Kingdom of Fife Orienteers

Royal Deeside Weekend

The weather did not look too good for the weekend and so it proved.  Saturday in Aboyne provided a cold wind, but thankfully the courses were quite sheltered and fast running helped delay the cold except for the hands.  Sunday was something else with solid rain for the whole day and so very little conviviality for anyone.  Again the cold came to bear towards the ends of the runs and it was a quick change and away in the hope that there was not snow on the pass tops which proved correct in spite of the forecast.

Four folk made a weekend of it, staying on Royal Deeside whilst one travelled up for the SOL on Sunday.  Brave, setting out on a rainy day like it was.

Saturday 2 May 2015 - Aboyne

SOUL3

Dashing about the streets and local woods of Aboyne gave fast running over flat ground.  One area of complex paths in housing and woods with an involved network of small paths provided a good test of forward planning.  Complex detail in the school and community centre grounds at the end was a deadly test for the final controls.  The longer courses had some interesting route choices with the old railway at a different level to the streets and paths sending some on false trails – see Routegadget.

Heather had another very good run except losing out on that gold medal with a blip at #10 and Phil also losing out on the gold by missing out #15 with three minutes on the rest of the field  It would have taken 15 seconds longer to get that control so a very frustrating day.  Rab had a steady run except for taking 9 minutes time out on #7 in the woods. Lovely woods they were, but not now on Rab’s fave list.  Les, not an urban fan, took a steady trip round the WUV course.  Perhaps he will try another.

SOUL Series Placings after 4 events

 UKUL Series Placings after 4 events

Sunday 3 May 2015 – Glen Dye

Aaargghh! Wet everywhere and what to wear – same as Mark Hill at SOL2 – full waterproofs again, but the prospect of a run in the detail and free running of Glen Dye is very attractive whatever the weather.  High standards presented with a visiting Group of Swedes in the Elite classes.  Hope they thought the trip worthwhile, if not the sensations of dampness.

 Overall performances produced good top of the list results for all the club which is great.  The splits analysis shows everyone had very steady runs except perhaps #2 for Les and a slow finish for Phil.  Jari had a great run, the terrain probably more to his liking here than other forests and his recent devotion to regular training looks as if it is paying off.  2^nd place and only a short space behind Dave Robertson is a mark well made - Scottish Vets Team standard???  Phil was going well in a very close 3^rd place until a fall after #9, hitting his head on a fallen tree. Tree looked worse for wear, but he was rather slow after that, so things not quite right.  He is glad to report that now fully OK with a Dumyat Hill Race on Wednesday under his belt.

 Dave, though entered, came down with a cold after Tulliallan, so couldn’t make it.