On Sunday (22nd February) BL not only put on the NW Heat of the CompassSport Cup and Trophy at Beacon Hill in Penrith, we also won the Trophy competition (for smaller clubs), thus qualifying for the final. As team captain Andy says “Well done everybody!! A convincing win with some outstanding results”
Here is the report that Dan has written for the local papers:
Border Liners Orienteering Club hosted the North West heat of the CompassSport annual inter-club competition on Sunday 22nd February at Penrith Beacon. For a change it wasn’t raining, was reasonably warm and the sun even made an occasional appearance. The event was based at 2nd Penrith Scout Hut where up-to-the-minute results were displayed as competitors checked in after running. This made for a good post-race atmosphere, though the food and drink provided by The Binsey Field Kitchen and L’al Yan Coffee Van seemed more important at times.
The competition itself took place in the woods on Beacon Hill. This is a small but varied area, quite rough under foot, with navigational challenge provided by the various old quarry workings. Thickets and fallen trees meant that taking the direct line was difficult – suffice to say that navigational mistakes were made! Courses, planned by local boy Andrew Bell, ranged from 2.2km to 6.9km catering for competitors aged from 10 to 85.
The competition is split into the CompassSport Cup, for larger clubs, and the CompassSport Trophy, for smaller clubs. As well as staging the heat, Border Liners were competing in the Trophy, up against Pendle Forest, South East Lancashire and Scottish club Solway. As results started to come in it seemed quite close, but with a few of the top Border Liners doing a volunteering stint before running the team captain was not too concerned. In the end Border Liners won on an impressive 1290 points from a maximum possible 1300,16 ahead of Pendle Forest and 53 ahead of South East Lancs. Border Liners had 6 course winners – Jeff Powell Davis on M45+, Isabel Berry on Women Open, Natalie Hawkrigg on W45+, Christine Goulding on W60+, Christine Kiddier on W70+ and Thomas Hartley on M14-. In addition there were 4 second places and 3 third places with plenty more on backup duty just in case – a great all round result.
The large club competition was between West Cumberland, Lakeland, South Ribble (from North Lancashire) and Manchester. South Ribble took an early lead which they never lost, though at one point both West Cumberland and Lakeland appeared to be catching them. In the end, with 25 counters, South Ribble won on 2410 points with Lakeland second on 2392 points and West Cumberland third on 2387 points.
Border Liners next event is being held on Saturday 14th March at Miltonrigg Woods near Brampton with courses suitable for beginners and more experienced orienteers. The woods are beautiful at this time of year, so well worth a trip out.
Border Liners Orienteering Club 