Moravian Orienteers teenager Isobel Howard Junior produces strong performance at Junior World Orienteering Championships

Isobel Howard has recently returned from Romania after a good result in the Junior World Orienteering Championships.

This annual event is for those under-21 and only exceptional 17-18-year-olds are selected by their countries.

Last year, Howard was selected as one of these in order to gain experience. Unfortunately high temperatures and fire risk put a total ban on people in any forest, so the forest events were cancelled, but she managed an astonishing 22nd place in the sprint event.

This year she made a mistake early in the middle distance event dropping to 70th place, but then clawed her way back to an excellent 37th, only dropping a further 21 seconds to the winner.

Clearly she has the potential for a top result in a year’s time. Note that each race has the best part of 300 runners competing.

She then anchored the British ladies relay team to seventh place.

Every year, promising juniors are selected to go on British training tours, destination according to age.

The Moravian Orienteers club has five members selected for these life defining trips. Sophie Howard and Finlay McLuckie are off to Deeside, Kate McLuckie is going to Czechia, Michael Bishenden to Stockholm, and Isobel Howard to Gothenburg.

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