World University Orienteering Championships 2022

Having spent most of the previous year living in Switzerland, I was really looking forward to racing at the World University Orienteering Championships in the Swiss Jura. Not the typical alpine terrain that first comes to mind when picturing Switzerland, but a challenge nonetheless.

I had been selected to run three out of five races at this week-long competition, all of which were in the forest, as opposed to the sprint discipline which is usually in an urban setting. This meant I could really focus on my forest orienteering technique leading up to the competition. My preparation was slightly hampered by catching COVID a few weeks before the competition and missing some of my key training races in the build-up. Luckily, I had planned to travel out to Switzerland a few days before the competition to train on relevant areas, test different techniques and come up with a race strategy.

Having cheered on my teammates running in the individual sprint race the previous day, I was ready to step up to the start line of the long distance race. The terrain consisted mainly of coniferous forest with varying degrees of brambles and brashings underfoot, big forestry tracks and some steep gullies that made for interesting route choice. Despite this area feeling fairly familiar to some areas in the south of England, a momentary lapse in concentration meant I messed up my direction out of a control and proceeded to make a costly parallel error which involved losing a lot of height. Frustrated, I tried to hold it together for the remaining half of the race but always had a nagging feeling of needing to make up time. As many orienteers will appreciate this often forces more mistakes, and for me a very scrappy second half with many smaller time losses. Overall, I was unsatisfied with my performance but tried to use the frustration to fuel my preparation for the middle distance race, my preferred discipline.

The area of the middle distance was much more suited to my strengths. It consisted of a steep slope with lots of limestone rock and contour detail, and lots of controls meaning there were no opportunities to switch off. After a slightly hesitant start into a tricky area of forest with low visibility, I settled into the map and began to find my flow. Following two long uphill legs across an open field I knew a top French runner was closing me down. Keeping a cool head, I managed to stick to my plans and pick off the next set off technical downhill controls, whilst the faster French runner weaved in and out making multiple mistakes. Having got a gap, I reached the arena passage having caught two other competitors, now on my tail. The arena run through was a very steep bank which left me in a fair amount of oxygen debt going into the final loop. I tried to focus on my direction crossing the steep slope however being a few degrees off meant I was much higher than my control and had to drop down. This mistake proved significant and meant I just missed out on at top 20, finishing in 23^rd. Despite being initially annoyed at how close I was to a clean run, there were many positives to take into the relay.

The relay marked the final day of racing, and after a flying start by our first leg runner I was set out in the front group. After leading the first few controls, the group had spread out and split on a routechoice leg. In trying to balance sticking to my own routechoices and keeping the front runners in sight, I began to lose control and take some suboptimal routes. Going through a thick area of forest I found myself running alone and similarly to the long race, a few more scrappy controls meant I had lost some time to the leaders. Luckily our last leg runners managed to claw back some time finishing 7^th nation.

The week was a brilliant experience and incredible fun, despite some races not going as I had hoped. I connected with many old friends who I haven’t seen since junior competitions pre-covid and met new people from as far as Japan and Hong-Kong. I’ve come away with a renewed motivation for the winter season, and my move to Sweden this September. I hope to be able to focus more of my time on orienteering training so I can be better prepared and more confident going into important international competitions.

A huge thankyou goes to the John Taylor Foundation for their continuing support of my Orienteering endeavours. In such an underfunded sport, athletes are responsible for funding the entirety of these competitions, which adds up across the year. Therefore, the John Taylor Foundation’s contributions really do make it possible to continue competing at an elite level, for which I am very grateful.

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When I received the money at the end of 2020 I was 3^rd in the country as an under 15 and it was going to be difficult to maintain that position as in the age group up I would be the youngest person and there was some very good people in that age group.  I was looking at being 7^th in the under 17 age group at the very best.  2021 was a difficult year with very few competitions taking place and for me personally 2020 and 2021 have been extremely tense.  As a child in care there are individuals who make my life difficult and I really struggle mentally to block out my past. 

I started the season really low at 3.10m which was 15cm below my personal best and at this point my new poles had not arrived.  This was really disappointing as was my position at English School where I should have been 2^nd but came 7^th.  I am trying really hard not to let things get on top of me but I am not always successful and I believe this is what happened at English School which unfortunately took place at a point in my life where I had had some disturbing news. 

I did go on to win the Midlands under 17 and under 20 championships and if the Welsh international had taken place I would have got the England kit but it did not due to covid.

 Yet another disappointment.  I also achieved the standard for the under 20 and the under 17 English championships and was 3^rd at the under 17 and got a bronze medal and 4^th at the under 20. 

I am Warwickshire schools champion and under 17 Warwickshire champion and I hold the Warwickshire school and county record.   

