At the 2013 Annual General Meeting of British Orienteering, members voted in favour of appointing Independent Directors to the Board. The Board are now in a position to advertise for 2 independent director positions. Details are below:

This is an exciting time for British Orienteering, the national governing body for the sport of orienteering in the UK.

We are a growing sport, striving to build on our past success by expanding our participation base into new markets and aiming to continue our record of punching above our weight in international competitions.

We are a dynamic and forward-thinking organisation, with over 10,000 individual members, a staff of thirteen, and a turnover in 2012 of £1.3million, which we are actively seeking to increase through building new relationships with commercial partners.

And we are the hosts of the 2015 World Orienteering Championships, determined both to deliver an outstanding Championships and to capitalize on this opportunity to raise the profile of the sport nationwide, building a legacy for years to come.

To ensure that the strategic leadership of British Orienteering is equipped with the skills and knowledge to meet these challenges, we are seeking to appoint two exceptional candidates to the Board of British Orienteering as non-executive Independent Directors.  This is a fantastic opportunity to help shape the strategy for the development of orienteering in the UK at a key time in the history of the sport, engaging with commercial partners, funding bodies, a committed volunteer workforce and the grassroots membership.

The ideal candidates should be comfortable working at a strategic level alongside a mix of staff and volunteers, and should ideally have experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Marketing, particularly digital and/or social media
• Public and media relations
• Fundraising and sponsorship
• Commercial income generation
• Disability sport
• Safeguarding of vulnerable individuals

No prior experience of orienteering is required, although knowledge or experience of the sports or outdoor activity sectors would be an advantage.

We currently hold four full-day face-to-face Board meetings per year at the British Orienteering national office in Matlock, Derbyshire, with two meetings on weekdays and two at weekends.  Board teleconferences take place in between these, typically four times per year, generally on weekday evenings and lasting around an hour.  The Independent Director roles are voluntary and unpaid, although all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be refunded in line with our expenses policy.

One of the appointees will serve an initial term of office until Easter 2015 and the other until Easter 2016, and candidates having a particular preference for one or other period should state this in their application.  Each appointment is potentially renewable for two further periods of three years.

British Orienteering is an equal opportunities employer, and applications are welcome from all suitably qualified individuals.  However, women are currently under-represented on the Board of British Orienteering, and applications from female candidates are therefore particularly welcome.  All appointments will be made on merit.

As these appointments are for Independent Directors, candidates must not have been employed by British Orienteering, been Directors of British Orienteering, or have been involved in any national-level committee or group of British Orienteering in the ten years prior to their application.

Individuals wishing to discuss the roles further prior to application can contact the current Chair of British Orienteering, Martin Ward, at martin.ward@britishorienteering.org.uk.

To obtain an application pack, please contact Laura Martin at LMartin@britishorienteering.org.uk.  All applications must be received by 5pm on Wednesday 26 June 2013.  Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews, which will take place in July.

Item posted by Laura Martin

British Orienteering wishes to seek the views of participants about their experience of taking part in its major events. We therefore invite you to take part in these surveys about some of the major events that have been staged in 2013.

We recognise that you may not wish to take time to comment on each of the major events that you have attended this year, but we would be pleased to receive as many comments as possible – so please select which events you want to comment upon.

The survey design is based upon a questionnaire which was distributed to participants in Swedish Silva League events, and has been supplied and translated by Graham Gristwood.

We have added a few additional questions to address other topics of interest.

By participating in this survey you will provide British Orienteering with valuable feedback on its major events, which in turn will inform the provision of similar events in future years. It will also enable British Orienteering to meet its obligations and maintain its constructive dialogue with Sport England.

These surveys will be available until the 30^th June 2013.

British Night Championships 2013

JK 2013

British Sprint Distance Championships 2013

British Middle Distance Championships 2013

British Long Distance and Relay Championships 2013

Helen Errington

Event Manager

Finally, after 10 rounds spaced over 10+ weeks, the last of the Yvette Baker Trophy rounds have been staged.

Will all those who have qualified for the final to be staged by  LOG at Belton Park  on the 7th July, please contact Helen Errington to confirm they will be sending a team to the Final.

Winners and results are as follows:

EAOA

SOS 893. WAOC 886 were the only other complete team (SMOC and SUFFOC were not) so only SOS to go through.

NWOA

LOC 891. Also MDOC 886 go through as LOC in top 5 in 2012, However MDOC have indicated they are not going to the final. Consideration is being given to allowing WCOC to attend in their place as a DEE team member injury resulted in an incomplete team and thus denying WCOC an automatic place in the final. SROC and DEE were in 4th & 5th place respectively.

SEOA

SO 895. SAX 884 were second but as GO were not a complete team (6) even though SO were in the top 5 in 2012, SAX do not go to the final.

WOA

POW 890. SBOC 793 only had 8 counters, nor were SWOC & ERYRI complete so only POW go through

SWOA

BOK 894, Devon 894. The tie is a late alteration to the published results. This has come about because of the late posting of the updated YBT gold times after the JK. and a runner being on the 'wrong' course because of their change in status after the JK. QO were an incomplete team.

WMOA

WCH 895. HOC were only able to field 2 juniors.

NEOA

CLOK 897. NATO 882 were second and the team from EBOR were incomplete. (7 counters)

YHOA

HALO 892. Aire 879 were the only other complete team (SYO had 9 runners but only 8 were permitted to count). PFO and Claro were short of members, only HALO go through.

EMOA

OD 894, LEI 892, NOC 872. All three clubs go through to the final as both OD and LEI were in the top 5 in 2012.

