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Sc re The Home of Scottish Orienteering December 2014

InsIde: Race the Castles Moray schools orienteering Marathon Des Sables

new SOL & SOUL DaTeS

plus lots more

magazine of the ScottiSh orienteering ASSociAtion Sc re The Home of Scottish Orienteering contents

14 | sCHOOLs ORIenTeeRInG In MORAY 8

7 8 Picture: Philipp Von Arx Picture: Philipp Von Picture: Maureen Brown, ESOC ESOC Picture: Crawford Lindsay,

www.scottish-orienteering.org editor’s intro ABOUT ORIenTeeRInG Information on orienteering or any SOA activity can be obtained Scottish Orienteers, from the Association Secretary: [email protected] Hello again, and welcome to another full magazine, which I hope will reach you before the Addresses of clubs, details of many distractions of the festive season. groups and a short guide to the sport are available from the: Along with all the regular reports, there’s a new National Orienteering Centre feature this time introducing SOA Board members Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore – more to follow in future issues. Other interesting PH22 1QU. articles include the background story of Race the Tel 01479 861374 Castles, an account of Moravian’s successful schools [email protected] orienteering initiative, Helen Bridle’s experiences at the Marathon Des Sables, and reviews of this year’s sCORe Advertising SOL and SOUL series. Many thanks to all those who Full page: £90 sent in articles this time. Half page: £60. The next issue will be in March, and your Discounted rates available for contributions or comments are very welcome. multiple issues. I’m keen to hear your views on what should (or Contact us to discuss: shouldn’t) be included in SCORE – do let me know. communications@ The photo this scottish-orienteering.org time shows me at Birsemore Hill on sCORe editor Deeside in October, Sally Lindsay rather surprised to find [email protected] myself on the podium at the JOK Chasing design Sprint. MediArtStudio Hope you’ll enjoy www.mediartstudio.co.uk orienteering this winter, email: [email protected] and Happy Christmas, when it comes! Printed by: Groverprint & Design, Sally Lindsay Studio 2B1, Industrial Estate, Editor

Picture: Rona Lindsay, ESOC Picture: Rona Lindsay, Newtonmore PH20 1AL

COPY DATE FOR NEXT ISSUE: 18 FEBRUARY 2015

Cover pic - Urban racing inside Stirling Castle Pic courtesy Dave Robertson, CLYDE The views expressed by contributors to SCORE are not necessarily those of the SOA Board, nor of the Editor.

www.scottish-orienteering.org 3 president’s piece

by Roger scrutton (esOC) SOA President email: [email protected]

lthough there is a lot of sport that we must use the opportunity SoA business going on of promised wider powers for the Aat the moment (not least a Scottish Government to push sport review of our overall strategy for further up the Scottish Government’s the 2015-2018 period), as well as agenda, given its importance to areas a lot to celebrate, such as an SHI of major expenditure, such as health victory and a successful Race the and wellbeing, educational attainment, Castles event, I thought that on this communities and the social fabric of the occasion I would focus on a couple country in general. of slightly different topics. On a completely different topic,

Picture: Crawford Lindsay, ESOC Picture: Crawford Lindsay, The first is Scottish devolution, I’ve been reading and re-reading a Roger scrutton at the following the September Referendum number of books and research articles Glasgow mixed sprint relay result. You will probably know that on orienteering, in pursuit of my next the Smith Commission is tasked with coaching qualification at UKCC Level identifying areas in which there might 3. I would like to recommend a couple be further devolution of powers to the of really excellent, readable textbooks Scottish Parliament. Under the umbrella for your winter reading, both lavishly of the Scottish Sports Association, a illustrated and designed to take you submission has been made to Lord onwards and upwards through the Smith on behalf of governing bodies sport: ‘Orienteering Techniques’ (2012), of sport in Scotland, to which the by Gareth Bryan-Jones, available for £6 SOA contributed. The submission from our National Orienteering Centre; covered five points: a more equitable and ‘Orienteering - Skills, Techniques governance structure, akin to a federal and Training’ (2010), by Carol McNeill, system; more opportunities for top £9.99 from Crowood Press. I was also athletes to represent their home country rather pleased to read in ‘Adventure at international events; safeguarding Sport Physiology’ (2008), by Draper the National Lottery as a funding and Hodgson, in reviewing recent source; incentives for volunteers and research, that orienteering is one of their employers; and tax exemptions the most physiologically demanding for sporting organisations. All of these sports because of the continually touch on the future of the SOA. “altered stride pattern associated with At the same time, strategic negotiating off-road terrain”. So, as reviews are taking place at UKSport, you relax over the festive season and sportscotland and the Scottish Sports revise your skills with a bit of armchair Association, which has recently agreed orienteering from Gareth or Carol, do its Strategic Framework 2014-2019. so in the knowledge that you will be There is a strong common feeling getting really fit for when you return to amongst Scottish governing bodies of the real thing!

4 www.scottish-orienteering.org get ready for the newcomers!

by Hilary Quick (BAsOC) SOA Development Officer email: [email protected]

s WoC 2015 trying it out, they won’t sense of things that the approaches, and want to travel far, or to club does, not the narrow Amore people hear somewhere that sounds specific of an orienteering about it, we all hope this difficult or intimidating. race with results.) will lead to a growth in Their early experience Many newcomers are interest in our wonderful of the sport needs to be interested in finding out sport – does your club enjoyable, to give them how they can progress in have a plan for making the a taste of success and the sport. An introductory most of this? also an idea of the further session needs to be Generally people need possibilities. So clubs followed by opportunities several (most ‘experts’ need to work out a series to do more and learn more, agree 6-8) attempts at of regular, frequent events and then those newcomers something new, over a that give local opportunities will be well placed to fairly short period, before for newcomers to learn take the next step to they decide that they like it to orienteer, and to enjoy bigger events, as well as and want to do it regularly. themselves. (I use the term improving their technical And while they’re still ‘events’ in the general skills.

HeRe’s A sIMPLe TABLe sHOWInG sOMe POssIBILITIes:

Type of opportunity First taste Learn or train Regular participation serious competition Where very local local area local and some travel further afield Maximum time spent couple of hours half day day trip overnight stay Type of area school, park, urban, park, urban, woods, park, urban, woods, all types of terrain woods forest wilder forest, varied terrain When one-off frequently at least monthly less frequent/ seasonal Type of event taster, Come And Try club training and level C events, local Scottish It event coaching, local series, orienteering leagues Orienteering League, level D events, club Championships nights

The table needs a final row showing specific events relevant to your club. start with some target events in the right-most column (suggestions included for you), then work backwards so you give sensible progression.

specific events SOL 3, 12 April; Scottish Champs, 23/24 May

Having got your newcomers to some serious events in early summer 015, they should then be totally fired up to come along to the scottish 6 day to take part and to support our athletes in WOC!

www.scottish-orienteering.org 5 introducing…

“The goal is to get orienteering into Johannes Felter the wider public New Regional Development Officer awareness.” for Highland Picture: Wendy Carlyle, AIRE Picture: Wendy

cottish orienteering is negotiating access, sorting out very pleased to welcome technology and so on - all clubs SJohannes Felter as a definitely deserve a wider audience Regional Development officer. He for their huge efforts. Personally, started work in october, and his I think it’s only a matter of time main responsibility is to develop before the new trend for off-road INVoC and BASoC. Johannes running and adventure racing starts tells us more about his new role: to get more people switched on to “I feel hugely fortunate to have orienteering - which is undoubtedly been given this opportunity. The the original and best! strong Highland orienteering scene “Originally from Denmark, I’ve was one of the many factors which just moved to Scorguie (Inverness) drew my wife Jane and me up to after being involved in Outdoor Inverness. I find it incredibly exciting Education in various guises for the to be charged with attracting more last 10 years. I will now combine my members for these two fantastic new role as Regional Development clubs. Officer (3 days per week) with “The forests here are of course freelance work as a Mountaineering absolutely first-rate, and with all Instructor. I’m also volunteering the excitement of WOC2015 just for WOC2015 as the Event Team around the corner, I really hope I Coordinator for Highland. can make a difference. Working “I’ve delivered school together with two very experienced orienteering sessions throughout hands in the form of Hilary Quick my career, but only started and Mike Rodgers, the goal is to get orienteering more seriously a few orienteering into the wider public years ago when I joined Southern awareness. From our perspective Navigators. My own running inside the sport, it’s a real mystery background is very much as an why more people don’t get involved. ‘amateur enthusiast’ and I’ll happily “There’s all that incredible turn my hand to fell running and hard work planning, organising & mountain marathons as well as O. I controlling, along with countless, look forward to meeting you out in thankless committee tasks the forest next season!”

