Droobers take league title by impressive 500 points

Octavian Droobers are celebrating winning the league in fine style after racking up a grand total of 7,432 points accumulated at 12 events around the West Midlands.

Runners up were Wrekin Orienteers with 6,921 points, while Harlequins with 6,647 points just pipped Walton chasers – who scored 6,642 points – into third place.

club members of all ages contributed to this fine score. the youngest was Max StraubeRoth

(M10) who scored 498 from a maximum possible of 500 points and the club’s most senior members, Roger Hailey (M80) scoring 497 and Hilary Simpson (W80) scoring 495 points to add to the tally. Scoring the maximum 500 were tom Jeffries (M45), Lesley Ross (W50), Robert Brandon (M70), Peter carey (M75) and Sheila carey (W70).

Other contributors were Liz Phillips (W55, 498), Sue Hallett (W70, 496), alistair Landels (M50, 492), Rob Bambrook (M45, 490), chris Mccartney (M50, 490), Keith Willdig (M70, 489) and Florence Lunn (W16, 487).

Leicestershire Orienteering club staged an East Midlands regional event at cademan and thringstone Woods and on the longest course, Brown 5.6km with 165 metres of climb, Will Gardner (M21) was first in 39.37 mins closely followed by Duncan Birtwistle (M21) taking 40.29mins. top club runner on the Blue 4.9km course was Bruce Bryant (M60) who took 48.41 mins putting him in second place, three minutes behind the winner.

coming to the close of the year it is great to see that Will Gardner is currently second highest ranked British orienteer with 8,446 points, only one point behind ex-OD club member Graham Gristwood.

also in the top ten is nathan Lawson who is joint eighth with 8,370 points. anne Straube is the club’s highest ranked woman and is in 47th position.

the popular christmas Relays on December 29 will this year be at Rough close Scout camp, near coventry. Staged during the morning from 10am over four legs of differing lengths and technical difficulty, it promises to be a great opportunity to work off the christmas excesses.

For further details see website www.octavian-droobers.org or contact the organisers rob. smart@live.com.