News from KFO

Feb 11, 2013

KFOs in Devil's Burdens


A KFO team come 77th in the 2013 Devil's  Burdens Race
Category: General

A KFO team ran the 2013 Devil’s Burdens race on Saturday 9th February, finishing in 77th place out of 123 teams in a time of 3hr 52 mins. In 2003 there were 54 teams of six runners; this year 123. The race was run back to front for the first time, adding to the interest.

Ian Doig took the first leg from Falkland to Strathmiglo, mostly on woodland tracks; then, the pair of Brian Smith and Dom Kardokas ran over West Lomond to White Craigs, followed by a very steep descent to Kinnesswood (a new hand-over location). Dave Ellison then made the steep re-ascent to White Craigs on the solo third leg to Holl Reservoir, where the final pair of Jari Pekkannen and Clive Roberston (not a KFO member) took the baton (an old style orienteering tyvek card) over East Lomond to the finish in Falkland.

Frank Popham ran in a Fife AC team finishing in 44th place, and Anita Laidlaw in another in 95th (though I suspect some of her team’s times are not recorded correctly).

The weather was cold, and at times quite misty, but it was no hindrance to navigation. Some snow lay around, especially on the descent from White Craigs through the fire break. Brian managed to fall foul in a snowdrift on Bishop’s Hill.

This was Jari’s first hill race, and he claimed it was “… a great experience! Although, the fit man Clive sorted me out, it was a wonderful feeling at the end”.

You can find provisional results on the Fife AC web site, and even re-live a Garmin Experience.