6 www.scottish-orienteering.org event news

here have been several excellent requiring the large 1:2500 scale. The other weekends of orienteering since side of University Avenue provides a number Tthe September issue of SCoRe. of extra challenges, so look out for events BASoC’s Highland WolF weekend there! The individual event, hosted on Croy was the first, offering a Middle Distance Hill, provided a significantly challenging race at Dunachtonmore, then a Sprint in championship standard course; thanks go Kingussie, a ceilidh in the evening, and to CLYDE for organising the event on such a the final Sol event of the year at Alvie nice November day. the next day, a popular set of events in Congratulations to Edinburgh for their some wonderful and varied terrain. victory, and to Strathclyde for taking the The Race the Castles weekends in closely-fought second place ahead of October attracted a host of international Heriot-Watt. stars as well as orienteers from all over Britain, and gathered well-deserved accolades on all sides. See the next page for a behind-the-scenes view. The Tinto Twin was less well-attended, but rewarding as ever for those that went, with varied route choice for both night and day events. The Middle Distance format this year meant less hassle for the organisers, and winning times were similar to the previous year in many classes. In early November, the Scottish Students Orienteering Championships was presented by Glasgow University Orienteering Club, with a mixed sprint relay on the Glasgow University campus, unfortunately in very wet weather, followed by the individual event the next day in clear sunny conditions. ESOC Pictures: Crawford Lindsay, Simon Gardner (organiser) reports: The Mass start at the Glasgow sprint Relay weekend went really well, with students from One week later, the Scottish Score 6 universities taking part in the competitions. Championships took place at Achlean in After the successful reintroduction of the Glen Feshie, giving competitors a hard championships last year, I wanted to build choice right from the start – control picking on the competition. An official relay seemed in beautiful moraine with low scores, or to be the natural step to take, with most slogging up to the top of the hill for a 100- universities now having enough members pointer? There was much shaking of heads for a team. I had been developing the map over poor tactics later. Meanwhile, many of Gilmorehill for some time, and needed others competed in the Grampian Mountain that extra incentive to get it finished; it’s Challenge in Glenshee, a tough weekend a great campus with lots of tricky areas enjoyed by all.

www.scottish-orienteering.org 7 race the castles – the inside story

by Graeme Ackland (InT)

art of the deal with staging Balmoral were keen, charged us WoC was that the SoA slightly more than we’d have liked, Pwould put on a high profile and we were in. race in 2014, which would also We booked the Ross Bandstand give us a chance to test the and then went into an 18-month technical systems. This was the dance with Edinburgh Council trigger for Race the Castles. about permissions. Historic From the outset, I wanted it to Scotland wanted full course details, be a bit different. Not an elite race so I went to Edinburgh Castle and or a public race, just a race where mapped it. Along the way, I met

Picture: Wendy Carlyle, AIRE Picture: Wendy anyone was very welcome. To the chief guide who was extremely Graeme at the stirling show the world we could do it. We helpful. We set up a meeting race spent almost three years putting with the chief exec. A series of the event together, and in all that increasingly bizarre objections time, not one member of the team made this a frustrating experience, quit; this is probably the thing I’m but Stirling negotiations went more most proud of. smoothly, and we got two castles There were lots of options: out of three: not bad. eventually I pitched a whole week There was no organisational of activity to Homecoming2014; structure beyond ‘Graeme in they gave me £16,000 in return charge’, and we held no meetings. for my taking it seriously. The Orienteering is awash with money raised ambitions. Why not competent people, so I just let run inside Edinburgh and Stirling them do their stuff. I was less Castles, and map Balmoral? divinely-appointed dictator, and more cat-herd-in-chief. I got emails søren Bobach (denmark) – “Stirling is one of the coolest saying, “You should do...” and sprints I’ve ever run. That was great fun!” ignored them. I also got wonderful daniel Hubmann (switzerland) – “Race the Castles was a great emails saying, “I would like to...”, experience!” and these defined the event - some Yannick Michiels (Belgium) – “…two great WRE Sprints around examples: “…get touch free the castle & graveyards in Edinburgh and Stirling! punching”; “…hire a big screen ...enjoying the tough Scottish terrain around Braemar!” and camera”; “…handle entries”; Gernot Kerschbaumer (Austria) – “…running two challenging “…design a T-shirt”; “…invite sprint races in Edinburgh and Stirling, excellent.” elites”; “…add the JOK chasing sprint”; “…make your event the silje ekroll Jahren (denmark) – “...wonderful surroundings... and with demanding technical challenges…” “…a UK Urban League final”; “…make great weekend in Edinburgh and Stirling on Race The your event the Senior Home Castles” Internationals”; “…commentate”.

8 www.scottish-orienteering.org could that be? I know nothing about advertising. And it soon became clear that nobody else gives it much thought. Personally, I never read ads and I toss flyers unread into the bin. But I do keep my maps, and am very grateful for free kit. So part of the advertising was T-shirts and sponsoring maps. The shirts had two purposes – for most people, getting the shirt made them feel part of the event, and then wearing it was an effective ad. The cost of a shirt was equal to 20 flyers. And I do know enough about web design and fashion to be 100% certain this needed delegating – Paul Frost did a great job on both. Roger Scrutton and I chased sponsorship. Council and Picture: Crawford Lindsay, ESOC Picture: Crawford Lindsay, University schemes with formal Competitors in the All these, and others, from process I understand, and I did edinburgh elite sprint ‘amateur volunteers’, who are well with Homecoming2014, exactly what the Latin root implies: ActivCity, and Edinburgh people who want to do things for University, but commercial the love of it. sponsorship did a good job of These are often highly skilled, evading us. intelligent people – we couldn’t Eventually we got a load of ‘in begin to pay them their real-life kind’ contributions from Run and consultancy rates, yet we often Become, Nairn’s, Stoats, Walkers treat them as ‘cheap unskilled Shortbread, Tunnock’s, Illegal labour’. So whenever a volunteer Jack’s, Deeside O-maps, GGmaps, came with a good idea, I tried to Tiso, the Scottish Orienteering incorporate it, and let them take 6-Day Event Company, and Durty ownership of their bit. Events, which covered quite a lot All that was left for me was to of expenses. Needless to say, we raise money and bring 700 people got nothing from the professionals to Scotland in October. How hard at BOF. >>

www.scottish-orienteering.org race the castles – the inside story

“We spent almost three years putting the event together, and in all that time, not one member of the team quit.” Picture: Crawford Lindsay, ESOC Picture: Crawford Lindsay,

A random M50 is never likely McIntyre was ringing alarm bells. Finish arena, stirling to procure elites, and GG inviting A late rush brought the total to his peers over for a party was £30,737 and a smile back to my always more likely to succeed. He face. did a fabulous job, way beyond With three weeks to go, the five my wildest expectations. Some day-event teams really swung elites were great: they understood into action. After over two years the need to be visible, signed up of pushing everything forward, it early and were great for publicity. was disconcerting at first to not Others came in later – no fewer know every detail of what was than nine men’s World Champions happening, but once most of my and a couple of women’s too. 100 emails were getting “Don’t worry, entrants on men’s elite at Balmoral it’s sorted” replies, I could relax. By – the strongest field ever in the UK, the time Race the Castles started, and the strongest domestic field I was superfluous, and I got to run ever for a non-selection race. So in all five events as well as the JOK much for the idea that elites only Chasing Sprint. It was wonderful! race in the spring! The T-shirts advertise Race the Finally, entries. We really had Highlands 2015. Many people no idea; I plucked from the air have asked if I’ll do Race the a figure of £31,000, and set Castles again. To paraphrase Steve cheap entry fees for the whole Redgrave: “If you ever see me package, increasing later. It didn’t near doing this again, you have my help – entries trickled in. A week permission to shoot me”, but only before closing, SOA Treasurer Ian for publicity purposes!

