Border Raid Secures Ten Titles
Forth Valley Orienteers claimed 10 national titles, including a near-total dominance of the junior classes, as they made hay at the Scottish Sprint Championships in Tweedbank.
Will Hensman extended his unbeaten run in Men's Vet to eight years, as he strode home victorious in a time of 12.12, and James Hammond nabbed his fourth gold at the event, winning M20 in 11.51.
There's an FVO 1-2 in Women's SuperVet, with Alison Cunningham taking the victory in 12.09, and Heather Fellbaum in silver (13.30). and a 2-3 in W18, through Rebecca Hammond (14.03) and Scarlett Kelly (14.59).
The specialist sprinters were well to the fore, with Rachel Kirkland taking silver in Women's Vet (14.10) and bronzes for Rupert Parkinson in Men's SuperVet (13.40) and Fiona Hendrie in Womens UltraVet (14.36)
The junior classes were a display of FVO's power, as the youngsters picked up seven of the eight titles on offer, missing out only in W16, where Hanna Brindley was 3rd (14.00). The M16 champ is Fraser Cheyne (12.44), while M14 saw James Edward (13.23) take the crown ahead of Lucas Baikie (13.31) who was 2nd. Esme Finch secured the first individual gold of her career as she won W14 in 18.45.
Girls on top in the Young Juniors classes, as Sophie Edward won W12 in 11.42, from Sean Truswell (12.01) who is the M12 champ, and Emma Cheyne (19.19) held off Ethan Baikie (22.36) as both won the under 10 titles, and defending champion Lucy Finch (25.45) had the W10 silver.
The afternoon saw a sprint-spec Urban race, and many of the morning medallists were out again for double duty. The entire Young Junior field was from FVO, and Sean Truswell's victory margin was so pronounced that he could have gone round again and still won, as he scoped out a time of 11.39 for a big win. Lucy Finch (23.16) was top girl, ahead of Emma Cheyne (31.21) and Oscar Baikie was 2nd boy (25.35).
2nd and 3rd on junior girls went to FVO athletes, in the shape of Hanna Brindley (13.54) and Esme Finch (15.54) while on the junior boys course, Fraser Cheyne (12.04) took the win from Lucas Baikie (12.21).
FVO 1-2 in Veteran Men, with Will Hensman (11.53) in ahead of Roger Goddard (12.28) and Rachel Kirkland (15.42) won in the Veteran Womens class. The second 1-2 of the day came for FVO in Women's SuperVet, with Alison Cunningham (12.09) and Heather Fellbaum (12.17) at the front, and bronzes for Liz Godfree in Womens HyperVet (15.30) and James Hammond in Men's Open (12.09) completed a good day all round for local athletes.
A busy weekend of action was rounded off on Sundau with a SoSOL in West Lothian, courtesy of Interlopers, and there were six FVO athletes across the podiums, including several new names.
Jason Inman now has no functional shoulders, following a tumble last week at Culbin, but that didn't prevent him bossing out a five minute winning margin to take the spoils on the Green course (31.29).
Sophie Edward (31.01) led the Orange course competitors home, but declared herself non-comp, as she had to ask her shadower for advice, meaning that Fiona Cheyne's 3rd place (38.58) was elevated to a silver.
The third win of the day for FVO came on the Yellow course, through Mirren Howell (32.43), for her first course victory, while Fraser Cheyne (42.16) was 2nd on Blue and Fiona Hendrie was 3rd on Short Green (39.53).