Published 31st August 2018

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 – 1^st Lawrence, 3^rd Sam T
Young Junior Women – 2^nd Anna
Junior Men – 1^st Euan, 2^nd Sam C
Junior Women – 2^nd 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 – 1^st Stanley
M14A – 1^st Sam C
M16A – 1^st Euan
W10B – 2^nd Hannah
W10A – 1^st Charlotte
W12A – 2^nd Anna
W14A – 1^st Freya, 3^rd Alex
W16A – 2^nd Isabelle

In the Water Trophy, which is presented to the family with the best results over the weekend, Pete, Euan & Freya Tryner picked up 2^nd 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!

Published 9th August 2018

For the keen orienteers in our membership, the summer means a chance to combine a holiday with a multi-day orienteering competition. As usual a number of families ventured far and wide to compete at events including the OO Cup in France, the Lakes 5 day and the Croatia Open.

OO Cup, France

The OO cup is traditionally held in Slovenia but this year the organising team decided to venture further afield to the Jura region of France. The slightly more accessible location led to a swell in entry numbers with over 3000 participants. There were 5 days of competition in incredibly physical and technically challenging terrain. Every day counted so a mispunch or retiral was very costly! Conditions were sweltering but the organisation and course planning were excellent as usual. 

A good number of SYO members made the journey to this one as the event fell at the start of the school holidays. Fortunes were mixed for many. In the Junior categories, Oscar P, Nathan P, Euan T & Freya T all achieved top 10s on individual days. Best overall result of the week went to Will P 7th on M10 shadowed. 

The Lakes 5 Day

Every 4 years the Lakeland clubs host a 5 day orienteering competition. Many SYO members entered this one 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!

Croatia Open
While most of us were getting soggy in the Lakes the Wards and the Baxters were enjoying the wonderful weather, courses and terrain of the Croatian 6 days. This is a very small and friendly competition, comprising of urban and forest orienteering with all 6 days to count! Martin, Kim and Ricky all entered M40 and came 1st, 2nd & 3rd respectively while in W10 Ella came 2nd overall.

Published 1st July 2018

We won the Cup! Have a look at it (and the rest of our silverware) in our Virtual Trophy Cabinet.

Sunday 1st July saw 10 teams from the best junior clubs in the country gather at Arrow Valley Country Park in Redditch for the final of the Yvette Baker Competition. SYO took a team of 56 runners (far more than any other club) by coach and a convoy of cars. Our aim - to retain the trophy for the 2nd year running!

Conditions were sweltering so we quickly set up a city of tents in the shade of some large trees and set to work with the facepainting and nail varnishing in our team colours. Then it was time for our first starters to make their way to the start and soon there was a steady stream of yellow and black heading out for their runs. Within no time at all our first finishers on the yellow course were back with some good times under their belts; followed by finishers on the orange and light green. It was a long wait though for finishers on green who had a greulling 6.4km, through grotty vegetation in 30 degrees heat! Eventually though all our runners had returned producing some excellent times across all the classes.

While the results were being calculated vast quantities of ice-cream were consumed and the older juniors chilled out in the shade listening to music, while the younger ones enjoyed the playground and bouncy castle. Finally it was time for the prize giving. There was an anxious wait as BOK were announced in 3rd place on 856 points, WCOC in 2nd on 868 points and then yes SYO in 1st place on 889 points - a fabulous win! 

Well done to everyone who ran - everyone's results help to push down the scores of the other teams - but particular congratulations to our counters:

Charlotte C - yellow girls (100 points)
Freya - orange girls (100 points)
Euan - light green boys (100 points)
Conrad - orange boys (99 points)
Imogen - light green girls (99 points)
Robbie - yellow boys (98 points)
Anna - yellow girls (98 points)
Dylan - orange boys (98 points)
Isabelle Ho - green girls (97 points)
Jamie - light green boys (97 points)
Isabelle Ha - yellow girls (97 points)

Thank you to Jacky for captaining the team so superbly and to all the parents supporters. Next year the final is on 7th July in Hatfield Forest near Bishop's Stortford. Please put the date in your diary!