City, country combine for World Orienteering Day
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- Last Updated: Thursday, 25 May 2017 08:48
City and country; bush and big end of town. You'd be hard pressed to find two more contrasting locations for World Orienteering Day than sleepy Dorrigo and beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
An initiative of the International Orienteering federation, WOD aims to promote our sport worldwide. So, with 2,000+ events in 53 countries on all 7 continents (yes - even Antarctica!), and more than 77,000 participants - that goal appears to have been well and truly reached on Wednesday.
In NSW the first event was at Mt John's Primary School (lower pic) at tiny Dorrigo, 30km west of Coffs Habrour, with 49 students doing Space Racing. In the afternoon a further 12 entrants were at the local showground, the first public orienteering event held in Dorrigo, on a new map prepared by Maurice Anker from the Northern Tablelands club to offer Very Easy, Easy and Scatter courses. A big thank you to Jenny Hawkins (NTOC) for putting this on.
The official population of the Dorrigo Plateau is only 2311, so 61 orienteers represented almost 3% of the town!
Back in the big smoke by Milsons Point station, we doubt WOD had a better location than Bradfield Park.
Ninety participants, including 20-odd scouts, took in the Sydney Harbour foreshore, Luna Park, the PM's residence and other North Sydney landmarks under torchlight. The top photo was taken at 4.30pm as organisers were setting up. WOW!
We had guests from Israel, Ireland, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Hungary among others. Course setting thanks to Ross Duker and seamless organisation by Garingal. A great way to cap off a 23C day.
