MetrO League ready to roll for 2017
- Last Updated: Wednesday, 15 March 2017 10:09
A bumper 30 teams will contest this year's MetrO League, which starts on Sunday April 2 at UWS Penrith.
We welcome the promoted SHOO-IKO team in Division 1, and an additional KNOX team in Division 4.
Along with some promotions and relegations from last year, this means Divisions 3 and 4 will have 7 teams each. As such, one team will contest two matches each round so that we can achieve a full round and finals over the six events.
In Division 1 we have 4 teams, so it will be two full rounds with no final.
All this year's details are on the ML web page. We wish all participants an enjoyable season and hope to see lots of Summer Series runners taking the next step up.
Please pre-enter for each event. We are still awaiting confirmation of the venue for Round 3.
The abbreviated MetrO League calendar is:
Apr 2 UWS Penrith
May 21 Wianamatta
June 25 TBC
Jul 23 Manly Dam
Aug 27 St Ives
Sep 10 Lansdowne
Breakthrough NOL win for Toby
- Last Updated: Monday, 13 March 2017 11:33
Congratulations to Garingal junior Toby Wilson on his maiden National League win as he bids for a place at the junior world championships in Finland this year.
Toby took out the Long Distance event in M20E on the notoriously difficult Pittwater Dunes course in Hobart on Sunday, making amends for a so-so result in the Middle Distance at the same venue on Saturday.
The 20-year-old has been tantalisingly close to JWOC selection the past two years and the victory was just what he needed to start the new bush season.
Next month's Oceania championships near Auckland will be in duneland, so the decision to have an Australian training in similar terrain in December (see pic of Toby and Duncan Currie) looks to have paid off.
"There's a lot of detail in sand dunes; it's often difficult to tell what's up and what's down," he said.
"By Sunday I was a lot more familiar with the terrain and feeling more confident.
"I had a bit of luck, fluked a couple of controls, and then in the finish chute just managed to get ahead of Jarrah Day."
Sunday's mass start had competitors going off in different directions but essentially completing the same course, leading to the exciting sprint finish.
Big Foot's Alastair George also shone and is seventh overall, still giving away several year to most competitors in M20E.
The Hobart Mercury article is here, and standings in the NOL are here.
The next NOL weekend is in Canberra in a fortnight in conuunction with our opening State League weekend. It will be a contrast in terrain, with Saturday the ACT Sprint Champs at Canberra Girls Grammar, and Sunday the ACT Middle Champs at Isaacs Ridge. Entries close Tuesday March 14.
2017 SHOO Forest Series starts on Sunday
- Last Updated: Friday, 10 March 2017 11:06
Our winter bush season starts rolling out this Sunday when SHOO put on the first of their monthly Highlands Forest Series events, at Soapy Flat near Mittagong.
Courses will be set to cater for all levels of ability and there will be someone on hand to help those new to running around the forest.
SHOO have steadily grown their Summer Saturday series and the Forest series piggy-backs onto that nicely.
It means orienteers in the greater Sydney basin will now have 3 quality events per month over winter: State League, MetrO League and the Highlands Forest series.
The 2017 schedule is:
Mar 12 - Soapy Flat
Apr 30 - Belanglo SF
Jun 18 - Boxvale Tramway
Jul 9 - Belanglo SF
Aug 13 - Penrose SF
Sep 17 - Appin
For further details, see the series flyer and Eventor.
Wagga kicks off 2017 teacher training courses
- Last Updated: Wednesday, 08 March 2017 09:30
This week we conducted our first teacher training course for the year, with 11 eager participants at Wagga High School.
These courses are BOSTES-accredited (they earn Professional Development points with the Department of Education) and provide teachers with the fundamental skills to conduct orienteering lessons as part of their curriculum.
Orienteering - as regular participants are aware - cuts across maths, literacy, thinking skills, PDHPE and geography - so it is an ideal avenue for learning, as well as great exercise.
Teachers from across the Riverina were engaged as Ian Jessup (ONSW) and Debbie Davey (Waggaroos) put them through their paces with a range of theory and practice activities.
Their feedback was great and we thank Michael Dare from Wagga HS for hosting us. We look forward to seeing some of their students at the annual Riverina schools champs on Monday May 8.
Further teacher orienteering courses in 2017 are as follows:
* March 23 - Brighton le Sands (Sydney East)
* May 5 - Armidale
* August 23 - Wauchope
* November 6 - North Rocks (Sydney West)
If you know of any teachers interested in attending, please pass on the above dates (they are also in the winter booklet) and ask them to contact Jim Mackay (development at onsw.asn.au).
