Not much to report locally due to two weekends of storms cancelling many of the events in the diary. Luckily enough I went to Lincoln to see parents and knew there was a Night Event happening, more training for the British Night Champs this Saturday I am attending in Hambleden, Julie and Gavin both coming along to that so lets see how we can do! Also couldnt have possibly had a two week break from Orienteering that would have been terrible!  You probably also know that Hambleden is the penultimate Wessex Night League, before our closing Queens Park event, which is a paired score event- new format using the main superb Queens Park. Its prizegiving and meal so do enter so we can judge the number of maps needed.

Back to Lincoln, the ‘Fight the Night’ series, this caught my eye some time ago and I was really hankering after a competition up the Steep Hill towards the Cathedral which would have been just the sort of horrible challenge I like. Of the 4 in the series Lincoln city wasnt on the list so I went to the West End one.  Small clubs like Lincoln and others are now coming to see how they can get loads from the Urban Format,  as we have been doing for 5 years now regularly welcoming 50 competitors to our League events. West End Tap Craft Beer venue was also the base of the Lincoln race so that helped me to decide on going along. As it went you think Lincolnshire is flat? have a look at the map excerpt here the east edge is the Castle area where you climb just as much as to the Cathedral to get to. It was a 20 control mass start 45 minute score, so made the beginning and end particularly atmospheric with everyone racing about outside the Tap House. I sequenced pretty well although missed a few controls in my 8 KM run.

You can see  in the pictures they have made wooden boxes that house the S.I controls which is good and worked well with my Comcard. Great reason to go into the West End and really enjoyed it thanks to Lincoln Orienteers we wish the all the best for more Night League action lots of experience in the Wessex Team. Results here I was 6/38.  While we are on Night Leagues and Night stuff, Light Up Poole which is a Digital Arts event starts again Thursday so dont miss it- I would love us to hold a Poole race next season on one of the nights it is on again, having 50 Orienteers racing around would be a fantastic way to spotlight the sport to newbies.

We have the teams assembled for Blackwater our next regional event- do keep in touch with your team leaders and look forward to this new area for us. Entries are growing so get yours in soon especially with the helpers code you were emailed.

Also to say congratulations to club members Ian Middlebrook and John Cook who are both great distance runners as well as Orienteers, both selected for representing England in Marathon distance team for Masters cat., heres the results of the England Celtic Masters marathon that got them through to represent again October 2020. Well done!!

Tuesday training tonight is Medium hills- come along. Ive a few days lighter work but back to school to start coaching series for St James Primary and Corpus Christi Catholic again next week- will be emailing for helpers when we run the timed competition at the end of Spring Term 2. Loads of mapmaking going on and updates along with working on a project for Gillingham Town Council and Public health Dorset with another Permanent park course and I’m well occupied! Happy Half Term week.