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After leaving Olten, Switzerland following the first of the World Cup series, the GB team travelled immediately to Genoa, Italy and were joined by an additional team member, Peter Molloy, for the second round of the series.
A sprint focus event with an Individual Sprint followed by the Mixed Sprint Relay was held in an arena beautifully located on the waterfront in Genoa’s western end and both were varied and challenging sprint courses.
Individual Sprint
Both the men’s and the women’s courses began in a hilly forest area, which offered difficult route choice challenges on the slopes before moving into more classic urban sprint with the shorter legs on narrow streets.
It was a win for Simona Aebersold, who made her way through the course with very few errors to dominate the Womens event by 28 seconds. Natalia Gemperle was second and Norway’s Ane Dyrkorn in third.
In the Men’s, Kasper Fosser took the victory with Sweden’s Martin Regborn in second with Tomáš Křivda in third.
The highest placed British athletes were Peter Hodkinson 27th and Megan Carter-Davies who returned from illness after missing the first round in 29th place, unfortunately there was a DNF for Ralph Street due to injury.
Images below: Charlotte Ward, Jonathan Crickmore and Megan Carter-Davies. Credit: IOF / Kristina Lindgren
Results
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Megan Carter- Davies- 29th |
Peter Hodkinson 27th |
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Grace Molly- 40th |
Nathan Lawson 35th |
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Rachel Brown – 48th |
Freddie Carcas- 50th |
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Fiona Bunn- 57th |
Peter Molloy- 59yh |
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Cecilie Andersen- 59th |
Jonny Crickmore- 66th |
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Charlotte Ward- 74th |
Ralph Street- DNF |
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Mairi Eades- 97th |
Mixed Sprint Relay
There was a nerve-wracking end to the competition in the Mixed Sprint Relay where Switzerland were the first to cross the line with Finland and Czechia second and third respectively.
It was a strong start for the Great Britain team where Grace Molloy finished the leg in second place, closely fought with France, Norway and Sweden as Switzerland’s Natalia Gemperle took the lead.
Switzerland held onto the lead, but Sweden and Finland closed the gap with Freddie Carcas moving down to 8th place, handing over to Nathan Lawson.
On a challenging course, there was lots of room for error and lots of mistakes were made throughout the race. As Nathan handed over to Megan Carter- Davies for the final leg, the team were in 10th place, but the leg towards control 7 which was close to the sea, challenged several of the athletes with Megan Cater-Davies holding her nerve to move smoothly up the ranks to anchor the team home in 5th place.
Team Manager Emil Wingstedt said “ It was a difficult day on Saturday in the Individual Sprint on a super- tricky course in a very unusual area. But it was much better in the relay today with strong performances from everyone. The first team showed their potential finishing in a close 5th place”.
Images: Team GB together and on the podium post Relay Race! Credit: IOF / Kristina Lindgren
It's Volunteers Week 2024! This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Week, however we know that volunteering has been the beating heart of our sport since the inception of British Orienteering back in 1967.
Images L-R: Tim Pugh (GO) who has been an active orienteering organiser for more than 40 years! He was also the Event Director for a World Cup round held in the south London area in 2005. This picture of Tim was taken at the 1994 British Championships at Goodwood (credit: Ned Paul/CompassSport Magazine); Control Card checking at the 1990 November Classic (credit: Di Smith/CompassSport Magazine); Download tent at the 2006 November Classic (credit: David Smith/CompassSport Magazine).
Not only do our volunteers work tirelessly to put on a variety of events for their members and national clubs to enjoy, they bring in newcomers to the sport by hosting come and try it events and setting up permanent and virtual orienteering courses for all to enjoy.
There is always an opportunity to get involved within your club and volunteer, particularly if you are looking for ways to gain new skills such as planning, organising, coaching and mapping. Volunteering is also a great way to boost your confidence, meet new people and add to your CV especially if you are just starting out in your career and need some experience!
Images L-R: Volunteers at the British Individual Sprint Championship Qualifiers 2022; Junior volunteers from SYO at the Yvette Baker Shield and Trophy Final 2023; Two volunteers from (FVO and ) at the Scottish 6 Days 2023. All credited to Wendy Carlyle.
Find out how to get involved here.
Here is to all our volunteers within the sport: the game changers, the masterminds behind the planning and coordinating processes; those who are always happily the first ones to arrive at an event and the last to leave - THANK YOU!
Images L-R: A volunteer at the British Sprint Champ Qualifiers 2022 (credit: Wendy Carlyle); Volunteers from LEI at JK 2024 (credit: Alex Welch); and a volunteer greets newcomers trying out orienteering for the first time (credit: Neil Harrison).
British Orienteering’s Board formally invites members to the Annual General Meeting, which will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, 5th October 2024 at The Studio in Birmingham.
Please find a link to the following:
- Formal Notice of AGM 24
- Accounts from 2023 (to follow)
Those attending the AGM virtually via Teams should register attendance by 11:00am on 4th October 2024.
The AGM will be followed by a Members Forum to enable wider participation and consultation.
