This last weekend we had the Tamar Triple in Devon and Cornwall - a superb if rather wet weekend and again had some excellent results.
Sunday morning was the South West Middle Championships in which we excelled
W21 Michelle Spillar 2nd; Jo Pickering 3rd, Sally Calland 5th
W45 Wendy Bullen 2nd
W65 Sue Hands 1st and South West Champion
M35 Simon Branford 4th
M70 Richard Brightman 2nd and South West Champion
M75 John Warren 5th
Sunday evening was the Urban in Tavistock - for once dry and fine
W Open Becca Ellis 1st; Sally Calland 5th; Jo Pickering 6th
W40 Wendy Bullen 2nd
W65 Sue Hands 1st
M65 Chris Branford 3rd; Keith Henderson 6th
In addition at Cookworthy on Monday on the Brown course Jo Pickering was 2nd and Sally Calland 4th in the women's.
Well done everyone!
Chris Branford
Saturday 24 May - Fernworthy
View more photos by Chris Branford
Sunday 25 May - Inny Foot
SW Middle Distance Champions
| M10 |
|
|
W10 |
Kristyna Cade |
Kerno |
| M12 |
Flurry Grierson |
Devon |
W12 |
Rebecca Ward |
NGOC |
| M14 |
Zac Hudd |
BOK |
W14 |
Meg Somers |
Devon |
| M16 |
Alexander Buck |
Sarum |
W16 |
Emily Keenan |
Devon |
| M18 |
Sean Rowe |
Devon |
W18 |
Ellie Stone |
Devon |
| M20 |
Adam Potter |
BOK |
W20 |
|
|
| M21 |
Mark Bown |
BOK |
W21 |
Hanne Kinnunen |
BOK |
| M35 |
Ben Chesters |
Sarum |
W35 |
|
|
| M40 |
Peter Ward |
NGOC |
W40 |
Michelle Ward |
NGOC |
| M45 |
Tom McMurtrie |
Devon |
W45 |
Tessa Stone |
Devon |
| M50 |
Phil Newall |
Kerno |
W50 |
Adele Newall |
Kerno |
| M55 |
Rob Parkinson |
Devon |
W55 |
Jenny Selly |
BOK |
| M60 |
Chris Moncaster |
Kerno |
W60 |
Ruth Chesters |
Devon |
| M65 |
Mike Wimpenny |
Devon |
W65 |
Sue Hands |
WIM |
| M70 |
Richard Brightman |
WIM |
W70 |
Ann Hughes |
Devon |
| M75 |
Bill Brown |
WSX |
W75 |
|
|
Sunday 25 May - Tavistock Urban Race
If you’ve seen me running around the forest looking lost (or seen my routegadgets) or heard me discussing my 45 minute errors for one control you might think it unbelievable that I could actually win something to do with orienteering but that’s exactly what happened on Sunday. I know, difficult to believe!
Having thought I’d had quite a good run, for me, in the morning on the middle distance race but receiving comments from friends such as “did you have a nightmare out there?” or “are you ready to talk about it yet?” and even “what on earth happened to you?!” I was feeling rather competitive by the evening and thinking this was my race (as, let’s face it, it is easier to find stuff on an urban – something I find challenging in orienteering) I was absolutely determined to show my mates I wasn’t totally rubbish.
It was a beautiful evening in Tavistock, but not too warm, and fired up from an afternoon nap in the carpark, 8 coffees, 2 cups of tea and a coke (really need to sort that sports nutrition thing out) I was literally bouncing up and down at the start.
I sprinted off to an easy first control and was pleased to, for once, find it very quickly but looking at the map (planning ahead…) I suddenly realised it was on two sides and I couldn’t work out which one I should be on. I skidded across some moss, smacked my shin painfully on the railing and said a couple of rude words. Luckily no one saw. Oh yes. They did actually. Lots and lots of people.
After that it was a massive climb to control two (13 double decker buses!) at which point I was already totally knackered but still feeling the need to seriously prove myself (see above) I soldiered on at a sprint thinking at some point I would get lost so would have to slow down.
It was a really well planned course with great options for route choice and kind of unfortunately I never did get lost so never got that break where I walk around for a bit thinking about where I am. At one point we got to run over the disused viaduct (uh oh, check control description, was it on top or below?!) and I even found some lovely muddy steps to fall down meaning I was still covered in mud at the end, despite it being an ‘urban’ race.
There was some great encouragement from some slightly hyper children halfway around and a fantastic atmosphere with lots of competitors running in all directions. It was rather hilly though and by the end I was literally counting the controls until I could stop running as I was so tired. Finally, I arrived at the finish and had a nice lie down on the grass for 10 minutes before downloading.
Becca Ellis
Part of Course B
View more photos by Chris Branford
Sunday 26 May - Cookworthy
The Green course map (with a little decorative mud)
The Hippopotamus Song could have been written for Cookworthy. There was not as much mud as JK 2010 (when getting to the Start was a huge achievement) but enough to excite all gloop connoisseurs. My approach to control 7 took me through a little re-entrant full of the stuff, looking deceptively firm. Thigh deep in mire, I finally hauled myself onto solid ground by grasping trees just within reach. I also emerged with two shoes - a miracle!
Green seemed to make good use of some nicer parts of the forest despite the marshes. It rewarded careful navigation and penalised reckless running - the early stages demanded accurate compass work & pacing and the later legs fine reading of brown & green detail. My own run was OK despite blindly passing the hide at number 6 and having to relocate from the ride to the north. And where were the infamous Cookworthy midges this year? I received not a single bite!
Many thanks to Arthur Boyt and the rest of the KERNO team for making this a testing and enjoyable experience.
Mike Kite
