My life
I'm Alison Campbell. I was born in Philadelphia, PA, USA in 1991. I spent my whole childhood in Philadelphia with my mom, dad and sister Heather. I went to the Philadelphia School for elementary school and Science Leadership Academy (SLA) for high school. I have always loved the outdoors and this helped shape my love for science and engineering.
I am now studying for my Masters in Chemical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh Scotland. I have completed 3 years so far and really enjoying my time at Uni. However, I am also a sports scholar
and therefore have the added challenge of balancing studying and
training. There is such a great support system though and Heriot-Watt is
very supportive of their student athletes.
My Orienteering Career
I can't remember not orienteering. There is photographic evidence of me at the age of about 2 with a map in hand already :) I
have to thank my dad for introducing me to the sport and my mom for
being so supportive and allowing us to spend pretty much every Sunday
running around the woods. Without them I wouldn't have found a sport
that truly suites who I am. I love the challenge of being out
in new terrain, meeting new people and seeing new places that comes with
orienteering. When I first started the community of my home club
Delaware Valley Orienteering Association (DVOA) were very helpful in teaching me and always encouraging me to keep training. I was first named to the USA Junior Development Team in 2008 and took my first orienteering trip abroad to Sweden. I then went on to represent the USA at three Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) from 2009 - 2011 in Italy, Denmark and Poland. Where i'm probably most proud of my 57th place in the Long distance in Italy and 86th in the sprint in Poland. But mostly just saw improvement in my orienteering each year which kept me motivated.
I have recently moved up to the Senior level in the last two years. These have been quite challenging from moving to Colorado for a year and having little training opportunities but high goals, to then moving to the UK and having the competition grow in numbers and quality. I found the jump to racing in the UK quite difficult, but the people in Edinburgh University Orienteering Club (EUOC) and Scottish Elite Development Squad (SEDs) have all been very welcoming and supportive. I have also recently been luck enough to have a coach willing to work with me. So I am fully enjoying my first few years of being a senior and seeing a large jump in my abilities.
I have been named to the USA Senior Standing Team from 2012 to 2014.
2010, 2012, and 2014 I have (and will) race at the World University Championships. And hoping to put in some nice clean races this year in the Czech Republic.
2013 I raced the Sprint at the World Championships, placing 17th in the Qualifier just shy of making the final. and I now have my eyes set on racing again in WOC 2015 in Scotland for the USA.
