Orienteering and the Earl of Wessex

[SLOGger]

Headline on front of the Sunday Times News Review Section 5th March:

'The Earl of Wessex on why a spot of Orienteering could do wonders for the underclass'

Do we really want the underclass disturbing our nice middle-class sport? It's good of the Earl of Wessex to take an interest, has anyone seen him at any events recently?

[mharky]

I can't tell is you're using sarcasm or not, but I think it's a good thing that the man 7th in line to the throne knows what orienteering is and is advertising it in the national press... Nice one your Royal Highness

[RJ]

Nice one your Royal Highness

I think just "Nice one My Lord...." will do.

Headline anywhere is absolutely brilliant. Anyway... who exactly are the 'underclass'? I'm quite happy for them to come along and spend their £4 on an entry.... just what we need.... lots of them!

[guest]

Any chance of seeing the article?

[Ed]

I guess it must have been referring to this article - absolutely no mention of orienteering or the underclass in the article.

Sounds like top marks for news review front-page editor for entirely superfluous mention of orienteering rather than the Earl knowing the pros and cons of SI and emit...

[Copepod]

Having taught several D of E expedition groups in Birmingham & Newcastle upon Tyne and assessed others in the Peak District and Shropshire, as well as on BSES Expeditions in Greenland, Svalbard and Canada, I can assure orienteers that navigation (using OS 1:50000 or 1:25000 maps in UK) is one of the most challenging aspects for most participants. Nothing to stop participants choosing orienteering as their Sport. Unfortunately, I didn't know about orienteering when doing my Bronze & Gold Awards in the 1980s, so I did sailing, kayaking etc. Prince Edward (don't think he was Earl of Wessex then) visited the Open Award Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne in about 1994, and met many particants and leaders - seemed the right sort of person to be involved in the scheme.