MORE than 200 orienteers from all over the country took part in the Cowpe Badge avent at Rawtenstall on Sunday.

Our two local clubs Pendle Forest Orienteers and South East Lancashire Orienteering Club joined forces to organise a baffling array of 16 different courses in 30 age group classifications giving competitors from over 20 clubs no shortage of choice.

The Cowpe Valley is an isolated tributary valley off Waterfoot and has only been used once before for orienteering.

That was three years ago in fine weather, but Sunday's conditions couldn't have been more different with lashing rain and a gusting wind.

With the top of the moor 1400 feet above sea level the organisers came close to cancelling the event.

Although the weather eased enough for it to go ahead, cagoules and whistles were made compulsory.

The open moorland is fast making it a good physical test, but it was also a severe test of navigational ability as former mining areas were used.

In the quarries, runners had to find small features only two or three yards wide which required mastery of a range of techniques.

The courses varied from 1.2km for the youngest juniors to 8.9km for the long courses, although these are straight line distances and the distance travelled is really much further.

The junior courses are much easier to follow too using line features such as paths and walls to guide the competitors.

The easier courses are colour coded, so you can choose the appropriate level of distance and difficulty to match your ability.

Many events offer only the colour coded options, but this was a Badge Event where the most experienced orienteers had the option to compete instead in the badge classes where you compete against your peers in age group classes.

The aim is to complete a number of events within a certain percentage of the winner's time to win gold, silver and bronze badges.

This event catered for competitors from the ages of eight or nine right up to the Over-75s, and it is a feature of orienteering that all the family can find a level to suit.

If you are interested in taking up the sport, our local clubs would like to hear from you.

Pendle Forest Orienteers serve most of our area and you can contact membership secretary Carole Pilling for further details on 01282-618592.

Readers in the south of our catchment area may prefer to contact the South East Lancashire Orienteering Club via membership secretary Kath Etherden on 0161-6339732.

You can find out more at the British Orienteering Federation's website www.cix.co.uk, while local events will be publicised on this page.

The next major event in the region is the North of England Night Orienteering Championship which takes part at Witton Park, Blackburn on Saturday, January 19.

The final fixture in Pendle Forest Orienteers Autumn Series was on Saturday at Towneley Park in Burnley, and now there is a break until the Spring Series next year. Local winners (key: PFO-Pendle Forest Orienteers, MDOC-Manchester and District Orienteering Club, SELOC-South East Lancs Orienteering Club, SROC-South Ribble Orienteering Club): Colour Coded Courses - Blue: 1st Lady Sarah Gorman F21(SELOC) 1:43:41; Brown: 1st Keith Masser M45 (PFO) 1:06:41, 2nd/1st M35 Paul Targett M35 (PFO) 1:27:47; Green: 1st Derek McNeil M55 (MDOC) 56:06; Light Green: 2nd/1st M65 John Riley M65 (PFO)50:47; Orange: 1st Fiona Myers F35 (SELOC) 31:01; Yellow: 1st John Waller M12 (unattached) 15:54

Badge Courses Juniors - Junior Men 2: 1st Matthew Nash (SROC) 23:30; Junior Men 4: 1st Paul Hutton (SROC) 33:49; Junior Men 5 long: 1st David Roome (SROC) 1:02:56; Junior Women 3: 1st Catherine Beresford (MDOC) 36:29; Junior Women 5 long: 1st Sarah Hutton (SROC) 56:11; Junior Women 5 short: 1st Becca Roberts (SROC) 39:50

Badge Courses Seniors - Men 35+ short: 1st Dave Higginson (SROC) 54:48; Men 40+ short: 1st Martyn Roome (SROC) 52:43; Men 45+ long: 1st David Rosen (SROC) 1:07:22; Men 45+ short: 1st Chris Roberts (SROC) 43:40; Men 50+ long: 1st Cliff Etherden (MDOC) 56:31; Men 50+ short: 1st Michael Wilmore (PFO) 44:16; Men 55+ long: 1st Eric Riddall (SELOC) 59:58; Men 65+ long: 1st Ian Birkinshaw (MDOC) 44:31; Men 75+ long: 1st Maurice Collett (SROC) 1:02:55; Women 21+ short: 1st Juliet Bentley (SROC) 1:09:56; Women 35+ long: 1st Joanne Taylor (SROC) 1:10:30; Women 45+ short: 1st Jennifer Corr (SROC) 41:45; Women 50+ short: 1st Kath Etherden (SELOC) 43:03; Women 60+ short: 1st Margaret Gregory (MDOC) 48:20; Women 70+ long: 1st Judith Wingham (SROC) 1:06:22