10 www.scottish-orienteering.org scottish orienteering urban league 2014 summary

by Andy Paterson (CLYde) Urban League Co-ordinator

he 2014 bto SoUl series year by WOC contenders Tessa Hill finished with a skirl on and Murray Strain. Murray’s win TSaturday 27 September, was fairly comfortable, but Kirstin when the hard-earned prizes Maxwell gave Tess a tough fight were presented at the SeDS before relinquishing her 2013 title ceilidh in Kincraig village hall, by just 4 points. following SoUl 8, a sprint The closest contest though was distance race around Kingussie M12-, where Jamie Goddard and and part of the popular BASoC Ewan Purves (both FVO) couldn’t Highland WolF weekend. be separated even with the new tie- A total of 524 runners took part in break rule, each having earned two the series in 2014 - an impressive victories over the other. Worthy joint number, when you consider that champions then, and the first time the two biggest urban events of the there has been a tie in the three year in Scotland, the Edinburgh years of the SOUL series! and Stirling Race the Castles Other notable victories were events, weren’t part of the SOUL Sheila Strain and Rachel Brown, series, but were the finale of the UK both winning for the second year in Urban League. a row, and Lindsey Knox, winning A big thank you to our sponsors, Women’s Supervet in 2014, having bto solicitors, who are sponsoring won the inaugural Women’s the series until 2016, and to all the Vet class in 2012. But a special clubs who put on events for us mention to Kerry Wood of ESOC, this year. We had a good spread who has yet to LOSE, having won of races in 2014, from Dufftown, W12- in 2012 and W16- in 2013 Kingussie and Aberdeen in the and 2014! Interestingly, Sarah north, to Glasgow, Livingston and Dunn’s last-race win in Vet women Edinburgh in the south, with Perth for MAROC is only the second The series winners for and St Andrews filling in the gaps. win for a member of a club north 014 were as follows: The Open classes were won this of Stirling since the series started, suggesting Urban orienteering Women Men remains very much the domain of Young Junior (1-) Rachel Brown (ESOC) Ewan Purves/ the Central Belt orienteer. Jamie Goddard (FVO) For 2015, the series is changing Junior (16-) Kerry Wood (ESOC) Samuel Galloway (INT) slightly to include an elite distance Open Tessa Hill (HOC) Murray Strain (INT) Sprint category (open to anyone), Veteran (40+) Sarah Dunn (MAROC) Roger Goddard (FVO) as well as traditional Urban super Veteran (55+) Lindsey Knox (RR) Gary Longhurst (FVO) distance races, following a request Ultra Veteran (65+) Sheila Strain (ELO) Phil Smithard (KFO) for this from our elite athletes.

www.scottish-orienteering.org 11 scottish orienteering league 2014 summary

by Trevor Hoey (FVO) SOL Co-ordinator

he 2014 Sol series followed the usual recipe of good areas, high Tquality planning and strong fields. Balmoral was the clear highlight of this year. I’m old enough to remember Balmoral being talked about in hushed tones during the 1980s when getting access seemed unlikely; 30 years later, it lived up to expectations, with a first-class map and top quality planning.

Other races in the series provided their Picture: Steve Wilson, CLYDE own memorable moments, starting with a The start at dunrod Hill tough day out at Devilla in the spring. The organising, mapping and planning across Faskally event, rearranged following the all of our events is incredibly strong and all change of Scottish Championships venue, of the event officials deserve great credit for used the area wonderfully and introduced making the series such a success. an innovation to the SOL series, a Middle The attraction of Race the Castles in Distance race for M/W21E. Dunrod Hill particular boosted entry numbers this year. provided a different challenge – mainly that We had to remind ourselves of the rule that of running fast over tough terrain. international runners are non-competitive As controller, a highlight of the year for for the SOL series, and so cannot affect the me was an evening on Dunrod, as the scores of UK runners, and also had to find sun was setting, giving great views and a way to include the Middle Distance results a reminder of how we get to places that in the Elite classes. most people don’t even know exist. The There were 1002 people competing in early summer event at Lossie was another the series, generating 2428 scores, an highlight, with runnable terrain and tricky average of 2.4 events per person. (Figures navigation. for 2013 were 784 runners, 2091 scores Once summer was over, Craig a Barns and 2.4 events per person.) This includes continued to provide a challenge to all, and non-competitive runners and pairs, but Mike Stewart’s excellent planning made it excludes the few people whose times were feel fresh, despite having been used several sufficiently slow for them to record negative times recently. The main start location at the points at an event (re-set to 0 in the league highest point on the map was a great idea, tables). In total 2,144,794 points were which somehow did not seem to reduce the scored, averaging 883 per run. amount of climb on the courses. The top 10 scorers (on best 4 events) once again included Alvie too provided a mixture of technical two W16s who enjoy being the fastest runners on the Green and navigational challenges, not least of course, but this year saw more of the veterans making the top 10. The top 3 were: which was how to avoid the golf traffic for folk travelling from the south. Finally, to Balmoral, where everything came together including the weather. The standard of

1 www.scottish-orienteering.org The leading club can be defined in several ways – here are three alternative ‘top 3’ positions for scottish Clubs:

For reference, the full table for scottish clubs is as follows (including only competitive runs, and excluding a few people who ran as sCO at Balmoral):

The highest scorer on all 7 races was In terms of course winners (junior A and B, senior L and s), the Samuel Galloway (INT) with 8375, followed club ranking is: by Megan Ricketts (MAROC), Robin Purves 10 FVO 3 AYROC, EUOC, INT, RR (FVO) and Bob Daly (GRAMP) who also 8 GRAMP, MAROC 2 CLYDE, ECKO exceeded 8000. 17 runners scored in all 7 6 ESOC 1 BASOC, ELO, STAG, 4 MOR SHUOC events, with an age range of M10 to W70.

