Launch of POC at Kilkenny Castle

Well done to all those who completed courses today at Kilkenny Castle. There was a great range from beginners to experts and old timers, from 5 year olds from the Marble city to scouts from Kells, from local Cats to the men and women from the short grass county (Kildare) and the Deise to the Rebels.
We have waited many years to get permission to use Kilkenny Castle and were delighted with the response from the Mayor who launched a new permanent orienteering course in the Castle grounds and the OPW who put in the stakes.

A huge thanks to Pat Healy  and Gary Gordon who between them helped cut through the red tape. Pat was busy this morning drilling on plaques for the POC whilst I was setting out the long, medium and short courses for the punters.
Huge thanks to all the OPW staff for their help. Thanks to Angela on registration and Laura on computer for helping ensure everyhthng went off smooothly.

Special mention to Veronica Purcell who noticed the first control on the short course was in the wrong location...anybody else? A  fuller report and pictures will follow.

Short course series final standings

The final standings for the SE Short course series are below. Congratulations to Ian McHardy who had a fine run in Kilkenny Castle to win the long section overall. Prizes for 1st and 2nd in each section plus leaidng Long female

Short course	Best 4 from 7 events	Points	Average
1.	Jordan Pim*	5783	1446
2.	Finlay McHardy*	4140	1380
Medium Course	Best 4 from 6 events
1.	Sue Pim*	4339	1085
2.	Liisa Honkasaari*	4052	1351
3.	Jeni Pim	3754	1251
Long Course	Best 4 from 7 events
1.	Ian McHardy*	4887	1222
2.	Andrew Pim*	4816	1187
3.	Robert Pim	4775	1167
4.	Jonathan Pim	4725	1107
5.	Nigel Pim	4427	1077
6.	Brid Casey (best female)*	4385	1096

Maintaining direction

An excellent offering from the NIOA Coaching corner with Compass training exercises. For instance alternating zig zags left and right to avoid oversteer in one direction when running round objects through a forest...here.

Last Short course series event

The last Autumn short course series event takes place on December 8th at Kilkenny Castle. We will use the side entrance on Castle road. Please note that Registration will take place outside the grounds.
Current league standings can be found to the left of this blog under results.

On the Long course, it is a straight shoot out between the Pims. Andrew currently leads the way with 4816 points from best 4 events, followed by Jonathan Pim  (4725), Robert Pim (4687) and Nigel Pim (4324)  . Ian McHardy has 3741 points but needs to complete one more event. Brid Casey has the Ladies section sown up.

The Medium course is more variable as people switch between course lengths. Currently, Sue Pim leads with3267 points from 3 events. Liisa Honkasaari (2899), Jeni Pim (2615) and Frank Fogarty (2523)  have only 2 events completed so all to play for.

Jordan Pim (5783 points) has already won the Short course but who will be second? It is battle between Finlay McHardy (2817), Emma Pim (2778) and Aislinn Callery (2295)

Kilkenny Castle Permanent course launch

The grounds of Kilkenny Castle will be the venue on December 8^th when a new permanent orienteering course will be launched by kind permission of the OPW.
The map has been surveyed by Pat Healy at 1;5,000.
The official launch by the Mayor will take place at 12 and will be followed by the final autumn short series race organised by WATO. 4 courses will be on offer: Long course 5.3 km and 25 controls; Medium course 4.0 km and 20 controls; Short course 2.6 km and 18 controls; and an additional Short/tracks only, for those with reduced mobility, which will be 1.7 km and 11 controls. All are welcome, young or old to come and try out this inclusive sporting activity. Anyone who is bringing a group should contact wato2@eircom.net to ensure there are enough maps. Maps will be printed by Print 5.
Only a 10 minute walk from the rail station and close to MacDonagh junction shopping centre, combine shopping with your day out. Parking on the Castle road side of the grounds.

Overwhelmed at JFK

Not the assassin's bullet (that was November 22nd, 1963) but over 400 assorted beavers, cubs and scouts from all over County Wexford who descended on the Kennedy Arboretum where the  ancestors of the former President of the USA came from.
A range of courses were on offer. Control 201 which was the first one on the long course proved particularly confusing for many who punched 204 instead by the pond. Apologies to those who had to wait for si cards as we had not expected such a huge turnout. Results are posted on the left side of this blog.