Member’s Open Meeting - Agenda
The Board would like to place the following items on the agenda:
Members, clubs and Associations are also asked to raise any additional strategic items or issues that you would like to be added to the agenda.
Any such requests should be sent for consideration to Peter Hart, Chief Executive (peter.hart@britishorienteering.org.uk) by the 15th September 2024.
Whilst it may not be feasible to add all such items to the agenda, those items that are of strategic importance and are common to several requests will be added.
The meeting will close at 16:00.
Further details and papers for the AGM and Open Meeting will be circulated as soon as they are drafted.
In celebration of World Orienteering Week 2024, we wanted to share some of our clubs highlights in the past few months, including projects that they have become involved in and what advice they would give to newcomers looking to join their club or the sport in general! Here is what we asked them.
Quantock Orienteers
We continue to run an ambitious event programme for a small club, and our members are increasingly taking part in regional and national events.
In the past year our Junior Orienteering Group held two series, each of 8 low-key weekly events aimed at juniors, families, and adults looking to improve or to train. Over the last 15 years this programme has introduced many people to orienteering and has resulted in a thriving junior scene that rivals much larger clubs in the region. These informal events are great for adult newcomers too, and we find many prefer these to our larger events.
We attended an annual schools sports fair in April which gave many primary school children a taste of orienteering. Our club's main objective is to encourage families to come to our Junior Orienteering Group. We have found that involving parents is a great way to introduce children to the sport.
We held 6 junior and 6 senior training sessions over the year. These were series of structured activities held separately from our events. We had regular attendees and all sessions were well received.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Our advice would be to try our low-key local events first, where we can give advice and encourage development in a relaxed setting. Ours is a small friendly club, but we provide a huge range of local events year-round in our local area.
Wight Orienteers
We have set up another permanent orienteering course in our area. Maps are free to encourage more people to experience our sport.
The club have trainied teachers to deliver outdoor and adventurous activities, and held the first schools orienteering festival for 35 years on the Isle of Wight.
To those thinking of joining our club...
We are the only orienteering club on the Isle of Wight and we are family friendly.
Hertfordshire Orienteering Club
Our key highlights from over the past few months include the HH juniors qualifying for the Yvette Baker Final; and the start of our 2024 Street-O series, attracting runners and other non-orienteers.
We are excitedly preparing to host a series of Find Your Way activities over the summer; currently focusing on mapping, planning and engaging.
As a club, we have responded to schools requests for support and training; running a Youth League where local schools and youth groups can compete as teams.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Pick a local event and give it a go - it's not scary and you will get all the support you need. HH puts on a large number of newcomer-friendly events (park, wood and street) and will always provide advice and support for newcomers. Beyond that, we are a thriving, friendly and sociable club with additional training and social activities for its members.
Moravian Orienteers
Leading the very successful Scottish Six Days in August 2023, based in Moray. More than 2,500 orienteers enjoyed six days of exciting orienteering. We are now putting in place plans for the Scottish Orienteering Relay Championships in Roseisle Forest on 26th May.
We have successfully used grant funding from the Orienteering Foundation and Scottish Orienteering Association to support a Club Development Officer, who has been running introductory sessions with Youth groups and Schools across Moray. A recent 'Come and Try It event at National Trust for Scotland's Brodie Castle attracted over 200 participants!
We have continued activities with Primary and Secondary schools across Moray, and have started developing a School's league based on local events taking place this summer.
The club holds coaching sessions before most local events, at monthly intervals. These are very successful, and typically attract 15-20 participants, mostly younger orienteers and families.
We are co-ordinating the Northern Urban league this summer, with several town-centre events in June and July in the lead up to WOC24.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Come and enjoy the physical and mental challenge of orienteering in the delightful forests and local areas in Moray.
Devon Orienteering Club
Our highlights over the past few months start with us having put in place a comprehensive training/coaching series for all levels from April to August. The club has provided five introductory training sessions attended by over 30 newcomers.
We also had over 30 members attend the JK at Cannock Chase with some excellent performances and a great social atmosphere at the club tent in the same event centre over the two days.
Club member, Lucy Walker managed to secure a place for the GB team at the European Orienteering Championships, and we have also worked with the Marines to produce a map of Lympstone Marine Camp, holding a score event for c. 200 trainees. This event was a big success in terms of introducing the sport to newcomers.
We unfortunately haven't had the resources to work with individual schools. Exeter University's Orienteering Club has unfortunately been mothballed with student turnover. Our experience of working with schools has not led to an uptake of new juniors unless parents are keen: Our events are so geographically spread out.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Orienteering provides an opportunity to master new skills and get to know people across different age groups and backgrounds. Our events are organised across very varied terrain from moorland, coastal dues to forest and heathland with each providing different challenges.
Chigwell & Epping Forest Orienteering Club
We've staged a National Event plus a Try Orienteering event in Wanstead Park which attracted 20 participants. The Club has held several training events for members.
To those thinking of joining our club...
