Knowing the Score
A busy weekend for Forth Valley Orienteers saw the club bring out two brand-new areas for competition, and there was major success on both days for local athletes.
The blue and gold banner flew over the Wallace Monument,, as FVO athletes claimed medals on ten of the 14 courses at the Stirling City Race around the streets of Cornton and Causewayhead, including wins on half of them. Dom Edward looked set for an unlikely Men's Open win, as he led off the first start in a time of 51.22, before STAG's Ross White and FVO's Yotam Bertrand (48.57) moved him into bronze medal position.
Laura Brown led out a sizeable Stirling University contingent, many of whom were at their first big race, and she crowned the day with victory in Women's Open (46.00) with Sophie Howard (52.46) making it two in Green and Black on the class podium, as she was 3rd.
There was a full FVO podium in Men's Vet, where Will Hensman (39.50) and Paul Hammond (42.02) nabbed the top two places, and they were joined by Mark Johnston, who was 3rd in 43.16.
Rachel Kirkland headed the Women's Vet class in 42.46, and the top two in SuperVet Women were also from FVO, as Alison Cunningham (34.10) took another race win with Heather Fellbaum (37.10) 2nd. Gary Longhurst (32.10) was 2nd in Mens UlraVet, and Liz Godfree was 3rd in Womens' HyperVet (43.33).
Fraser Cheyne scored the win in Junior Men, as he notched a time of 17.14 while in Young Junior Men, there was another complete podium, with Lachlan Carruthers (9.04), Sean Truswell (9.34) and Ethan Baikie (13.58) on the step, and both Young Junior Girls medallists were from FVO, where Sophie Edward (9,20) led from Emma Cheyne (16.00).
The Scottish Score Championships at Falkirk Wheel saw 31 FVO athletes amongst the medals, including 15 champions. Both elite champions were from FVO as Holly Stodgell won W21 with 800 points in 66.08, for her first national title in nine years, and James Hammond cleared the M21 course in 65.55, one of four men to do so, but the only one within the time limit. Laura Brown won W20 in 59.36 with 660 points.
Also worthy of mention are James Edward, who ran up two age classes to win M18 with 930 points in 60.33 and Hannah Buchanan-Smith, who lifted her first championship medal in W60, scoring 200 points in 53.54 for the bronze.