Richard Pay
How did you get into orienteering?
Dad was one of the first regular orienteers in the West Midlands joining Harlequins in the late 1960’s and mum pushed me around “wayfarers” courses in a pram soon after. My first solo event being Kinver Million around 1970 age 7. I won M12 at the British Champs in 1976 (White Downs) and beat Steve Hale (ex World silver medalist) at that years JK. Unfortunately that was my peak and lack of running speed hampered much further elite progress after M18. I always have been a good navigator and spent many hours poring over old maps, although can’t remember what I did last week, I can recall the route choices I made from events 25 years ago.
What do you like about orienteering?
Feeling fit (occasionally) and strong in beautiful, challenging forests, with a quality map, executing a good route, navigating accurately knowing the control will be behind the next spur and finding it…quickly on to the next.. meeting interesting people in interesting places.
What is you favourite area and discipline?
Many areas in Alpine Italy, in the UK Bigland in the Lake District still my favourite despite poor run at this years JK, but any well mapped complex mature forest I have always enjoyed the Forest of Dean. I’m traditionalist in that I’m not particularly into Urban, Sprint, Night, Score, Pre-O (whatever that is), or Trail O.
Who do you admire most in the sport?
My Mum and Thierry Gueorgiou
What would you change in orienteering?
No whistle no go… foreign orienteers think this rule is hilarious..
Please ODs and other clubs ditch EMIT
The colour code/class confusion, BOF sort it out.
On the positive side tech such as SI and OCAD has improved the sport immeasurably, I do not miss marking out a course on a soggy map with a biro...
Other interests?
All sports, including darts, excluding anything equestrian, Moral Philosophy, stuff on the Internet..but don't get Twitter.
Dad was one of the first regular orienteers in the West Midlands joining Harlequins in the late 1960’s and mum pushed me around “wayfarers” courses in a pram soon after. My first solo event being Kinver Million around 1970 age 7. I won M12 at the British Champs in 1976 (White Downs) and beat Steve Hale (ex World silver medalist) at that years JK. Unfortunately that was my peak and lack of running speed hampered much further elite progress after M18. I always have been a good navigator and spent many hours poring over old maps, although can’t remember what I did last week, I can recall the route choices I made from events 25 years ago.
What do you like about orienteering?
Feeling fit (occasionally) and strong in beautiful, challenging forests, with a quality map, executing a good route, navigating accurately knowing the control will be behind the next spur and finding it…quickly on to the next.. meeting interesting people in interesting places.
What is you favourite area and discipline?
Many areas in Alpine Italy, in the UK Bigland in the Lake District still my favourite despite poor run at this years JK, but any well mapped complex mature forest I have always enjoyed the Forest of Dean. I’m traditionalist in that I’m not particularly into Urban, Sprint, Night, Score, Pre-O (whatever that is), or Trail O.
Who do you admire most in the sport?
My Mum and Thierry Gueorgiou
What would you change in orienteering?
No whistle no go… foreign orienteers think this rule is hilarious..
Please ODs and other clubs ditch EMIT
The colour code/class confusion, BOF sort it out.
On the positive side tech such as SI and OCAD has improved the sport immeasurably, I do not miss marking out a course on a soggy map with a biro...
Other interests?
All sports, including darts, excluding anything equestrian, Moral Philosophy, stuff on the Internet..but don't get Twitter.
