom Jeffries M45, Peter Carey M70 and Sheila Carey W70.
Representing the club in the Compass Sport Cup Final national inter club competition, held near Yelverton, Dartmoor, several club members achieved some great results in their age classes. A maximum of 100 points is awarded to competitors coming 1st in their class. Of the 22 counters for the club, Lesley Ross W50 was the top scorer achieving 99 points, Juliette Soulard W45 was awarded 97, Felix Lunn M16 96, Barry Elkington M60 96, Mike Hampton M70 95, Richard Gardner M60 94, Alistair Landels M45 94, Peter Carey M70 91 and Florence Lunn W14 90. OD, scored a total of 1835 points and Bristol Orienteering Club were the winners with 2363 points.
At the British Schools Score Championships several club juniors represented their schools, some for the first time. The venue was Rother Valley, near Sheffield, and podium places were achieved by Florence Lunn 2nd in the Year 8 Girls scoring 170 points after finding 17 controls within the time limit of 45 minutes, Oliver Lunn 2nd Year 10/11 Boys with 230 points and 3rd Oliver Flippance 225 points, also Year 10/11 Boys, and Hannah Matthews 3rd Year 12/13 Girls 180 points.
24th October 2017
WEST MIDLAND CHAMPIONS
At Sutton Park, the annual West Midlands championships event, incorporating the W. Midlands League, was organised by Kerrie Flippance and volunteers from Octavian Droobers Orienteering Club welcomed 240 competitors from all over the midlands.
As current league leaders, club members turned out in large numbers to battle for positions. Fifteen juniors and seniors won titles at the great park and woodlands venue in Sutton Coldfield.
West Midlands Champions
OD juniors were very successful and Tilly Flippance was W10 champion taking 45.52mins on the 2.75km Yellow course, other junior winners were: M12 champion Finlay Flippance, 43.59mins and W12 Josie Smart 73.29mins on the 3.5km Orange course, M14 Jacob Oxtoby 28.50mins and W14 Pippa Smart 42.12mins on the Light Green 3.4km course, M16 Felix Lunn 36.34mins on the 4.9km Green course, M18 Sam Leadley 50.02mins on the 6.3km Blue course.
Senior winners were: Sophie Kirk W21 champion taking 52.59mins on the Blue 6.3km course; Alistair Powell M35 champion 65.09mins on the 8km Brown course; M45 Tom Jeffries 58.02mins on the 6.3km Blue course; W40 Anne Straube 38.35mins, W45 Juliette Soulard 49.31mins and W50 Liz Phillips 47.17mins all on the 4.9km Green course; M70 Peter Carey 34.30mins and W70 Karin Kirk 45.33mins on the 3km Short Green course.
Coombe Country Park
The event planned at Coombe Country by Michelle Oxtoby and family, had three courses, a short Yellow and two score courses. Several newcomers and beginners enjoyed the challenges with juniors using them to train for the upcoming British School Championships, and Warwick University Students for the British University Championships.
Top 3 runners on the Yellow course was first timers: Jon Powis M21 taking only 13.10mins, Harry Bailey M12 21.26mins and Matthew Parker M21 22.04mins. On the score course, find as many controls as you can in 45 minutes, Felix Lunn found 34 and scored 340 points taking 35.30mins, David Leadley M50 2nd 340 points in 36.43mins and Sam Leadley M18 3rd 340 points taking 36.47mins. Anne Straube W40 won the odds and evens score race in 38.21mins scoring 290 points, 2nd Bob Brandon M65 210 points and 3rd Lin Page W60 180 points.
National Interclub League
With only two more races to go from the 20 major events scheduled in 2017 and staged throughout the UK Octavian Droobers are currently in 3rd place in the UK Orienteering League. This is an impressive achievement as there are over 100 clubs competing, Bristol are leading with 6629 points, South Yorkshire are on 6379 and OD have 6197.
10th October 2017