This week’s Legend of the Week is our brilliant Vice Captain Alex! From Lancaster and studying Electrical & Mechanical Engineering, Alex has been orienteering since the age of 12. He’s been a driving force in EUOC, planning trips away, helping out heaps in Welcome Week and making sure the club runs smoothly.
Name: Alex Matthew
Course: Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
Where are you from: Lancaster
When/how did you start orienteering: I started orienteering when I was 12 because Ciel (my sibling) did some orienteering at school and enjoyed it so much so then got in touch with the local club and I started going along to events.
Best achievement in orienteering: 3rd place at British Sprints in Ireland 2023.
Favourite area: Stony Hazel in the Lake District because it is very runnable and is such a classic lakes area and I have done multiple turkey races there (which are the Lakeland series of Christmas orienteering).
What is your hot drink of choice for the interview: Today’s choice of hot drink was controversially a Cinnamon Bun, but usually I would go for a cup of tea.
Most memorable moment of orienteering: I would probably say getting lost at the OO cup in Sweden in 2022 because it was my first time in Sweden and it was completely new terrain to run on but it was really pretty forest so I didn’t mind at all.
Biggest rival: I want to say Stan or Sam Fielding because we have all been through different points of being better than each other and who wins is never a definite.
Biggest idol: I would say a bit of Kilian Jornet because is unfathomably elite at so many different mountain sports and Victor Campenaerts (cyclist) because he is so elite but seems to have a lot of fun at the races and with his teammates at the same time.
Your pre race hype anthem: Put your records on – Corinne Bailey Rae, because it is cheerful and gets me going in the morning.
Go to sweet treat: It is hard to beat the cinnamon bun to be honest. However, I do love a good (milk and dark) chocolate digestive which I have been known to get through packets daily.
Favourite thing about EUOC: Everyone is really friendly and it feels like a big family and it is fun to go on (my) trips away with everyone (because I am planning them).
If you had a superpower what would it be: If my bike would fix and clean itself because I don’t treat it well at all and it is always sad.
Dream sponsor: It would have to be Decathon because it sorts you out for life and has everything you could ever want.
Favourite artist at the moment: I will have to go with Sabrina.
Favorite Edinburgh bus number and why: The 5 and the 30 because the 5 takes you to the pentlands and the 30 because it teleports you from Dalkeith road to a night out.
Pre-race ritual: A good chat with anyone that I know that I can find in the arena and then a nice jog warm up to the start.
Most recent google search: Mahi mahi fish because my mum was at a hotel and tried a new fish.
What would you eat if you had one meal for the rest of your life: Bacon, tomato and potato pasta because it is the heartiest meal you could think of.