Esher Scouts win the SN Junior League 2015-16
Esher Scouts Orienteering Club have won the Southern Navigators’ 2015-16 Junior League. This is the first time that the club – associated with South London Orienteers – has won in the thirty years of the series. The win is particularly notable as the trophy has been shared between two schools for 19 of the last 20 years!
Esher Scouts celebrating their win in the Southern Navigators Saturday Series 2015-16.
The team of scouts from ten groups in the Elmbridge District of southwest London had wrapped up the competition ahead of the final round, but individual trophies were decided at the final event, with three going to orienteers in their first season.
Thomas from Oxshott came second in the B7 category.
Thomas – SLOW’s reigning junior champion – and Benedict from 1st Oxshott came second and third respectively in the B7 class for boys in year 7 and under. Thomas had led the competition for much of the series, but was narrowly beaten into second place by winner Hamish by only five points out of nearly 800.
Benedict receives his trophy for third place in B7.
Idris from 1st Hinchley Wood won the Alex Lane trophy for most improved runner during the series, and achieved fourth place in the B7 category, meaning ESOC took second, third and fourth places.
Idris receiving the Alex Lane trophy.
Special mention should go to William from 1st Claygate who missed out on third place in the B8/9 category by one point, to Nathan of 1st Oxshott who was competing for his school Claremont Fan Court rather than ESOC.
Over 30 scouts turned out during the course of the series. The scouts’ orienteering will continue with a set of one-off events through the summer and the Saturday series will resume in September.
Photos courtesy of Clinton Askew, Oxshott Scouts