Deeside Orienteering Club News

Barry's Big Bike Ride

published: 20/07/2008

DEE Fixtures Secretary Barry Barnes cycled from Land's End to John o'Groats.
Full details and daily reports.

Club Officer vacancies

published: 18/07/2008

The following posts will become vacant at the AGM in October:

• Chairman

  Currently Peter Sleigh.

• Fixtures Secretary

  Currently Barry Barnes.

Both the above posts must be filled at the club AGM in October. Nominations are requested as soon as possible - please contact John Padget (secretary@deeside-orienteering-club.org.uk).

• Treasurer

  Currently Jill Barnes. Jenny Palmer has offered to take on this role, and has been shadowing Jill this year.

• Junior Development Officer

  Currently Chris Smithard, but does not have to be undertaken by a Junior, nor be a Committee post.

If you are interested in one of these, or indeed in any committee post, you can discuss your interest with any committee member.

England selections for DEE juniors

published: 17/07/2008

Mike Smithard writes:

Matthew Vokes and Tom Beasant have been rewarded for their performances at the JK and British with selection for England for the Junior Home Internationals at Ainsdale, 20/21st September. Congratulations to them and good luck in the dunes. Chris Owens is believed to be a reserve in the M14 class. Nick Campbell (and Jane?) is/are Controller for the event working with Graham Nilson of MEROC as mapper/planner? As it's a closed event, there are normally no details of it on the BOF website, sometimes not even where it is! and no results one year for about a week afterwards! At least the map reference is on the fixture list this year so you can go and spectate if you're so inclined. It's at least partly a new area so no doubt we will get to run there sometime shortly.

MDOC/DEE Challenge at Wyches Farm
The event where every control is a BINGO control

published: 14/07/2008

The sun shone, the runners ran, the walkers walked, the children ran around in the field, the barbeques glowed (and smoked and flared), and everyone had a really good time. The living fossils (Wollemia nobilis) were much admired.

The rules of Bing-O involved running a course with controls marked, but no control codes on the map; punching a bingo-style control card in the appointed place when you got to a control (unless, of course, it was a cunningly deployed dummy control); and returning to base once you had completed a line of controls on your card.

There were bonuses for getting more than just one line - not very big bonuses, so (with hindsight) lots of competitors could have scored better had they returned to base with one line, rather than carrying on and filling their entire card. Oh if only I'd listened to what Mike Smithard said (again).

Visit MDOC's web site for the overall result and comments
or blow your mind with the detailed results.

Well done MDOC for winning, and thanks for putting on a super competition, food and social - with special thanks to Roy and Rosemary Hayes for staging the event at their farm.

David Schorah second in Garmin Ultrasprint

published: 16/07/2008

News from the cutting edge of orienteering development:

DEE member David Schorah, currently studying Sports Engineering (or is it Orienteering!) in Sheffield, was second in the Garmin Ultrasprint a "very high intensity sprint orienteering race" in Millhouses Park, Sheffield on Saturday 12th July.

RouteGadget available for the Halkyn training event

updated: 14/07/2008

You can now input your route, compare it with other competitors' routes, and race against them in a simulated mass start using RouteGadget. Or you can turn off "Mass Start", and see just who it was you were following round in circles.

Follow the link above, select the Halkyn event, and away you go.

Top tips from early DEE users:

• Use the TOP right-hand panel to select course and name then enter your route.
• Use the BOTTOM right-hand panel to select and view existing courses.
• Make sure you have successfully visited each control - the thick purple circle then changes to a thin red circle - before moving on to the next control. Good idea in real life, too.

MDOC/DEE Challenge and Summer Social - Sunday 13th July

published: 08/07/2008

Don't forget the MDOC/DEE Challenge and Social is this coming Sunday (13th) at Roy and Rosemary Hayes home - Wyches Farm, Soss Moss, Nether Alderley (off the A535 between Alderley Edge and Chelford).

Arrive 3.00 for a fun event at 3.30
Barbecue at about 5.30
Cold buffet and sweets provided
Bring your own items to cook on the barbecue, and your own choice of drink
Chairs and rugs (and umbrellas?) are advised.

If you haven't already done so, please can you let Julie Brook (MDOC) know as soon as possible if you will be coming by leaving a message on 01663 745020.

Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon 2008

published: 11/07/2008

Victory in the "Carrock Fell" class for Chris Wilcox and Nigel Beasant, first out of 122 teams; 24th out of 76 in the "Wansfell" class for Darren Baker and Elaine Sutton.

Just getting round looks to have been pretty challenging - lots of mps, and plenty of dns on day 2. See the Saunders Lakeland MM web site for full results, splits, photos etc. We await a fuller report from the participants.

