The final preparations are well under way ahead of this year's Jan Kjellström
International Festival of Orienteering 2024!
The teams will be out over the next couple of days setting up the arenas ready to receive you for a cracking good weekend of top-quality orienteering.
The weather gods have been less than kind, so we recommend you put on your best O shoes that give you the best grip.
Please note that version 6 of the programme is the latest (and hopefully last) version to be published. It went live yesterday, so please check it out, especially if you are coming in a campervan on Day 4 as the parking instructions have been changed.
Please note that the embargo area for Day 1 has been reduced.
Loughborough is now an established, and still testing, area. Day 1 will be a World Ranking event (WRE).
PreO will take place in urban terrain and there will also be an opportunity for participants to try out Biathlon Orienteering at the event (this will also be available on Days 2 and 3 of the Festival).
Beaudesert has been used for many major events, though arena is a new location and the owners are a little nervous at what to expect. Please make this an enjoyable experience for them. We want them to invite us back!
The final day of the Festival will take place at Stanton Moor. Another testing area and also in a new arena.
If you are on social media, please do not forget to tag us in your posts via Facebook, X and Instagram @britishorienteering. The hashtag for the event is #TheJK2024.
Finally, thank you to everyone involved in the production of this event. We hope you have a great weekend!
The embargo area for Day 1 of the JK has been reduced.
The updated embargoed area can be viewed here.
An area of the South West has been removed which contains the Burleigh Court hotel. However, anyone staying there involved in the JK should drive out to the main road and re-enter the campus through the Epinal Way entrance to get to the event.
They should of course avoid entering the embargoed area at all times.
All the latest information about this weekends JK can be found on the JK website.
If you are interested in representing GBR, please read on!
The Foot O selection policies have been updated. Now included are the availability forms for athletes, which you should use to to declare your interest in being selected for GBR teams at international competitions this summer.
More details can be found here: www.britishorienteering.org.uk/Selection
Note that the process to select the World University Orienteering Championships (WUOC) team is different to the others, with different deadlines, so please read that part of the policy carefully if you are interested in racing for GBR at WUOC.
British Orienteering is today proud to announce the winner of The Bonington Trophy.
Awarded annually for the best contribution to mapping, it reflects considerable input and support to the sport over many years.
This year’s winner is: Martin Bagness (Warrior Orienteering Club).
Commenting on his award Martin says:
“What a pleasant surprise! Wonderful to get this appreciation. It will gee me up next time I am out in Grizedale with pencil in hand, deep in some marshy thicket, wrestling with contours and form-lines! Many thanks to those who put my name forward.
I would like to mention the gang of unsung local heroes who have not given up on orienteering during the pandemic, but have kept things happening whilst staying within restrictions, for example taped courses, Strava, Maprun, small events and, when permitted, racing weekends for UK elites. In particular, Carol McNeill, Dave Walton, Derek Fryer, Dick Towler, Gill Browne, Jerry Purkis, Derek Allison amongst others.”
Julia Laverack, WOC Club Secretary, also added:
“Warrior Orienteering Club are very pleased that long time club member and mapper Martin Bagness has been awarded the Bonington Trophy for his superb contribution to making orienteering maps for over 35 years. Martin has sought out and mapped many areas of forest, woodland, open fell and urban areas in the Lake District producing high quality maps in his distinctive readable style, making user friendly maps for everyone to enjoy, from beginners to experts. Martin’s recognition for this award is well deserved and we hope he will continue to make maps for many years to come.”
Many congratulations Martin.
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The winner of the Young Volunteer of the Year Award will be announced tomorrow (Friday 23 April) at 10am.