Ramblers Orienteering Club Meet

Maisonneuve Park — May 8, 2005

The weather was perfect and the fresh greenery of Spring made it a magnificent day to enjoy Orienteering. 117 people – young and not-so-young – took part, including 38 Cégep students from Dawson College, Physical Education Dept.

There were two separate courses, using a total of 19 controls. When run non-stop the combined distance of 7.0 km formed the “Long” course. 74 percent of the “starts” opted for this course.

It was the first time in this park that we had used punches, attached to trees by plastic ties. It does save competitors from having to carry a pencil, but it also adds time and effort in setting up – and taking down afterwards.

Amonst the participants were a great many new faces. Several family groups took part, often with young children. Ryan Jones (10) looked great in his Swedish orienteering suit. It was his and his family’s first occasion to participate at an O-meet in Canada. Running unaccompanied, Ryan placed an impressive 4^th on the Short Course. We will keep an eye on this rising young star !

Stéphane Côté turned in a strong performance on the Long course, completing the 7 kilometers, at the sub 6-minutes-per-kilometer pace, of 41 minutes. Francis Lambert and Jean-François Gagné placed 2^nd and 3^rd. Yee Fun Wong was the top woman with a time of just under 70 minutes.

Nicolas Morin was an easy winner of the Short course, completing the 3.67 km in 26:10. Glenn Wight and daughter, Sara (14) were 2^nd (40:33) and Therese Jones and daughter, Anna-Karin (8) were 3^rd (44:40).

My thanks to Gloria, for all her work at Registration. And to Micheline Leger and Yee Fun Wong for assisting in this respect. Dawson teacher, Kathy Morrison, also provided critical help in recording at the Start/Finish.

Ramblers members:

We need to see more of you helping in these tasks at future meets !!

John