At this stage in the year we would normally be opening the SOA club development fund for a first round of applications to help support the development of grassroots orienteering.

The SOA Board wishes to express their thanks to club committees and members for their speedy adoption of the suspension of orienteering events and activities and also for the enthusiasm shown in creating and sharing other avenues for keeping some focus on orienteering.

Congratulations to Sheila Reynolds our outgoing SCORE editor who bagged a 2019 CompassSport Newsletter Award with her final edited issues.

It has become inevitable with the ongoing spread of Covid-19 and subsequent Government measures to help control the outbreak, including school closures, that we need to cancel the 2020 edition of the Scottish Schools’ Orienteering Festival.

Information on changes to the planned programme for ScotJOS and selections for the JIRCS, JHIs and next year’s squad is now available on the Junior Squad page

We may not be able to get out orienteering, but we hope to publish a puzzle with an orienteering theme each day.

Hope you enjoy the first puzzle

All puzzles will now be available from the Puzzles and Challenges page of the SOA website at https://www.scottish-orienteering.org/resources/puzzles-and-challenges/

At a press briefing yesterday, following a COBRA meeting, Boris Johnston stated that ‘now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel.’

Congratulations to the following who are crowned as Scottish Middle Distance Champions following the event at Gleneagles last Saturday.

Edinburgh MapRun Workshop Postponed

Due to the raised level of concern about the spread of coronavirus we have taken the decision to postpone the MapRun workshop planned for this Wed (18th Mar) in Edinburgh.

In the meantime, the MapRun app offers an excellent way of getting out to take part in orienteering on your own. There are already a good number of courses set up around the country with maps available for download here. Anyone that would like to see some more courses in their local area should contact Sarah Dunn who would be delighted to help individuals get started with setting up courses. Please get in touch by emailing sarah@scottish-orienteering.org if you would like some support with this.

The last few days have been challenging for many areas and aspects of society, including sport. At the Scottish Orienteering Association we have been closely following the situation, ahead of us issuing a statement on our website on Friday.