2026 JK Long – all four seasons in one day
Scottish orienteers showed real determination to ensure that the 2026 Jan Kjellstrom Festival Long race went ahead, and were rewarded as 33 of their countrymen (and women) claimed overall medals after two days of hard racing.
A deep coating of overnight snow greeted the volunteers who were on hand early to set up at Rannoch Forest, and the arena looked like something from the recent Winter Olympics. The medium range weather forecast was for blizzards (and blue skies!) and those with long memories were reminded of the 1998 JK in Wales, where the Elite courses had to be abandoned due to the starts being cut off by snow.
Event co-ordinator Jon Cross and his team worked wonders to ensure the courses were ready for action, and had everything licked into shape to start on time and without a hitch, and it’s to their credit that the race was able to take place.
There was once again Scottish dominance in the 21E classes, with all six podium athletes from north of the border. Euan Tryner (EUOC) is the new M21E champion, as he was done and dusted in 102.32 off the second-last start, as overnight leader Simon Harden elected not to race. Matthew Gooch (MAROC) battled hard, but was already 80 seconds adrift by the 2nd control, and finished in 104.26, and Charlie Rennie was 3rd (107.35) in the navy and green of EUOC.
Naimh Hunter (AROS) bided her time, and pounced on a mispunch from the course leader with four to go, to run in for a victory in 105.17. Eilidh Campbell (MAROC) took the silver medal in 111.25, and INT’s Mairi Eades got up late to come home in 120.45 for bronze.
The younger Elite classes saw an EUOC double in M20E, with James Hammond 1st and Michael Bishenden 2nd, while in M18E, TAY’s Finn Selmer Duguid has the silver medal, with Finlay McLuckie (MOR) taking the bronze. Ruth Gooch won W20E for MAROC, and INVOC;s Iona Scott came away with W18E silver,
The junior medallists feature eight Scotland-based athletes, as ESOC celebrated a W10A double, with Ingrid Edenbrandt and Kirsten Tinsley in the first two places, and there was also double podium success in W12A, for Freya Carter (INVOC) who’s the champion, and Harriet Ross (MOR) who was 3rd and in W14A, where Hannah Inman (FVO) and Emma Daley (ESOC) occupied the two two places. The junior medals were rounded off with a silver in W16A for Lucy Ward (INT) and an M16A bronze for FVO’s James Edward.
The Veteran Men’s challenge was led by 2000 Elite champion Andy Kitchin (INT), who took the M60L silver thus time, and by FVO’s Will Hensman, who has the M45L silver with Daniel Gooch (MAROC – M55L), Rob Parkinson (MOR – M70L) and Dave McQuillen (SOLWAY – M80L) all finishinhg the weekend with bronze medals.
And there are no fewer than eight Scottish-based Vet Women in the silverware, as Claire Ward (INT) won W45L, and was joined on the top step by Alison Cunningham (FVO) in W60L. Hazel Dean (FVO) won W60L silver, as did clubmate Kirsty Bryan-Jones in W55L, as well as STAG’s Alison Campbell (W35L) and Kirsten Strain (AROS) and there was still space for Mary Williams to make it three generations of her family amongst the medals as she picked up W75L bronze.
Photo Credits: Wendy Carlyle