We are a small friendly club for NE London and SW Essex. Come and find out more about us!
Swansea Bay Orienteering Club
Community Family Fun and Coaching Days, the launch of our Saturday Perk-O series incorporating the new Swansea Schools League and the introduction of monthly Coaching and Training Sessions for club members of all ages.
We have worked with Swansea Council, University of Wales Trinity St David and Pobl Housing to put on a number of Free Fun Days in a variety of locations across the city, introducing Biathl-O (Orienteering and Archery), The Quest - a treasure hunt score event, Challenge and Family Coaching Days to get people engaged in the sport and out into their local green spaces.
We are in the third year of a four year project to bring orienteering to every Primary and Secondary school in Swansea. This includes getting the school grounds mapped, delivering an introduction session and providing coaching for teachers so they can confidently continue to deliver orienteering sessions. We have incorporated a Schools League into out Saturday Park-O events, adapting the format to give pupils a chance to transition from orienteering around school grounds to local parks, without it being too big a leap. The Park-O series provide an ideal opportunity for parents to join in too, making it a whole family experience.
We have introduced pre-event training at our Sunday Winter League events, and created Coaching And Training Sessions (C.A.T.S.) for all club members to attend - free of charge. These sessions are also open to non-club members for a small charge.
Many of our members will not be able to attend WOC, so we are setting up an Alternative WOC-end, with a Turf event on the Friday followed by a social where we hope to watch footage of the WOC Sprint, a club Parkrun Strava Challenge on Saturday morning, our Saturday Park-O on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday there will be The Griffin Run - Rhediad y Adar Llwch Gwin a 60-120 min Score event on the Gower using MapRun, followed by a social gathering where we will eat cake, drink tea and watch the Sprint Relays.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Orienteering truly is a sport for all, no one gets left on the sidelines, everyone is welcome. Swansea Bay is a welcoming, friendly club who put on events and activities to make the sport as fun and accessible as possible - Go Solo, Go Together - Run Walk, Wheel - Go for the Win, go for Fun - With Swansea Bay OC YOU Choose.
Southdowns Orienteers
Our highlight from over the past couple of months has been the Sunny Sussex Weekend 2024: A weekend of orienteering in the South Downs National Park, located between Chichester and Arundel. A high energy middle distance race at Eartham, an evening sprint race at Chichester Uni and Oaklands Park and a long distance national event at the newly mapped Houghton forest.
Southdowns Orienteers have worked with several scouting groups over the last year and delivered very successful training sessions. We also provided opportunities for scouts to take part at regular club events.
When it comes to coaching initiatives, we hold coaching sessions before regular club events. These sessions are split into coaching for primary school children and 1-2-1 coaching for older juniors, newcomers and any club members.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Whatever you do, talk to us before you head into the woods. Despite appearances, we’ve all stood at the start for the first time and so know just how intimidating dibbers and maps and compasses and controls and control descriptions can be. It’s not easy. It’s not meant to be easy. But once you get the hang of it, it’s just the best fun in the world! And I can honestly say that SO is one of the friendliest clubs in the country.
To new members, I would emphasise the joy of running through green woodlands - especially when the sun is shining. The pleasure of careful map-reading, leading to successful completion of a course is also very rewarding.
Harlequins Orienteering Club
Hosting the West Midlands Relays; running an O-course and maze for some of Shropshire's Primary schools; indoor-O in a soft play area - the most challenging course per metre ever! In the past year year some of our juniors have taken part in West Midlands Junior Squad activities which is a great initiative to support junior orienteering.
We've been a part of the Shropshire schools O-activity days, and the Birmingham Community Games. T Shropshire schools activities were organised via an umbrella group.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Challenge yourself but don't forget the course closing time!
Interlopers
The key highlights are the busy championship season which is building into final preparations for WOC 2024.
We have connections with some local schools but are looking the improve this using a Club Development officer who will be tasked with improving and increasing these connections. Club members are encouraged to attend coaching courses which are run by SOA for Scottish clubs.
We are involved with the Orienteering Edinburgh project with SOA and are in the process of appointing a club development officer to take this initiative in to the Post WOC 2024 phase.
To those thinking of joining our club...
We advise newcomers to come along and try the sport and to choose which club to join after several events so that they can identify a club that suits them. This comes from the challenge of having two clubs covering Edinburgh with no geograhic split. They mangae to copy with this in their football teams so I am sure they can manage.
Guildford Orienteers
Our highlights were the Southern Champs in February, and having the opportunity to organise a small range of training activities since then. In cooperation with Mole Valley Orienteering Club, we hold coaching training activities every month or two.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Visit our website to learn more.
Thinking of trying orienteering for the first time? Visit the GO Orienteering site to search for permanent and virtual orienteering opportunities, or use the event finder to find local events near you. Ready to join your local club? Use the online club finder to find the nearest club to you.
Scholes Mill, Old Coach Road, Tansley, Matlock, DE4 5FY
Tel: 01629 583037, Email: info@britishorienteering.org.uk
Registered in England & Wales No:1606472