RESULTS FROM AROUND WARWICKSHIRE COUNTRYSIDE
The beautiful woods at Itchington Holt, Harbury and the parkland and woods at Ragley Hall, Alcester, were great orienteering venues during the past week.
At Itchington Holt the evening event was held in very fine weather and organisers, Mike and Francis King, welcomed over 60 competitors. On the Short Yellow 1.6k course first timer Patrick Lamb M35 swept round in 12.27mins ahead of Jane Durman W45 22.13mins and Matthew Durman M12 and Adam Bennett M12 came 3rd in 22.39mins. Liz Cherry W40 won the Orange 2.6k course in 28.04mins, Oliver Lunn M12 2nd in 31.50mins and Felix Lunn M12 36.32mins. Harrison McCartney M16 was first on the Green 4.6k course taking 31.35mins ahead of Alistair Powell M35 33.23mins and Chris McCartney M45 35.43mins.
The return to Ragley Hall after well over 10 years was well received by competitors and there were many new faces amongst the 70 participants. Experienced orienteers competed on the Technical Medium 3.9k course with 12 controls and Tom Jeffries M40 was the fastest with a good run of 26.31mins. Dave Marr M60 was 2nd in 31.23mins and Rob Smart M45 3rd in 34.38mins. On the Technical Short course of 2.9k with 7 controls Richard Markham M35 was 1st in 21.30mins, Becky Lang W40 2nd in 29.35mins and John Bowman M70 3rd in 30.35mins.
The Introductory courses designed for beginners and newish orienteers saw the Usselmann family of Anna, Phil and Bernie, first timers, take first place in 24.04mins on the 2.6k course with 10 controls, Peter Markham M10 was 2nd in 34.38mins and new member Edward Buckley M10 3rd in 40.16mins. On the shortest course, Introductory 1, 2.1k with 6 controls, George Blakeway M45 raced around in 14.04mins, Megan Earl M14 and family came 2nd in 28.07mins and new member Amelia Luxmoore W10 was 3rd in 28.34mins. Andy Emmerson planned the courses and Karin Kirk, with a band of helpers, was the organiser.
Further afield a few OD members travelled to the Twin Peaks two day urban event staged around the Manchester area. Overall results after two days, including a sprint qualifier at Platt Fields and sprint final at Fallowfield on Saturday and a race around Castlefields area of Manchester on Sunday, Chris McCartney M45 was declared the winner of the Mens Veterans Championship taking 70.42mins in total, having come 1st in the sprint qualifier and sprint final and 3rd in the Manchester event. Liz Phillips W50 was declared overall winner in the Womens Veteran Champs taking 81.33mins total placed 4th, 2nd and 4th in the three races. In the Mens Ultra Veteran competition Bruce Bryant M55 was 2nd overall (3,2,4) in 59.23mins, Mike Hampton M65 5th (4,5,7) in 63.46mins and Peter Carey M70 6th (7,7,6) 63.47mins only 1 second behind Mike! Sheila Carey W65 came 2nd overall (3,4,2) in the Womens Ultra Veteran with a total of 64.16mins.
At the 37th Surrey Hills Trail Challenge organised by South London Orienteers, Sophie Kirk W21 was 2nd placed woman on the long 16k course taking 87.12mins and ex British Champion, Sarah Rollins W35 representing British Army Orienteering Club came first in 77.02mins.
17th June 2014