Valentine Hunt 2020

Miami Valley Orienteering Club

February 16, 2020  - Woodland Trails Scout Reservation, Camden Ohio

For the first time ever at a Valentine Hunt, Nimbus and Boreas stayed away, and blue skies and warm temps held sway. Conditions meant some fast running.

There were 76 starts and about 85 orienteers, approximately the same as last year.

This was the first time that I offered a Brown course and I have to admit that I still need to learn how to set one. Although it was shorter than Orange, Green, or Purple, and had less climb than the others, there were still physical aspects of the course that kept some experienced orienteers from being able to finish it.

Caden L was the winner in the Primary School category. There were 4 finishers who completed White in under 10 mpk, indicating that it might be time for them to move up to Yellow.

Eli G was the overall winner on the Yellow course. Julianna G took first in the Middle School Female category, while Ethan W was the winner of Middle School Male.

The Orange course was not as popular as usual this year, as many orienteers opted to run Brown.

Danny W was the overall winner.

Although he ran the Brown course, Warren M was the recipient of this year's Valentine Purple Heart award. He injured his arm on a fall early in the course, performed first aid on himself, got back on course to blaze a victory, then checked himself into the ER where they put in 14 stitches. (According to Mike M, the last orienteer to require emergency stitches after orienteering at Woodland Trails was the legendary olympian Peter Snell.) Catherine L was the first female finisher on Brown.

The Green course was hotly contested with Mike M the overall winner. Finishing within 10 minutes of Mike were Brayden R (Junior Varsity Male) and Stephanie R (overall female).

On the Valentine Hunt's signature Purple course Matthias E put on an O clinic (as they would say on ESPN) and everyone else was “too late” (as real O announcers would put it). Although eligible run on one of the High School courses, Sophie R toughed out an official finish on the Purple course, and even beat Matthias on a leg.

Thanks to Matt B, and Sharon B for help with registration. And thanks to Stephanie R, Scott E, Matt B, Mike M and the Union Co. Orienteering Team of Laura P, Jasper R, Priscilla K, Peyton T-C, Maliki C, Julianna G, Josh D, Dylan G for control pickup.

Meet Director - Tom Svobodny