So, what for next year? CompassPoint offers 7 events stretching The series will run in its usual format, with from the Solway to the Grampians. The SOA a double-header weekend in June - see are delighted to confirm that all organisers inside back cover for the provisional dates. and planners are in place and only three Once again, some high quality areas are controllers remain to be appointed. promised, and who knows which runners At SOLs 3 and 5, Elite competitors will turn up for some pre-WOC familiarisation shall compete over Middle Distances, as with our maps and midges? As always, requested by SEDS. information will be on the SOA web site Organising clubs would appreciate - look out soon for an archive of past SOL your support, and encourage you to enter results going back deep into history. before the stated closing date. This helps Terry o’Brien (STAG), SoA operations enormously with the organisation and Director, adds: The third and final year of reduces the stresses and strains which the current sponsorship agreement with hosting a SOL does create.

www.scottish-orienteering.org 13 schools orienteering in Moray

by Mike Rodgers (MOR)

Stop any 11 year old in Moray on the street and show them an EMIT brikke. The chances are they’ll tell you what it’s for. Mike Rodgers - the SOA’s Regional Development Officer in Moray - explains how having the right kit in the right place, combined with a vibrant club programme, has helped schools orienteering take off in the region.. Picture: ActivNorth

chools orienteering in cluster contributed £1,000. The Moray began on a small remaining £11,600 came from Sscale back in 2006 with one British Orienteering, the SOA and a school map and a taster event in local sport development fund. Lots Forres. With the help of our local more schools have since paid to Active Schools Team, running have their own maps produced; 34 around with maps in school time of Moray’s 45 primaries now have quickly increased in popularity. their own map. Experience has Schools soon started to shown that handing it on a plate recognise the educational and doesn’t work, so they don’t get them health benefits. In 2010, fed up for free! By the time WOC comes with being asked to lend out their round, amidst the blaze of hype and kit all the time, Moravian organised publicity, schools that have become a project, supported by British familiar with the sport will have the Orienteering and the SOA, to resources to exploit the surge in procure a set of 20 EMIT controls interest that we hope for. Hopefully and a bunch of brikkes for Active I’ll still be around to give them a Schools to use. The kids loved helping hand. the Gucci technology. Suddenly Here in Moray, schools orienteering became cool. Demand orienteering goes on all year round. far outstripped availability – it was Moravian’s monthly Saturday used by 5,000 pupils in the first 2 League series incorporates a years! So when I was appointed as competition for all Moray and Regional Development Officer in Nairnshire schools. Active Schools April 2012, my priority was to build promote the events, and we simply on this success and help schools record the school of each junior orienteering to expand. And so the when they register. Their best 4 runs ‘WOC2015 & Beyond’ project came become the point scorers for any to be. particular school with a ‘school of The project equipped 5 of the month’ plaque awarded to the Moray’s 8 schools clusters with winning primary school after each their own set of EMIT. Each schools event. There’s an overall trophy for

14 www.scottish-orienteering.org courses. Active Schools run the events with support from Moravian, and some of the races have become extremely competitive. Between 4 and 8 schools participate in each mini-event. Afterwards, all schools select their best 4 boys

Picture: ActivNorth and 4 girls to come to Gordonstoun in October for the Moray Schools Above: Prize-giving, the winning primary and secondary Festival. That’s the pinnacle of Gordonstoun at the year end. Attendance is OK, the season. Several of the area’s but it’s still a work in progress to PE teachers do orienteering in make it a league for school pupils the run-up to the festivals. One that go orienteering, rather than ultra-keen PE teacher produces orienteers who happen to go to very impressive results at all of her school! The best-attended events schools. The kids worship her! have been based at schools I feared this year’s schools themselves. Moravian is so lucky season wouldn’t happen, when I to have some terrific areas next to was off work due to illness at the schools. Fortunately these schools worst possible time. I needn’t have are invariably keen to host events. worried. I was blown away by how They provide indoor registration Moravian members rallied round to facilities, and the schools’ parent support the Active Schools Team. councils lay on refreshments. It All but one of the events I had lined creates a great social atmosphere, up went ahead. People took time off which really helps to sell the sport to work, going that extra mile to cover the many local families who come everything that I would normally along. It also gives me an excuse have looked after. The Active to get into the school before ‘their’ Schools Team knew the ropes, event, to help the pupils practice the thanks to several years’ experience basics on their school map. of staging orienteering festivals. I’d September is peak season for arranged the dates and venues >> schools, when every school cluster Racing at in Moray has its own area festival, Gordonstoun similar to the excellent set-up in Tayside. Check out TAY’s website to see how popular their springtime schools events were! TAY has a mass-start score format. The top few teams qualify for the final. In Moray, we have conventional Picture: ActivNorth

www.scottish-orienteering.org 15 schools orienteering in Moray

well before the summer holidays, to all those aspiring international with a few people lined up to help, orienteers in the audience. but many more came on board to So now we move on. Several make the events happen with zero youngsters turned up at Moravian’s input from me. With phenomenal event 2 days later. We hope to see support like that, orienteering surely more new faces as the Schools has a great future locally. League competition moves into the I resumed work towards the end business end of the year. Hordes of September, in time to focus on of kids won’t suddenly turn up Gordonstoun. It turned out to be on Saturday mornings, but with a the best yet. Twenty of Moray’s regular, well-publicised programme,

Picture: ActivNorth 45 primary schools sent teams, those who want to will hopefully Hannah Kingham (MOR) while 3 of the 8 secondaries manage one or two during the year. were represented. Forres and It’s all so dependent on dad’s taxi. Elgin Academies sent very large Many kids are into other sports, so teams. Almost one in five of the we need to remain philosophical. 198 competitors were Moravian What we do know is that the schools members, but not all medallists value orienteering. The kids love were Moravians! I counted 25 taking part; they tell us so. Not all Moravian adult helpers on the day might take it up, but don’t you often including the 6-Day photographer get adults at a club event saying Chris Spencer, who we let loose that they enjoyed it at school? We with his camera. You can see some think that by giving schoolchildren superb images on his ActivNorth a quality experience of orienteering, web site. The standard was they might take the sport seriously excellent, the competition intense! when they can sort their own lives School staff reported pre-race out at weekends. With an ever- nerves from the more fancied expanding university orienteering runners. scene, the more students there are Just 2 points separated the top who have already tasted the sport, two primary schools, so those the better chance the university clubs nerves were justified! The tension will have of keeping the momentum while waiting for the final results going. was palpable, and there were huge Moravian’s membership has celebrations when Kinloss learned snowballed as a result of the schools that they’d beaten Elgin rivals programme. Many adults have taken Bishopmill to the title. Kathryn Barr, up the sport after bringing their resplendent in her GB kit, presented children to events. In the 2013-14 the awards. Interestingly, Kathryn school year, 222 different Moray was only 4th in this event while at school pupils took part in at least one primary school in 2011, something weekend event. The challenge is to we made a point of emphasising keep them coming back for more!

16 www.scottish-orienteering.org in praise of...

by eleanor Pyrah (esOC)

Sprint Orienteering

print orienteering is decided to save my energy not new. I first heard for the ‘real’ orienteering to Sthe term back in follow. Finally in 2009, as a the 1980s, when some of W65, I plucked up courage the young elites in South and entered the JK Sprint in Yorkshire held these very Newcastle and have been short o-races, because a fan ever since. Whether it they were fun, good is in streets, parks, woods training and made use of or college campus, I love small areas that could not the excitement, the quick be used for conventional decision-making and the events. fact that I don’t end up They had knockout-style muddy, scratched and competitions where only totally exhausted! Now I do the fastest in the earlier all the Sprint races I can. rounds went on to a head- Don’t let the name put you to-head final. They said it off. It has been described was exciting and good for as a ‘Sprint for the mind, spectators. Needless to not the body’. Or rather, Picture: Crawford Lindsay, ESOC Picture: Crawford Lindsay, say, I never went near these eleanor at the 014 scottish sprint like any orienteering, it is all races; definitely for the Championships about getting the balance super-fast; there were no Then in 2003, Jamie right between the physical concessions for the older Stevenson won the WOC and mental effort. Some say orienteer, and I must have gold medal at the Sprint that it is too easy; many of been all of forty and feeling distance. The map was the areas do not offer much my age! printed in CompassSport more than Orange standard The first time I tried and I was amazed to see in technical difficulty, after anything like a Sprint was that it had taken place all. But that’s not the point. when the Park World Tour around the streets of a If you are pushing came to Kelvingrove Park town! Street orienteering yourself to go as fast as in Glasgow in 1999. I was was something we had you can, you are likely to there to watch, but after the done for fun, but here it was make mistakes, and every world’s elite had finished being treated as a serious mistake, or hesitation, will their race, an invitation went challenge by the best be costly. I believe Sprint out to anyone to have a go. orienteers in the world. Orienteering can present I enjoyed it, despite taking A few years later, the an exciting challenge for considerably longer than the Sprint distance started to everyone, including juniors, 15 minutes the leaders had appear in the JK, including elites, novices and oldies taken! a W60+ class in 2007, but I like me.

www.scottish-orienteering.org 17 who’s who on the SOA board

How well do you know the SOA Board members?

n (I hope) a continuing series, SCoRe asked them to introduce themselves with some brief biographies. First up is the SoA IPresident, Roger Scrutton (eSoC). The President’s role needs little introduction - he is the public face of the SoA and undertakes a wide variety of tasks in guiding and overseeing orienteering in Scotland.

