A team of fifteen Regular, Reserve, Veteran, and family members from the RAF Orienteering Association navigated their way to great success during the Jan Kjellstrom 22 event in South Wales, over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
The competition saw four intense days of sprinting, distance and relay running that tested their navigation skills and physical strength, across treacherous and unfamiliar terrain. Despite the lightning weather threatening to stop the Race early on, dry conditions persevered and the April sunlight made the running very tiring.
The equivalent of running alongside elite athletes such as Sir Mo Farah or Jo Pavey, in a long-distance race is rare in most sports but is not uncommon in orienteering.
Day 1 saw sprint races across Swansea University campus. The orienteers map reading skills were put to the test with its narrow passageways, canopies and uncrossable features, before they raced onto the large open fields and tight woodland paths of Singleton Park.
Day 2 and 3 tested long distance running across the vast moorlands of the Brecons Beacons and upland terrain of Pwll Du – the mining landscape boulders were difficult to navigate, demanding their delicate footwork.
Day 4 ended the competition with Relay skills across the Caerwent military training area, with a network of roads and ditches on old railway lines and broken buildings.
The full results are as follows:
Overall results after the Day 2/3
- 1st / 16 – 86:20 – Wing Commander Rachel Sullivan W40S
- 1st /8 – 110:36 – Flight Lieutenant David Jolly M45S
- 2nd / 4 – 127:46 – Ms. Elspeth Jolly W18L
- 5th /10 – 130:14 – Warrant Officer Dai Wilson M40S
- 7th / 18 - 160:55 – Sergeant Andy Barker-Pilsworth M50S
- 7th /10 – 148:20 – Chief Technician Wayne Byrne M40S
- 10th / 14 – 213:53 – Mr Anthony Barrable M75S
- 14th / 59 – 141:33 – Squadron Leader Philip Johnston-Davis M45L
- 16th / 29 – 161:26 – Ms. Esther Woods W21S
- 28th / 43 – 124:37 – Ms. Flora Jolly W16A
- 38th / 79 – 155:21 – Air Commodore Rob Woods M50L
- 73rd /109 – 171:28 – Warrant Officer Steve Collins M55L
- Missed Punch 19 Day 3 – Senior Aircraftman Thomas Jarvis M21L
Sprint Day 1 Results
- 2nd - Ms. Elspeth Jolly WOpen
- 7th - Mr Morgan Wilson String M7
- 8th - Ms. Bethan Wilson String W5
- 10th - Flight Lieutenant David Jolly M45
- 12th - Wing Commander Rachel Sullivan W40
- 14th - Mr Anthony Barrable M75
- 17th - Ms. Flora Jolly W16
- 18th - Warrant Officer Dai Wilson M40
- 23rd - Ms. Esther Woods WOpen
- 36th - Air Commodore Rob Woods M50
- 63rd - Sergeant Andy Barker-Pilsworth M50
- 68th - Warrant Officer Steve Collins M55
- 72nd - Mrs Anne Jolly W50
- 72nd - Senior Aircraftman Thomas Jarvis M21E
- Squadron Leader Philip Johnston-Davis – DQ M45
Day 4 Relay Results
Mixed Ad Hoc category (48 teams)
- 5th - Wing Commander Rachel Sullivan, Ms Esther Woods, Senior Aircraftman Tom Jarvis (Team -routing Around Fallen Orienteers)
Senior Men M120+ category (17 teams)
- 10th - Squadron Leader Phil Johnston-Davies, Chief Technician Wayne Byrne, Warrant Officer Dai Wilson (Team – Run And Fall Over)
- 15th - Air Commodore Rob Woods, Sergeant Andy Barker-Pilsworth, Warrant Officer Stevie Collins (Team – Really ArtFul Observers)
