Autumn League #3: Currabinny Wood Results and Report

Post date: Sep 12, 2012 11:43:23 PM

The third event in the Cork Orienteering Club Autumn League took place on Tuesday evening in Currabinny Wood. With darkness setting in that bit earlier now in the evenings the field of 56 competitors took full advantage of the bright evening and despite a little bit of drizzle they got to enjoy some fun adventures on the hillock that is Currabinny. It was fantastic to see so many families entered on the Short course among them were the Powers, Lynchs, Bosonnets, Daunts and O’Mahonys. Some of these very young orienteers were eager to hear the beeps at the control sites! The Long course on the night had a total of fifteen controls and the course took entrants up and down various sides of the famed Currabinny hill. The planner made great use of the areas of forest run on the map and traversing this terrain was most enjoyable. The planner also included lots of changes in direction on the course and offered contestants plenty of route choice. Numerous legs seemed to entice participants to attempt to go direct to the next control, in particular legs 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10. However, this straight line approach may not have always been the most efficient and often sticking to the paths proved more advantageous in the long run. Well down to the business of results and the fastest individual around the Long course was Brian Corbett who completed the testing course in a time of 34:58. Brian had a winning margin of just fourteen seconds over second place finisher John Scannell. John was one of the first out at the event and set the early pace on the Long course with a time of 35:12. Brian’s win also denied Dermot O’Sullivan the hat-trick of wins in the Autumn League and Dermot had to be content with third place this week with a time of 36:40. These results ensure the league title and bragging rights are still up for grabs at next Tuesday’s event! The fastest lady around Currabinny was local resident Ailbhe Creedon who finished the course with a time of 40:54. This impressive run also saw her finish eighth overall on the Long course. The second lady home was Trishia O’Mahony with at time of 46:32 and Eibhlin Cleary claimed the final podium spot completing the course in a time of 49:39.

On the Short course the Bosonnet family were back to their winning ways and made it a one-two for the family. Joe finished first with a time of 19:40 and Sienna took second place with a time of 20:34. The hills didn’t seem to slow these guys down. Third place went to Aoife O’Sullivan who finished with at time of 27:50.

There were eight entries on the Trail course this week and the taxing 8km course required entrants to complete two laps of a circuit which took in some of the lovely running trails in the forest but also necessitated a climb from the lower trail on the south-western section of the map right to the top of the hill. It certainly was a physical course and the honours this week went to Conor Tierney who finished with a time of 46:21. Pat Murphy having used the Long orienteering course as a warm-up took second place on the trails course with a time of 55:48. Meanwhile Fiona Craven continues to show her consistent trail running form with yet another top three finish, this week she claimed third place with a time of 59:35.

Full individual results and splits are available here.

This week the club would like to extend a BIG THANK YOU to Dermot Gallagher who planned some great courses. This was Dermot's first time planning an orienteering event and I’m sure you would all agree he did a fantastic job. So thanks again Dermot you efforts were very much appreciated. Thanks also to Marie Therese Brady for taking care of registration and Gerald Duffy for assisting with organising the event and control collection.

If anyone else would like to gain an appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes at our events please do get in touch as we are always keen to get new people involved.