This week’s orienteering – November 11-18

Congratulations to 3ROC and UCDO’s Colm Moran on his individual win at last Saturday’s Irish Student Championships at Tyrella in Co. Down, and also for Captaining the winning UCDO team.  UCDO also took the women’s trophy, so well done! The terrain and courses were testing, even with a 1:7500 scale map, and the dunes were as high as ever. It’s a great area, though, and Wilbert Hollinger’s courses made good use of the terrain. Luckily the heavy rain eased for the time of the competition.

Well done also to Ger Butler, winner of the Brown course at Sunday’s Leinster League event at Carraig na Seabhac in what must have been difficult conditions, to judge by the times of the runners and the number of non-finishers, and to Gerry Cunningham on his 3rd place, the same position as his son, Kevin, finished on the Green course.

This weekend we have the Connacht Championships at Strandhill, Co. Sligo on Sunady. Entries have closed but there will be two entry-on-the-day courses. Details here. The new map covers the sand dunes and some forest right beside the now defunct Sligo airport.  So – Munster one weekend, Ulster the next, Connacht after that and then Ulster again (see below …)!

Other events coming up are the Computers in Orienteering workshop on Saturday 22nd November and the Fingal Leinster League event at Deerpark Forest just outside Virginia, Co. Cavan (Leinster?) on Sunday 23rd.

The next local event is ours at Griffeen Valley Park, Lucan, on Saturday 29th November.

Running training continues on Monday and Thursday evenings at Belfield and circuits on Wednesday evening in Stillorgan.

Finally, our condolences to Brian Power’s wife, Jean, and family Jennifer, Karen and Aidan, on his recent death. Brian was a long time member of Setanta Orienteers and of Irish Orienteers before that and was always very involved in all aspects of the sport, particularly mapping. Brian served as IOA Mapping Officer for several years and had been the custodian of the Leinster SportIdent equipment. He was a great personal friend of many 3ROC members and was a keen hill walker and outdoors person, and was very involved in this year’s Irish Championships, run by his club in Co. Wicklow.  May he rest in peace.