WAOC juniors 3rd at the Peter Palmer

The relays are open to all clubs in the UK and attract teams with the best Juniors from across the country. This year's event was expertly organised by Southdowns Orienteers. Each team of 6-8 orienteers (including at least two legs by females) runs a succession of courses of different length and difficulty. After camping overnight, the event commences with a mass-start in darkness at 5.00am, and after two night legs and a range of tricky courses, culminates with the longest leg. The relays are named after the infamous coach, Peter Palmer, who instituted them to give British juniors their first taste of Scandinavian apex competitions such as Jukola and Tiomila.

This podium finish in the Trophy is allegedly WAOC's best ever result in the full Peter Palmer Relay, following 9th in 2023 and 10th in 2024. The juniors are planning to go two better next year, when the event is scheduled to be hosted by South Yorkshire Orienteers. WAOC won the four-person Daybreak Relay in 2019.