Results 2005-2006
10-11/03/06 BUSA 2006 Orienteering Championships, ScotlandComplete Results
This year’s highest profile event for the club was hosted by the University of Edinburgh, with courses set on very tough Scottish terrain and conditions that none of the ten who took part will ever forget. The weekend consisted of an individual event on Saturday and the team relays on the Sunday, combining to give an overall team score on which the championship is judged. Entering members under the banners of both the University of London and Imperial college, this year’s BUSA was very well supported by many universities including, Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Warwick. Our small presence produced many notable performances as well as a very good weekend enjoyed by all.
Setting out on Friday afternoon at King’s Cross to catch the train seemed for many journey into the unknown but the feeling was one of excitement and fear, especially for those who had 9.1Km with over a 450m climb to do the next day. Upon arriving in Edinburgh, the first step was to locate the ‘Budget backpackers Youth Hostel’; easier said than done for a group of Orienteer’s! The trouble or perhaps interesting thing about the city that makes it difficult to navigate around is that it seems to be built on 3 levels; impossible for an orienteer used to a 2D map with contour lines. Having taken part in the night hike the weekend before, the sight of endless steps again made me and David want to go back to the station, yet we continued and checked into the hostel. As far as hostels go, this one would have to be at the top of anybody’s list; bright, clean, welcoming, secure and it even had internet access. Nine universities would have club members sleeping there over the weekend and personally, I found the Durham club sharing our room, friendly and thoughtful (especially when coming in quietly at 1:30am from a night out). The hostel was located in the city centre and provided breakfast, though 10 people in the small kitchen made it a bit time-consuming to grab something to eat! After meeting with a friend of Bryony’s and walking around for half an hour waiting for a table, we spent the evening at Pizza Express, filling up with lots of carbohydrates like pasta. Who says this club isn’t professional??
Saturday’s individual event was held in South Achray, NE of Aberfoyle, closer to Stirling than any other major town, but regardless of the details, it appeared remote with lots of tough gradient. We arrived by coach after an hours drive and found ourselves based at a primary school. With the rain steady and the air cold; to many the backdrop of the Scottish hills was a run into the unknown, to the locals just a run in the park. Everyone had their start times in advance for each of the courses. Giles, Damian and Pierre entered the ‘A’ class, consisting of 9.1Km (as the crow flies) distance, 460m climb and some 27 checkpoints. With a 1:10,000 scale map, two loops and a 1:5,000 map for the final part, this was exhausting for everyone. Running in deciduous forest, a hilly area of detailed forest with mature deciduous, semi and rough open land and coniferous plantation was tough. The majority of the forest was open runnable, steeply sloping and rough and heavy underfoot. The forest was crossed by a network of tracks and forest roads providing for route choice and open felled areas to be avoided. Representing ULOC in the women’s ‘A’ class was Caroline and Bryony, covering 22 checkpoints over 6.3Km with a climb of 340m. In the ‘B’ class course of 4.2Km with 220m climb and 11 checkpoints was Cyndi and Rachael. Imperial was represented by Dominic, David and Ken in the men’s ‘C’ Class, the same course as the women’s B.
Everyone from our club found it very tough going, the terrain and rainy turning sleety conditions were untested for a London club; such conditions were unheard of (despite the climbs of Hampstead Heath!) ULOC captain Giles Smith made it around all 29 points in 2hrs 5mins; ranking 57th of 64 classified, Imperial captain Ken Bok did the C course in 1hr 21mins; 7th of 14. For the women, Caroline Catmur completed her course in 1hr 16mins; a brilliant 10th out of 35 and Cyndi Chiao a time of 1hr 15mins, leaving her 5th out of 12. By the end of the 6hr event, there were lots of blood, sweat and tears (or was that the rain?) from all competitors but we were just glad to get back to base without sinking in a marsh, rolling down a hill or getting hypothermia! We were happy the ‘hard’ part of the weekend was over and after a good wash back at the hostel we all headed to a Chinese restaurant in town for the evening social. The theme of the social was ‘superheroes’ and there were wonderful efforts including a teenage mutant ninja turtle, catwoman and Mr. Muscle. After savouring the tasty Chinese food we made our way to a converted church, now youth centre for a ceilidh, traditional Scottish folk dancing with a live band to lead us through the steps. Everyone had a go and enjoyed themselves a lot into the small hours of the morning.
