Wight Orienteers are marking their 50th anniversary in 2026, celebrating 5 decades of events, international success and grassroots participation on the Isle of Wight.
2026 is set to be a milestone year for Wight Orienteers – the small but passionate club founded in 1976.
The club’s origins date back to January 1976, when a group of runners came together during their lunch breaks to create control markers and explore the emerging sport of orienteering. With support from the Island’s County Youth and Community Service, the foundations were laid for what would become a long-standing and successful organisation.
Using black-and-white Ordnance Survey maps, the first event was held on 14th March 1976 in Parkhurst Forest, attracting around 100 participants. A second event followed in May, although a planned September competition was cancelled due to the extreme heatwave that year.
Momentum quickly built, with entries rising to 150 at the first event of 1977. Early volunteers including Mick Hunter, Ray Sexton, Christopher Pritchett, Eddie Leal, Steve Tutton, Ian Watterson, Gina Ingram, Richard Pinhorn and Brian Ould helped establish the club’s structure. Training courses were introduced and, in 1983, a permanent ‘Wayfaring Course’ was opened for public use in partnership with the Forestry Commission.
Members soon began competing further afield, with Mick Hunter becoming the club’s first international competitor in 1977, winning the M21B Canadian Night Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He later competed extensively across Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Over the years, many members have taken part in competitions worldwide. Andy and Roo Gaches competed in the Veterans’ World Championships in Tasmania in 1992, both achieving second-place finishes during their tour. Carol and Steve Taverner later competed in Switzerland, while Nina Williams and Tony Tutton have raced in France.
The club has also celebrated representation at national level, with Christine Lipscombe selected to represent England in the W80 category. A long-standing member, she was also instrumental in organising junior courses and editing the club’s ‘Go Trackin’’ magazine until her death in 2015.
Youth development has remained central to the club’s ethos. Vanessa Stagg first took part at the age of 15 as part of her Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and continues to participate today with her family. During the 1990s, a successful schools’ league was established by local teachers Rose Saunders and Carol Taverner, with a modern version now continuing through an annual schools’ festival each May.
Wight Orienteers have also explored alternative formats over the years, including canoe orienteering around the Island’s rivers and estuaries, as well as popular summer quiz walks designed for warmer weather.
Like many organisations, the club saw a decline in participation following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, long-serving chairman Pete Bartlett, first elected in 1989, has continued to drive the club forward.
Attention is now turning to the club’s 50th anniversary celebrations, which will see a special weekend of events staged on 5th and 6th September 2026. Support from new member Ben Windsor, who has joined from DRONGO, is helping to bring fresh expertise as the club prepares for its biggest celebration yet.
Wight Orienteers now look ahead to the future with optimism — and a determination to build on five decades of success.
