WEST MIDLAND LEAGUE EVENT AT GENTLESHAW, CANNOCK CHASE

Results at the first league event of the year were very good for the Octavian Droobers orienteering club helped by the high turnout of forty six members. The windy conditions on Sunday on the southern part of Cannock Chase did not deter and some fine fast winning times were achieved at the event organised by Walton Chasers.

Winning maximum points in the league on the Brown 5.14k course was new club member Alistair Powell M21 who went round in 38.10mins. Calum Barnetson M20 was second placed league competitor in 42.33mins and Hamish Rogers M16 43.10mins 4th best also on the same course.

Riina Kuuselo W21 won the Blue 4.6k course in a great time of 33.05mins and Matthew Elkington M18 was 2nd in 36.31mins. On the Green 3.68k course the top three were OD members: 1st Aimee Morse W16 in 34.52mins, Stephen Elkington M16 35.33mins and Sheila Carey W65 35.38mins. John Bowman M70 came 3rd in 34.57mins on the Short Green 2.97k course as did Heather Rogers W14 on the Light Green 2.53k course.

The top 4 fastest running in from the last control to the finish line, were Matt Elkington M18 in 17 seconds, Guy Ross M18 18 seconds, Stephen Elkington M16 19 seconds, and Calum Barnetson M20 21 seconds.

On Saturday Bob Brandon organised a local event at Oakley Wood and Ashorne Hill, Warwick which was very well attended with nearly 100 participants. There were several first timers and newish orienteers trying out the four courses of varying lengths and technical difficulty around the hill and through the woods.

On the Blue 5.7k course with 23 controls Alan Segar M35 went round in 34.33mins, just ahead of Thomas Honniball M21 2nd in 34.57mins and Riina Kuuselo W21 3rd in 35.12mins. Sheila Carey W65 came 1st on the Green 3.4k course in 32.19mins ahead of Philip Gould M45 33.46mins and Peter Carey M65 34.08mins. The Orange 2.9k course was won by Volker Betz in 19.55mins and newcomer Ian Doncaster M50 was 2nd in 20.53mins and Tammany Heap W45 also a newcomer was 3rd 20.58mins. First timer Mike Snell M55 won the Yellow 1.3k course in 7.35mins ahead of Oliver Smith M12 11.30 and Asim Potam M12 12.15mins.

24th January 2012