Events statewide show orienteering's diversity

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Last Updated: Tuesday, 14 April 2015 20:36

Channelling Forrest Gump's "box of chocolates" analogy, you never know what you are going to get on an orienteering course. Around the state last weekend we had six clubs offering quite different terrains and experiences. 

In round 2 of SHOO's Highlands Forest Series on Sunday, Robert Spry set courses in the rarely used eastern part of Penrose SF, which includes some beautiful but technical sandstone terrain in open eucalypt forest.

Former elite Eric Morris blitzed the 4.5km Long Hard course in 39.45. The Short Hard course had the leading four all within a minute of each other. 

In Wagga, round two of the annual Interclub challenge with Albury Wodonga was on steep, rocky hillsides on the Burngoogee map - with some vague terrain between climbs making navigation quite tough. 

Both hard courses were stern tests. Newcomer Krystal Jessup (your correspondent's niece, pictured left) made her debut on an abbreviated Easy course in preparation for the Riverina Schools champs.  

Half an hour from Armidale, Northern Tablelands hosted on the flat Sandy Creek map, drawing a good number from our newest club at Coffs. Vegetation was a mix of open grazing land and moderately thick forest, with some rock features and numerous termite mounds.

Near Orange, Goldseekers were out and about on the Macquarie Woods map.

On Saturday, Garingal drew more than 100 people to an introductory coaching session for locals in Westleigh as part of the Hornsby Healthy Living Festival. Courses ranged from very easy and easy around Ruddock Park to longer moderate navigation through Lane Cove National Park. Half the attendees were newcomers who provided very positive feedback.

IKO's event at Sutherland offered a 45-minute score or 2km line course through urban parkland, again suited to beginners.