Leinster Orienteering Championships 2010

Setanta were well represented at the Leinster Championships run by 3ROC in Carlingford, Co. Louth on Sunday 9th May. Congratulations to the 2010 Leinster Champions for their categories: Dave Weston M45, Bobby Buckley M65, Hazel Thompson W35, Maura Higgins W65, Faith White W75 and Kevin O'Riordan (or was that Shane Enright) M21S. Congratulations also to Denis Deasy 2nd M50, Roxanne White 3rd W45, Frances O'Neill 2nd W60, Claire Walsh 3rd W65. The elite categories were won by brother and sister, Seamus and Niamh O' Boyle from CNOC. See here for full results.

Carlingford is fast but steep open mountain with many complicated crag and rock features where it can be very difficult to re-orient yourself if you loose count of crags or which terrace you are on. As it has been quite dry recently the marshes weren't a significant feature. We were spoiled by another nice day as we followed the Tain Way up to the start where there were great views over Carlingford Village and Carlingford Lough below and across to the Mourne Mountains. Once out on the course it was time to forget about the views and concentrate on the map. The courses mostly zig-zagged the more northly steep area before finishing with a few controls on a fast flat grassy area. This last section caught quite a few people out. It looked like it was going to be easy but the number of different controls was very distracting. Never the less, Setanta now have a few Leinster Champions!

Results are available here, routegadget here, photographs here.