Scotjos Development Weekend, Feb 2010-Scottish Orienteering

Scotjos Development Weekend, Feb 2010

The Scottish Junior Squad held their first training event of the year last weekend. Accommodation was in Pitlochry Youth Hostel and training took plsce at Faskally on Saturday and The Hermitage (Dunkeld) on Sunday. With heavy snow throughout Scotland last week and many roads closed, cancellation of the weekend was on the cards, and the decision was only made to go ahead on Friday evening with the improving weather forecast and the opening of most of the main roads.

Only 3 juniors were prevented from making the journey due to the poor conditions, and a total of 35 juniors and 12 coaches arrived in Pitlochry in time for a successful afternoon’s training. The Scotjos 2010 members were joined by an additional group of promising younger juniors not yet in the Squad. Most of the juniors trained in Faskally, but due to this area being embargoed for the Junior European Cup in September, the oldest group did race training in Blackspout Wood.

There was little snow in Pitlochry, but there was a significant amount a few miles south at The Hermitage where a snowball fight formed part of the warm-up. The juniors worked very hard, and a good morning’s training in the snowy conditions was followed by a two-person relay race which was won by new squad members Briony Kincaid and Chris Galloway.

Thanks are due to the drivers who ensured that everyone got safely there and back from all parts of Scotland, and to the coaches who worked hard to make the weekend a success.