ORIENTEERING: Octavian Droobers

Club members and newcomers welcomed the chance to get out into the fresh air, stretch legs and compete at two events put on in the midlands. Leicestershire Orienteering Club held an East Midlands League race on Burbage Common, near Hinckley and OD put on their first local event around Daventry Country Park.

There were eight different length courses with varying degrees of navigational difficulty to choose from at Burbage. Top ten places were achieved by several Octavian Droobers:

Anne Straube W40 was 5th on the Blue 6.7km course in 51.33mins, Margaret Willdig W65 2nd in 40.23 and Sue Bicknell 7th in 47.42 on the 3.9km Short Green course, Florence Lunn W14 2nd in 42.38 on the Light Green 4.1km course, Kimberley Lunn W45 2nd in 34.48 on the Orange 3.1km course and Max Straube-Roth M10 4th in 31.55 on the Yellow 2.2km course.

Daventry Country Park attracted several newcomers and families to the event organised by David and Sam Leadley. Max Straube-Roth M10 was the winner of the Yellow 1.6km course taking 15.06mins just ahead of Henry Jeffries M10 15.37 and newcomer April Pugsley W10 16.51. The Smart family did well on the Short 2.9km course, Rob M50 1st in 24.28, Pippa W16 2nd in 25.56 and Eoin Hankinson M14 31.03. Rob Bambrook M45 was 1st on the Medium 4.1km course taking 33.24, Liz Phillips W50 2nd in 35.27 and Florence Lunn W14 3rd in 42.18.

Visitors took the first three places on the Long 6.3km course, which took in a full lap of the reservoir, Benjamin Rauffet M21 36.30 from Harlequins, Leon Foster M35 40.27 from AIRE club and Kris Smith M35 40.37 from British Army Orienteering Club.

Next events: Club members will be travelling on Sunday (January 21) to Kinver Edge near Stourbridge to take part in the first of the 12 West Midlands League events.

On Wednesday (January 24) there will be an ‘after dark’ evening event from 5pm until 7pm at Burton Dassett Country Park. Intrepid orienteers will be able to experience navigating in the dark, using head torches, to find as many controls as possible within a 45min or 60min time limit. There is no need to book just turn up. See www.octavian-droobers.org for full details or call (01926) 632189.