Roger says: I came to orienteering in my late 40s, having played a lot of ball sports in my younger days and then tried various forms of running. As I am still much better at running on roads (sprint, urban) than across open country or forests, I’ve promised myself I will run cross-country events this Winter, and I’ll continue to pursue cross- training, especially gym work and mountain biking, to ensure that I

can participate in orienteering into ESOC Picture: Crawford Lindsay, later life. As far as being SOA President direction and towards clubs, is concerned, I find it a bit membership, volunteers, squads, stressful (no, more like frustrating) and other partners in the other at times, as with any position - and to be realistic about what of responsibility, but generally can be done. I am lucky to have it is enjoyable and immensely an excellent Board of Directors rewarding. and a large and proficient team of I love it when SOA puts volunteers in key positions in SOA, something into action and it works all working together, without whom out for the benefit of clubs and/or it would be impossible to make membership. In my job as a progress. geoscientist I’ve sat on several I have adopted a philosophy, Boards of Directors and even reputedly one of Einstein’s, “Life presided, so I knew what to expect is like riding a bicycle: to keep when I took the job. It’s important your balance you have to keep to look both ways - towards policy moving”. I try to move forward makers, funders, partners in one every day.

18 www.scottish-orienteering.org Next, the Partnership Director, Claire Macpherson (ClYDe), who is responsible for managing the SoA’s day-to-day relationships and liaising with all their partner organisations, such as British orienteering, local Authorities, sportscotland, Scottish Natural Heritage.

Claire says: I started orienteering in my mid-20s, when I met my husband, Andrew. He agreed to learn to scuba dive, which was my main sport, and I agreed to learn to orienteer. In my teens, I had always tried to avoid running, preferring sports which involved more skill and physical strength like windsurfing, sailing and snowboarding. This extended into my 20s when I took up scuba diving.I decided, however, that Picture: Andrew Macpherson, CLYDE even if I did not have the pace to be a particularly fast runner, I string course, with baby in a sling. would work on my stamina and As far as being Partnership complete some distance runs. I Director is concerned, this is a started to enjoy orienteering, as varying and enjoyable role. It’s a it provided a mental challenge role where I can often use my legal as well as a good opportunity knowledge, and it is rewarding a list of all the to improve stamina and running to be able to apply this for the Board members ability, particularly in terrain. benefit of a sport I really enjoy. It’s and other key SOa Having spent the last three years great to see so many volunteers people, and their having two children, my physical within Scottish Orienteering doing responsibilities, fitness is now at its lowest in a the same, and working to move is available on long time but my aim is now to the sport forward and increase the Contacts slowly work on getting this back, participation and recognition page of the SOa starting initially with the core.In with the general public. I’m really website: http:// the meantime, you may see me looking forward to Highland 2015 www.scottish- plodding round a short course and WOC, and hope it leaves a orienteering. or chasing my 2-year-old round a legacy we can be proud of. org/soa/contacts

www.scottish-orienteering.org 1 “all forests survey” results Picture: Forestry Commission Scotland Picture: Forestry Puck’s Glen, by Fiona Murray (esOC) Argyll Forest Park Forest Tourism Development Manager, Forestry Commission Scotland

cotland’s woods and forests measured them, in 2004-2007. The are wonderful places. complete report’s available on the SYou know that, of course, Forestry Commission Scotland because you spend lots of time website. http://scotland.forestry.gov. every year running around them. uk/managing/work-on-scotlands- Some of them are on private national-forest-estate/tourism-and- estates, or managed by a charity recreation/profile-of-forest-visitors or local organisation, but many Here are a few snippets, from a woodlands and forests are national perspective, which I thought owned by us all, the taxpayers of you’d find interesting. If you’d like to Scotland, and managed on our know more about your local area, behalf by Forestry Commission contact the nearest Forest District Scotland. This is the national office for their fact sheet. http:// forest estate, which welcomes scotland.forestry.gov.uk/managing/ around 9.1 million visits every who-manages/forest-districts year. Exactly 50% of visits are made by The recent All Forests Survey women (a 4% increase since 2007) came up with the 9.1 million figure, and over a quarter of our visitors are which is huge and important, but is aged 60 and over (a 10% increase). only the start of the story. We also Visitors travel an average of 17 found out much more than that: miles to the forest, but 43% travel who our visitors are, where they less than 6 miles and 13% go to enjoy spending time, what they their local woodland every day. We do while they’re there, and how asked about how long people spend things have changed since we last (average 1.5 hours) and the activities

0 www.scottish-orienteering.org undertaken during visits: almost been measured by a car or trail three-quarters of visits involve counter, or you’re amongst the 1% walking, 43% are dog-walking, 8% of visits involving organised events. are cycling or mountain biking, and Whichever the case, know that you 3% visit the forest for a picnic. are valued as a visitor! Clearly, this is good for people’s What of the future? We still have health and wellbeing, as they get out aspirations for improving and and enjoy the outdoors, but what enhancing the visitor experience in does this all mean for the economy? Scotland’s national forest estate, There’s an average spend of £18 to make it even more welcoming per visit (£35 if including overnight for even more people. We’re accommodation), and a third of improving our wildlife viewing visits are being taken by people on facilities, monitoring and upgrading a holiday or short break, which is our path and trail network and almost double the figure from 2007. bringing woodlands closer to where Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin, Glen Affric, What about our orienteering people live; we’ve completely in autumn visitors? Your visits may have revamped all our visitor centres; and we continue to work with stakeholders, such as the Scottish Orienteering Association, to see what new opportunities exist. For example, could we see more Trail-O or permanent orienteering courses across the country? We all have limited resources, but hopefully, by understanding these limitations, talking, planning and working together, we will continue to plant the seeds for a great future for more people to explore and enjoy

Picture: Forestry Commission Scotland Picture: Forestry Scotland’s national forest estate.