Upon waking on Sunday morning to decamp once more to further orienteering in the form of the relays we were greeted by a thick coating of snow a few inches thick covering the Granite City. Either we were too ‘merry’ to notice the snow falling in the early hours or simply it had fallen very quickly and settled. Regardless it was still heavily snowing by the time we left the hostel for the coach, despite the picturesque conditions there was some debate if the coaches could make it to Kinneil Wood half way between Stirling and Edinburgh because of the weather. By this time due to illness and concern over health/safety David and Dominic pulled out the Imperial relay team, leaving Ken unable to take part. We did arrive at the wood, but faced constant snowfall and underfoot about 6 inches of snow and by the end of the day we would look like snowmen. We managed to find some shelter but the snow was quite difficult to walk in, slippery with low visibility, so we knew running could be quite treacherous. ULOC entered one men’s and one women’s team and after a delayed mass start, the competitors were off, thousands of footprints in the snow, en mass to the 1st checkpoint. In the relay, 3 individuals complete the same course, which for the 6.4 Km men’s course had seven variants, so that not everyone is following one person. In the women’s a 4.3 Km course was faced and as with all orienteering events, competitors couldn’t see the 1:7,500 s scale map until they started their run, which in the relay was the handover.
For those not running or waiting to run the rest of the time was spent making snowballs, snow men and any other snow object. Despite some good efforts, both teams were not classified due to Bryony injuring her ankle forcing her to retire and Pierre missing a point. But for everyone there it was a tough yet ultimately enjoyable experience, it was cold, tiring, long afternoon and even though in the overall standings Imperial came last with University of London 11th of 19, we had achieved a lot for the small club we are. A feeling of small satisfaction, just for being there was shared by all on the coach back to Edinburgh. Then after a good lunch (probably putting back on the pounds lost in the weekend) we made our way to the train to go back to London. Orienteering is a tough sport, requiring fitness, stamina, speed, agility and the skill of quick & accurate navigation. We didn’t know we’d be taking part in Snorienteering!!
Dominic Figon
25/02/06 – Running in the dark can be dangerously fun
Trent Valley LOK SENile Event
Complete Results
Surely I must have been suffering from a slight case of delirium when I decided I would do the Saturday Trent Park Night Event and wake up the next morning for the Sunday Chiltern Challenge. Truth be told, I was curious to experience a night orienteering event; and, as usual, my curiosity got the best of me. Before my rational side could object, I was meeting Bryony on the tube to Cockfosters.
Night fell quickly as we walked the 2 km from the tube station to the event site, and I listened with growing apprehension as Bryony filled my head with horror stories of her previous, and first ever, night event. We both admitted to being scared, but we both forged on bravely, giving moral support and encouragement to each other.
We were amongst the first at the start, but soon the parking lot filled with fellow orienteers – it was a mixed crowd of parents taking groups of young children, serious night orienteers with powerful head torches, older folks keen for a run in the dark, and multiple pairs of young adults also looking to do night orienteering for the first time. I remember inwardly laughing at a man standing behind me at the start with two huge torches: one strapped to his head and the other to his shoulder. It seemed excessive compared to the compact LED head torch I carried. I thought I had the nifty modern model while he looked like he was lugging some deep-sea diving equipment into the woods. Little did I know!
Once in the deep woods looking for those tricky controls in the dark, I wished I had that man’s “old-fashioned” looking equipment! The controls were difficult to locate by sight, so you really had to use the map and read the land features in order to find the controls. There were times when one of the other’s “spotlights” would fall on a control and give its location away (yah!), or I would just turn off my head torch and run in the dark altogether to get my eyes accustomed (feeling like a stealth creature of the night!). Running in the dark in wide-open fields was fun; running in the dark in the woods was another matter entirely! The paths disappeared as quickly as your attention strayed, rabbit holes and ditches appeared suddenly underfoot, my heart seemed to skip a beat every time I startled a bird from its restful sleep (at least I thought they were birds!), an ankle submerged into marsh no longer raised any eyebrows but may have elicited some profanity, and there’s nothing quite like finding yourself too deep in a thicket of holly bushes and its prickly cousins to manoeuvre yourself out gracefully. Question was: how did I even get into that thorny mess to begin with?! I just never saw it coming…
The mad search for the final control seemed like cruel torture, but at last it stood there like a shining beacon. I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I dibbed the last control, and thought of nothing else than to put on some warmer clothes! I missed a few controls along the way, but I wasn’t too concerned about them. My main objectives were to experience a night event and have some fun running in the dark. Mission accomplished! Bryony, on the other hand, had finished before me and waited in the cold. Poor thing. Lesson learned: Sometimes it pays to be the slower one!
