Lucy at the European Orienteering ChampionshipsHungary August 2024
Credit: Rob Lines
Lucy Walker's report below of her wonderful experience competing for GB at the EOC. Well done, Lucy!
Meeting up with Peter and Cecile at Budapest airport to drive across to Vargesztes was a throwback to my younger years - travelling to obscure locations with fellow orienteers to find some beaut terrain and compete against other nations. I was apprehensive but excited - my last international orienteering was in 2016 at the World Cup in Latvia, and I was proud to be back in the team after 8 years out.
The middle qualification was so much fun. I was off early (a blessing with the intense heat forecasted for later in the day) and I remember standing in the start boxes with a mad grin on my face trying not to get overexcited, thinking - ‘Concentrate, concentrate, concentrate Lucy!’. Luckily I had some old mantras that I used to tell myself pre-race to help me focus. Whilst racing round the course, it was so exciting hearing someone else in the forest. Looking up, and instead of seeing an M40 in a U.K. club top crashing about, seeing an elite athlete with their national top on - reminding me that this was no local league event. The first half of the course was a dream and the controls seemed to just pop out of the terrain for me. However I knew my fitness wasn’t tip top and when I started tiring, I made mistake after mistake, becoming sloppier and sloppier with the navigation.
Although I didn’t get into the final, it was lovely to relax with the team and watch Fiona and Grace with their races.
For the long distance race, the excitement that I had for the middle was worn a little thin. I loved the navigation and decision making, to pick the best lines through the valleys, but I always knew my fitness would be the limiting factor. After 75mins I was exhausted - bumbling around the forest trying desperately to stay on line whilst being pushed around by the vegetation. The last third of the course was pretty unenjoyable. I remember finishing and feeling pretty empty - like ‘oh I remember how tough orienteering can be’.
However - to finish on a high - the excitement that I had for the middle was back IN FORCE for the relay. Although I did not have a GB team (due to injury and unforeseen circumstances, there weren’t enough brits to form an entire second team) the atmosphere for the relay was super and I fed off all the excitement. I had a FAB run - loved absolutely every second and finished beaming with joy. Although only after recovering from trying to take on Sandra Grosberg (an old competitor from the good old days) on the run in. Disclaimer: I was not successful, but like to think I gave her a scare.
All in all it was wonderful to be back in a GB top, see some old friends, make some new ones and experience some 10/10 orienteering. Thank you so much to Devon Orienteering and SWOA for the support, I really appreciate your contribution to help me compete. Thank you to Pippa, Duncan and Tom (the coaches) who travelled out and supported the team. Thank you to the rest of the athletes - where it was amazing to see so much support they all had for each other - and thank you to my friends and family for their messages and ever lasting support.
Many thanks,
Lucy