A young Ross-shire orienteer rounded off a successful year by winning the Scottish Orienteering League for girls aged under 15. Joanna Shepherd travelled throughout Scotland to compete and won league events at Greenock, Comrie and Carrbridge and came a close second in the final event at Deeside. With the best four results counting out of seven events she earned just enough points at the final event to win the trophy in a closely fought competition. Joanna is a pupil at Dingwall Academy and was awarded the school Sports Personality of the Year trophy for her achievements in 2006. In April 2006 Joanna won the British Championships for under 15 girls at Sussex and the following month she won the Scottish Championships for under 15 girls and was also a member of the winning junior team in the Scottish Relays at Banchory. In August 2006 Joanna was selected for the British Orienteering START Squad, which trains top orienteers aged 14 to 17, after performing well at an orienteering training week at Lagganlia Outdoor Centre in Glenfeshie. Joanna is also a member of the Scottish Junior Orienteering Squad (ScotJOS) and competed at the Junior Home Internationals in Stirling where she won the under 15 girls race and was also a member of the winning girls relay team, helping Scotland to lift the trophy for the relay event. The highlight for Joanna and the other ScotJOS juniors was a fortnight’s training and competition in Sweden in July. There they took part in the “O Ringen” competition which is the largest orienteering event in the world and is attended by about 14,000 competitors. Joanna was racing against over 200 other girls in her age class and managed two top 25 places out of five events. The ScotJOS youngsters all gained valuable experience of international competition in terrain very different to our own. On returning from Sweden, Joanna attended the English Lake District 5-Day competition where she was awarded the trophy for under 15 girls by winning four of the five races. Joanna started orienteering five years ago with Mulbuie Primary School. She is a member of Inverness Orienteering Club which holds orienteering events in Inverness and Ross-shire area (details of events are at www.invoc.org.uk). Joanna is grateful to Ross & Cromarty Sports Council for their financial assistance towards her travel costs and event entry fees under the Excellence Grant Scheme.

Edward Jefferies aged 17, from Easter Ross, helped to secure a bronze medal for Scotland in the team event at the Junior Commonwealth Fencing Championships in India. Edward was the only Scottish competitor in the men’s foil to make it through to the last 8, and was the highest placed British U17. The standard of fencing was very high and this was a fantastic achievement. He came 6th in the individual competition and is now heading for the World Championships in Korea this April as the only Scottish competitor to qualify. He will compete in the individual competition and also as reserve for the British under 20 team – a rung on the ladder to competing for Team GB in the Olympics. Edward has now entered the adult fencing rankings and is currently ranked 11th in the UK for Men’s Foil. The Commonwealth medal is the same as those awarded at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. As Captain of the Scottish under 18 Men’s Foil Team, he also helped them to victory again this year in the Junior Home International in Edinburgh. Edward is currently the Scottish under 17 and under 20 Champion. Edward is competing in the Welsh Open this weekend before his major competition in Korea. Edward travels all over Europe and the UK to take part in challenging competitions. He has already astounded many people involved in the sport with his dedication and advanced skill for his age. Edward took up fencing at the age of ten and is a member of Dingwall Fencing Club. In the few years that he has been involved in the sport, he has rapidly progressed and has secured many competition titles. Edward needs ongoing sponsorship to help him to reach his full potential in the sport. The costs of competing and training increase every year for this talented youngster. 20 Four Seven Marketing (Scotland) (Munlochy) have supported this local young champion to help him find sponsorship but Edward currently needs £7000 a year to continue his competitions and training.

Pictured from left to right: Michael Brand, (Tain) John Fair (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) Norman D Morrison, (vice chair R&C Sports Council) Team Captain Chris Gaitens and Lewis Reid (both Fortrose & Rosemarkie) At Dunfermline Golf Club on the 4th July 2006,the boys had a fantastic day in Fife by winning all the prizes. They were first scratch team winners with a score of 221. John Fair was the 1st Individual Scratch winner- gross 70, playing with a handicap of 5. Chris Gaitens was the Under 16 winner – gross 74, playing with a handicap of 2. They attended a Golf Tournament run by the Scottish Association of Local Sports Councils