CHRIS McCartney and Anne Straube both won their categories for Octavian Droobers at the West Midland League event at Worcester Beacon, Malvern.

Organized by the Harlequins Orienteering Club, members of the club faced off against very difficult steep slopes, with areas covered with brambles and ferns.

On the 5 km course with 250 vertical meters, McCartney M50 finished first in 46.56 minutes, David Leadley M55 second in 48.44 minutes and Tom Jeffries M50 fourth in 50.38 minutes.

Straube W45 was the leading lady on this course in 56.26 minutes.

On the longest 7 km course with 335 meters of vertical drop, Alistair Landels M50 finished second in 64.45 minutes.

Juliette Soulard W60 finished second in 44.16 minutes and Barry Elkington M65 4th in 44.50 minutes on the 3.8 km course.

On the 2.7 km course, Sheila Carey W75 was second in 37.57 minutes and Peter Carey M75 sxith in 43.16 minutes.

Two of the club’s juniors were the first on their courses: Max Straube-Roth M12 in 45.47 minutes on the 2.9 km course and Henry Jeffries M14 in 23.24 minutes on the 2.2 km course.

The charity event, at Itchington Holt, near Harbury, proved popular and eight runners managed to find all 27 checks within the 45-minute time limit.

The fastest male runner was Ben Windsor, in 28.29 minutes, and the fastest female was Kirsten Strain in 38.56 minutes.

Newcomers Mollie McAinsh and Jessica Gilder finished first and second on the short yellow course.