SCOA

HH 898. SN 885 also go through as the club to represent SCOA. (Results still provisional)

This is the first time that the YBT has been held in the Spring/Summer months. Team Leader feedback will be sought and I will be recommending to Event and Competitions Committee that a small group be formed to review the YBT after the final in July.

Helen Errington

Event Manager

The British Relay Orienteering Championships took place today at Holmbury, a forested sand ridge with intricate mineworkings and some rough ground for running.

Both the Premier classes were won by convincing margins. The South Yorkshire team of Kim Baxter, Jenny Peel and Rachael Rothman stormed home in first place with a five-minute lead over South London and South Ribble. Ben Stevens, Jamie Parkinson and Peter Hodkinson brought their Oxford University ‘Posh Boys’ team home in first place on the Men’s premier, over four minutes ahead of Sheffield University’s ‘Men of Steel’. Nottingham came in third.

The winners of the Men's & Women's Premier relay on the run-in to the finish

In the other age classes, there was further success for South Yorkshire with a first and second place in M40. Mark Chapman, Martin Ward and Bill Edwards secured the victory, and the Southern Navigator Snow Men came in third.

The most contested women’s class was W50, with 14 teams competing. The Bristol OK team of Alison Simmons, Jackie Hallett and Alice Bedwell overhauled the leading team on the last leg to earn a comfortable victory, with Happy Herts and Lakeland filling the remaining podium places.

Full results for the Relays, as well as Trail-O and Saturday’s Long Championships can be found here.

Results Summary

Men’s Premier: OUOC (Ben Stevens, Jamie Parkinson, Peter Hodkinson)

Women’s Premier: SYO (Kim Baxter, Jenny Peel, Rachael Rothman)

Men’s Short: CLYDE (Simon Gardner, Thomas Wilson, Donald Petrie)

Women’s Short: SO (Anna Chapman, Lucy Thraves, Julia Jarvis)

M40: SYO (Mark Chapman, Martin Ward, Bill Edwards)

W40: INT (Lorna Eades, Jane Ackland, Heather Hartman)

M50: SROC (Mike Johnson, Andrew Quickfall, Quentin Harding)

W50: BOK (Alison Simmons, Jackie Hallett, Alice Bedwell)

M60: HOC (Michael Baggott, Brian Hughes, Andy Hemsted)

W60: DVO (Liz Godfree, Pauline Ward, Judith Holt)

M18: SYO (Michael Adams, Zachary Field, Dane Blomquist)

W18: LOC (Katie Wright, Natalie Beadle, Sarah Jones)

M14: MAROC (Jake Chapman, Alistair Chapman, Abigail Mason)

W14: AIRE (Lucy Haines, Laura King, Annie Brown)

M/W12 (Mini Relay): SOS (Jack Edwards, Dominic Emmerson, Lucy Warland)     

Mixed Ad-Hoc: GRAMP (Iain McLeod, Carolyn McLeod, Calum McLeod)

Junior Ad-Hoc: CLOK (Barnaby Warren, Aidan Rigby, Saskia Warren)

Item posted by David Maliphant

The British Orienteering Championships (long distance) were held earlier today on Winterfold and Pitch Hill, in Surrey.  In the Men's Elite race (17km) Murray Strain (INT) took the win in 93:37, ahead of Chris Smithard (DEE) in 96:38 and (still a junior) Jonny Crickmore (ShUOC) in 97:09.  The Women's Elite (11.2km) was won by Tessa Hill (HOC) in 73:37, with a good lead over second placed Sarah Rollins (BAOC) in 79:34 and third placed Helen Gardner (SLOW), 80:01.

In the junior elite classes there were victories for Sarah Jones (LOC) in W18E, Lucy Butt (SARUM) in W20E, Aidan Smith (SYO) in M18E and Peter Bray (CLOK) in M20E.

Courses were well planned with most having at least one "long leg" which provided great route choice options.  The forest was tough underfoot with bilberry and some areas of brashing, but also plenty of options for using tracks and paths, so running speeds were generally fast.

Results for all age classes are on the BOC 2013 results page.  Today's race was also round 9 of the UK Orienteering League.

Murray and Tessa after the prize-giving.  Photo: Rob Lines.

Item posted by Martin Ward.

The Rules of Orienteering and associated documents have undergone a ‘makeover’ for 2014.

This consultation will be open from 23rd March 2013 - 31st May 2013 for everyone to comment on via a survey - see details below.

Which rules and documents have changed?

The Rules of Orienteering have been split into 3 sections:

• Definitions of terms
• Rules of Orienteering – Competitors
• Rules of Orienteering – Event Officials

The Appendices have been streamlined and all the mandatory clauses are now in the Rules of Orienteering and the rest has become guidance, moved to be a Competition Rule or deleted.

The Event Guidelines have gone altogether. Their content has moved into the rules, the Appendices or been deleted.

The Competition Rules have been re- ordered to all follow the same standard format but in essence remain unchanged.

Has the content of the Rules changed?

Yes it has. The language has been modernised and now all of the rules are requirements, the terms should and shall are no longer used.

Have any new rules appeared?

One or two are new. These are in the Competitors rules and cover such things as use of mobile phones during a competition.

It might seem like there are lots of new rules for Event Officials but these have always existed, they were buried in the Appendices.

Because so much has been reworded and moved around, it is quite possible that inadvertently something has been left out or there has been an unforseen change of meaning, therefore we want competitors and Event Officials to check them over before they are published. In addition, we need comments on whether they are as user friendly as such a set of rules can be.

The rules for 2014 are available here:

British Championships
JK
Other competitions 
Junior Competitions
Rules of Orienteering

The method of making comments is by Survey Monkey, available here

Finally if there are any corrections or changes, please use the form available here to make these changes.

Thank you

Helen Errington

Event Manager

Item posted by Janine White