OCTAVIAN DROOBERS THROUGH TO NATIONAL CLUB FINAL

 

It was a brilliant day for the club at Bentley Woods, near Atherstone on the Merevale Estate, as not only was the  weather exceptional so were the results. The Compass Sport Cup and Trophy qualifying round attracted over 460 runners from around the midlands and according to organiser John Middler the success of the day was due not only to the excellent performances but to the 60 volunteers who ensured the event ran so smoothly.

Overall in the Cup competition, for larger clubs, Droobers top 25 orienteers, of the 70 strong team, scored 2440 points, well ahead of nearest rivals Harlequin Orienteering Club, from Worcestershire, 2376 points. Leicestershire came 3rd with 2329 points and Walton Chasers, Staffordshire, 2323 points. In the Trophy competition for smaller clubs, Lincolnshire won with 1290 points from 13 top runners just ahead of the 1284 points scored by WRE club from Shropshire.    

The 70 club members who competed included several new comers and congratulations go to Felix Lunn M12 who scored 96 points running on his first Orange 3.2k course in the event. Ella Rose McCartney W14 came 2nd scoring 98 points as did Alfie Bullus M14 on the same course. Five club members scored the maximum 100 points winning their respective courses:  Harrison McCartney M16 Junior Men 4.7k in 28.58mins, Richard Gardner M60, Green Men 4.7k course in 39.21mins, Lesley Ross W45, Green Women 4.8k 42.23mins, Riina Kuuselo W35 Blue Women 6.8k 46.47mins and Nathan Lawson M18, Short Brown 8.1k with 245 metres of climb, 52.59mins.

Other top scorers were: Rachel Emmerson W18 98 points, Heather Rogers W16 96 points on the Junior Women 3.7k course. Alistair Gardner M18 98 points on the Junior Men 4.7k course, Sheila Carey W65 97 points, John Bowman M70 96 points, Sue Bicknell W70 94 points on the Short Green 3.7k course. Tony Feltblower M60 98 points, Robert Brandon M65 94 points on the Green Men 4.7k course. Suzanne Humphries W50 99 points, Liz Phillips W50 97 points and Jill Emmerson W50 94 points on the Green Women 4.8k course. David Lawson M50 99 points and Barry Elkington M55 97 points on the Blue Men 6.8k course. Amy Sarkies W35 99 points on the Blue Women 6.8k course. Iain Botheroyd M45 98 points and Chris McCartney M45 96 points on the Short Brown 8.1k course. Alistair Powell M35 scored 98 points on the Brown 10.6k longest course with 350 metres of climb.

Vice Captain Suzanne Humphries says that now we have won the qualifier she is looking forward to the team competing in the final in Aldershot on 8 November and hopes that we can defend our brilliant 2nd place and challenge Bristol Orienteering Klubb for first place.              

12th March 2014