Short course race 5 at Kilbarry

Results for the short course race 5 at Kilbarry are now posted. I have tidied up the results section on the blog so that you can see league results for last 5 years alongside recent race results.

Short O league

The current standings of the short course series after 4 events can be found here. Best 4 of 7 to count.

The recent sprint race results for Carriganore have been updated due to errors in control times. Only minor changes.

Autumn review

The next short course event will be held at at Kilbarry Amenity park on Sunday 10th November with starts from 11 to 12.30.Parking and registration from the RSC side/football stand side NOT Kingfisher as there is not enough parking the

The event down for November 24th at Tower Hill has been changed for a variety of reasons, to facilitate Wexford scouts and to avoid issues with Coillte licences until after they are sorted by the IOA. There will instead be an event at Kennedy Park on November 17th with start times between 12 and 1.30. There will also be an event at Kilkenny Castle on a new map on December 8th.

A one-day Controllers Course is being held on Saturday 16 November in Newbridge, Kildare, and will run from 9.30am to 5.00pm. It is being led by Graham Nilsen who was the author of the British Orienteering Course Planning book that was first published in 1995 and updated in 2006. Graham was Controller for Day 3 of JK 2011 at Slieve Croob, and was the leader of the IOA Planning Workshop in 2012. If anyone is interested, contact Aine Joyce in the IOA.

We are hosting a First Aid course run by Denise Kelly on 11th and 12th November at Pims Business centre from 6.30 to 9.30 each evening. If you are interested, I must have confirmation by Friday at the latest to 0872229677.
Congratulations to Wato members who competed at the Connacht Championships at Newcastle Demesne, Ballymahon, County Longford.
M16: Robert Pim 1st, Jonathan Pim 2nd; M45 Andrew Pim 2nd; M55 Andrew Cox 2nd; W21s Laura Cox 2nd; W45 Liisa Honkasaari 1st
Also at the Munster Championships held at Toureen wood, County Tipperary
M16 Conall Whelan 3rd; M40 Ian McHardy 3rd; W10 Aislinn Callery 2nd; w45 Liisa Honkasaari 2nd; W21N Brigid Coffey 2nd

Wato members representing their country

Neil Dobbs was first into action as he represented Ireland at the World Championships in Finland. He is currently ranked 287 and you can look at his full profile here. This is the level to which all our young club members can aspire.

Rob training at Oughterard

Next into action was Robert Pim who represented Ireland at the Junior Home Internationals in a wet and windy Wales.

the JHI squad in Wales

and  finally the Veterans Home Internationals where the club was represented by Sue Pim, Jeni Pim and Andrew Cox

Deise Days postscript

true sprint racing

 Waterford was invaded by a small but elite band of Junior squad members plus their mentors and a return to Inter varsity training.

A huge thanks to Danny O'Hare and Ruth Lynam who put together some excellent training exercises on the Coumshingaun map on Saturday morning. Thanks to the support team of mentors and shadows who facilitated the various line following, star and control picking exercises in true wet mountain weather. Some of the shorter (oops younger) competitors found the vegetation head high in places.

In the afternoon there were sprint races with varying degree of gaffling and loops at the WIT sports campus in sunny mild conditions. Josh O'Sullivan Hourihan narrowly pipped Conor Short on the long course.
Emer Perkins beat all on the short course ahead of Clodagh Moran and Eadoin McKavanagh. Full results here.
Thanks to Laura and Angela Cox for their help in running the event. The planner got locked in behind the barrier whilst bringing in controls and had to call for help.
 Those staying the Beach Haven hostel were served up a feast for dinner by Jeni and Nigel Pim. The weekend is worthwhile for this alone.

start of sprint

Around 30 enthusiastic torched up runners took to the sand dunes in Tramore in the evening only to be foiled by a thunderstorm of epic waterfall proportions. Eventually it was decided for health and safety reasons to call the event off. Apologies to all those who were looked forward to the mysteries of John Casey's planned courses. Thanks to John and Ian who battled the elements to bring back in the controls.

my car needed a good wash!

On Sunday, the weather could not decide what it was going to do....eventually deciding that each group of runners should be throroughly drenched at some stage. The Munster League event at Mahon Falls lived up to its reputation for crags and boulders that vary in size and tend to move.

