BASOC at the Scottish Champs 2023
Credit: Lynne Walker
11 BASOC members made their way to the Oban area for the Scottish Champs weekend 27th and 28th May 2023
The Scottish Champs were hosted by the West Area, using Creag Mhic Chailein for the Individual races and Inverawe for the Relays.
Individual
Creag Mhic Chailein is a wonderful area for orienteering with a good mix of terrain - open moorland (yes it is boggy and tussocky but great contour detail), birch woodland and some plantation forest. Several changes of orienteering techniques are required as you make your way round the course.
The weather was kind to us; after early morning rain it cleared to a cloudy but dry day with (almost) enough wind to keep the midges away. Start times were from midday onwards so this allowed most to travel that day to the event.
BASOC pitched the club tent beside the run in - and so were able to cheer on club members (and others we know) as they approached the Finish. There was commentary and BASOC were mentioned as being enthusiastic and loud!
So, the tales from the courses! Almost everyone had a reasonable run except for one control. It was a different control for all but was a lapse of concentration - not having a good enough plan, failing to execute the plan, lack of compass work and so on. Some did make the podium - congratulations - some just missed the podium, and some achieved value for money with the time they were out there!
Results (in age order):
W18E: Alice: 4th, championship standard, Course 4
M35L: Andy L: 1st, championship standard, Course 2
W40L: Gemma: 1st, championship standard and (Purple) Jane: 2nd, championship standard, Course 4
W45L: Janette: 2nd, silver standard, Course 5
W55L: Clare: 8th, silver standard, Course 6
M65L: Steve: 6th, gold standard and Callum 10th, silver standard, Course 5
W70L: Lynne: 4th, championship standard and Hilary S, Course 7
W75L: Marion: 4th, championship standard and Jo: 7th, silver standard, Course 8
Have a look at RouteGadget to see the courses and where competitors went (and where they had their lapse of concentration!). The course number is mentioned in the results above.
Relay
The relays were held at Inverawe - this area has birch woodland around a fishing ponds area, a steep beech wood hill, open moorland (very tussocky and bog myrtle up to your waist), some industrial grot and flat fields to 'sprint' through. Several changes of technique are required again, sprint legs for the fields and round the ponds, several silent swear words probably said several times!
The sun came out and made for a glorious day for spectating and cheering on club members. BASOC had two relay teams entered, one in the 14+ handicap class and the other in the 23+ handicap class (the handicap is age / gender based). There was a cruel 300m run out across the fields for the mass start before the competitors entered the competition area; after that there was frantic head to head racing for the front packs and more gentle head to head (exchange comments as we puffed along) racing for the back markers. Controls were often quite close together as courses are gaffled and so checking control codes is important.
Results (with course in brackets, RouteGadget):
14+ team Wolf Pups: Alice (B1) / Jane (D1) / Janette (C3): 5th
23+ team Wolf Pack: Lynne (E) / Clare (D2) / Steve (C2): oops, someone mispunched!
In 2024 the Scottish Champs will be in the North Area, with INVOC, MOR and BASOC taking the lead. The date is 25th and 26th May 2024.