CORReCTIOns Unfortunately a couple of errors crept into the September issue of SCORE – apologies for these, and thanks to the people who pointed them out. Please email [email protected] if you spot any mistakes in this or future issues. • On page 3, the photo credit should say Crawford Lindsay, ESOC. • On page 7, in Event News, the East area came 2nd (not 3rd) in the Junior Inter-Area Relay.

www.scottish-orienteering.org 1 behind the scenes Picture: ActivNorth day 4 of the by Chris spencer (MOR) Lakes 5 days 014, ActivNorth Photography Pike O’Blisco Event photography - A picture is worth a thousand words

here are few pursuits and be aware, ActivNorth Photography activities in our life that strives to convey the emotion and Tchallenge one another or the action of orienteering by getting bond people together in such closer to the action. a great way as sport does. The The only way it can successfully world of orienteering does just achieve capturing the drama is by that; regardless of the level of being physically amongst you, the competition, it displays a huge competitors; using cameras and amount of emotion and character. lenses that can get shots in nearly all The ultimate thrill, however, weathers, and in poor light conditions comes from the action and beneath the trees that the BBC exhilaration within its playing Natural History department would field, when we try to master walk away from. As a ‘temporarily’ speed versus navigation. retired orienteer, I have a slight This adventurous thrill leaves advantage of knowing where and behind indelible images in our minds. how to get good photos, that usually Often as not, those unforgettable comes with some valuable (or not-so- slices in time are now documented valuable) advice from the planners. by a key person: the sports That said, even some of the larger photographer. As many of you will attended events regularly catch me

www.scottish-orienteering.org out, when I’ve waited at a control site like a deerstalker, for nothing to happen, only to turn my back on it and suddenly see from the corner of my eye a herd of orienteers rush through the control and punch; is this breed of orienteers camera shy; do they wait behind a large knoll or hide in a pit? Thankfully, most orienteers are not like that at all and a lot will even deviate from their course with a surprising spurt of energy to get in a photograph. Amazingly, some will even stop to ask me where they are, but I don’t tell them unless they are begging and crying on their knees! Good photography now plays a pivotal role in the development, promotion and advertising of orienteering. Unfortunately, like all good things, it comes at a wee Moray & Highland price. ActivNorth is a small venture Junior Championships, that gets results; it does have some Culbin future aspirations that are now Picture: ActivNorth beginning to look very positive for Website: the business, but more significantly www.activnorth.com will reward sport and you the Facebook: competitor. https://www.facebook.com/activnorthsportsphotography?ref=hl

Would you like to receive future issues of sCORe on paper? If you’re reading the electronic version, and would prefer a paper copy of SCORE, please contact Hilary Quick at the National Orienteering Centre at Glenmore Lodge. Please state your name, BOF membership number and address. By email [email protected] By phone 01479 861374 (has an answerphone) By post National Orienteering Centre, Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore PH22 1QU Thank you

www.scottish-orienteering.org 3 marathon des sables 2014 Picture: Marathon Des Sables official photographers by Helen Bridle (esOC)

and dunes are my favourite not reaching the finish line. kind of orienteering area. The maps are terrible, and while SMoroccan sand dunes a compass is on the compulsory though are on an entirely kit list, luckily (having seen my tent- different scale! And the sand mates’ attempts to figure out how seems much softer and more one works) we didn’t need to use it, difficult to run in. Though maybe as the course is well marked. Other it only seems that way in the items I was very grateful I didn’t 40˚C heat, carrying everything need to use included my anti- that I need for 6 marathons in 6 venom pump, and the emergency days in the Saharan desert. flare provided by the organisers! The Marathon des Sables is The only other things provided known as the world’s toughest foot by the organisers are tent space race and I took on this challenge every evening, and a water ration, in April 2014, raising money for which is dealt out at morning Yorkshire Cancer Research. The camp, at checkpoints along the race consisted of 3 days of about day’s route and at the finish. The a marathon distance, followed water totals about 12L for drinking, by the infamous long day, which cooking and washing - not much of was a double marathon with a 34 the last happens. My bag weighed hour time limit for completion, and about 6.5kg, minus water, with my finished off with a stage of exactly compulsory kit and all of my food 42.2km. Then there was a charity for 7 days. stage of just 8km on the final day. For me the hardest thing was Over a thousand people started taking on enough salt - I had this year, with over 10% of those underestimated how dehydrated

4 www.scottish-orienteering.org I would get, as my nutrition had over to cheer in the last runner worked really well during practice to finish the long stage, about runs from Berwick-upon-Tweed half an hour before the cut-off; to North Berwick, and along random chat with my tent-mates, Hadrian’s Wall. Due to the lack all of whom also finished; and the of salt, I really overheated on support of the other runners and day 3, which was pretty scary. the awesome helpers. I also stupidly got excited on The MdS was an amazing day 5, thinking “Hurrah, easily experience, even if I did decide going to make it now, only a half halfway through day 1 that I was marathon to go!” and pretty much never doing it again. The scenery straight after that my knee got is incredible, and everyone is so really sore, making that last 21km supportive and friendly. However, an incredibly slow and painful I don’t think you have to go all experience. the way to Morocco to get the

Map of stage 1 Picture: Marathon Des Sables official photographers Picture: Helen Bridle, ESOC If those were my worst experience of a multiday running moments, there was a whole challenge - doing the preparation host of fantastic ones – running made me realise how many in at 2am in the morning, under adventures can easily be found the most amazing starlit sky, to close to home, like running the cross the finish line after 81.5km; length of Hadrian’s Wall, which climbing up 10% sandy jebels, is also something I would totally and especially descending the recommend. other side; crossing the biggest In addition to finishing the race sand dunes in Morocco (which in 301st place as 20th lady, I raised were thankfully on day 1, before nearly £9000 for cancer research. too much hatred of sand set in); Thanks so much to everyone who dancing on the startline; seeing supported me and/or sponsored camels; the whole camp hobbling me – I really appreciate it.

www.scottish-orienteering.org 5 coaching corner

by Lynne Walker (BAsOC) SOA Coaching Coordinator email: [email protected] Information about courses for coaches As mentioned in the previous edition of SCORE, the course schedule for 2015 is now available on the NatCen website. There is a lot happening; the UKCC L1 course has been altered so that people can attend a day (free in 2015) to find out what is involved, have a go at some coaching and decide what to do after that. Get your application or expression of interest to Hilary as soon as possible! http://www.scottish-orienteering.org/natcen/page/national-centre- course-schedule

Picture: Crawford Lindsay, ESOC Picture: Crawford Lindsay, CPd (Continuous Personal development) for course tutors Tutor development is important; in 2015, on 28 February, there is a tutor update and CPD day. If you currently tutor orienteering coaching courses and have not heard about this from Hilary, then please email her - [email protected]

Athletes - 015 targets? Have you sat down yet with the 2015 orienteering events calendar and decided which events you would like to go to? There is a different bias to the calendar in Scotland - six SOLs before the summer holidays and then Highland 2015 / WOC at the start of August, as well as the JK at the start of April in the south Lakes.

Some things to think about and chat about with others - and maybe a coach: • How are you going to cope with all these competitions? • What types of terrain are these competitions being held on? • Are you going to work out which are priorities for you and which are for ‘racing experience’? • What plans do you have for your winter training? • Will you be in good physical shape at the start of March? • Which local winter events will you use for training, so that your navigational skills are sharp at the start of the season? Night orienteering is a great way to sharpen up! • Plan some group training sessions (physical and technical) which also have a social element or involve finishing at a café - it is winter after all!

These questions are aimed at all orienteers, as preparation and planning ahead helps to make you a better-performing athlete.

6 www.scottish-orienteering.org elite news

by James & Jess Tullie (BAsOC)

