South Yorkshire Orienteers won this year’s Harvester Trophy, over 25 minutes ahead of second placed Edinburgh University (EUOC). The event, held by Roxburgh Reivers at Teviothead, near Hawick, and planned by John and James Tullie, started slightly earlier than usual, with both classes starting before 10pm to allow for SOL5 the next day. This meant in a change to the usual order, it was the first leg runners who got the benefit of daylight. The open hillside made for a fantastic spectacle once the daylight faded, with the spectator control offering spectactular views of headtorches bobbing across the hillside.
The first three legs saw the lead change several times, with early pace setters CLYDE jostling with EUOC for the lead. However, by the time the first fourth leg runner came home, it was SYO who were in front, with a lead they were never going to relinquish. SYO’s final time for the seven leg course was 388:25, ahead of second placed EUOC, who finished in 415:54.
In the B class, CLOK’s Ladies team beat the University of Durham and MDOC to win not only the Women’s Open but also overall winners on the B Class, finishing in 260:12 – a massive forty minutes ahead of the second and third placed teams. In the Juniors, Nottingham Orienteering Club held off Harlequins, to take the Junior Trophy, and a respectable seventh place overall in the B class.
Whilst most Roxburgh Reivers were involved in helping to run the Harvester and SOL, Roxburgh Reivers’ juniors Karen and Kirstin Maxwell did manage to get a run. Karen continued her good form, and recent win at the Scottish Schools Championships with second place on JW3, and older sister Kirstin (also a winner at the Schools Championships) won JW4, consolidating her place at the top of the league.