CHILTERN CHALLENGE AND CRICH CHASE
The popular annual Chiltern Challenge was this year held at Hambleden, close to Henley on Thames, and organised by Thames Valley Orienteering Club. The beautiful woods were scattered throughout with bluebells, primroses and violets, shining in the glorious sunshine. Midsomer Murders has been filmed on the rolling 3500 acres Chiltern Hills Culden Faw Estate but the wallaby was not seen, unfortunately.
The courses set in runnable forests were hilly but OD members took this in their stride and secured top spots from amongst more than 600 competitors. Fastest runner was William Gardner M21 who came first on the longest course, Black 12.2km with 470 metres of climb, finding the 28 controls in 68.16mins. Nathan Lawson M20 also had a terrific run winning the Brown course 10.8km in 65.17mins. Junior Max Straube-Roth M10 was 1st on his White 1.4km course finding 8 controls in 14.11mins and Sheila Carey W70 was 8th on the Green 4.6km course in 48.22mins
The East Midlands league event, organised by Derwent Valley Orienteers, held in woodlands with semi open areas at Crich Chase in Derbyshire, above the River Derwent, saw several OD members achieving top ten places. Liz Phillips W50 was 5th on the Green 3.9km course, with 18 controls to find and 155 metres of climb, in 53.10mins, Bruce Bryant M60 was 8th in 53.23mins on the 4.7km Blue course with 165 metres of climb and Chris McCartney was 8th on the longest course, Brown 6.1km with 190 metres of climb taking 52.46 mins.
11th April 2017