This year, the Jan Kjellström International Festival of Orienteering took place in South Yorkshire, hosted by Yorkshire and Humberside Orienteering Association. Over 2600 competitors took part over the Easter Weekend, including a number of SOC members. 

If those who attended would like to share more about their experiences, do add comments below.

Day 1: Sprint

On the first day of the Festival, orienteers took to the streets of Sheffield City Centre for fast-paced courses including some areas of multi-layers and plenty of route choice decisions.

Results: 
M16:   8th Duncan Currie
W18E: 25th Emma Currie
W21E: =13th Tamsin Moran, 52nd Alice Jacobsen
M21E: 84th Eoghan Wiles, 86th Andy Snell
W40:   10th Christine Currie
M45:   22nd David Currie
M60:   90th Simon Bevan
M65:   64th Ian Moran
M70:   3rd Philip Eeles, 37th Kevin Bracher

Day 2: Middle Distance

For day 2, competitors headed to Tankersley Woods, an area that promised a fast-paced but complex middle-distance competition, with both intricate earthworks and bluebells.

Results:
M16A:  10th Duncan Currie
W18L:   2nd Emma Currie
W21L:   14th Tamsin Moran, 61st Alice Jacobsen
M21E1: 88th Eoghan Wiles
M21E2: 27th Andy Snell
W40L:   8th Christine Currie, =23rd Anya Crocker
M45L:   11th David Currie
M60L:   =36th Paul Thwaites, 78th Simon Bevan
M60S:   22nd Peter Smith
M60L:   52nd Ian Moran
M70L:   3rd Philip Eeles, 25th Kevin Bracher

Day 3: Long Distance

Wharncliffe was the location for this year's long-distance race. With boulders, intricate contours and open moorland, these courses promised to put both physical fitness and navigation skills to the test.

Results:
M16A:  14th Duncan Currie
W18L:  1st Emma Currie
W21E:  22nd Tamsin Moran
W21S:  5th Alice Jacobsen
M21S:  5th Eoghan Wiles
W40L:  7th Christine Currie
M45L:  20th David Currie
M50L:  11th Andy Snell
M60L:  19th Paul Thwaites
M60S:  11th Simon Bevan, 14th Peter Smith
M70L:  12th Philip Eeles, 19th Kevin Bracher

Overall Results for Day 2 & 3:
M16A:  10th Duncan Currie
W18L:  1st Emma Currie
W40L:  7th Christine Currie
M45L:  13th David Currie
M60L:  23rd Paul Thwaites
M60S:  11th Peter Smith
M70L:  5th Philip Eeles, 18th Kevin Bracher

Day 4: Relays

For the relays, clubs headed north to Middleton Park. This year, SOC had one team taking on the Men's Short (the Short SOC's). 

Results:
C Mens’s Short:  11th Short SOC’s (Andy Snell, Sarah Pedley, Paul Thwaites)

Full results can be found here. Well done to all SOC members who made the trip up to South Yorkshire & saw some great results. If this has inspired you to enter next year's JK Festival, keep your eyes peeled for more details - it will be hosted by the Scottish Orienteering Association. 

Southampton Orienteering Club has been awarded British Orienteering's "Respect the Environment" award. The nomination came from Emma Monkman, Access and Environment Officer at the national federation. The award is in recognition of the club's work to protect the natural environment in the New Forest.

Forestry England provided the following quote in support of the nomination:

"Forestry England Southern Permissions team have successfully worked with Southampton Orienteering Club for several years. Acting as the New Forest Orienteering co-ordinator Julian has been an integral part of the planning of many events on New Forest land.

The New Forest is heavily protected, which means that we have important conservation obligations including legal duties on the amount and types of activities that can take place here. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area for Birds, a Special Area of Conservation and a Ramsar site. Due to all these protections, the district undertakes Habitats Regulation Assessments (HRA) of its permissible activities, and work to ensure there is no significant harm or impact to protected habitat and wildlife. 

Southampton Orienteering Club have always adhered to the HRA in the planning of their own events and of others wishing to use the New Forest. As the Activites and Permissions manager I feel they have set a ‘Gold Standard’ of how Southern Permissions aspire to work with other Orienteering clubs. Julian has worked closely with Forestry England to understand our ecology restrictions and he always ensures these are communicated positively back to the event organisers he coordinates."