Once home, I was able to tend to my battle wounds properly. I spent the remainder of the evening pulling deeply rooted thorns out of my legs. These pockmarks serve as gentle reminders that running in the dark can be dangerous! Or fun, depending on your definition of fun!
Cyndi Chiao
6/03/06 Imperial College Night Hike
Complete Results
The night started jovial and full of spirit but it was only about 20 minutes in when we were lost, on a path not marked on the map. The river that wasn’t where it should have been was a big give away! A set of delightful stepping stones lead us onto a steep hillside with steps up it. Sounds fair enough but these came to be known as the ‘death steps’ among the survivors of the night. After a second lot of similar steps further on it was decided that any further very steep inclines were to be avoided for the health (and sanity) of David.
After a stop halfway round at a manned station we were revitalised (both by the warm drinks and the human contact) and yet again set off into the cold, dark wooded, but mercifully dry night. The second half was more enjoyable with much more opportunity for banter and conversation. Avoiding as much as possible the drunken singing team, we woke up a poor girl at the second manned station before power walking the homeward leg in the equivalent of the usual sprint finish of a score event. We arrived back 10 minutes early to a hut full of sleeping, tired dirty and hungry survivors, all equally as mad as us.
Having survived on Dom’s superb map reading, Ollie’s cynical banter and coffee laced with whisky we (Shone's Striders) came sixth with 565 points out of a possible 850. The night was thoroughly enjoyable despite the pain and need for bed that has followed in the last 48 hours and we look forward to taking part next year.
Bryony and Damian (ULOC BaD) were crazy enough to 'run' the night hike - a feat that only two other people (from the Cross Country Club) were mad enough to do.
David
26/02/06 Chiltern Challenge 2006 TVOC Regional Event
Complete Results
Thames Valley Orienteering Club organised this regional event in a hilly area. This was good practice for those of us heading off to BUSA in March.
Damian and Giles both improved their performance this week on a shorter (10.65km) M21L than last week coming 29th/31 and 27th/31 respectively. Both were well inside the Bronze badge times and Giles was only 8 minutes off a Silver Badge time. Damian scored 542 BOF ranking points, over 200 points more than last weeks dissapointing result. David completed, and came 18th/31, in a relatively difficult 3.8km light green course, which Stephen failed to complete. Cyndi successfully completed a 5.14km red, her longest course yet, a great achievement considering she had been out orienteering the night before! Her split times show she was very much in contention and was winning after the 1st checkpoint, before getting hideously lost at two points and coming 10th/10. Pierre had to pull out of the M21S due to an ankle injury he had picked up two weeks previously.
Damian
25/02/06 – Trent Valley LOK SENile Event
Complete Results
Cyndi and Bryony went to a very brambly night orienteering event armed with LED headtorches. Bryony put in a great result on the ‘Olive’ (3.3km) course coming in as the top female (3/8 – 38m.34s). It was Cyndi’s debut at a night event and she also ran the Olive course, however she missed a control and so was disqualified and so was unable to replicate her previous weekend’s great result. However she did get around the course – Both had great fun and wish they had more powerful torches!
Damian
19/02/06 – Burnham Beeches & Egypt Woods Regional Event (near Slough)
Complete Results
The event was a great success for the club with individuals trying longer, more difficult courses than before and others excelling in their chosen course. Cyndi came 3/30 in the light green course just 2 minutes behind the leader and with 4 of the fastest split times. David finished 7/30 with the fastest split time to control point 2. Ken (13/35) and Dominic (31/35) put in good performances on the Green course. Four team members competed in the badge events. Giles (43/48) and Damian (44/48) both successfully tackled their first M21L course. Today saw the experienced Caroline Catmur join the team, finishing 6/23 in the W21L category with 3 fastest split times, ahead of Bryony on her first attempt in this class who came 20/23.
The area was great for orienteering with mostly runnable forest and gently rolling terrain, ideal for running directly between points using a compass bearing.
Caroline scored 1061 BOF points, Bryony scored 680 points and Damian scored 324 points.
Bryony