Update by Martin Ward, British Orienteering UKOL Coordinator.

This weekend sees North Gloucester (NGOC) hosting the British Night Orienteering Championships at Cleeve Hill.  This is race 15 in the 2021 season, and with a total of eight scores to count in the league, it will be decisive in some age categories in determining who comes out as the UK Orienteering League champion.

The terrain at Cleeve Hill is described by the planner as "mainly open, runnable grassland, with steep crags on its Western escarpment, together with areas of scattered gorse, and complex old quarry workings".  The longest course for M21 competitors has over 11km and 400m of climbing, but could still be won in around 60-65 minutes.  Across all the age categories over 300 people will compete.

In the UK Orienteering League (UKOL) Club Competition, Bristol (BOK) has now taken a lead on 4,508 points, ahead of South Yorkshire (SYO) on 4,381 and Forth Valley (FVO) on 4,156.  With the final two UKOL races being in the south of the UK, those look set to remain the final club league positions unless there is an unexpected turnaround.

There is currently just one competitor with the "perfect score" of 400 points for eight wins - well done Kirsten Strain (W35, AROS)! In the M85 category, John Thompson of TVOC has 399 points, so just one more win for John would see him match Kirsten's score.

The final UKOL race of the season is also fast approaching and will be hosted by Mole Valley (MVOC) on South Ashdown on 12 December.  It's also the Southern Championships, so should see a high level of entries.

As we reach the end of the 2021 season, which was shortened due to a late start caused by Covid, I'd like to thank all the clubs and volunteers that have supported the UK Orienteering League by hosting the events at which the races have been held.

The 2022 UKOL season races will be confirmed and published very soon.