I was selected to take part in the UK School Games where I got a silver medal without my coach being present (because coaches were not allowed in due to covid).  This was probably my most impressive achievement of the year as I was only 15 at the time and some of the other girls on the podium were 3 years older than myself and I would not have normally competed against them but because of covid the age group was extended meaning they were able to compete.  It was the most amazing experience and one I hope to repeat this coming year

This year I am hoping to be 1^st as an under 17 in the country.  I am currently 28^th in the country overall (this includes all age groups) and this has improved every year.  If I can get another 20cm PB this would take me to about 15^th in the country overall and will put me 20cm away from the European junior qualification height of 3.90m which is what I would need the following year to be selected.  I was selected to take part in the National Talent programme where I go and train with Kate Rooney (Dennison) to improve my fitness and run style.

I am going to work really hard this year to make sure I make progress, however I would really like to do some sessions with a sports therapist to help me with my nerves during competition and with dealing with issues in other areas of my life.  I would also really like the next two poles so that my progress is not delayed.  Thank you very much for your support and if you feel that you can help me with either of these two things please let me know.

Despite how the season ended, I was still able to finish the season with my best ever national rankings! Even ranking #1 for the first time in my career, and in one of my favourite distances, the 200m. During the winter off-season I worked really hard to recover and come back stronger. 

Come January this year, me and my training squad spent 10 days in Spain for a training camp which was absolutely brilliant. It was well timed that at the end of the training camp there is a half marathon (Medio Maraton Almeria) which we all entered prior to the camp. The objective of this for me was purely to see what difference the training camp had made as we were able to do lots of road training, something which I haven’t done much of prior other than pushing along the seafront. And as a track athlete, and a sprinter nonetheless, it was very different putting in so many miles but my body welcomed it and I was feeling really excited at the prospect of crossing the finish line for my first ever half marathon. As it was a local event, it’s not an event that is known by other wheelchair athletes so I knew that I would have to push the whole 13 miles on my own with nobody to work with. Despite this and the little road training I had going into this, I finished the race and crossed the line in an incredible 1 hr 1 min!! Just 11 minutes outside the world record. I was absolutely over the moon, and my coach and I realised that there is a huge potential for me to reach great success in road races as well as the track. 

Once I was back home from Spain, I had qualified and was invited to compete in the elite division of the Vitality Big Half. As this would’ve been my 2nd ever half marathon in the space of 4 weeks, it again was a matter of just getting to the finish line. Road races are a completely different ball game because each event/course is different, and for me I still have to build my confidence of propelling myself across a course that is changing in surface, gradient etc. Early into the Big Half we went through a tunnel and on the downhill I believe my speedometer recorded my top speed as 31.5mph!!! It was super scary yet exhilarating at the same time. A little further into the race and we came across sections of road which was cobbled –  they were a nightmare! I was in a pack with 2 other female racers who ultimately finished 2nd and 3rd, but once we got to the cobbles I had to stop and pull over to tighten my wheels as bouncing around on the cobbles had loosened them and they were going to fall off! If it wasn’t for that I am confident I would’ve stuck with the pack and got on the podium. Oh well, it’s all experience! And it was certainly great fun to be a part of!

So that’s kind of it for now, as the world stops to tackle Coronavirus, uncertainty lingers and myself and my training partners wander what the season will bring – if anything! But I am safe and well, training within the comfort of my own home which is the most I can do for now. I hope you too are keeping safe and well.

I do believe I had applied to you for funding towards new racing wheels, and unfortunately I haven’t reached the total needed to buy them yet. But I have your contribution ready and waiting for when I can make the purchase. And I’ll be sure to send you more updates as I go, and any photos from events. 

I have a couple action shots of me from the Vitality Big Half marathon this year, I hope you like them as much as I do!

Dear John Taylor foundation,

Thank you so much for the help that you so generously gave to me last year it was a great help in which I am very thankful for. Being given grants like that allows me to perform to the best of my ability and also to be able to compete with the best in the country and occasionally the world.

Last year I spent your grant on putting it towards a new
bike and also getting some new much needed trainers for racing in. these were
my race shoes for the season and being race shoes they were pretty expensive.

This allowed me to save money on the things that I needed to
compete as well and also made me be able to achieve my season goals such as
competing in two European cup races gaining multiple top ten’s in the British
super series as well a podium and an international call up to compete in the
prestigious super league jersey where I represented Great Britain to come 11^th.
A very good performance in a field that included a youth Olympic medallist.

I also managed to get a top 25 in the ETU cup in Riga and
two school games medals.

Although I didn’t achieve all of my goals this season none of it would have been possible if it wasn’t for foundations such as John Taylor foundation.

Thank you so very much you have been an unbelievable help. Many thanks and kind regards,

Finnian Hutchinson

We just wanted to say a huge thank you for the grant towards the purchase of a new competition javelin for our son Aran.

