Report by Ian Peirce and Peter Hambleton
Easter brings us around to Chocolate eggs and, for orienteers, our biggest annual event, the JK. This year the 4 days of competition were held in the Midlands. The opening day’s sprint took runners around the campus of Loughborough University. The individual middle and long distance cross country races on days 2 and 3 were held on Beaudesert, part of Cannock Chase situated between Rugely and Burntwood. This is a forested area with streams and marshes (well topped up this year) with some intricate contouring and also renowned for its bell-shaped pits – deep holes with raised edges. The final day’s relays were on Stanton Moor with intricate wooded gritstone quarries to the North West and exposed heather moorland to the South East. Twelve bold Sarum members of took the trip to the Midlands and braved the wet mud.
Although it didn’t rain for the individual races, the ground for Day 2 and Day 3 was fairly saturated from the previous days of heavy rain and it took only a few competitors to turn the tracks into thick sticky mud. The same area was used on both of the cross country courses including many of the same tracks so the mud got deep. Indeed several runners got so stuck in the deep mud that they needed help to get out. Some controls were on the edge of marshes that had become so large that there was no way of avoiding them. Maybe the Planner and Controller had been away in drier climes over the past few months.
DAY2 GALLERY
Although only Rob Aston made it to the podium there were still some fine performances over the weekend. Championship standards were achieved by Marc Balston and Ian Peirce on Day 2 and by Jackie Butt on Day 3. Also Gold standard runs were achieved Jackie Butt on day 2 and Ian Peirce on Day 3. Otherwise almost everyone from SARUM achieved either a Silver or Bronze standard. Congratulations to young George Ashton for achieving White Standard on both Day 2 and Day 3, with good overall positions on both days.
Full results can be found here.
Ian Peirce found his course for day 2 (middle distance) a good technical challenge with lots of route choice and use of intricate areas. However, day 3 (long distance) was far less technical with only a couple of controls needing careful navigation. The optimum route choice appeared to be back and forth on the main road through the area. This road run was over 40% of the distance covered for the whole course. Most of the remainder was on distinct tracks.
DAY 3 Gallery
Marc and Lizzie Balston put on a championship level Synchronised Orienteering display!
For once Sarum did not field a relay team of any composition so we missed out on maintaining our proud record of coming fourth! Well done and thanks to all those who represented Sarum.