Nopesport

AS the final British runners are still out in the forest the winners of the 2005 O Ringen are basking in their successes after a challenging last day of competition. Today´s forest was a surprisingly mixed batch, with typical small complex hills separated by marshes and very tricky flat areas at the start, then White Rose style windblown mud and green in the middle. By the last two kilometres most courses entered an area of flat land criss crossed by paths, not altogether dissimilar to some of the army terrain found in Southern England. Quick switching of skills was needed, and those that pulled up the places tended to do so in the complex areas at the beginning where others faltered, or by turning on the speed in the final sections of the course. Those who left it to a sprint finish found the going incredibly tough, as the last hundred metres of the run in was on very loose sand.

Not at all surprisingly Joy Hodkinson was the outright victor in D10, winning by thirty seconds today, being crowned the winner and getting an interview on the big screen as she finished. A fantastic week for Joy, she finished a whole six minutes ahead of second place after keeping her head in today´s tricky path network. It was also a great day for Rhsy Findlay Robinson, taking the fastest time on H20L by fourty five seconds and pulling himself into the bronze medal position, only fifteen seconds behind Johan Andersson of OK Orinto. Rebecca Roberts kept her cool under pressure today to come into seventh position in a very close run race. Ivor Noot continued his upward trend to take eight place in H65, whilst a disqualification and nail biting sprint finish (I lost!) led to ninth for Becky Carlyle in D21L. After being in the top twenty for most of the week Roy Malley of Tyne OK cemented his place in H75, finishing in 14th position.

A top run from Hector Haines in H16 today pulled him smoothly into twenty ninth overall despite some faltering early on in the week. Alice Butt of Sarum was the sixth fastest around her course today, pulling herself up to fourty fourth overall in D15.

In the elite races Matt Speake had a better run on today´s long course, and just sneaked inside the top twenty, taking the middle nineteenth position in a pack of three runners in H21E. Claire Ward was unable to manage this herself, running alone at the end of the course into twenty sixth position. Having had a mixed week, Rose Hodkinson was top Brit overall in D18E, a top half run today pulling her into fifty ninth overall. After being the leading Brit since day two, Doug Tullie had a shocking run today, dropping him into sixty third position overall, but still half an hour ahead of the second Brit, Dave Schorah in seventy ninth.

And how about the other Nopers away from the top end of the field? Benjamin G had a tough week physically but after a very respectable twenty fifth in H20 on the final day managed fourty third overall. Elizabeth Rocke was fifty third in D50, while our very own Mrs H took sixty first in the short course after a helping hand from CJ out in the forest! CHS had a tough time all week, coming eighty seventh, fifteen minutes ahead of fellow Brit Elaine Campbell. Helen Hanstock ran to ninety sixth in D16, while the OUOC/JOK grudge match of Davidson versus Marsland on H21 resulted in a yellow jersey for the "gingerwtfish," running into one hundred and fifteenth position, four minutes and three places ahead of Phil Marsland. Matt Lyle was eighty third in the huge H18L class, while Gaz Little was respectably midfield in one hundred and fifty first. In D21, CJ smashed her predicted eighty minute running time today to pull herself into one hundred and twenty fourth.

A physically demanding therefore and surprisingly schizophrenic week at the O-Ringen 2005. All that remains now is the infamous sixth stage, the series of parties rumoured to be taking place in a barn, and the short flight home to rest up for the Scottish.