The British Schools Orienteering Champs is coming up in November. This year there is a selection race the day before to be chosen to represent English Schools at the ISF World Schools Championships. This will take place in Slovakia in April 2006 and is a great opportunity, which you will only ever get twice as it is every two years. To be eligible this year you need to have been born in 1991/92 for the younger category or 1989/1990 for the older category.

The Way It All Works

It is possible to be selected in two ways:

1. As a school team (of 5 people)

For each age category and sex (i.e. Younger Boys, Younger Girls, Older Boys, Older Girls) there will be a school team. This will comprise 5 people from the same school who run the selection race and come out with the best team performance, so everybody counts. Not only does the selection race count but also the British Schools Champs the following day.

2. As an individual (in a team of 5)

For each age category there is also a ‘select’ team, which comprises 5 people from any school across the country. These people need to do well individually on both days but do not need fellow teammates to do well.

It would be a great achievement if King Henry VIII were to get a school team in any age category although we will be up against other very good schools (e.g. Ulverston Victoria!) I think that it is a great aim for now and years to come. However, as with everything, practice is needed! The selection race on the Saturday will be of a slightly higher standard than the Schools Champs the next day but both races are important. It would be great if you could get out to some events in the summer. There has been a recent letter with summer local events attached. Although I will be away most of the summer holiday I will be back for the 31^st August at the Cannon Park event to start to do some team technical training. I hope to organise further technique training before November, as you can never do enough!

Dates for the diary (so far!):

31^st August: Cannon Park (local event)

19^th November: World Schools Qualification Race, Leeds

20^th November: British Schools Championships, Leeds

(There will be transport from school for these two events as usual)

I have sent this letter to those of you I believe are eligible for one of the age categories and we have enough people for a school team in that category. (All except Older Boys) I hope you would all like to give this a shot! Please contact me (jo@titanmail.net) if you would like any further information. Best Wishes for the summer and I hope to see you out at some events at some point!

Joanna Halliday

School Orienteering Captain