Border Liners Orienteering Club (BL) held its first Cumbrian Galoppen event of the year on Sunday 6th April on the fells north of the Haweswater Dam. The weather was superb (too hot if anything) and the going fast, with the area at its best at this time of year. Navigation was tricky with many similar looking features to catch the unwary, several people commenting that the fantastic views up Haweswater were distracting and the cause of technical errors.
Lakeland Orienteering Club (LOC) juniors Jess Hinkins (W12), Lyra Haslett (W10) and Alex Hinkins (M10) took the first three places on the shortest, Yellow course (2.3km), with Jess taking just 20:17. At the other end of the age range (and results) Border Liner Angela Whitworth (W80) had an enjoyable walk in the sunshine. On the Orange course (3.0km) Freya Hodgson-Jones (W14, LOC) romped home in 34:36 leading all of the way round. From further afield, Fay Thomas (W14) of Lancashire club SROC won the trickier Light Green course (3.4km) in 36:34 just ahead of Yorkshire based Jemma Waters (W14) with the lead swapping between them multiple times.
There were 5 courses of full technical difficulty ranging from Very Short Green (2.3km) to Brown (9.2km) with wins being shared around the three main Lake District clubs BL, LOC and WCOC (West Cumberland Orienteering Club). Brown was won by WCOC star Charlie Rennie (M21) winning by nearly 10 minutes in a great time of 56:51. Top Border Liner was Ian Cumpstey (M45) some way adrift, but Charlie is half his age. WCOC also impressed on the Blue course (6.2km) taking the top three places with James Trott (M21) winning in 51:34. Top Border Liner was John Ferris-Worth (M60), 18th in 69:49 closely followed by Isabel Berry (W40) in 71:27. Border Liners had more success on the Green course with Owain Rice winning in a rapid 40:58. Stella Lewsley (W70), returning from injury, also had a good run, coming 3rd in 44:50. David Mainwaring (M60) and Jo Rodham (W45) also had top ten finishes. On the Short Green course Derek Fryer (M70, LOC) won in 40:20 with top Border Liners Judy Johnson (W70) and Janice Nichols (W65) being separated by just 33 seconds in 18th and 19th place. The shortest, but no less competitive, Very Short Green course was won by Janet Evans (W60) of WCOC closely followed by Andrew Bell (M75, BL). Andrew was leading at the penultimate checkpoint before making a technical error on the last control, losing just enough time to let Janet overtake him.
As always the event could only happen with the help of many volunteers from Border Liners both in advance and on the day.
Border Liners Orienteering Club 