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The White Rose
Over the August bank holiday weekend, a large contingent of SYO Juniors travelled to North Yorkshire with their families to take part in the annual White Rose competition. This year the 4 day event was held at Duncombe Park, which provided a stunning setting for the event campsite. As in previous years the races were all held within walking distance of the campsite, with the added bonus this year of the lovely town of Helmsley being within a stone’s throw.
The weekend begins on the Friday night with a 30 minute night score, this year held around the parkland of the Duncombe Estate.
Saturday saw the start of the main competition; the results of which are obtained by adding together the time taken on the Middle and Classic distance races. First up was the Middle Race through the wooded slopes of Duncombe Park. The latter part of the courses in particular offered a technically challenging control pick through World War 2 remnants. Later starters benefited from the elephant tracks trampled through the nettles and bracken by those first out in the forest. (In an orienteering first I was even offered a very tempting glass of red wine by 2 elderly gentlemen relaxing by the river, as I emerged from head high bracken. Not sure what that says about my general racing demeanour!)
Next on the itinerary was a wonderful sprint race in the late afternoon sun around Helmsley Castle. Hundreds of orienteers charging around the ramparts was a fabulous sight. Winning times were super quick and there were some excellent results by our juniors. It is particularly nice to see some of our newer members sweeping up the prizes. Well done to:
Young Junior Men – 1st Lawrence, 3rd Sam T
Young Junior Women – 2nd Anna
Junior Men – 1st Euan, 2nd Sam C
Junior Women – 2nd Isabelle H
Overnight there was a dramatic change in the weather and Sunday dawned with dark grey rainclouds overhead. Before long the rain was bucketing down and it didn’t stop all day. This didn’t deter most people though from heading out to the start of the Classic distance race. Like the previous day early starters were hampered by the summer vegetation, although the planner made the best of the ominous sounding “Windy Pits!” Running at the same time as the Classic race there was also the trail orienteering competition, although long start windows meant ‘keen beans’ could manage both competitions.
Although the trail orienteering competition didn’t produce any SYO winners, there were plenty in the overall competition. Again, it was fantastic to see many of our new members and very young juniors collecting their White Rose mugs on the podium alongside our normal prize-winners. Congratulations to:
M10B – 1st Stanley
M14A – 1st Sam C
M16A – 1st Euan
W10B – 2nd Hannah
W10A – 1st Charlotte
W12A – 2nd Anna
W14A – 1st Freya, 3rd Alex
W16A – 2nd Isabelle
In the Water Trophy, which is presented to the family with the best results over the weekend, Pete, Euan & Freya Tryner picked up 2nd place. The podium places in the quiz were a clean sweep by DVO (perhaps we need to work together better as a club next year) and sadly there were no SYO winners in the photo O competition either.
As the rain continued to fall some less hardy members headed for home but a fair few brave souls stayed a further day for the team competition. For our juniors in the M/W12 minus class, Alex J, Stanley, Will P and Hannah all collected mugs!
Many thanks to Steve Rush for the fabulous photos. Next year the White Rose will be based in Scarborough for a more ‘urban feel’ and will come at the end of the ‘Race the Castles’ week that will begin the previous weekend in Lincoln and South Yorkshire. Put the date in your diary!
Gothenburg Tour 2018 - Full Report
The ‘Gothenburg’ training camp is designed as a ‘self-help’ tour. Athletes attending will be expected to plan their own training. They will also be expected to be generally well organised, capable of preparing their own meals and self sufficient whilst being supervised by an experienced coach. For more information, have a look at the Gothenburg Page on the JROS website.
Report by Ryan
This summer I was selected to go on the JROS Gothenburg tour run by Mark Saunders. This was my first JROS tour and I was suitably quite excited.
However excitement was quickly joined by sleepiness as I got a coach to Heathrow with Alasdair leaving Sheffield at 22:45...
Sunday 19th August: We met Harry at the airport and at 10:20ish local time we landed in Gothenburg, except for my bag who very inconveniently decided to stay in London and so it had to fly out in the afternoon. Mark then picked us up to go to the Savedalens AIK club hut where we were staying for the week, a very nice building in a great location by a lake with jetties and diving boards. The club had hosted a middle distance race that day so those of us that were there went and collected in controls; fortunately I had packed my compass and some o clothes and shoes in my cabin bag! This was a good intro into the terrain, especially finding that the marshes are much more grim than in Stockholm. Later that evening I went to the airport to pick up my bag with Mark as he picked up Tim who's flight got in just before my bag's.
