On Saturday night and Sunday morning last weekend, SYO Juniors won the premier national junior orienteering relays.
The team of Aidan Smith, Zac Field, Michael Adams, Pippa Dakin, Louise Adams (running with new member Imogen Clowes) and Dane Blomquist won with a nine minute lead. Click on the "More" link below to read Junior Captain Charlie Adams’ full report.
The Peter Palmer Relay was held over the weekend of 7/8th September at Hawse End on the shores of Derwent Water in the Lake District. SYO entered two teams of 7 juniors; one consisting of our strongest competitors hoping to win the competition for the second year running, and one of younger juniors hoping to gain experience for future years. The competition is open to any junior in the age range M/W12 to M/W18 and has six legs with courses ranging in technical difficulty TD2 (Yellow) to TD5 (Green). The race starts before dawn at 0445 so that the first 2 or 3 legs are run in darkness. The organisers are required to provide basic indoor accommodation for all competitors, greatly adding to the overall atmosphere and junior appeal.
SYO’s most successful junior over the last few years has been Aidan Smith and this was his last Peter Palmer before moving up to M20 next year. Aidan was given choice of leg and chose to run first. He challenged himself not only to be first back, but also break away from the chasing pack. Despite his best efforts (29 minutes for 5.5km in the dark) he was unable to give Zac Field a clear lead. We were confident, however, that Zac who is greatly experienced at night orienteering, would hold onto the lead as our strength in depth shone through. In the event Zac did come back with a clear lead and the remaining team members; Michael Adams, Pippa Dakin, Louise Adams (running with new member Imogen Clowes) and Dane Blomquist held, and built onto, the lead to finish 9 minutes clear of the field.
The second team meanwhile made steady progress in the middle of the field. Due to the athletes that we had available, one or two people were asked to run a course of a technical standard above where they usually compete. Of particular note was Dom Dakin who ran the TD4 (Light Green) leg 3. He performed excellently finishing his 3.6km in 36 minutes. Unfortunately Joanna Smith who was to have run the final leg was taken ill overnight and could not compete. Her brother Aidan stepped in to run her leg but, as he had already run, this meant the team (also including Jake Field, Yasmin Field, Joe Field and Ronan Sahni & Arran Billing) had to be non-competitive. They would have been a very respectable 13th of 24 teams competing.
Next year we lose Zac Field as well as Aidan Smith so there is the opportunity for others to move into a very competitive first team. Hopefully the experience gained this year will put them in good stead for next year and beyond!
Our thanks are due to West Cumberland Orienteering Club for putting on this demanding event. Thanks also to the parents who travelled with the team and endured the austere accommodation. Next year our neighbours, HALO, are putting on the event.
Charlie Adams, Junior Team Captain.