Next Junior Training Session

Check out the training page for information on the next junior session at Hillsborough

Slievenagore Rocks

Well done to all the juniors who took part in the training at Slievenagore and then followed that up by taking part in the races after. We spent some time looking at basic compass use and concentrating on map setting using the compass. That was a useful skill to have for the races afterwards that had some tricky controls to find. The next set of training sessions will concentrate on developing our compass skills so check out the training page for more details.

Don't you hate it when someone turns up wearing the same shirt!

Little brotherly love shown on the race to the finish

Mid air shot - check the shadow out. Good map hold as well

The cousre that followed had tricky sections on the open mountain side as well

Control Descriptions

Head over to the Technical page for stuff on Control Descriptions - new post up now!

Next Junior Training Session

The next junior training session will be at Slievenagore. The BIG THEME for the next 4 sessions, to be called Spring Step, will be the compass and we will start this at the first session Spring Step 1. Make sure you tell me if you are coming along.

Tyrella South - Fun in the Sun (Sort of)

Tricky Tyrella

The Juniors took part in training at Tyrella South along side the N I Colour Series race. It started of sunny but cold and the rain stayed away until close to the end.  The junior training consisted of taking part in a loop course that practiced map setting, distance judging and pacing and recognising control descriptions. In all 18 juniors too part in the training. Thanks to Steph and Alison for looking after the starts as well.  Check out the photos below to see our juniors in action.

Inspector Steph "Right - where were you two last Tue night?"

No matter the weather it is always important to look cool!

Luke doing his bad rap star pose

Is that the Hokey Cokey they are doing? 

Cold but smiling

Superman Paul - just after his race and not a spot of mud - does he fly?

Explaining to mum what to do

Rear man not looking convinced this is a good idea!

Andrew finds a tricky control - how cruel was that!

Computer-O?

Here's a good idea - orienteering on the computer! Catching Features is a game so you can always orienteer when there's no event on. Elite orienteers use this game for training, but it's fun just to play as a game. I only have the demo version because it is quite expensive, but I thought I'd point it out - have a look at www.catchingfeatures.com to download the demo, and if you want, buy the full game. You can race online against friends, or join online competitions, and it runs on any computer built within the last decade or so.
I'm not saying the graphics are good, but it's great fun.

NI Colour Series 2013

Make sure you make it along to the NI Colour Series Events this year. These are great events that will really help your orienteering to improve and you will get a lot from going along. Don't be put off by the travel or the new areas. That is some of the advantages of our sport. If you want to attend an event and have problems getting there just let me know. Lastly NI Colour Series events are a big part of the Junior Incentive Scheme. You can get colour awards for attending these types of events.

NI Colour Series - don't miss the fun!! Click to see the details

WEE Series 2013

Get the Dates in the Diary - click to see the dates

The WEE series 2013 will soon be upon us. Lots of great racing every Wednesday evening in the glorious summer we will all be having this year. Make sure you get the dates in the diary now.

National Orienteering Young People's Survey

There is a national survey of young people in orienteering taking place. The survey is for young people aged 14 - 25 and will help British orienteering to understand and improve how young people are involved with our sport. Please complete the survey and help our sport be improved for your benefit.

Lessons from the Squad

Sophie explains how she tackled a tricky section when racing around the leisure centre area at Antrim. All those fences were a real problem!!

Control leg 19 - 20 took in fences and a river!! Route choice would be key. Click the image to see the detail.

"I was quite pleased with my course overall, but I had a bit of trouble going from control 19 to control 20 because there were so many closed gates and fences so close together. You have to pause and look closely at the map to work out that you can't get through what at first seems the obvious route. Instead I went back the way I had come, along beside the building and around its perimeter to its east side, then over the road bridge, which I noticed would be quicker than using the foot bridge. I then doubled back on myself on the other side of the river and found number 20 beside some steps, as marked on the map."

Juniors Race At the Castle

Antrim Castle Gardens

Many Juniors turned up on Sat 6 Apr to race at Antrim Castle Gardens. This was a mix of parkland and urban as we raced round the castle grounds and the buildings of the forum leisure centre. You had to watch the control descriptions as it was easy to be on the wrong side of an uncrossable fence!! Check out the photos below of a few of the juniors in action.

Sophie heads in the right direction

Luke looking confident

Paul pushing hard - he won in the end beating all the adults!!

Andrew handrails the fence

Next Junior Training

The next junior training event is at Tyrella South on the 13 Apr. This is an event at which we can put all our learning so far into practice. Go to the training page here for more details.

Some more on the JK

Team P get ready to run

Well dome to all those who took part in the JK 2013 in the Chilterns. It was a great event and the cold weather was at least dry!!

Day 1 at Reading University

Day 1 was a sprint race round the grounds of Reading University. It was a quick course with lots of route choice and the potential to end up the wrong side of a fence or wall.

Day 2 Hambelden Forest and Hills

Day 2 was just North of Henley on Thames in a wooded ridge line called Hambleden. Lots of running and hills to climb along with patches of open ground. A good fast area as well with lots of chances to go quick.

Day 3 Cold Ash ditches and more ditches

Day 3 at Cold Ash was in a mixed forest area with hills, reentrants and lots of ditches. You had to keep close map contact as you moved about the forest. The tracks and big open rides were good features to help you stay in touch with the map.

Andrew makes his way through the woods!!

POST-JK stuff

As you may already know, the JK was in the Chilterns over the last weekend. This competition is great as your first big competition to enter, and I have been going for the past three years, and really enjoyed it. The website for next year's event is: www.thejk.org.uk/jk2014 and I would encourage as many people to think about going as possible, especially as I didn't see very many LVO juniors there this year.
Anybody who did go, it would be great to hear about your experiences of the event - send them to lvojuno@gmail.com or post them in a comment
Paul Pruzina 2/4/2013