Winterfold House School – West Midlands Schools’ Orienteering Champions
08 Jun 2017
Orienteering is a fantastic sport that combines physical speed with quick thinking and decision-making. It also takes the orienteers at Winterfold House School, Chaddesley Corbett to some of the finest countryside in the region. Orienteering isn’t new to Winterfold – there has been a team in regular competition for over 12 years. The current team first came together two years ago and since then, has competed in local events; the British Schools Championships and the National Score Event. Most of the children have also practised their skills at training sessions on the Clent Hills and Hartlebury Common.
On Saturday 13th May, at Severn Valley Country Park, the Winterfold orienteers competed in the West Midlands Schools’ Championships. Having been drawn late start times, the team had the slight advantage of knowing the times and scores they needed to try and beat. Special mention should go to Louis Malanaphy and Lewis Till who having just returned from a field trip to Swanage the evening before came a very commendable 6th place in the Year 5 boys. Laura Arundale was Winterfold’s first runner home in the Year 6 girls and her time of 24 minutes 50 seconds had her leading the field with only one runner still to go; Winterfold’s own Bethan Taylor. Bethan came in 30 seconds faster, which gave Winterfold the Silver and Gold medals in this event. In the Year 6 Boys, Jackson Shepherd-Manley and Joseph Batham came third achieving a bronze medal, also in a time of 24 minutes.
As Year 7s, Charlie Clift and Oliver Weekes had to compete in the Senior Competition against older runners. Whilst they didn’t win individual medals, they both recorded crucial scoring times which gave Winterfold enough points to secure the position of overall winners in the Middle Schools and Prep Schools section for the first time.
Well done to all of the runners who took part; we look forward to building on this success at events later this year and the national events in the Autumn Term. We plan to attend an event at Clent Hills later this term which would also be ideal for any children who would like to come and have a go at this fantastic sport.