Young orienteers find success in Sheffield
Arran’s young orienteers continue to bring home the medals with Ciara Wood winning a silver medal in her class at the British Schools Orienteering Score Championships in Sheffield.
Following a host of training opportunities, both organised and individually, many of the children have been training for events throughout the year.
Arran’s Finlay Eliot and Jenna Totty took advantage of further training opportunities by joining the Ayrshire Orienteering Club, which they have been regularly attending.
Prior to the event itself the children enjoyed a training exercise at Irvine beach. Tom Nichol, one of Arran Outdoor Centre’s new modern apprentices and a keen and experienced orienteer himself, ran round and put out 26 markers all over the beach park to give the team a feel for a score event, this being the first competition of that kind that the children would attend.
Score events differ from the usual kind of competition in that, rather than racing round a set course with options for route choice, participants set out for a given time to find as many controls as they can and be back within the time allocated, in this case 45 minutes. This makes for quite different tactics and as well as planning out the best way to approach and find each control, participants also have to plan which controls to go for, and in which order.
Ciara Wood, an experienced triathlete, came home with a silver medal in her class – S3 girls – using her speed to good advantage.
Coach Andy McNamara said: ‘Everyone should be proud to have made it home, all with positive points, a strong achievement. This will help participants by gaining experience from runners from all over the country. Well done everyone, thanks for all trying your very best and coming home smiling.’
In addition to the events over the weekend, the team celebrated by squeezing in a visit to the Glasgow Climbing Centre on the way home.