Junior Inter-Regional Championships 2008

published: 06/07/2008

Mike Smithard writes:

After a couple of leaner years, the Northwest Junior Squad returned to winning ways in the Northeast recently when beating Scotland into 2nd place in the annual Junior Inter-Regional Championships. Deeside boys made a massive contribution to this by finishing 2nd M14 (Chris Owens), 2nd M16 (Matthew Vokes), 7th M16 (Michael Beasant) and 4th M18 (Tom Beasant) in the Saturday individual with Chris, Matthew and Tom forming the top NW team in the relays on Sunday with Tom being beaten by 2 seconds into 2nd place by Alasdair McLeod of the Scottish team in a dramatic finish after leading almost all the way round the 3rd leg. Well done to all 4 for a great performance. Zoe Smithard was selected but had to pull out of the team at the last minute due to injury.

Charlotte Watson, a first year W16 of WCOC, fulfilled the confidence of the selectors, by running up a class and winning the W18 individual by 2 minutes and then, setting off with 5 W18's on the last leg of the girl's relay, ran away from them all to win for the NW again by over 2 minutes.

More great pictures of the event, including ones of Tom being beaten on the run in of the relay, Matthew at the last control(?) of the relays, Tom getting the trophy and maybe others in Robert Lines's Public Gallery.

Chase Challenge Long-O

published: 17/06/2008

As the climax of Walton Chasers' Chase Challenge Weekend there was a Long-O competition on Sunday morning. "Legs longer than usual, with more route choices and less navigation within the control circle."

In the 21km A course, won by Rhys Findlay-Robinson, Clive Giddis came a commendable 4th.

Chris Smithard's long legs carried him to success in the 16km race, with father Mike in 4th place. The longest leg on this course was a straight line distance of 4km, and some managed to make it even longer. The first 9 controls were straightforward (apart from the distance) then, just as you thought it was only for runners, they threw in the technical bit.

Overall, a good way to get to grips with the topology of the Chase. Anyone fancy a go at the Mountain Bike Orienteering event next time they do it?

Brown Clee National Event

published: 10/06/2008

Mike Smithard writes:

Fewer Deesiders than normal (due to exams?) on this variable, in places testing, area. A warm day, the area tracking up so some easy 'path' running for later starters including me through the long grass areas and on the 'moor'. Mal Irvine, off early, didn't need the help as he strolled to victory in M50S (bodily wear and tear means he limits his runs) finishing well clear of Mike Woods in 3rd. Andy Hemsted kindly lost several minutes on one control whilst Axel Blomquist went walkabout more than once, so I repeated my success of the JK here in 2005. Good to see Kate running the long course again.

Leading DEE results included:

• Ed Calow, 4th M12
• Chris Owens 2nd M14
• Chris Smithard 3rd M20
• Mark O'Donoghue 1st M40S
• Mal Irvine 1st M50S
• Mike Woods 3rd M50S
• Mike Smithard 1st M55
• Sarah Campbell 4th W40
• Kate Ingleby 4th W55

See the full results for this event.

DEE juniors for Inter-Regionals

published: 23/05/2008

5 juniors have been selected to run for the North West in this year's junior inter-regionals in June - Chris Owens, Mike Beasant, Matthew Vokes, Tom Beasant and Zoe Smithard. Congratulations to them and good luck for the weekend.

The Midsummer Meander

published: 16/05/2008

The Clwydian Range Runners invite you to join in "The Midsummer Meander" Children's Fell Runs at Cadole.

The event is for all children aged 6-13 years with courses from under 0.5 miles up to 1.8 miles.

The event is to be held on Sunday 22nd June with Registration from 11:00am with the start at 11:30am at Cadole (by the Colomendy Arms).

For more information about the event please contact The Clwydian Range Runners (info@clwydianrangerunners.co.uk)

Prizes for all finishers and top places

Get there using a 10X bus from Chester Railway Station 10:10, 16:45 return - so why not make a day of it.

Please note: You may get muddy so please wear suitable shoes and clothes

Junior Selections

published: 15/05/2008

Mike Smithard writes:

Joy and gutted are no doubt the two emotions felt by Deeside juniors this week as Chris Owens, Michael Beasant and Matthew Vokes get selected for the summer junior training camps in Scotland and Sweden whilst Dave Schorah misses out again for the Junior World Championships by one place and is first reserve. Whether it was the one second last year or a bit more in this year's FCC final, his efforts to overcome injury and the training to get back into form have been in vain.

Commiserations to Dave and best wishes to the three others - that's seven years in a row now for a Deeside junior to get to the second year M/W14 training camp.

