The University's Orienteering Club
made a bold appearance at the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Orienteering
Championships last weekend, finishing 8th in the overall table. For a club that formed only last October,
the result was hailed a success.
The BUCS competition was fought through
individual and relay events staged in the South Lakes. The individual race on Loughrigg Fell last
Saturday pushed the Leeds team to its limits,
with heavy rain and poor visibility blighting their chances of an easy race.
Veteran orienteers Jack Wood and Stuart Clayton put in a solid effort,
finishing 16th and 51st respectively, out of nearly 80 runners. Another Leeds pair, Adam Connell and Ashley Stratton-Powell,
teamed up to finish the course despite the appalling conditions.
"It was a tough weekend and we all worked hard. It was really rewarding though to put all of our nav skills into practice. I’m dead pleased with the final result.” Club member and competitor, Josh Hammond
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| Adam Connell runs through the drizzle |
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| Ashley Stratton-Powell in high spirits |
A Ceilidh on the Saturday night
organised by Cambridge University Orienteers gave the runners a chance
to meet their competitors, enjoy a drink and share stories. Though, few race
tactics will have been swapped that evening with another day of racing due on Sunday. Fancy dress costumes, a monster buffet and an inter-uni ‘boat race’
livened up an already-memorable occasion.
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| Old skool |
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| Cheers! |
The relay race at Bigland Fell the
next day offered better weather and a mass start encouraged friendly
competition. The old Edinburgh (EUOC) vs. Sheffield
(ShUOC) rivalry continued to dominate the chanting.
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| Arriving at Bigland with blue skies |
The relay course on Sunday featured
a tricky mix of short technical navigation, through woodland, with longer
sprints across rough pasture. The Leeds girls
team - 'Ladies First' - kept up a steady pace but failed to make an impression
on the elite runners competing that weekend (Relay results).
The club's overall performance earnt one
'BUCS point' for Leeds in the inter-university
sports table. LUUOC hopes to continue its momentum through the
summer and into September, when the club is expected to attract new orienteers
looking for a fun adventure sport.
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| The LUUOC team: Stuart, Kate, Anthony, Rohan, Jack, Carol, Hannah, Ben, Ash, Adam, Rhian, Katie and Shanna |
Many thanks to Cambridge University Orienteering Club for
organising this year’s BUCS event. Photos by Ash and Ben.
