Jamie Stevenson Trophy inspires enthusiasm despite the rain

Well there hasn’t been a damp Jamie Stevenson Trophy for a few years but a bit of rain did not diminish the chatter, shouts of encouragement and enthusiasm for the event.

The Jamie Stevenson Trophy is an annual inter-club competition for junior classes only, and traditionally held in central Scotland to encourage participation from all Scottish clubs. It was initiated as a fund-raising event for the Scottish Junior Orienteering Squad (ScotJOS) by Bill and Anne Stevenson in honour of their son, Jamie, who is a multiple World Championships medal winner ( winning gold at the World Orienteering Championships in the Sprint in 2003) and also one of our Patrons. It’s a chance for all juniors in a club to take part in a competitive event with a parade of athletes, commentary and prize-giving.

This year 11 clubs ventured to the Hermitage, just outside Dunkeld, to join to let their juniors enjoy a taste of a competition focussed on juniors with a celebratory atmosphere. Club tents line the run in, faces are adored with face paints and club mascots on are display. No club has yet challenged the Blue Peter skills of Inverness Orienteering Club who have created a cardboard eagle costume in the last few years. Will we get a Wallace Monument costume from Forth Valley Orienteers, a capercaillie from Mar Orienteering Club or a Burghead Bull from Moravian Orienteers to name but a few next year?

As is tradition the day started with a parade of all the juniors led by last year’s winning club Forth Valley Orienteers. It also helped this year to ensure the run in was suitably trampled to make their final run in easier!

The ScotJOS juniors then led a mass warm to make sure that everyone is ready for the day which generally leads to mass hilarity at some point.

Starts for all courses and clubs are spread through the event to ensure that there is always someone on hand to cheer a friend over the line. The aim of the day is to ensure that those who may never have tried an event beyond their own club boundaries enjoy the experience whilst fostering friendships and most importantly to have fun. Commentary provides musical accompaniment, an opportunity for everyone to tell their favourite jokes and win a spot prize such as the first three finishers.

Heart shaped medals were awarded to those achieving 1st, 2nd and 3rd on either the Yellow, Orange, Light Green or Green courses with the largest heart being won by that individual who won by the greatest margin.

The competition was tight and results can be found here but with less than two points overall making the difference Forth Valley Orienteers retained the trophy despite Inverness Orienteering Club’s valiant efforts. Well done to Forth Valley Orienteers!

To finish the day there were prizes were awarded to the large and small most supportive clubs which were determined but in the spirit of the day most clubs felt the benefit of the prizes as they were shared with anyone who wanted.

Thank you to all of the ScotJOS volunteers for putting on a great day with special mentions for Alastair Duguid of Tayside Orienteers who planned and gained all necessary permissions, the ScotJOS coach Jon Musgrave for controlling the event and of course Judy Bell the ScotJOS manager.