Future Champions Cup final week-end

published: 07/05/2008

Mike Smithard writes:

The 18's and 20's ran the final 2 races of the Cup series last week-end in Yorkshire. With both final placings and selection for the Junior World Championships at stake, it was a tense week-end. The middle race had a lot of controls, many in green areas requiring the ability to run at speed bent double. This generated a lot of sore backs on Sunday which maybe needs some feedback to planners. Most slipped up in the low visibility so slight depression all round. The long courses on Sun day enabled the very fit to triumph. When all the times and points were added up in various ways, Chris Smithard (5th & 6th) and David Schorah (3rd & 4th) finished 4th and 5th in the overall M20 series standings with Tom Beasant 6th in M18 and Rachel Findlay-Robinson 11th in W20. Well done to them.

On the week-end, not so good - even Dave had hoped for better - with David, Chris, Tom and Rachel finishing 5th, 12th, 17th and 19th in the combined 20 &18 rankings. With 6 to go to the Worlds, David is in with a chance of, we think and hope, the 5th or 6th spot, so let's wish him luck in the selection process after his desperately close miss out last year. Announcement of the team is next Wednesday 14th. In the 'best club' award (best 4 to count), DEE finished 2nd behind Sarum, one place better than the last 2 years.

LAKES 2010 job opportunities

updated: 24/05/2008

DEE have been offered the opportunity to plan and organise one day of the Lakes 5-day Event in 2010, on Pike O'Blisco or Yewdale. We have identified an Organiser and a senior courses Planner. We still need a Planner for the junior courses.

For further information, contact John Padget (secretary@deeside-orienteering-club.org.uk) or Barry Barnes (bbarn8@delamere111.freeserve.co.uk)

DEE at BOC 2008

published: 22/04/2008

From our Special Reporter Mike Smithard

We went, we saw (the snow and some went up a hill and played in it) and some succeeded but most got confused and ran round in circles for a while.

The dunes of Culbin, especially those in the green, tested the nerves and contour interpretation. Well done to those who did well: Matthew Vokes 2nd in M16, his top result of the year so far, Chris Smithard and David Schorah, 4th and 5th in M20E, Mike Smithard 5th in M55, Tom Beasant 5th in M18 and Chris Owens 8th in M14.

The relays were to test if our M18's could win for a third time, the commentary was somewhat lacking so we thought we were in the lead after 2 legs but then Nottingham came in to win, with Matthew, Mike and Tom about 3 minutes down. Hard luck to them but a good result.

Meanwhile to give all hope for the future in our eternal quest for the perfect run, Mike Smithard seemed to have one in the M50 class recording the fastest split of the day against some ex-WOC runners (a good few years younger than him).

See the full results.

DEE Clubmark accredited

published: 26/03/2008

Mike Vokes writes:

DEE collected their Clubmark accreditation at JK 2008.

The club has been working towards this national scheme for the last 18 months or so, and are now recognised as a having met or having effective policies in:

• the playing or participation programme
• duty of care and safeguarding and protecting children
• sports equity and ethics
• club management

DEE's Lead Coach, Noel Schorah, received the formal Clubmark certificate at a snowy JK Relay prizegiving.

Clubmark is the Sport England mark of high quality junior clubs and the Committee would like to thank all those involved in helping achieve this recognition. A Clubmark sub-group was formed comprising Pete Sleigh, John Padget, Chris Smithard, Noel Schorah and Mike Vokes. Any of these will be more than willing to discuss the elements of the programme, and there is also a DEE Clubmark folder for those who would like to view it. We will be working hard to maintain the standard of club practices and coaching, particularly for our successful junior members.

Tom Beasant - JK Champion!

published: 26/03/2008

Mike Smithard writes:

Having settled his nerves at the sprint race on the Friday, Tom tore round the middle distance race at Leith Hill on Saturday, finishing clear M18 winner on the day. The 12k Sunday race was closer but Tom's lead was not overcome so many congratulations to Tom on his triumph in a very competitive class - and for finishing 7th overall in the combined M20 and M18 listings.

Tom then followed that with another great run in the relays to bring DEE home winners of the M48- class with Matthew Vokes and Chris Owens setting Tom up for the glory leg.

