Yukoners show-off orienteering skills at North American championships

Four Yukoners traveled to Onondaga and Oswego counties in central New York State this past weekend to compete at the 2008 North American Championships and extend their orienteering season.

Four Yukoners traveled to Onondaga and Oswego counties in central New York State this past weekend to compete at the 2008 North American Championships and extend their orienteering season.
Approximately 400 competitors took part in the biannual event.
Competing in the M17-20 age category were Colin Abbott and Lee Hawkings.
A student at Carleton University in Ottawa, Abbott had a disappointing weekend due to a bike accident suffered the night before he left for the competition. Although he tried to compete he was forced to withdraw due to a badly swollen toe which reduced his usual amazing speed to a hobble.
Seventeen year old Hawkings put together a string of consistent results against one of the toughest fields of recent years. Last Friday,  the Sprint competition consisted of two races in which the times were combined to decide the winner.

Finishing fourth in the 2.1 km race and third in the 3.5 km race Hawking’s combined times earned him a bronze medal.
The map used was in a park area and was a mix of fields, disc golf course, trails and forested areas. Hawkings stated “I was quite pleased with my result as Sprints aren’t usually my best event.“
On Saturday the Middle Distance races were held.
The ability to make rapid route choice decisions characterize a successful middle distance runner. 
Over the 5.1 km course Hawkings made a few, little mistakes which he felt lost him three or four minutes and resulted in a consistent fourth place finish.
The long Classic Distance races were held Sunday. Hawkings described the map used for this event as a very detailed map with many small features. The terrain was open with good visibility as most of the leaves were on the ground. The ability to follow an accurate compass bearing was a valuable skill.
The first part of the race went very well for Hawkings as he commented that by control 11 he was only seven seconds behind the winner.
Unfortunately an error near the 12th control cost him at least 10 minutes, in which he spent some time in a swamp as he relocated.
Hawkings stated: “I was really proud that I was able to refocus and come back from such a disastrous mistake.“
Despite being extremely tired at this point in the race Hawkings managed to make up some of the time and finished in sixth place.
Competing in the Elite Women’s category Pam James also had consistent results on the weekend. A 7th place in the Sprint, fifth in the Middle Distance and 12th in the Classic Event.
Juri Peepre was competing in the Mens 55 category and was pleased to turn in some of his best results of the year, earning a bronze in the Sprint and silvers in both the Middle and Classic distances.
The next North American Championships will be held in July 2010 in the Kootenay region of British Columbia. More great Yukon results will be expected then.
Story provided by Barbara Scheck, president of the Yukon Orienteering Association.