Dead heat in Burley-in-Wharfedale orienteering race

Last Wednesday, the night orienteering race around the streets of Burley-in-Wharfedale, saw a dead heat between Leeds City runner Peter Branney and Airienteer’s Leon Foster. Leon would have won by a clearly margin had he not incurred time penalties due to the long finish leg.

The increasingly popular urban format of the sport, which replaces streams, gullies and pits with lampposts and postboxes as sites for checkpoints, still requires a high level of fitness and navigational skills as well as quick decision making to choose the fastest route.

Joyce Marshall, from Burley, took advantage of local knowledge to finish third overall and first lady, a mere 10 points behind the winners.

Top junior was Guiseley’s Joe Woodley who held joint fourth place with Shipley’s Chris Burden and Eldwick’s Dave Armstrong.

Other Airienteers results (position in brackets) were:

Nick Jones (7), Howard Sawyer (8), David Alcock and Steve Webb (10=), Alan Parker and Ian Furlong (14=), Carol White (16), Nigel Hulley (17), Helen Anthony (20), Chris & Angie Hulley (22), Robert Gatenby (22), Faye Pinker (24).

The next orienteering race will be held on Wednesday 25 January at Beckett’s Park in Headingley with registration between 6.30 and 7pm. More details at www.aire.org.uk