The season is picking up again after the summer break, so some good events within range on both days of the weekend. A bit surprising not to see more members at a high quality event on top technical terrain on Saturday, less than 45 minutes from most of us, but looks like a few were saving themselves for bigger efforts on Sunday.
The Seddon family were our only competitors at PFO’s national event at Hurstwood, though other members were helping out with the organisation since PFO found running this alongside the Senior Home International competition a bit of a stretch on manpower. Mark confined himself to the Blue course, finishing 4th, but Robert wasn’t far behind him at all in 8th place and beating a few experienced names in the process. Meanwhile Lucy ran Light Green where she was placed 11th.
Mark then demonstrated his stamina by running the Long class at the Lake District Mountain Trial with his running club, Horwich RMI, on Sunday, with 26.5km and 2150m of climb. He finished 42nd, though best run of the day was Matt Driver in 17th place on the same course for his Holcombe Harriers club. Kev Latham was SELOC’s only official representative, placing 53rd on the Short course which was still 16.3km/1250m climb. Josie Greenhalgh was there too for Lostock AC on the Medium course, finishing in 22nd place, but can’t spot any of our other fell runners.
Back with pure orienteering events, there are no results published as yet for the relay race that PFO put on as the second stage of the Home Internationals so can’t see if any SELOC members made it. If you were there, let us know what it was like! Paul Turner and Steve Round got to Hanley for POTOC’s UK Urban League race, with Paul placing 6th in Men’s Super-Veteran class and Steve 28th on Men’s Ultra Veterans. Official League tables haven’t yet been updated but it looks as though Paul will manage to hang on to his current 2nd place while his main rivals use up their “games in hand”.
Paul also ran at Wrekin O.C.’s urban in event in Whitchurch, Shropshire on Saturday, but again there are no results published at the time of writing.