Senior Home International Victory

the calculations were done, it emerged that England had won the relay day by 1 point over Scotland. Thankfully, the day before had given us enough of a lead to take the overall title. What a great feeling, to take the win on home soil against one of the strongest teams that England Pictures: Philipp Von Arx Pictures: Philipp Von The scotland sHI team, at Balmoral Castle have fielded for a long time! We’re all thrilled to have won: a ur biggest piece of strength, giving Scotland an perfect start to an exciting year news is that Scotland overnight lead of 4 points. But for Scottish orienteering. Read Owon the SHI! This we still had a big job on our the full report here: http://www. was part of Race the Castles. hands. scottish-orienteering.org/seds/ over the first weekend (11/12 At Forvie the next day, the scotland-victorious-on-home- october), the first ever usual small relay event that soil Sprint Home International we’re used to had changed was held, with combined with the abundance of The new SEDS squad times of 4 runners each day foreign teams, which added is also listed on the SEDS deciding the overall scores. an extra dimension to the page: http://www.scottish- We fielded an exceptionally race. Exciting battles ensued orienteering.org/seds/seds- strong team and were through the dunes, and once squad-2014-15 rewarded with an outright victory over the 2 races in Winter Training Plans edinburgh and Stirling. We then took advantage of SEDS are having an action-packed start to winter training, the WOC training camp and with weekends in Fort William, Speyside and the Lakes held a SEDS camp, based in in November, as well as several runners taking on the Deeside, for the following week. Grampian Mountain Challenge. Balmoral was the scene We have a further weekend in the Lakes in early for the SHI individual on 18 December (with the JK in mind), and then a weekend October; we were expecting where we team up with EckO over in Oban. The full list of our training weekends is on our page on the the courses to be tough and SOA website: thought this would count in http://www.scottish-orienteering.org/seds/seds-training- our favour, as we have many 2014-15 training weekends in tough Anyone is welcome along to join in or lend a hand. If you Scottish forests. And so it are interested, get in touch! proved. The courses suited our www.scottish-orienteering.org 7 junior squad news

by Maureen Brown (esOC) ScotJOS Squad Manager

A review of 2014 - a very successful year Picture: Maureen Brown, ESOC JIRCs Individual event here have been lots of RC#5 section of the magazine. winners successes for the Scottish In addition to those team successes TJuniors this year – indeed it for the Scottish juniors, there have also certainly is the most successful year been many international selections: ever in my experience. Alex Carcas, Kathryn Barr, Emma So to keep this relatively short, can I Wilson and Andrew Barr for EYOC in please refer SCORE readers to various Macedonia; Sasha Chepelin, Chris reports on the SOA website: http:// Galloway and Rhona McMillan for www.scottish-orienteering.org/scotjos JWOC in Bulgaria; Chris, Sasha, (under the Scottish Junior Orienteering Andrew, Daniel Stansfield and Jenny Squad logo). Ricketts for JEC in Belgium (where 2014 is the first year ever that Sasha came 2nd in the Long race), with Scotland has won both the Junior Thomas Wilson as reserve. Home Internationals (JHI), organised There have been lots of selections by EckO at the end of August, and the for summer training camps: 10 to the Junior Inter-Regional Championships British Orienteering Talent Squad camp (JIRCs), organised by the North West in the Lake Districts; 5 to the JROS Orienteering Association in the Lake camp at Lagganlia for 14s; 13 to the District at the end of September, JROS camp at Trossachs for 16s; 5 to both extremely exciting and close- the JROS camp in Stockholm for 16s run competitions. Those of you who and 17s. subscribe to CompassSport magazine As well as training in Sweden on the can read the very well-written reports ScotJOS tour (see the SOA website for by Ewan McMillan (M16, JHI) and a full report), ScotJOS have organised Roanne Lilley (W16, JIRCs) in the training weekends to Stirling, Moray

8 www.scottish-orienteering.org and Deeside where local athletes joined the Squad for training, plus our ‘Last Supper’ weekend in Edinburgh, where we said goodbye to our 18-year- old leavers Evie Mason, Briony Kincaid and Bronwyn Matthews. Many thanks to all the coaches and parents/drivers who helped to make these a success. Virtually all ScotJOS members took part in all these events. So the question is: Why has 2014 been a particularly successful year? Is it because by chance we have a particularly talented group of juniors in Picture: Maureen Brown, ESOC Scotland this year? I think the answer operation of parents and coaches, On the road, JIRCs is that we do have a large group of we have generally managed to weekend very talented juniors in Scotland at overcome these problems. This larger the moment. There are some large peer group size has had the effect of peer groups, in particular our seven generating friendship groups which 18s who are all members of the could well become lifelong, as well as British Orienteering Talent Squad, encouraging individuals to compete for and our seven W16s, most of whom team places and therefore train harder, successfully ran up as W18 at least both physically and technically. Our 18s once this year in the JHI or JIRCs, and some of our 16s are experienced as well as the other age classes, all enough now to organise their own of which contain some of the best training, both individually and within in Britain. There has been a gradual their own peer groups, and several evolution in the way the Squad has post regularly on the Attackpoint been run. ScotJOS has not been website. We all work hard to make the limited to a maximum number in each Squad experience Good Fun as well class (as has sometimes been the as Serious Training. One of our recent case in past years), but we have tried leavers described the Squad as made to include as many of the best juniors up of ‘nice small groups within a big as possible. Therefore the Squad kind of family’. This ethos is perhaps has been increasing in size over the part of what makes ScotJOS a good years, causing logistical problems in place for juniors to want to be, and so organising accommodation, transport perhaps this is why they work hard to and food, as well as coaching help; get there and stay there. If this is the however thanks to the help and co- case, then long may it continue.

www.scottish-orienteering.org highland 2015

Highland 2015 - a few things to think about!

’m sure that you are well aware of Highland 2015. And you will probably have realised that 2015 is going to be very different Ifrom a normal Scottish 6 Days. The World orienteering Championships, and the increased number of competitors (we’re hoping to have 5000 orienteers taking part in the 6-Days), will make this an event to remember.

The WOC organising Day/WOC programme that will committee aim to make the World make this an outstanding event Championships a real show for for the elite, the 6-Day competitors the competitors, the spectators and the spectators. Of course this and for the viewers of TV/ internet brings some challenges compared and media coverage. The aim is to a normal 6-Days - it’s bigger, that the elite athletes will leave more complex, more international Scotland saying “the best WOC and in the spotlight. And many ever”, and we have the same aim of our experienced organisers, for the 6-Days competitors - who planners and controllers are will hopefully return again and already helping with WOC. In again, and pass the word on to short, this event will put demands their friends. on Scottish Orienteering.

This is a great opportunity to be As entries open, it seems like involved in a major international a good time to ask you to think event and participate in some top about how you can help (or help quality orienteering. We will lay on more, if you feel that you have extra activities, and have worked some spare capacity!) Here are a hard to create an integrated 6- few thoughts:

• Help the 6-Days on your club day - as usual, your clubs have been allocated to different days and requests for help should come through the organiser for each day. You should be contacted in the next few months. If this doesn’t happen, please ask someone.

• Help the 6-Days during the week - ESOC and INVOC form the Central Organising Team. Some of the team have already been working for over a year on the event. Others are being actively recruited. Even if you’re not a member of ESOC or INVOC, then

30 www.scottish-orienteering.org by Richard Oxlade (GRAMP) S6D 2015 Event Co-ordinator

“This is a great opportunity to be involved in a major international event and participate in some top quality orienteering.”

please feel free to volunteer if you can provide additional help during the week. It’s easiest to email me in the first instance: [email protected]

• Help with WOC - you can do this using the information on the WOC website, and this help is also appreciated. My only request is that you please do your best to support your club on their day.

• Find non-orienteering volunteers - it can be exciting being part of a big event. If you are a member of a club (e.g. running, hillwalking), please ask non-orienteering members (or any other friends) if they would help. Even a couple of hours can take the load off other volunteers. And this can be a great way of introducing people to the sport. They don’t have to come for the week - but how about a long weekend?

• Participate in the extra events - we are organising Sprint races, and activities at the WOC Middle Distance (the Highland O-Fest). All designed to make the week more fun - please enter early - it will give us confidence to put on more activities! More details about what we’re doing are on the website. We also need some extra volunteers to help stage these events.

