News

Emily and Emma selected for Lagganlia Tour

Junior Regional Orienteering Squads (JROS) was set up to further develop junior orienteering talent.

Each year juniors who are in one of the 12 Regional Squads have the opportunity to be selected for one of the training camps that JROS run. This year Emily Waters and Emma Chapman have been successful in being selected for the week long M/W14 Lagganlia camp which takes place near to Aviemore in Scotland at the end of July.

Huge Congratulations to Team SO for winning 3rd place trophy at YBT final

Our Junior Team put in a fantastic performance at the Yvette Baker Trophy final last Sunday and came away with the 3rd place trophy.

It was a fantastic occasion, including clubs from across the country. Our juniors enjoyed competing on a huge maze, squirting and knocking down cans on a tin can alley, creating wool mementos, eating burgers and ice creams, as well as the main competition of course!

Final YBT results can be found here.

Change of roles announced at AGM

At the AGM in June we welcomed some new Committee members to the team. Our thanks go our outgoing committee members including Will Heap, Ed Forman, Mike Gammon, Mike Turner and Bea Waters. We appreciate all your hard work over the past few years.

We would also like to remind you that we still have some outstanding positions that we'd like to fill including Permanent Course and MapRun Coordinator, Publicity Officer and Social Secretary. Do let one one of the committee members know if you may be able to help with one of these roles. No experience needed - just a willingness to help support the club as and when you can. Read on to find out who's new in post:

​​Sun, Skills, and S’mores: SO Junior Camp 2025 at Knowlands Wood

Over the weekend of 28–29 June 2025, ten of our enthusiastic juniors, aged 9 to 17, took part in the SO Junior Camp at Knowlands Wood - and what a weekend it was! With glorious hot weather, plenty of outdoor adventure, and a strong team spirit, the camp was a fantastic success.

Tents were pitched in the meadow and the forest came alive with laughter, training, and the smell of campfire cooking. Despite the heat, the juniors tackled a full programme of orienteering training.

SE Sprint Champs

Another medal haul at the South East Sprint Champs which took place over two complex races at Brunel University in June.

Gold Lucas Waters M10-12
Gold Emma Chapman W14-16
Gold Ben Chapman M14-16
Gold Anna Chapman W45-55
Gold Neil Crickmore M60-65

Silver Emily Waters W14-16
Silver Will Heap M45-55
Silver Jasmine Bennett W70+

SO are British Champions in Women's Short Relay 2025

What a stunning day in the Lake District in May! The sun was out in full force over Bigland as Southdowns Orienteers took on the British Orienteering Championships relay day. With breathtaking views all around, spirits were high.

The terrain didn’t make it easy! A steep run-in and some truly testing courses made for an unforgettable challenge. A huge shoutout to all our runners, and a very special congratulations to Scarlet, Emma and Heather—our gold medal winners in the Women’s Short category! You did us proud!

British Long Champs 2025

More than 24 SO club members travelled to the Lake District to take part in the British Long Distance Championships. They were treated to a beautiful sunny day at Grizedale, Cumbria for the individual races. Courses were long and challenging - congratulations to all finishers!

Special mention to our medal winners:
Roger - Gold M85
Emma - Silver W14A
Vince - Bronze M70L

Southdowners reap rewards at JK2025 Festival of Orienteering over Easter

The Easter bank holiday weekend is always the time for the JK International Festival of Orienteering. This year it took place in South Yorkshire and many club members took part. Our notable results at the Sprints were Roger Maher M85 Silver, Emma Chapman W14 Bronze and Mark Johnson M10 Bronze. For the overall two day competition Roger Maher M85 Gold and Emma Chapman W14 Bronze. James Curtis showed great skill in the Trail-O and claimed top spot in the juniors. For the relays the Men's Short team won silver and the Women's short team got bronze.

SO triumph at UK's first civilian Biathlon Orienteering competition

SO members won five medals at the Biathlon Orienteering competition held at JK2025 in Sheffield over Easter. Anna Chapman won Gold and Jane Lambert won silver in W50+. Peter Chapman won silver in M50+. Ben Chapman won bronze in M16- and Emma Chapman won bronze in W16-. The Competition is a mix of orienteering and electronic rifle target shooting.

Junior Team compete at YBT Heat

Brilliant team spirit today by our junior team at the South East heat of the Yvette Baker Trophy. It took place at Knole Park near Sevenoaks on 24th March 25. Results can be found here

Our juniors came second to HH, but, due to their result in the top 5 in last year's final, SO secured their place in this year's final which will take place on 6 July at Capite Wood, on home territory. Juniors aged 10 to 18 - please put your name down to run in the final. We really need more older juniors to take part. It will be a fun occasion as we'll be hosting the other junior teams from across the country. Contact Anna or Will for more details.

British Middle Distance Championship success

SO Club members didn't have to travel far to take part in the British Middle Championships on 15th March 2025. Held in dry and sunny, but cold weather at Holmbush and Buchan Country Park, near Crawley.

Huge congratulations to our three medal winners:
Roger: Gold M85
Emma: Silver W14
Ruth: Silver W80

A massive "well done" to all SO competitors for navigating their way around the rhododendrons.

Results can be found here

Read on for more photos.

Success at Southern Champs in Wiltshire

Congratulations to our Southern Champion Roger Maher M80. Six other members also had great runs and made it onto the podium to receive a jar of local honey! Congratulations to Maddie 2nd W20E, Julia 2nd W55, Jill 2nd W65, Jasmine 2nd W70, Emma 3rd W14.

SO members were greeted by beautiful sunshine and warm weather in Wiltshire where the Southern Championships were taking place. Sarum Orienteering Club organised the event at Great Ridge Forest on 9th March 2025. Full results here

Read on for more photos.

Spring Club Nights 2025

Spring club nights returned on Tuesday January 16th. Courses have been risk assessed according to this document.

We will meet as a group at 6:30pm each Tuesday although we hope to make many of the activities available online to attempt at your leisure. Courses will be saved in the Club Night folder on MapRun (UK/Sussex/Club Nights).

Please sign up using the Strawpoll and indicate (when appropriate) whether you would like a map provided (cost £1) or are happy to print off your own.

Southdowns has eight new South East Long Champions

Congratulations to all SO members who took part at the Blackheath and Farley Heath SE Long Distance Champs in the Surrey Hills on 2nd February 2025.

Eight of our club members became South East Long Distance Champions in their age categories. They were Mark Johnson M10, Ben Chapman M16, Nick Jarvis M21, Kenny Leitch M60, Roger Maher M85, Emma Chapman W14, Anna Chapman W50 and Jasmine Bennett W70. Six SO members won silver medals and four won bronze medals. Read on for more info about the courses and the medalists.

Emma, Julia & Will selected for the England Team

Congratulations to Emma Chapman, Julia Jarvis and Will Heap who have all been selected to run for England at the Interland Cup 2025 on 2 March in Steenwijk, Netherlands. The Interland Cup is England’s only international competition outside the British Isles. England competes annually in this six-cornered match against two Belgian teams (Flemish and French speaking), the Netherlands, the French Ligue des Hauts de France de Course d’Orientation (LHFCO) and Luxembourg . The competition is truly a team effort spanning age groups from M/W14 to M/W60+: 42 team members in all.