CLUB MEMBERS ON THE PODIUM AT THE BRITISH SPRINT AND MIDDLE DISTANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
It was a great weekend for Octavian Droobers at the British Sprint and Middle Distance Championships. Three were crowned champions at the Middle Distance and several gained 2nd and 3rd places.
Running through the beech trees, bluebell and cowslip strewn woods at Naphill on the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, the British Middle Distance Championships attracted about 1000 competitors. Top club junior was Matt Elkington M20 who was declared the fastest on the 6.1km course with 155 metres of climb finding all 30 controls in 35.20mins, using the relatively new touch free timing system.
Congratulations to Anne Straube who won the W40 class taking 42.10mins on the 4.6km course and to Sheila Carey on winning the W65 course in 33.03min on the 2.9km course.
Pete Carey M70 was 2nd in 46.36mins on the M70 3.9km course and Lesley Ross also came 2nd on the W45 4km course in 34.46mins. Nathan Lawson M18 was 3rd on the 6.1km course taking 42.23mins.
Gaining championship times at this event were: 8th placed Felix Lunn M14 taking 25.21mins on the 2.7km course, 6th Mateusz Podsiadly M20, 8th Liz Phillips W50, 8th Mike Hampton M65 and 9th Kirsten Strain W21.
The British Sprints Championships were organised by the British Army Orienteering Club and the two stages, heats and finals, were run around the Aldershot Garrison. Several club members after completing the heats in the morning succeeded in going through to the A Finals and congratulations to medal winners: Anne Straube who took 2nd place in the 2.8km W40 class in 15.43mins, Lesley Ross 3rd place in the 2.8km W45 class in 15.04mins and Mike Hampton 3rd in the 2.4km course M65 class.
Other A Finalists and their finishing positions were: Liz Phillips 9th in the W50 class, David Lawson 9th in the M50 class, Chris McCartney 10th in the M45 class, Keith Willdig 12th in the M65 class, Mateusz Podsiadly 14th in the Mens Open, Barry Elkington 14th and Bruce Bryant 15th in the M55 class, Sophie Kirk 16th in the Womens Open and Richard Gardner 16th in the M60 class.
12th May 2015