SOA welcomes two new clubs

Two new clubs – Stirling University Orienteering Club (STUOC) and Masterplan Adventure (MA) – have recently become affiliated to SOA, bringing the total number of clubs in Scotland to 25.

At Stirling University, a group of Environmental Geography students (some of whom have orienteered in the past), along with some members from the Mountaineering Club, decided to resurrect the orienteering club, which last existed in in the 90s. The Club has already competed in the Scottish Student Champs at the end of March, finishing 3rd placed university overall. They have regular training sessions set up; and having the Scottish Sprint Champs on campus this year was a great way to showcase orienteering to other students. With lots of great ideas for the future, we look forward to seeing STUOC develop into a successful club. Many thanks to all who assisted in helping get the club set up and of course to the new committee and members!

Stirling joins Aberdeen University (AUOC), Edinburgh University (EUOC), Glasgow University (GUOC) and Strathclyde University (USOC) as Scottish university clubs. If there are any other universities in Scotland keen to start a new club, please get in touch with Rona Lindsay (Scottish Orienteering Regional Development Officer).

Masterplan Adventure is a club with a difference. It has been created by a small group of like-minded elite orienteers with the aim of organising high-quality orienteering training and competitions open to all, promoting the sport of orienteering through media posts and attracting more participation in orienteering. At the same time, these events will provide an opportunity for members and other athletes to realise their sporting ambitions; this includes donating a proportion of its event income to ScotJOS and SEDS.

Graham Gristwood, who along with Fanni Gyurko, Chris Jones, Chris Smithard and Liz Campbell is a founder member, said that the group had identified a lack of sprint races in the British calendar and therefore the Club will have a sprint focus. Its biggest event will be Sprint Scotland (sprintscotland.co.uk), but in 2018 there will also be a pre-British Orienteering Championships event in Ballater on 18th May and an Autumn Wednesday evening sprint series in conjunction with FVO. MA also plans an annual New Year’s Day Resolution Sprint. Further details of events are at www.masterplanadventure.uk

The club’s logo depicts the “Stirling Wolf”, which allegedly roused the locals to defend against Viking invaders in the 9th Century.