Orienteers find the SOUL of Forres
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FORRES High Street shoppers mingled with orienteers from all over the world on a Tuesday morning.
Around 1000 runners aged under-12 to over-75 took part in the Scottish Orienteering Urban League (SOUL) event around the town centre, as part of the Scottish 6 Day event, gathering at Grant Park and Applegrove Primary School before weaving through streets full of shoppers and traffic.
"It’s ironic to think that the SOUL competition was the biggest mass-participation running event ever staged in a Moray town," said orienteering regional development officer, Mike Rogers. "It was almost an afterthought after all the World Orienteering Championships hype!"
Course planner Andy Paterson from Houston, Renfrewshire, spent the week in Forres with his wife Valerie, and children Michael (11) and Caitlin (8), who took part.
"It’s likely to be the largest sprint orienteering race in Scotland this year!," he said.
"I’ve had very positive feedback from both residents and competitors, and the race team were really pleased with the outcome."
Urban orienteering is similar to forest orienteering but with a slightly bigger scale map of a town or city. The main challenge is finding a route through the streets whilst not getting confused when trying to follow it as quickly as possible.
The Forres race was part of both the Urban Orienteering League in Scotland, as well as the wider UK competition.
"Forres was chosen because it has some complex streets and alleys but was also a suitable arena for the final," explained Mr Paterson. "We chose it for the public race so the spectators could run through the same streets as the elite racers a couple of days before during the World Orienteering Championships.
"It’s is a lovely place so it was no hardship to visit as part of the planning process, however, it’s amazing how similar every street corner looks when you are lost!"
Sören Klingenberg, father of Danish Gold medal sprint relay winner Emma Klingenberg, enjoyed tackling the town centre alleyways.
The Forres open sprint race was better than the recent world master’s orienteering sprint race in Sweden!," he added.
Active Schools coordinator Paul Rogan competed with 120 competitors in the open sprint race during SOUL Forres.
"All of the classes fully sold out weeks ago," he said. "Folk wanted to run in the same streets they’d seen during the World Championships."
Paul followed the SOUL map route through the Hainings, Leys, St Leonard’s Church and the Town Hall, Forres House Community Centre, Anderson’s Primary School, Grant Park and Cluny Hill. He completed it in 24min 28scds.
"We were zigzagging all over," he said. "You think you know a place but looking at an aerial view on a map - you can’t tell from building to building!
"Local knowledge doesn’t help as you must use all of your concentration on the map."
A group of youngsters with disabilities also tackled a SOUL course set up at Grant Park as guests of the World Orienteering Championships organisers.
"We wanted to them to experience proper orienteering," said local development officer, Mike Rogers.
"The group did exactly the same course as able-bodied orienteers and it was great to have them fully involved. Those in wheelchairs did all the navigation while the helpers did the legwork - an all-round team effort!"
SOUL course planner Andy Paterson conceded safety was a significant concern due to the numbers of competitors in Forres.
"We put a lot of information out in the press and locally to ensure folk were aware of the race," he said.
"We also planned courses so that competitors avoided any private areas and made them aware of ensuring to take care crossing roads and when running round corners.
"Junior courses didn’t cross any busy roads and we had one timed out road crossing for them."
He added: "I’m not aware of any significant injuries and can’t thank the people of Forres enough for accommodating us over the week or so.
"Everyone has been really friendly and helpful - hopefully the increased money coming into the local economy from 7000 tourists makes up for any inconvenience."
