Major OA awards go to ONSW stalwarts
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 21 April 2020 11:33
NSW orienteers Greg Bacon (Newcastle), Paula Shingler (Big Foot) and Andrew Lumsden (BF) have taken out major service awards from Orienteering Australia.
Greg (top left) received the Silva Award for Services to Orienteering. He has been a stalwart - and driver - of the MTBO scene in Newcastle and NSW for many years. Greg also started the DuO concept which has returned to the calendar after a short break.
A tireless worker dedicated to getting people onto bikes for a different take on orienteering, Greg has seen the Newcastle BOSS series grow in recent years and his promotional efforts resulted in a total rookie (Tim Doman) riding for Australia at the 2019 world champs.
He will also be heavily involved in the 2020 Australian MTBO champs in Newcastle, and has lately taken to e-bikes (another avenue for growth) with great gusto.
Paula received the Silva Award for Services to Orienteering Coaching.
For the past 6 years Paula has run a weekly, informal interval session mainly aimed at juniors, although seniors (including parents) do come along. Attendance is usually 10-20.
Currently Paula coaches 12 orienteers, 8 of which are juniors, and co-ordinates with expert technical coaches to deliver learnings appropriate to the level of student. As a fully qualified physio, Paula provides all her ‘students' with a tailor made, monthly schedule, specially geared towards their age, ability and goals. The success of these individual programs can be seen in the low number of injuries suffered.
In her coaching capacity Paula also acts as a listening board for a whole range of problems her team might be experiencing. She regularly arranges other training sessions (both bush and sprint) and is invariably available at events for that last minute taping and treatment.
Some of Paula’s recent successes include: Alastair George (JWOC 2018 & 2019), Michele Dawson (WUOC 2018), Aidan Dawson (WUOC 2018), Toby Wilson (JWOC 2017 and WUOC 2018), Emily Sorensen (JWOC 2019 Irish team) and Georgia Jones (JWOC reserve 2017).
Andrew, the ONSW Technical Director, won the David Hogg Award for Services to Event Management. A Level 3 controller, Andrew has overseen a raft of international and national events.
Andrew started in orienteering in the early 1970s in Victoria. Since then he has worked countless hours on orienteering including controlling major carnivals, course setting and mapping, negotiating landowner access and creating the technical framework that ensures the quality of NSW events.
Andrew was National Controller for the Australian Championships Carnival at Bathurst in September 2017, however his services to Orienteering go far beyond that. He is also innovative and challenges the status quo. Andrew has given decades of outstanding service to orienteering in Australia.
As ONSW Technical Director he is also the backbone of NSW technical standards and accreditation, constantly working on a range of fronts. He shoulders much of the detailed technical work for ONSW.
Call for working group to improve event procedures
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 07 April 2020 16:45
The COVID-19 situation has given us some time to reflect on how we run many of our smaller events.
ONSW would like now to start up a working group of volunteers experienced in running computers and registration at minor events.
The immediate aim of the working group would be to develop and implement procedures to ensure events can be held safely once the COVID-19 restrictions are eased. This includes:
* minimising contact with shared surfaces
* ensuring safe distancing
* each event having a list of attendees so contact tracing can occur quickly if needed
The working group could move onto more general improvements to help orienteering efficiency and to encourage greater participation. This could include freeing up volunteers, using the same procedures for registration at enter-on-day events and improving our marketing information for people new to orienteering.
If you are interested in leading or being part of this working group please contact Andrew Lumsden (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 9412 3545).
The Hut gets a spruce-up
- Last Updated: Monday, 30 March 2020 21:14
Our tireless Friends of the Hut have given Belanglo House a thorough going over at the weekend.
A massive thanks to Doug and Keith Jay, Dave Lotty, Kevin Curby and Peter Howe - who all practised safe distancing while doing a mountain of work.
The new water tank is programmed for delivery just after Easter.
Peter reports some of the projects accomplished were:
* Completed the excavation for the proposed Water Tank by all. One and a half tonnes of crushed metal was delivered and compacted for the base.
* Cleared the drain blockage from the bathroom sink - the less said about this task the better! A new "S" Bend replaced the original bend and a new three-way union installed to join the existing pipes together.
* New duck boards were installed on the bathroom floor. A 12m trench was dug to extend the drain from the bathroom and new pipe
installed.
* A wire screen was installed in front of the woodshed. Hopefully this will deter people who have been helping themselves to the supplies.
* Daffodil bulbs excavated from the the area for the new tank have been planted in front of the outhouse. This should look nice in the in the coming months.
Kids rock at MetrO League 1
- Last Updated: Monday, 23 March 2020 14:19
Our juniors shone in round 1 of MetrO League at Castle Hill on Sunday.
Big Foot borrowed WHO's Fred Caterson Reserve map, which had a mix of bush tracks and intricate small rockfaces.
Riley Grainger and Cooper Horley were fastest in Division 2 as (Garingal) started their title defence in a close win over the Also-Rans made up from runners surplus to their clubs' requirements. IKO's Cameron Will was sixth.
In Division 3, GO rookie Tim McConaghy achieved a top-10 placing on debut, while Callum Waland was third in Division 4.
WHO's most recent SSS course setter Will Kay topped Division 5 and Big Foot primary schooler (just 10 years old, wow!) Alton Freeman was third.
In the new Division 6, Big Foot's Jamie Marsh was 3rd, SHOO 9-year-old Rory Shedden (crumbs - they're getting younger!) was 4th and WHO 12-year-old Lachlan Coady was 7th. Division 6 is on the Easy side of Moderate navigation, so these kids are already ahead of the curve.
These are fantastic results and very promising for the future.
All the results and links are on the ML web page.
A big thanks to Big Foot for a great event in difficult circumstances.
