Croeso 2012Aberystwyth, 22-28 July
Around 20 ESOC members competed at the Welsh 6 Day event, centred on Aberystwyth University, and thoroughly enjoyed the week.
This was a great week of orienteering and socialising - many orienteers were staying in student accommodation close to the event centre. Most days the orienteering was on open hillsides, with some very long walks to the start, so everyone was relieved that the weather was much better than originally forecast. The finish each day was at the assembly area, and these were all in scenic locations with wonderful views, as well as a good selection of traders and food vendors. There was an interesting social programme including talks, ceilidhs and a quiz (where the predominantly ESOC team came 2nd), as well as a photo-O around Aberystwyth. Rest day activities included hillwalking on Pumlumon, red kite watching, excursions on the Rheidol Valley railway, and geocaching, and there was time on the other days to visit some of the many and varied local attractions and nature reserves.
Day 1 – Sunday 22 July – Gwanas, near Dolgellau
The start was in forest, and courses were on open hillside with spectacular views of Cadair Idris. Intricate contours and hidden crags challenged many.
Day 2 – Monday 23 July – Foel Goch, near Machynlleth
A high start for longer courses was followed by a long leg back across the hill and fast and furious short legs in fields near the end. Shorter courses kept to the lower ground.
Day 3 – Tuesday 24 July – Hafod, near Devil’s Bridge
This was a Middle Distance event, in a steep forested valley on a hot day. Some felt that the area was rather rough, with a lot of undergrowth that tracked up, favouring later runners.
Day 4 – Thursday 26 July – Llynnoedd Teifi, near Tregaron
ESOC’s earliest start block, back on open hillsides, with another faraway start for the longer courses. This area has many parallel ridges, lots of rock features and plenty of “over or around” route choices. It was hot and humid.
Day 5 – Friday 27 July – Llynnoedd Teifi, near Tregaron
This day used the same area as Day 4, and the same set of controls, though in different combinations from the previous day. Although it was ESOC’s latest start block, the weather was much fresher and more pleasant.
Day 6 – Saturday 28 July – Aberystwyth University
An urban event, starting in woodland then through a housing estate and into the university campus, with a lot of descent and reascent amongst the confusing pathways and accommodation blocks.
Scores were calculated each day by a complicated algorithm, and each competitor’s best 4 scores counted towards their total. ESOC members in the top half of the overall results for their class were:
M55L (106 competitors) – Andy McLeod 36th, Crawford Lindsay 38th
M65L (92) – Roger Scrutton 16th, Alastair Lessells 23rd
M75L (35) – Jim Clark 7th
W50L (49) – Chris McLeod 22nd
W55L (62) – Sally Lindsay 18th
W60L (66) – Margaret Dalgleish 19th
W60S (25) – Fiona Findlay 5th
W70L (22) – Janet Clark 2nd
Results are available in the British Orienteering results archive:
Day 1 - Gwanas
Day 2 - Foel Goch
Day 3 - Hafod
Day 4 - Llynnoedd Teifi
Day 5 - Llynnoedd Teifi
Day 6 - Aberystwyth University
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