On behalf of Lagan Valley Orienteers and NI Orienteering, we extend our deepest sympathies to Anyta, the family circle and all their many friends in Fingal Orienteers and the Orienteering Ireland community on the recent passing of Dave Richardson at the Irish Orienteering Championships.
We thank Stephen Gilmore (Lagan Valley Orienteers & NIOA Secretary) for this message of condolence on behalf of our club and NIOA:
Dave along with Anyta enjoyed the European City Race Tour, racing in cities across Europe and incorporating a weekend of sightseeing. As my friendly rival he said that I always beat him by one minute. That certainly was not true! Just two weeks before his untimely passing, he easily beat me in each of three sprint races in Munich.
Sitting under a tree for shade in between the races, ironically we watched from a distance as paramedics gave AED treatment to another orienteering colleague. We talked of retirement plans and of course the upcoming city races at Canterbury and Bucharest, when we were due to race again. Dave promoted a late entry to the Irish Orienteering Championships, promising that if the weather was good that it would be a great event. The weather played its part, but sadly it was to be a tragic event. We do not know what a day will bring (Proverbs chapter 27 verse 1).
Full details on Dave’s service in Cork on Thursday can be found here: https://rip.ie/death-notice/dave-richardson-tipperary-golden-629672
In memory of Dave, LVO will be making a donation to Mountain Rescue Ireland.