My invitation for the M45 England team came as a complete surprise as I hadn't run in an international for 25 years. Nevertheless, now I was an old fogie, I thought I might as well be an official old fogie.
The team consisted of 2 males and 2 females from each age group 40 to 60 (i.e. 20 orienteers from each country) and the races were based around Stirling and organised by FVO.
The relay was held first at Devilla, a rough coniferous Scottish forest with deep heather and brashings making for tough conditions underfoot. However, the contours made for interesting courses and map reading.
Each country had five teams of four runners (2 male and 2 female) with combined age classes of over 190. This created some very interesting combinations, all of which in theory had an equal chance of doing well and gave a real incentive to have a good run. Scotland won the race outright but England had teams in 2nd, 3rd and 4th places giving a better overall points total.
The individual was held at Dumyat, mainly tussocky open hills above Stirling University. Early starters were faced with hill fog and Scotch mist which eventually lifted to glorious sunshine for the open badge event held on the same courses after all the old fogies had started. Although Scotland had some notable winners, the greater strength of the England team proved decisive.
I enjoyed being part of it all and am now looking forward to next year's big races.
Peter Haines
(Results show that Peter was the second 'non-Scot' on the individual M45 course and his relay run was an impressive 39.41 for 5.3km with his team in 10th place out of 19 teams. Former Airienteer Steve Barrett FVO was in the winning Scottish relay team).
The editors have managed to drag themselves to one or two minor events in the last two months-- very pleasant and technically challenging Green and Lt Green ourses on a beautiful day at Wombwell (SYO 21 Sept), a training session on Ilkley Moor with Aire juniors and a first visit to Mildenhall North, pretty woodland but a bit short of contours, during a half term escape to Suffolk Martyn and Nicola Gill were there too, Martyn whizzing round his blue course. (Nicola now works in nearby Norwich).
We're looking forward to the club weekend and the sequence of local events starting with Aire's Adel and Meanwood which are used by the club's league competition.
Sorry not to have been at the October Odyssey or EPOC's Marsden Moor badge event (cheated the tussocks again !)….but Juniaires seem to have been having a cracking good time recently. You too could share your event stories with Aire Affairs ……..