As you are aware the implement is specialist and very
expensive. We created a crowd funding page and have received tremendous support
in reaching the sum of £700, this along with a further £15 in personal
donations left us £200 pounds short of our target. Your kind grant has allowed
us to meet our target; and today we have placed the order for the Javelin.

We will produce a report and photographs for you when the
javelin arrives.

Thank you also for the recommendation in respect of cardiac
screening; this is something which we have, and will continue to look in
to with a view to maintaining Aran’s health.

Once again a huge thank you for your kind assistance,
interest and grant.

Kindest regards

John, Jacquie and Aran Thomas

Thank
you very much for supporting my recent funding application to help cover costs
for competing in the Junior World Orienteering Champs 2019 in Denmark, which I
have just returned from. 

Personally,
I had a fantastic time competing. I was going in order to gain experience of
world class racing for my future junior orienteering career, and in that way
was determined to produce solid performances that I could be proud of in all 4
disciplines. 

The
event kicked off with the sprint around a very technical housing estate in
which I placed 63rd, 89 seconds down on the winner. I was very pleased with not
only this performance but also my race in the challenging long distance the
next day where I was one of four GB male athletes to achieve a top 50 place,
coming 43rd. This was my personal highlight of the week and I will remember
that race for a long time. 

The
next event was the middle qualification, in which although I wasn’t able to
qualify due to making around 2-3 minutes of mistakes, I learnt many invaluable
lessons about how to go about racing this discipline, namely the need for a
very high level of technical accuracy! The final event was the relay, in which
I ran second leg for the men’s second team. I ran a good race with only one
mistake, which was an excellent way to cap off a fantastic week of racing not
just for myself, but also for team GB. This year’s JWOC was our nation’s most
successful ever, with 4 medals and another podium place!

Once again thank you so much for your funding, which very much made a difference to my being able to compete in the championships: a truly unforgettable experience.

Elliot sent this letter telling us what he has been up to:

Support for The John Taylor foundation was a great help during my first season in the British Triathlon Nation Super Series. My aim was to compete hard but to enjoy my first year as i wasn’t sure where i would finish in the races. I was really pleased and surprised by my races; 4th Hetton Lyon Triathlon, 5th WTS Lead Triathlon, 4th Llanelli Triathlon. I finished the season with a GB ranking of 8th overall, which was amazing, i managed to gained representative honours and compete for GB in the Triathlon Super League in Jersey. 

In November 2018 i was selected to be a member of the England ‘New Generation’ Triathlon squad. The last year has been a fantastic. Im honoured to be part of the current England Training group and the Yorkshire Triathlon Academy. Im looking forward to 2019 and the journey ahead.

The John Taylor Foundation has help make the transition from competing at regional level to National Level that little bit smoother and would like to thank everyone for their support.

The £100 contribution that I received from The John Taylor
Foundation meant that I could purchase a bike box and a new wetsuit to use for
training events and races abroad. This last year I have used the bike box for
the following events:

• Quarteira ETU Junior Cup
• Riga ETU Junior Cup
• Tenerife training camp

The bike box has allowed me to travel further with my own
bike and meant I have been able to train on my own bike abroad in order to
improve my cycling. I took the bike box to two European Junior Cup races this
season, one at the beginning of the season (Quarteira) and one at the end of
the season. Although the races may not have gone exactly to plan, the
experience was great and I learnt a lot from these races. I would like to thank
The John Taylor Foundation for their support this season and I hope for an even
better 2019.

Nathan Smith

The Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) has always represented the major goal in my Junior Orienteering Program. 2016 was my final year in the Junior ranks and whilst I have raced for Great Britain at several European Youth Championships and twice at the Junior European Cup, I was determined to go out on a high at JWOC in Switzerland. Throughout the Winter of 2015 and spring of 2016 I put an extra focus on my training, nutrition and performance lifestyle. I’m currently studying at Sheffield University and the great training group and tailor made strength and conditioning program made this a lot easier. Unfortunately, I was hampered by a knee injury for much of the season limiting the volume of training I was able to do. Thankfully I was able to reach a good fitness level in the weeks leading up to our Great Britain team selection races. After some solid performances I waited anxiously for news on the selections. I was delighted when I found out I’d been selected alongside 11 others (6 boys and 6 girls in total) for JWOC. Winning the British Middle Distance Championships in M20 Elite Just three weeks before JWOC was a final confidence booster and confirmed I was in good form.

