Juniors from West Cumberland Orienteering Club have successfully retained the Peter Palmer trophy, which they won for the first time last year.

The competition is named after one of Britain’s finest orienteering coaches and has been held annually for the last 25 years.

The competition is a relay, run over six laps, with at least two laps run by boys and two laps run by girls ranging from 12 to 18 years of age. The first runners set off at 5am.

This year the club was able to send three teams to the event.

WCOC Crummock, a team made up of Daniel Spencer, Zac Hudd, Niamh Hunter, Joe Hudd, Lily Regan, Clare Rodger, Jess Breeze and Alastair Thomas, took the overall title in impressive style, over 13 minutes ahead of their nearest rivals and recording fastest times on five of the six legs.

WCOC Buttermere, made up of Ben Breeze, Ben Goodwin, Joe Sunley, Caitlin Irving, Isabel Sunley, Emma Crawford and Louis Morris, came fifth in the overall competition but narrowly missed out on winning the Joan George trophy for younger teams.

WCOC Loweswater, made up of Rosie Spencer, Carys Thomas, Wilf Teasdale, David Rodger, Herbie Ashworth, Jonty Goodwin, Henry Teasdale and Joe Goodwin finished in a creditable 12th place out of a total of 25 teams.

There were some strong runs, in difficult conditions, from senior club members in the Border Liners Event on the slopes of High Pike near Mosedale.

Michael Billinghurst took the win on the 6.1km blue course, with teammate John Noblett in second. Kate Charles was first female in 10th.

Howard Leslie was third on the 4.8km green course; with Margaret McKenzie first lady, just ahead of teammate Susan Skinner and, on the yellow course, Tommy Hardy was second.

The autumn series began with an event around Allonby.

Despite atrocious weather almost 40 runners ran either the 3.46km long course or 2.18km short course.

Competition on the long course was tight but junior Joe Hudd triumphed over clubmate Daniel Spencer by nine seconds and Niamh Hunter was less than two minutes behind in third.

Michael Billinghurst was the first senior runner, finishing in fifth, and Caitlin Pearson was first senior lady finishing 14th.

On the short course, the win went to Brett Malloy, with Alice Kemp and Nathan Kempin second and third.

In the coming weeks there are a series of slightly easier, sprint-like events which are ideal for families and those new to the sport.

For further information visit www wcoc.co.uk