OCTAVIAN DROOBERS PUNCH THEIR WAY TO NATIONAL FINAL
The national inter club annual orienteering competition, Compass Sport Cup, preliminary round was a close fought battle between the top clubs in the midlands. The event held at Abrahams Valley, on Cannock Chase, was organised by Walton Chasers. Octavian Droobers’ strong team of 78 runners excelled themselves to score 2427 just ahead of Derwent Valley Orienteering Club’s 87 runners score of 2376, Walton Chasers 2298, Nottingham Orienteering Club 2238 Leicestershire Orienteering Club 2160 and Harlequins 2152 points.
Club Captain Alistair Powell was delighted and said it was the toughest and most challenging round the club has experienced in recent years and we are now looking forward to competing in the final to be held at Tankersley, near Barnsley, Yorkshire, on 16 October.
Of the 25 top counting orienteers for the club seven won their course and scored the maximum of 100 points: Nathan Lawson M20, Julie Emmerson W20, Oliver Lunn W14, Kirsten Strain W21, Barry Elkington M60, Harrison McCartney M18 and Will Gardner M21. Matthew Elkington M21 was 2nd and scored 99 points on his course as did Lesley Ross W50. Mike Hampton M70 scored 98 as did Harriet Lawson W20, Heather Rogers W18 and Felix Lunn M14. Scoring 97 points were Tony Feltbower M60, Rachel Emmerson W20 and David Leadley M50. Tabitha Lunn W12 scored 96, Anne Straube W40 96, Liz Phillips W50 95, Andy Emmerson M60 95, Oliver Flippance M14 94, David Lawson M50 94, Peter Carey M70 93, Dave Marr M65 93 and Alfie Bullus M16 90 points.
At Brackmills, Northampton, an event organised by South Midlands Orienteering Club, Nathan Lawson M20, was top runner on the Blue 6.2km course finding and punching all 22 controls around the course in 38.16mins and Anne Straube W40 was 4th in 50.26mins. Chris McCartney M45 was 2nd in 60.22mins and David Lawson M50 3rd in 61.37mins on the Brown 8.1km course with 130 metres of climb. Richard Gardner M60 won the 4.5km Green course taking 43.07mins. On the Short Green 3km course Hilary Simpson W75 was 4th in 45.50mins, Roger Hailey M75 2nd on the Orange 2.5km course in 48.57mins and Max Straube-Rother M10 2nd on the White 1.7km course in 18.05mins.
23rd March 2016.