On the 19th/20th November a team from the Senior school went to the British Schools Orienteering Championships at Temple Newsam Estate near Leeds.  We set off early on Saturday morning for a training event and the qualifying event for the World Schools championships in Slovakia 2006.This was held at Storthes Hall (nr. Huddersfield) The year 9-12 boys and girls ran in the selection race for the World Schools and the selections will be announced on Tuesday 29th November. The courses were both physically and technically challenging, with intricate contour sections aswell as fast, runnable woodland. After eating large amounts of pizza we slept on the floor in a school sports hall in Huddersfield with pupils from other schools who were also competing the next day.

 

We had early starts on Sunday and so had to get up early to make sure we were ready to run.  Pupils of all ages ran in the event, ranging from year 5 to year 13.  The setting was magnificent, with the assembly area having full views up to runners near the temple itself. The school had quite a successful day with four individual medallists and also four podium positions in the year group competitions.  These were:

 

1st Harriet Batten         G9

1st Matthew Halliday  G9

2nd Joanna Halliday  G12

2nd Philippa Rawbone  G7

 

1st Year 7 Girls   Philippa Rawbone 

Emma Kettley 

Amy Oliver  

2nd Year 9 Girls   Harriet Batten 

Sophie Kirk  

Joanna Read 

2nd Year 12 Girls   Joanna Halliday 

Gemma Carman 

Chloe Bell  

3rd Year 7 Boys   Robert Moffat 

Alistair Carman 

Philip Earp  

 

 The full school team came 2nd behind Ulverston Victoria High School from the Lake District.  Full results and photos are available at www.bsoa.org The weekend was a thoroughly enjoyable one and we hope for greater success next year when the event will be on home ground in the West Midlands.

 

If you don’t orienteer, why not come along to an event and try it out.  We welcome newcomers to the sport.  Events are fortnightly on Saturdays starting on the 7th January at Tile Hill Wood. Full details will be posted on the orienteering notice board at the end of the staff corridor (nearest the Maths room)

Thank you  to Matthew Halliday for the report