DESPITE losing top athletes to Scandinavian teams competing in the big international orienteering relay in Finland at the weekend, Eborienteers achieved an impressive fourth place in the Harvesters Trophy.

The club's final position came mainly thanks to new member Vescu Routsi, a Finnish runner working in Scarborough for the summer.

The Harvesters is a seven-person all-night relay, which this year took place at Longshaw Estate in the Peak District.

John Butler put Eborienteers in an excellent second position with a fast first lap only four minutes down on the leaders.

However the team soon slipped to sixth and stayed there throughout the night despite steady runs from Helen Gardner, Steve Whitehead, Steve Wilson, Tony Udris and Christine Andrews leaving Routsi with a 40-minute deficit to make up on the last lap.

This proved too much to ask but the Finn stormed round the hilly 12k course in 79 minutes, overtaking runners from Southdowns and Deeside to bring the team up to fourth behind Bristol, South London, and Manchester.

Meanwhile in Finland, Ebor member Jenny Whitehead anchored her Swedish team, Vasteras, to 49th place, overtaking a staggering 20 runners in the huge international relay, which this year featured over 10,000 runners in 1,500 teams.

Whitehead, an international athlete and new British champion, will be presenting the trophies at the final event of the School Score League tomorrow at Rawcliffe Bar Country Park (adjacent to the Park and

Ride Car Park).

The courses are open to juniors and adults from 4.15-6.30pm.

The prize giving for schools will start 5.30pm.

For more information contact Steve Whitehead at teteblanche@hotmail.com or phone Linda Whitehead 01904 634138

Updated: 09:26 Wednesday, June 25, 2003