World Schools Orienteering Championships
Northern Italy, 2011
Scottish Schools Selection Policy
Background
The World Schools Orienteering Championships are held every second year in a six day period during April or May. The dates for the Championships have now been fixed as 21-27 May and the revised venue is Trentino.
These dates are a clash with a number of SQA exams and although it is possible for students to sit their exams while abroad representing their Country I feel that this should only be done after much thought from the student, their parents and the School.
If you are affected by this please start to consider this now! The SQA exam time-table is available at their website: www.sqa.org.uk
The week of the Championships is one of the busiest exam weeks and by my reckoning: music, physics, geography, business management, chemistry and technical are all affected.
There are eight categories of Team eligible for participation as follows:
Two age groups: Junior - born 1996/1997 Senior - born 1994/95
Two categories: Champion School Teams and National Select
NB A National Select Team can only be entered if the Country is already represented by a Champion School in that Category.
Separate races for both boys and girls in each of the above categories.
The race programme consists of:
- Training Event
- Middle Distance
- Long Distance
- Friendship Team Event
All individual courses are planned at a Light Green standard.
There is also an extensive social and educational programme that all Delegations are expected to fully participate in.
History
Scotland has participated in every Championship since 2004 when a group of 4 Senior boys travelled to Belgium.
In 2006 Scotland were represented by 9 Junior girls, from 6 Schools, in Slovakia.
In 2008 Scotland hosted the Championships based in Edinburgh with races at;
Beecraigs, Devilla, Barr Wood and Holyrood Park. Well over 500 pupils from 22 Delegations took part. This was a record entry for an ISF Orienteering Championship and Scotland won its first medals with a double individual Bronze for Finlay Langan and a Team Silver for Aboyne Academy.
In 2009 Scotand were represented by four Teams who participated in each of the Junior categories with great success.
Rona McMillan was crowned World Middle Distance Champion with both Rhona Lindsay and Jessica Mason winning Bronze medals.
Banchory Academy won Bronze in the Team event.
2011 Selection Policy
The selection policy for the 2011 Championships remains the same as in previous years.
All individuals and Teams who wish to be considered for selection must have participated in the 2010 Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival which was held at Palacerigg Country Park, Cumbernauld on Friday 4 June.
This will make them eligible to participate in the Team Scotland Selection Races that will be held on Saturday 2nd October 2010 at Faskally Woods, Pitlochry. This will allow us time to prepare our entry to be made by the closing date of 30 November.
The winning School Team in each category will be invited to race in the Championship and if they accept the top 5 individuals not part of that School Team will be offered places in the National Select Team.
It is also important to note that participation in the World Schools Orienteering Championships is mainly self financed by the participants.
All Team members are expected to attend a training week-end that has traditionally been based in Pitlochry during March. The actual dates depend on the SOA Fixture list!