• Find a homestay - the WOC team have put a ‘homestay’ page on the WOC 2015 website to help with accommodation for volunteers. If you know anyone that could help with this please tell them to have a look. http://www.woc2015.org/volunteers/ volunteer-accommodation

And finally, don’t forget to get your entry in! Let’s build some momentum.

www.scottish-orienteering.org 31 event preview

he fixture list is now complete in optimum time. Minutes bursting with local events, could be thrown away with any loss Tincluding the traditional in concentration. The terrain also festive ones in various unusual allows us to put on challenging formats. There’s no need to stop courses for the juniors with little orienteering for Christmas! The interference from traffic. The Night leagues are in full swing event is an excellent opportunity too, with plenty to look forward to get some good practice in for to. And there’s a series of STAG the Scottish Sprint Champs. The score events on Sundays in Chasing Sprint is followed by a January and February. South of Scotland Orienteering There’s no Big Weekend in League event on the Sunday, at Edinburgh at the end of January Dalkeith Country Park, just outside this time (because EUOC Edinburgh, an old estate with a mix were very busy with Race the of terrain between two river valleys. Castles, and have another major On Saturday 14 February, there commitment in February; see are two Scottish Championships below). Instead, the first double- in one day. The Scottish Sprint header of 2015 will be ESOC’s Championships will be hosted 50th anniversary weekend, on 31 by CLYDE at Erskine, which is January/1 February. Mark Wood, a brilliant area for Sprint events. planner of Saturday’s event, Patrick Walder, the planner, explains: The Riccarton campus says: The 2015 Scottish Sprint of Heriot-Watt University, on the Championships will be held in west side of Edinburgh, plays host the maze-like housing estates of to the annual ESOC Sprint Event. Erskine, originally mapped for the This 2 race event, prologue and WOC Sprint selection in 2010. chase, also incorporates the first Although it has subsequently race in the Scottish Orienteering hosted Urban League races, for Urban League (SOUL) and for the most orienteers this will be the youngsters, the Scottish Schools first opportunity to experience Sprint Championships. The sprint distance courses on this campus may not have a castle, challenging area. Expect highly but it includes a good mixture complex route choice problems of complex alleyways between requiring rapid decision making. academic buildings and student As one WOC athlete put it: “very accommodation, interspersed with tricky – I don’t know how you’re woodland, parks and ornamental meant to stay ahead of the game in gardens. The prologue and chase something like that”. will loop through the university Terry O’Brien describes the and will need fast legs, good route next event: Some hours after the choice and accurate navigation to Scottish Sprint Championships,

3 www.scottish-orienteering.org STAG, with the help of our other The 2015 Scottish Orienteering West Area clubs, will host the League series kicks off on 8 March, Scottish Night Championships organised by Interløpers, with at Drumpellier Country Park, Drummond Hill near Aberfeldy as Coatbridge. With support from the provisional venue. The second North Lanarkshire Council, we will event of next year’s SOL series is base this event from the Lochview a fortnight later, an ESOC/STAG Family Golf Centre with start & finish collaboration at the Bonskeid within 500m of parking. Drumpellier Estate/Linn of Tummel, near Country Park includes lowland Pitlochry. These promise to be heath, woodlands and grassland, excellent events in terrific terrain. around a loch, and is surprisingly See inside back cover for the list of wild in places, with some tricky SOL and SOUL dates. contour detail too, so it should be And between the first two SOL interesting at night. And the next events is another important event in day, there’s a chance to see where classic terrain – the CompassSport you went wrong in the dark, with Cup heat, which will be hosted the 4th STAG score event being by MAROC at Balnagowan, just held in the same area. north of Aboyne. This is an area of The following weekend, students plantation forest, quite hilly, with from all over Britain will descend rock detail. on Edinburgh for the BUCS (British So as usual, there should be Universities and Colleges Sport) something for everyone – hope Orienteering Championships, you’ll enjoy whichever events you hosted by EUOC. choose to attend. Picture: Mike Rodgers, MOR everyone’s reading sCORe!

www.scottish-orienteering.org 33 member beneits

This page provides our members with useful services and products provided by like- minded people - with the added bonus of discounted rates! If you have a product or service you’d like to feature on this page, please email your details to [email protected]

NatioNal Stadium Scottish orienteering pErtH SportS iNjury CliNiC partner organisations CHartErEd Hampden park, Glasgow aCE pHySiotHErapy pHySiotHErapy (motherwell / East Kilbride) aNd www.sportsmedicinecentre.org SportS iNjury www.acephysiotherapy.co.uk Tel: 0141 616 6161 CliNiC Tel: 01698 264450 £6 discount on physiotherapy www.perthphysio.co.uk sessions (£32 instead of £38) Corporate rate Tel: 01738 626707 and 10% off all Health and (currently £25 per session) fitness packages. applies. Rates on application. Quote Scottish Orienteering Quote Scottish Orienteering Quote Scottish Orienteering Association member when booking. Association member when booking. Association member when booking.

FuturE FoCuS tiSo SCotlaNd ltd obaN Outdoor shops with branches SEa SCHool www.futurefocusscotland.co.uk throughout Scotland. West Coast family sailing Tel: 01738 827797 www.tiso.com holidays from Oban, Argyll Business Mentoring and Free Outdoor Experience card varied itineraries, suit children Coaching in Scotland and on application at any Tiso store, 8+. A natural adventure. around the UK including HR using BOF membership card as Coaching and HR Services See www.obanseaschool.co.uk proof of SOA membership. The for ideas, photos, information. Discount: 10% for SOA card provides 10% discount on members. Quote Scottish Contact Robert or Fiona Kincaid purchases at Tiso. Orienteering Association Tel: 01631 562013 Quote Scottish Orienteering member when contacting Association member when booking.

maS FErGuSSoN law mediartstudio private Client Solicitors COMplETE DESigN SERviCE From logos and flyers SHowCaSE Tel: 0131 447 0633 to websites and brochures, your buSiNESS www.fergussonlaw.com MAS can help with all your marketing needs. All services offered at fixed HErE For prices. 5% discount to SOA Contact members. Ask for Janice Nisbet [email protected] (ESOC) when contacting. for a no obligation quote. www.mediartstudio.co.uk FrEE!! Quote Scottish Orienteering Association member when booking. Quote Scottish Orienteering Association member when booking. Classic Forest Orienteering in scotland

All races Sundays except 20 June. Starts: 10:30 am onwards. Compass Point Full range of colour-coded courses, from string courses for under-5s to 10km+ scottish Orienteering League Black courses for Elite orienteers 015 - provisional dates (with Middle Distance at SOL3 and 5). www.scottish-orienteering.org/sol 4 SOL 1 08.03.15 Drummond Hill, Aberfeldy INT www.compasspoint-online.co.uk 4 SOL 2 22.03.15 Bonskeid Estate, Pitlochry ESOC/STAG 4 SOL 3 12.04.15 Mark Hill, Dumfries SOLWAY 4 SOL 4 03.05.15 Glen Dye, Banchory GRAMP 4 SOL 5 20.06.15 Tullochcroisk FVO 4 SOL 6 21.06.15 Dunalastair TAY 4 SOL 7 04.09.15 Loch Vaa, Aviemore BASOC

Quality Urban Orienteering in scotland

Courses from under-12 to Ultravet scottish Check website for full details Orienteering Urban League 015 - provisional dates 4 SOUL 1 31.01.15 Riccarton ESOC 4 SOUL 2 14.02.15 Erskine CLYDE www.scottish-orienteering.org/soul 4 SOUL 3 02.05.15 Aboyne MAROC 4 SOUL 4 19.06.15 South Stirling FVO 4 SOUL 5 04.08.15 Forres S6D 4 SOUL 6 05.09.15 Grantown on Spey BASOC 4 SOUL 7 27.09.15 Jedburgh RR 4 SOUL 8 01.11.15 Cumbernauld STAG Britain’s National Orienteering Magazine CompassSport

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With interest in orienteering rising and our membership and readership increasing, there’s never been a better time to advertise in ‘Score’ magazine.

Together, with our great For a full breakdown rates and loyal readers of rates and sizes - we can work with available, email us on each other to benefit communications@ all. scottish-orienteering.

Dec 2014 print version.indd 1 24/11/2014 23:40:50 org