We are notifying all members of our intended Annual General Meeting date of Monday 24th June 2024 to be held online. There will be a proxy vote option for those unable to attend. We are in the process of putting together the AGM handbook to outline proposals and matters of business however we welcome any proposals from clubs/members that you wish raised at the AGM please contact our chief operating officer Nikki Howard at nikki@scottish-orienteering.org to outline any proposals or matters of business for consideration.
We are seeking election of some SOA Board members and request anyone interested in any of the positions to contact nikki@scottish-orienteering.org or speak to a member of the current Board. All role descriptions can be provided on request.
Do you know of someone who has gone above and beyond for the benefit of orienteering? The President’s Medal is handed out annually at the AGM to recognise significant contribution to the sport.
We are aware that there are plenty of people who work tirelessly within their clubs, giving hours of their time to promote the sport, but never seek recognition. We truly welcome all nominations so we ask you to ensure we hear of everyone who deserves recognition.
Anyone or any club/ organisation, other than previous winners, can be nominated even those who has been nominated previously. Nominations should be submitted by Friday 21st June.
After some of you may have had a few weekends away in Staffordshire and Yorkshire over the Easter holidays, this weekend provided the opportunity for members to test their skills at the Scottish Middle Distance Championships and the second Scottish Orienteering League (SOL) event of 2024.
First up on Saturday saw a clear day up on the Hill of Alyth providing some beautiful views over the Sidlaws to the south and over to the Grampian Mountains to the north. Tayside Orienteers (TAY) had picked a great arena which gave us plenty of opportunities to enjoy the views from assembly or for those that slowed down out on the hill to take in the view. There was fast and furious orienteering that some compared to Arthurs Seat and certainly had many wishing they had gone round rather not tried to make a path through the gorse!
The 2024 Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival is being organised by St Andrews Orienteering Club, Glasgow (STAG) and is being held at Drumpellier Country Park, Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire on Friday 7th June. This is the 27th Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival and fourth time it has been held in Drumpellier Country Park having previously being held there in 2008, 2014 and 2017.
Masterplan Adventure hosted the first Scottish Orienteering League (SOL) event of 2024 as part of their Scottish Spring Weekend. The weekend saw over 200 hardy souls test themselves against the delights of the Kintyre terrain. Masterplan Adventure provided the opportunity on Saturday for everyone to pit themselves against the knolls, boulders and crags of Torinturk for a middle distance event followed by an ultra sprint round Tarbert before the sun shone on the oak forest of Corranbuie on Sunday for the longer distance of the SOL. Sunday’s event was also the third event in the Scottish Inter-Club Championship.
Edinburgh University’s Big Weekend saw the start of this year’s Scottish Inter Club Championships at the first Scottish Orienteering Urban League (SOUL) event of 2024 in Bughtlin.
As your club controllers will be aware the BOF Rules of Foot Orienteering have been amended as of 1st January 2024 in order to bring rules into line with the IOF policy to equalise men’s and women’s winning times for all age classes. The rules can be found here https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/rules and include changes to the course which certain age classes are to run and course length ratios. Course tables in the rules have been updated to show which course each age class will now run.
Addition of new Age Class for Scottish Orienteering League
Following the amendment of the BOF rules, the SOA Board has reflected on the change to the age classes and decided that it would be appropriate for all Scottish events to adopt the changes within the new BOF rules for all Scottish Championships, Scottish Orienteering League (SOL) and Scottish Orienteering Urban League events.
However, the SOA Board considered the feedback which has previously been received from Juniors in respect of the step up for M/W16 age classes in the Scottish Orienteering League (SOL) – long distance events. Juniors and parents have previously fed back that, at a time when they are physically developing at potentially very different rates, the step up from Light Green courses (Technical Difficulty 4) in the M14 age classes to the Blue course (Technical Difficulty 5) for M16 could be very large for some juniors. The amendment of the BOF rules has meant that M16 continue to be classified as running Blue courses but W16s are classified as running Short Blue courses.
The fixtures calendar for next year has been finalised and we are very grateful to all of those clubs who have volunteered to host the key dates in the SOA calendar in 2024.Here are the dates for next year, to avoid disappointment, get them in your diary now!
One of the main skills we use when orienteering is planning. To allow you to plan for the year ahead and develop your skills we have drawn together a list of the coaching and volunteer training opportunities for the year ahead. To avoid disappointment, get them in your diary now!
Sign up forms can be found on the SOA Website and will be advertised in due course or contact suzanne@scottish-orienteering.org for more details.
Volunteer Day
Volunteer Day
Saturday 9th March
Glenmore Lodge – in person 10am to 4pm. Various sessions to be confirmed in due course.
