Ruari selected for GB

The 18-year-old, who went to Oban High School, will represent GB at two major international events this year.

In June, he will compete at the European Youth Orienteering Championships in Slovenia, before travelling later in the year to Switzerland for the Junior European Cup.

In addition, Ruari has been named first reserve for the GB team at the Junior World Orienteering Championships, meaning he could yet be called up to compete at the sport’s highest junior level.

Orienteering is a sport that places strong physical and mental demands on its competitors, who must race across forests and moorland while navigating between fixed control points using only a map and compass.

Ruari has been training extensively in forests around Oban, as well as further afield with the Scottish Junior Orienteering Squad. In February 40 athletes in the GB Junior Talent Squad travelled to Oban for a 4-day training camp.

Argyll orienteering club, ECKO (Loch Eck Orienteering) has been strongly supporting Ruari’s development, particularly through the guidance and encouragement of Jan Kersel and Ross Lilley.

ECKO regularly organises local events catering for all abilities, from young children and beginners, families and eager adults wanting to try something new.

These events offer a chance to enjoy the outdoors, explore local forests, and learn how to read terrain features such as crags, fences, streams and contours from a map.

Ruari is currently based in Sweden for an intensive training period, as he prepares for a busy summer of competitions across Europe and the UK.