The team met at Manchester Airport on the 6^th of July to begin our trip to Switzerland. We flew to Bergamo airport in Italy. On arrival we stopped for food and to do a large shop – seemingly buying every banana in the supermarket. We then drove across the border and through the beautiful Engadin Valley to reach our accommodation and the event centre in the village of Scuol. We were staying in a Youth Hostel alongside many others teams. We spent the next few days training and getting accustomed to how it felt running at altitude; especially important for those of us running the long distance race held at between 2200m and 2000m above sea level. Each member of the team was running two out of the three individual races (Sprint, Middle or Long) as well as the relay race.

The first race of the week was the Sprint – this was the race that I wasn’t doing. Frustrating as it was to sit this one out it was great fun supporting the rest of the team who were racing. A particular mention must go to Megan Carter-Davies who had a great race to finish in 7^th place, equaling Great Britain’s best ever female sprint result at JWOC. Dane Blomquist though disappointed with his race, deserves a mention as the best British male finisher in 41^st. That evening we debriefed as a team and congratulated our sprinters, before discussing the Long Race. The long race was fairly remote and we would have to take public transport; a train and bus to reach the pre-start area.

I woke early on Monday in order to catch my train – I often struggle to eat before big races but the vast array of Swiss Muesli, yoghurts, cheeses, meats and breads available at the Youth Hostel made things easier! I was glad to share my train and bus journey with Jenny Rickets a fellow British Team member; we chatted about our University’s – Edinburgh and Sheffield and the great rivalry between them. This served to take my mind off the race keeping me relaxed. Almost as soon as my race started I realized it was going to be a long tough day. The terrain was rough and steep with many rocks and lots of vegetation.  I managed to keep my navigation clean and battled around the course. Upon finishing I was drained – the heat and altitude had taken its toll on my body. I was disappointed with my performance but knew this wasn’t the time for moping. The sooner I could take on board fluids and food the better my recovery would be; this had to be the priority if I wanted to give myself at chance of performing in the middle distance race to come on Wednesday.

Tuesday was a rest day and all the team took the opportunity to have a long lie in before cramming in as much food as possible. After breakfast we had a team meeting. We had all found the long race really tough – our best result came from Will Rigg who placed 31^st. It was now important to put this behind us and focus on our next goal the middle distance race. We also met up with the Swedish team at their hotel and played various games such as ping pong and table football!

The middle distance race consisted of a qualification race on Wednesday and a final on Thursday. I was really excited for this race – and had high hopes of making the final. The Qualification races divide the competitors into three heats A, B and C. The top 20 runners in each heat progress to the Final. I ran hard but more importantly avoided mistakes in the first technical loop of my course and was in 6^th place before a long leg to number 8. Unfortunately, I missed my control by about 10 meters and it took me around 1:45 to relocate. I battled hard hereafter, nailing the rest of my course as heavy rain began to fall on the steep rocky slopes. When I finished I faced the agonizing wait to see if I would make the top twenty. In the end I was gutted to miss out on a top 20 position by just 1 minute – frustratingly my time behind the leader would also have been good enough for qualification in heat B. I found this hard to take as my race was so much fun and I’d nailed 90 percent of the course but just one mistake had cost me. However, that’s the way orienteering is and why we keep coming back, searching for that illusive perfect race!

On Thursday those of us who didn’t make the final travelled to the arena to spectate. We had a great chance of some top results with Fiona Bunn finishing 2^nd in her heat with Megan 3^rd in hers. We also had three guys, Dane, Daniel and Sasha in the men’s Final. First through the arena was the Dane after whom the rest of the team gradually filtered through. We cheered everyone through and it was awesome watching Megan take 4^th place in the middle distance. Sasha also produced a solid race to finish in 16^th on the highly competitive and hard fought men’s’ course.

Friday was the Final day of racing, the relay. All of our four teams were strong and capable of a top result. On first leg for me was Will Rigg, he made some mistakes early on then ran well to bring us in in 24^th position. I ran a strong clean race to bring us up to 21^st place with Harrison on last leg again running well to bring us up to 16^th. The relay was arguably my best performance of the week and a real positive to end on. The other men’s team were 9^th place (12^th including 2^nd teams). The women’s first team were a fabulous 5^th and the 2^nd team were 16^th. Finishing with 4 teams inside the top 20 was great way to finish the week. Whilst I wasn’t satisfied with my individual performances JWOC has only fueled my hunger and desire to make it to the top. The team had a lot of fun and meeting Junior orienteers from across the world was a real highlight.  I can take away many positives from my races at JWOC, particularly the majority of my middle distance race in which I kept pace with the very best Juniors in the World. Transitioning into the senior ranks next year will be a huge challenge but one that I approach with a lot of great memories and valuable experience gained at the Junior Level.

I’d like to thank; Airienteers, The John Taylor Foundation, Yorkshire and Humberside Orienteering Association and the Leeds Sports Federation whose generous donations made this trip possible.

The Team

Joe Woodley, Middle Qualifier