Apologies to anyone who had difficulty with 259. I allowed it if you missed it due to debate about its true position. Fortunately it was not on the blue course!  The younger and less experienced competitors found the going technical. Yet there very few non finishers. Thanks to the planner Pat O'Connor for devising the devious control locations, especially 229 and 233 which stumped/slowed down many people. Thanks also to Thomas Callery and Andrew Pim for putting out and collecting controls; to Norman Storey on parking;

visibility starting to worsen

to Elizabeth Storey for doing registration; and to Aislinn Callery for helping on download.

Congratulations to Eoin McCullough on his fine run on the brown course ahead of Conor Short and Rob McEvoy. Andrew Pim won out on the blue course ahead of John Scannel and James Haynes. Zac O'Sullivan Hourihan was an excellent winner of the Green course ahead of Jim Callnan and Ailbhe Creedon. Ruairi Long took the Light green course ahead of Emer Perkins and Dara O'Clerigh. The Orange course was used for training by the less experienced DUO members and was won by Jana Cox who shadowed her peers. Finally, AislinnCallery took the yellow course. Well done to all who completed courses

Full results here

...and to everyone who turned up. I hope you all enjoyed the weekend despite the weather.

Deise Days weekend

Orienteering for all abilities, all terrains and all weather...welcome to Deise Days.

On Saturday 19th, the MOA (Munster Orienteering Association) invite young orienteers between 14 and 16 to join Danny O'Hare for a coaching session between 11 and 1 at Coumnshingaun in the Comeragh mountains. This is aimed at those who already have basic skills and interest but would like to develop them further. If interested, please contact Andrew Cox (wato2@eircom.net) by Thursday.

At 4 p.m. join us at Carriganore, WIT sports Campus for the first round of the Third level Sprint race series.
There will 4 long courses with gaffling to encourage direct competition between competitors. Length 3.7 km There will be 2 short courses with no gaffling. Length 2.5 km.


A night O event will be available for experienced orienteers in Tramore sand dunes with assembly at 9 p.m. at the carpark. Bring a good head torch.

On Sunday 20th October, Wato will host the next round of the Munster League at Mahon Falls with start times between 11 and 1. Course lengths to follow but usual Brown to Yellow courses.
Anyone who is intending to bring a group to any of the events must let the club know if advance to ensure enough maps are printed.

Highbank pictures

 

Some pix from Come and Try it session run by Pat Healy and Eileen Loughnam at Highbank Orchard at the end of the Kilkenny Trails Festival. Great family day out. Well done to all concerned. Results can be found as a page on this blog.

Surf and Sea Festival

The next local orienteering event will be held at Tramore sand dunes on Sunday 29th September. This will be the 3rd in our autumn short course series. Start times between 11 and 1.30. Suitable for all ages. Please let us know if you are bringing a group to ensure enough maps.

This event is being held as part of the Surf and Sea Festival. Check out their website to find out what else is going on here.

.....and for those of you who like running in the mud (and at night) join the:

Comeragh's Wild Full Moon Trail Run - Friday September 20th @ 7.30pm

A twist on the usual Trail Run Events with participants venturing out in the DARK! Brave the river trails and woods of Kilmacthomas with only the light of your headlamp and the full moon to guide you. Experience just how wild the County Waterford countryside can be!

Following on from the success of the ACHIEVE Summer Series of Trail Run events in 2013, the Full Moon Trail Run which is part of the Comeragh's Wild festival of events in September. The event will be a mass start event and will start in the Park in Kilmacthomas. It will run over the existing course and will be 5km long. Only the start and finish will be lit, with participants navigating the remainder of the course with headlamps which are compulsory as are Hi-Vis Vests.

Woodstock wanders

The second short course series race took place at Woodstock gardens, County Kilkenny. A small but enthusiastic crowd competed. Full results are posted on this blog under results.
Thanks to Jana for all her help on registration and download. Thanks to Pat for printing the map.
Times appeared longer than expected due to the subtle climb and variable representation of path width.

Woodstock event

The event planned for 22nd September at Woodstock Gardens now takes place on September 15th at usual times. Thanks to Kilkenny County Council for permission to use the area.

Short course series starts at Kennedy Park

Well done to all those who took part yesterday. Thanks to Jana and Laura for their help on registration and start. The splits times may be a little out due the control that had to moved due to the Vintage car rally and 2 of the units need checking after the summer recess. The new super fast Si cards do not register properly either so another one for the computer gurus. Thanks to Jana for the pictures.

Full results in the results section.