Its a bit of a Steele as runners show VIP the way ahead

Moravian Orienteers had a VIP guest at their latest event at Miltonduff last Saturday. Kenny Steele, Chief Executive officer of Highland Hospice was on hand to receive a giant cheque for £650 that was raised by a group of junior members and Duke of Edinburgh Award students at the club’s previous event held at Darnaway Castle.

A runner himself, Mr Steele thanked the youngsters for their efforts, saying that he was delighted with the amount raised and is looking forward to continuing a partnership with orienteering in the future.

The event was the 9th in the Saturday and Schools League series where Dyke Primary School are emerging as an unexpected force in the Primary Schools League. Led by Kyle Cartmell in 1st place on the Primary Schools Short Course, the team of Shauna Perry, Scott Perry and Maddy Pearce made it two wins out of the last two races, moving the school up to 3rd spot in the league behind champions elect Kinloss and Bishopmill in 2nd place. Aaron Carter from Bishopmill was 2nd and Jennifer Spencer, girls champion from the recent Forres Schools Orienteering Festival, came 3rd as leading girl.

There was never going to be any doubt about the winners of the Secondary Schools race, with Andrew and Kathryn Barr’s Scottish Squad commitments meaning that this was only the second time they’ve been able to appear together at a schools league race this season. Andrew comprehensively outran everyone (including all the seniors running the same course) with his sister in 2nd spot and Nathan McRae providing able support. Their 4th counter was S1 pupil George Cannard from Burghead, who was the fastest secondary pupil on the short course and will be moving up to the senior course next year.

In the Senior League race, Lossiemouth’s George Paterson, despite being beaten by Andrew Barr, was the fastest senior runner on the day to close the gap on Eddie Harwood to 4 points at the top of the men’s senior league. This was his 5th win of the season. Next time, all being well, he will be able to drop the points from his disastrous first event back in January to seal the title. The Weir family from Carron made it a remarkable hat-trick with mum Pippa, son Hamish and daughter Mairi now all heading the table in the womens, boys and girls rankings. The Weir’s are a terrific advert for orienteering as a family sport, and were it not for Dave Weir’s Saturday-morning commitments as a postie there could well have been an unprecedented clean sweep. Dave has won the only race he has been able to take part in this year!

The club is helping to organise the Moray Schools Orienteering Festival at Gordonstoun this Thursday where Applegrove, Kinloss and Dyke will be amongst the 20 schools and 154 runners taking part in the finale to the schools season. There is then a brief gap before the next local event which will be at Brodie Castle on November 3 where the club’s teenage members will be teaming up with Castle staff to offer guided tours of the castle to competitors after the event.