UK Orienteering League, which starts this weekend

The UK Orienteering League (UKOL) is a series of high-quality races to find the top competitors in each age class over the course of a season, comprising of a variety of course and terrain types. In addition to the individual competition there is a club team competition based on the 15 best individual club members’ total scores as follows:

3 from classes M/W 16 to M/W 21,
3 from classes M/W 35 to M/W 45,
3 from classes M/W 50 to M/W 55,
3 from classes M/W 60+,
plus any 3 additional scores.

The 2023 season starts with a double-header race weekend in the New Forest. On Saturday evening, 18th February, the first race in the UKOL is the British Night Championships, hosted by Wimborne Orienteers at Moors Valley Country Park. That's followed on Sunday by a Southamption OC Regional event at Long Beech, in the heart of the New Forest, at which over 350 competitors will race.

A week later, the UKOL season continues with another pair of events, in the Derbyshire Peak District. On Saturday 25th February Derwent Valley hosts a Regional Middle distance event at Birchen Edge. Last used in 2019, it's an area with a lot of complex rock detail and a mix of woodland and open moorland. That's followed on the Sunday by a South Yorkshire Orienteers National event on Burbage Moor, which is also the Northern Championships.

Thanks to all the clubs that are hosting the UKOL races this season. There are 25 races in total between February and November, and the best 8 scores will be used to determine the winners. More information about the first four UKOL races, and the UK Orienteering League, can be found at the links below.

Martin Ward, SYO

UKOL Coordinator.

UK Orienteering League: https://www.ukorienteeringleague.org.uk/

WIM British Nights: https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/british_night

SOC Regional Event: https://southampton-orienteers.org.uk/index.php/event/2023/02/19/new-forest-scolswol

DVO Regional Middle Event: https://derwentvalleyorienteers.org.uk/event/birchen-edge-saturday-25-february-2023/

SYO National Event: https://www.southyorkshireorienteers.org.uk/events/event/880-northern-championships

Pictures: Birchen Edge terrain - plenty of rock detail!