Other top 10 performances during the week-end were:

Sprint race

• Philip Vokes 4th M12
• Chris Owens 6th M14
• Matthew Vokes 4th M16
• Mike Beasant 9th M16
• David Schorah 3rd M20E
• Mike Smithard 2nd M55
• Sara Campbell 6th W40
• Jane Campbell 4th W50

2 day individual

• Chris Owens 5th M14A
• Sam Drinkwater 1st M14B
• Matthew Vokes 9th M16A
• Mike Beasant 11th (nearly top 10) M16A
• Callum Crocker 1st M18S
• Mike Smithard 6th M55L
• John Robinson 5th M55S
• John Evans 6th M70L
• Zoe Smithard 8th W18L
• Liz Hughes 6th W20L
• Sara Campbell 9th W40L
• Liz Jackson 10th W45L
• Chris Murphy 6th W50S
• Kate Ingleby 1st W55S

Several Owens and Elmes family members competed in one day each of the exceptionally challenging Trail O competition. Selecting the correct control at this sport is fiendishly difficult at the best of times; doing it whilst standing still in a blizzard is near impossible. Whilst not highly placed overall, Pete Owens was the leading competitor from our club, and is therefore DEEJK08TO winner.

On the social side, a large team of Hughes, Elmes, Smithards and Calows triumphed in the Saturday night quiz, and won lots of chocolate Easter eggs.

Editor's note: Many thanks to Mike Smithard for his report, and for organising the relay teams. Full results on the JK2008 website.

Finally for all you intrepid adventurers at JK 2008, here is a memory that'll keep you warm and cosy at night!

Chris Owens retains M14 Northern Champion title

published: 18/02/2008

Mike Smithard reports on various happenings on 17th February 2008.

Somewhere in the far north east. So soon after the 2007 version, Deeside sent a select team of 1 plus 1 driver to the Northern Championships. A well chosen representative, Chris Owens won the M14 trophy by a comfortable 13 seconds with the next 2 within 2 minutes of him. Congratulations to Chris on retaining the trophy! Also to Pete for a mid class finish on M45.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, many went to Cannock Chase where the temperature was just above freezing but with no wind but with hat and gloves, it was very pleasant. More so for the M55, M60, JW5L, JM5M, ... classes who had the pleasure of a 1km uphill, straight, track run from control 4 to 5 - though I hear the white forest it went through wasn't so white inside. The pit at the end of this leg was not so far from 'a pit' I never did find in the 1968 British Champs (sponsored by Guinness - which was free at the finish but not quite what you needed) when I was young and hairy and 'navigating' on an OS 1:25,000 map with lots of tree symbols, contours and rides but nothing else.

Editor's note: Modesty prevents Mike from pointing out that he won the M55L class at Cannock in a scorching 43:02. Steve Ingleby came a creditable 4th. Full results on the Walton Chasers website.

Winter Weekend 2008

published: 07/02/2008

DEE's Winter Weekend at Lakeside - the largest outdoor activity centre in Europe - drew around 50 participants of all ages. On Saturday afternoon there was training planned by Pete Owens, who cunningly used one set of controls for at least three different exercises. The corridor/window exercise was particularly popular.

As soon as it went dark, it was over to Jon Hateley's night event within the grounds of Lakeside. Some went round jolly quickly, but the real kudos goes to the winners of the coveted DEE Discharged Duracell trophy for the longest time out on the course (Bob Elmes, his first individual trophy in five years' orienteering) and the trophy for the dimmest light (Liz Jackson - it didn't seem to slow her down).

Evening games were led by Pauline Smithard, who kept us all active and amused with Orienteetle (like Beetle, but you build an orienteer), photo recognition, and many more.

On Sunday we were off to the Bouth Regional event, then home. Many thanks to Mike Smithard for organising the weekend, and to Pete Owens, Jon Hateley and Pauline Smithard for their events.

Junior Sports Club of the Year 2007

published: 21/01/2008

Deeside Orienteering Club has been named Junior Sports Club of the Year 2007 by Chester City Council, for the successful performances of our juniors including

• British Junior Team Champions
• 2 National Individual Champions
• 2 National Relay Team Champions
• 2 British Squad members
• 2 England team members, 1 Welsh team member
• 10 members of the North West Regional Squad
• 11 training weekends a year at regional and club level

Congratulations to our terrific juniors, and to all those involved in their training.

The award was presented to the Club on 21st January 2008.

England selection

published: 18/01/2008

Congratulations to Tom Beasant, who has been selected to run for England at the Interland international - often used to give those not in an England squad a chance to run internationally - on 2nd March in Holland against the hosts, Belgium (French), Belgium (Flemish) and NW Germany teams. Brother Mike ran in this event last year. Tom has been selected to run as an 'M20' (the rules allow 2 M20's and 1 M18).

Chester City Sprint-O Races in 2009?

Not off the drawing board yet but looking positive, with a good reception to the idea from Chester City officials and strong interest from club members in planning etc. Hope is for a low key club-only trial event in 2008 and a more major event in 2009. Watch this space!

 

 

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