Scots head to Yorkshire for British Orienteering Championships

Many Scottish orienteers are heading to Yorkshire this May Day weekend for the 2019 British Orienteering Championships.  Following the individual and team successes at the recent JK, hopes are high that Scots will feature prominently on the podium.

The weekend starts with the British Mixed Sprint Relay, the race format that is now a popular feature of World Cups and World Orienteering Championships.  The setting of Bradford University will be unfamiliar to most of us taking part, so should prove a challenge.

The blue riband event is the British Long Distance Championships over Arncliffe & Kilnsey North.  Last year the SOA staged this event on the Balmoral Estate, very different from the open moorland and limestone pavements which will be encountered this time around.

It’s a beautiful part of Yorkshire, which is why organisers of the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race have set their race to go through the same valley on the same day! Thousands of spectators are expected to turn up for the cycle race so, if you’re going to the Long Distance Champs, it’s worth being aware the roads through Kilnsey will be busier than usual and will close around 14:15 as the race passes through. Full timings are available on the Tour de Yorkshire website.

The event concludes with the British Relay Championships in Middleton Park, Leeds.  Experience gained by Scottish orienteers at the JK should help as there is a profusion of paths, thickets and rough open for the final day on Monday.

For the latest details on the event, visit: http://boc2019.org.uk/