Success at British Orienteering Championships

 

Walton Chasers take third place in the Women’s Short class at the British Relay Championships held at Abraham’s Valley and Wolseley Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

 

Saturday 1^st May saw the British individual championships take place at Abraham’s Valley & Wolseley Park, hosted by Walton Chasers Orienteering Club. The northern part of the area is mainly Forestry Commission coniferous plantations, the majority mature and very runnable, but with some blocks of younger trees. The southern smaller area is open heathland, some deciduous woodland, and quarries, partly active (out of bounds) and partly old worked out areas with lots of detail. The weather held fair and warm for the whole competition day. Many good performances were put up by Walton Chasers including the following: Jasper Williams in 5^th on M10B, ex-Chaser Matt Crane, who now runs for BOK, came back to the Chase to take the British Elite title, nearly 4 minutes ahead of 2^nd place Oli Johnson of SYO, Rob Aston in 4^th on M35S, James Preston in 9^th on M40S, Roger Richards in 9^th on M60L, Norman Hall in  5^th on M75, Nadia Williams in 10^th on W10B, Hannah Garside in 2^nd on W16B, Clare Garside in 8^th on W18S, Jo Thompson in 6^th on W21L, Kerina Lake in 5^th on W21S, Tracy Craig in 10^th on W40S, Christine Collins in 3^rd  and Anne Jones in 6^th on W50S, Sue Findlay-Robinson in 2^nd and Barbara Heathcote in 6^th on W55S, Jane Christopher in 4^th on W65L, Dorothy Wilson in 5^th on W70L, and Pam Emberton in 2^nd on W80.

 

The following day, everyone returned to the same assembly area to take part in the British Relay Championships. The weather was cooler than the previous day, but the rain held off again. With such fierce competition, Chasers only managed to one great result. In a closely fought competition, only 1 minute 21 seconds separated the top 3 places in the Women’s Short class. Kerina Lake set off on the first leg for Chasers and returned 4 minutes down on the leader, TVOC, in 10^th place. Julia Ferguson had some work to do the make up the time. MDOC failed to keep up the momentum and were soon overtaken. At the end of the 2^nd leg, Julia ran the 3^rd fastest time and Chasers were now only 2 minutes down on the new leader, MDOC. All now rested on the shoulders of Jo Thompson. Soon the leading team was announced. It was SROC with a clear lead. One minute later SOC appeared on the run in with Jo just 10 seconds behind to take 3^rd place. A fantastic achievement.

 

Jo Thompson on the run-in to take 3rd Place

Kerina Lake, Julia Ferguson and Jo Thompson on the Podium

 

Bank holiday Monday saw the turn of the British Army Orienteering Club to put on a middle distance Urban event around the grounds of MOD Stafford. Despite 2 days of competition in their legs a contingency of Chasers took part. The area is flat with lots of military buildings, roads and grassland to race around. With little to impede progress, fast times were expected. And indeed, many Chasers did post fast times, leading to the best positions by Heather Craig in 2^nd, Holly Stodgell in 8^th and Holly Craig in 9^th on the Mini course, Jonathan Howell in 7^th on M55+, and Hazel Waters in 9^th on W55+.

 

Andrew Yeates
Walton Chases Press Officer
T: 01283 840737
E: andy@yeates55.plus.com