Last updated 20:04, Thursday, 16 October 2008

WEST Cumberland Orienteering Club’s Mhairi Mackenzie dominated the ladies’ open class at the City of London orienteering race.

Mackenzie completed the 6.1km course around the heart of London finding 22 controls in 39.56, over a minute clear of the rest.

Four hundred competitors from across the UK and Europe descended on the square mile for London’s first, and Britain’s largest, urban orienteering event.

This event in the heart of London had captured the imagination of experienced competitors and newcomers alike. Around a fifth of the 400 participants were newcomers to the sport, while some competitors travelled from as far afield as Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, helping make this the largest ever race of its kind in the UK.

London provided Mackenzie with a stark contrast to normal orienteering races, as she ran through historic alleyways and past dramatic architecture, ranging from the towering skyscrapers of major corporations to the labyrinthine walkways of the Barbican estate, not to mention iconic landmarks such as Bank, St Paul's Cathedral and the Gherkin, before finishing at the Broadgate Arena.

l The regular Thursday evening park race was held at the Solway Coastal Park south of Maryport. In cool and cloudy conditions the juniors out-sprinted the opposition to dominate the long course.

Chris Brand-Barker secured his third win of the series and took the long course title.

In the poor light Andrew Bradley, after a mistake on the night, had to settle for joint overall second with Graham Hemingway.

Charlotte Watson had done enough earlier in the series to secure her overall first lady title. Watson had to miss the race because she was on international duty at the European Youth Championships in Switzerland (see back page story). Rosie Watson, after a strong performance on the night, secured an overall second place.

On the short course Esther Moore took the overall ladies’ title with another consistent performance. Matthew Whitehurst had a great win on the short, but second-placed Sam Pagett had done enough to take the overall title.

The night series begins in November when the clocks change. The early venues give the opportunity to try night navigation on relatively easy terrain.

Navigating in the dark with a torch is a very exciting challenge – finding the control marker beside the feature after careful navigation gives a great sense of achievement.

And the Spook-O will be held at Whinlatter on October 30. Details on the web. Details of the various venues can be found on the website www.wcoc.co.uk and on the answerphone 01768 895539.

Maryport results - Long: 1 Chris Brand-Barker 17.33; 2 Graham Hemingway 18.31; 3 Lewis Taylor 19.16; 4 Alistair Arnott 21.30; 5 Rosie Watson 21.54; 6 David Downes 21.59; 7 Tony Brand-Barker 22.33; 8 Roger Jackson 22.57; 9 Steve Breeze 23.19; 10 Howard Leslie 23.43.

Short: 1 Matthew Whitehurst 13.49; 2 Sam Pagett 14.03; 3 Jonathan Waite 15.36; 4 Philip Jennings 15.41; 5 Esther Moore 17.00; 6 Oliver Whitehurst 17.47; 7 Thomas Howis 17.57; 8 Matthew Armstrong 18.00; 9 Luke Ely 18.05; 10 Matthew Whitby 18.48.