Our last official Legend of the Week this year is our captain, Joe Hudd! Joe has put in loads of hard work all year to keep EUOC running as successfully as we do. He is well known in EUOC for his incredible time keeping skills (this was our second attempt at this interview and he still showed up 10 mins late…)
Name: Joe Hudd
Course: 4th year Geography and Economics
Where are you from: Cockermouth, but I was born in Bristol
When/how did you start orienteering: my parents did it before me, first course was probably when my mum was pregnant with me. I was pushed round courses in a pram when I was born, I started orienteering properly when I was about 7 or 8.
Pre race hype song: no, I would be singing it the whole way round otherwise
Go to uni meal: in the flat we’re limited because of Frank’s many allergies, sausage and mash is probably what we have the most (Joe’s fave is with gravy apparently)
Most memorable race: EYOC long 2019 where I lost 40 mins to #2 then gave up but this is not memorable for good reasons, EYOC sprint and relay were good though
Best orienteering achievement: maybe the Overall Performance Award at JK 2015 when I was M12. Or I was 10th at EYOC sprint 2019. 4 times Mini Relay champions at BOC and JK Relays with Jim and Olly Tonge (Joe claimed 5 or 6 but I did my research – JK 13, 14, 15 and BOC 15)
Dream sponsor: ChatGPT – ‘being this deep in the diss’
Coolest place you’ve run: Outer Hebrides with Wozzle and Frank (they all said this how cute). Always hard to beat Ennerdale on a Sunday though!
Aims for the year: finish the diss, then find something I actually want to do next year that I’m passionate about
Fave thing about EUOC: the people make EUOC. It feels like a club that does stuff, going away and doing things and seeing places I wouldn’t on my own.
thumb/baseplate compass: thumb, maybe keen to try baseplate again – I reckon Gus Bergman is onto something
Fave EUOC social: Beerienteering 1 – great to meet people outside the club
Sprint or forest: certainly forest, best forest is better than the best sprint but the worst forest is worse than the worst sprint. You can do well without hurting too much in the forest – the sounds and the smells feel like what humans should be doing (exactly what Frank said, this flat is weird). Less angry dogs and locals in the forest (sometimes).
Go to karaoke song: not a big karaoke man but if I had to it would be Sabrina Carpenter – maybe Juno. I’ve also been enjoying Guess – Charli xcx and Billie Eilish (was not expecting either of these wow)
Biggest rival: historically Jim and Olly Tonge, now Michael – ‘Bishy gives a lot of chat’
Idol: Dan Spencer – all round nice guy and a good orienteer
Best fun fact about yourself: Joe was not a fan of this question but he is allergic to kiwi
If you didn’t do orienteering what sport would you do: I miss doing team sports, I wish orienteering had more of a team aspect, but something outdoorsy like kayaking looks good fun (Stan says he would be more of a rower)