Last updated 19:44, Thursday, 19 June 2008

WEST Cumberland Orienterring Club’s Mhairi Mackenzie took her team to fourth in the massive Venla orienteering relay race in Finland.

Many British runners take part in this event, and Mackenzie ran third leg for her other, Norwegian-based, club.

Mackenzie ran her 5.6km course in 40.50, maintaining fourth place. She was 16th fastest from all runners on that leg through the highly technical terrain and was the top placed GB runner in the women’s race.

The forests are very extensive, with very complex contour detail, making navigation a real test of skill.

The leading teams are given GPS units, which transmit their position around the forest as they race the course.

A massive screen in the assembly area shows the progress of the leading runners on the map of the area.

Runners making better route choices can be clearly seen to gain advantage, overtaking other teams.

With 971 teams of four runners in the women’s event, and a mass start of first leg runners, it is the largest relay event in the world.

Held in Tampere, Finland it attracted over 14,000 competitors this year.

The men’s race has teams of seven and starts at 11pm, with many of the legs run in the dark. A mass start of 1,400 first leg runners with head torches is quite a sight.