Monday 20th: Harrison McCartney planned a long legs course for the morning and a control pick for the afternoon. The long legs course was useful for route choice in this terrain and the control pick helped with accurate compass skill and picturing the detail.
Tuesday 21st: Joe and Felix planned a course with a variety of technical exercises built in but sadly I messed up at the beginning so had to cut out a lot of it so that I didn't end up taking ages and keeping everyone waiting. The afternoon training went better, we did O-intervals with Savedalens for their club night: in groups of 4 with a mass start and gaffling with 3-4 control intervals. I was in a group with Pedders, Megan CD and Harry so it was pretty tough just keeping up!
Wednesday 22nd: In the morning we did relay training adapted from courses from a Tio Mila a few years ago. The mass start and trains we did meant trying to stay focused and run hard, being accurate when others make mistakes. In the afternoon we did a clock relay near the club hut which was good fun.
Thursday 23rd: This was initially meant to be a rest day but we didn't rest that much. I went on a nice chilled 90 minute run but that ended up turning into a 2 hour run... oops. Then we did sprint training in Gothenburg in the afternoon which I was abysmal on, both technically and physically. It was the turn for me, Harry and Noah to cook dinner which I think went down ok, its certainly different cooking for 20+ people compared to cooking for 4.
Friday 24th: Line course, then trains then a downhill mass start course!!! (Not gaffled!!!) Some good all-round training. Followed by diving boards in the rain.
Saturday 25th: The actual rest day. Mass start relay training (again!) with Savedalens and Goteborg Majorna where we realised how knackered we were! In the afternoon we had a micrO inside and around the club hut with phone timing for start/finish and pin punch at the controls. I came 2nd to Harrison purely by the fact that literally everybody else mispunched... That evening Noah, Tim and Lucy hosted a top quality date night including a starter of garlic polarbrod.
Sunday 26th: We ended the camp by doing the Gothenburg District Long Distance Champs. The courses were quite short for a long ~6km for the H18 course but the area was pretty grim so the distance crept up. I was happy with most of it but did a stupid route choice at one point which lost me time.
The Gothenburg camp has been an awesome experience; the training helped developed my ability to run hard and focus, and getting into the terrain has helped my skills for orienteering back at home as well. The camp also made me more independent and (hopefully!) a little more organised by the end of it. I would massively recommend any top year 18s and bottom year 20s try and get selected to go because it truely is a superb week.
I'd like to thank Mark and Alice for organising the camp and JROS for providing funds for it. Thanks to my parents too for paying for my flights and my contribution to the food. Thanks again to Mark for his guidance and car and making sure we stayed alive, and to Megan, Sasha and Harrison for training with us and offering their advice too. Finally thanks to YHJS and SYO for the progress they've helped me make to be able to go and make the most of the week.
Stockholm Tour 2018
The Stockholm training camp is aimed at M/W17’s and is held around the middle of August. Accommodation is at the ‘OK Ravinen’ club hut and because of its proximity to central Stockholm use is made of public transport to training and competition venues. The camp usually accommodates 16-20 athletes. For more information, have a look at the Stockholm Page on the JROS website.
Report by Dom
Spending almost 2 weeks in Sweden was a fantastic experience, offering a great chance to improve your orienteering in the beautiful (and challenging!) Scandinavian forests. But away from the terrain, there was plenty of time to go swimming in the many lakes, sightsee in the diverse city of Stockholm or just relax with friends.
It was brilliant to be able to escape Sheffield, and immerse myself in the Swedish culture - buses and trains that are reliable, saunas, cinnamon buns (kanelbullar!), and their orienteering events - with even smaller events complete with commentary, catering, traders and drinks points on courses - something you just don't get back here in the UK. Brilliant fun - definitely worth the effort of the selection races, for the great time you'll have and the friends you'll make!
The Lakes 5 Days
Every 4 years the Lakeland clubs host a 5 day orienteering competition. Every 4 years there is a multiday in Wales, and then every 2 years there is the Scottish 6 Days - why not try and get your family to the S6D 2019?
Many SYO members entered this years' event attracted by the good quality Lakes terrain and its relative proximity to home. Unfortunately, whilst the rest of the UK basked in the Europe wide heatwave, there was a permanent raincloud over the Southern Lakes which persisted throughout the 5 day competition!
Nonetheless participants still managed to enjoy themselves and there were some fabulous overall performances by SYO Juniors. Results are based on your best 4 days of competition. Congratulations to Conrad 3rd M12A, Freya 2nd W12A, Imogen 3rd W14A, Euan 1st M14A, and Louise 1st W20L!
