NSW & ACT coaches put on top notch training weekend
- Last Updated: Friday, 06 July 2012 15:44
Around forty orienteers, drawn mainly from ACT and NSW Elites and Junior Squads, enjoyed some fantastic training at Timberlight this weekend. The training was a last minute arrangement between NSW, and ACT training coordinator Toni Brown, after the disappointment of the State League postponement. With exercises set by National Senior Squad member Josh Blatchford and World Masters Gold Medallist Jenny Bourne the training was high quality and just the thing to sharpen up bush skills after the summer of street navigation. New Zealand International Lizzie Ingham and Australian JWOC 2011 team member Belinda Lawford (also National Senior Squad) were amongst those taking advantage of the opportunity for some extra training.
NSW Head Coach Nick Dent ran a session for Sydneysiders returning home, in Belanglo on Sunday. Dave Lotty and Dick Ogilvie who were out in the forest planning for Uringa's August State League joined in the tough physical loops course on the Miner's Despair map.
Many thanks to Toni Brown and the coaches for working together to pull this off at short notice. Many thanks also to the Knights family for access to their property, Timberlight, and Western Hills Orienteers for access to the map. This may be one of the last few opportunities to run on this part of the map as the property is being subdivided and sold in 100 acre lots.
Record turnout for the Great Volcanic Mountain Challenge
- Last Updated: Friday, 06 July 2012 15:44
The Great Volcanic Mountain Challenge to the top of Mount Canoblas near Orange had a record field this Sunday. Nearly 400 starters entered from all over NSW, with athletes drawn from Wollongong, Sydney and Newcastle as well as a good local turnout. A fund raiser for the local Scouts and Guides, the annual event is organised by Goldseekers Orienteers and has been growing in popularity since it started seven years ago. This year there was an additional boost to entrants to the event as it was nominated as the NSW Mountain Running Championships by Athletics NSW.
Competition was fierce with Ruairdh Macdonald snatching the victory from last year's winner and course record holder Robin Whiteley, in 51:09 to Robin's 51:28. Central Coast runner Charlie Brooks was third in 52.13. For the female placings it was local woman Christine Wolfson first across the line in 1:01:13, a good margin head of Audrey Amiya-Hall who was second in 1:06:03 and Estelle Dean, also from Orange in 1:07:24. Local orienteer Darren Francis of Goldseekers put in a tremendous performance with a time of 1:11:01 with Western Plains club member Matt Scott coming in not far behind in 1:12:08. Shaun Smith, a junior and NSW Wildfire (Under 12) from Goldseekers, found his way to the top in just over 2 hours. Other notable results came from the Over 70 age class winner, Brian Rix, who scorched up the mountainside in 1:25:22. Willy Thomas who completed the course in just under 3 hours, is the oldest entrant ever in the race, competing in the Over 80's class.
This year saw the use of a new electronic timing system, purchased as a joint venture between Goldseekers, Orange Triathlon Club and Orange Runners Club. The purchase of the system, which cost over $16,000 was made possible by the generous support of local Orange Council.
Wendy Stevenson ends a season of amazing runs at the Sydney Summer Series
- Last Updated: Friday, 06 July 2012 15:44
With 26 events under her belt and 2600 points representing 26 winning runs there was no doubting who was going to be Sydney Summer Series Champion this year. Wendy Stevenson had an immaculate set of races, beating all comers in the Veteran Women's class and out point scoring everyone else to take the trophy.
The last race in the Series was held at Macquarie University. With few hills and plenty of building detail, the course had the feel of a sprint event albeit a rather long one. Deep grass on the open areas of the map sapped some of the runners' energy but these areas were balanced nicely with very quick legs around paved areas of the campus and local streets.
There were some amazingly close results, with a number of equal first places being awarded. For badge purposes, where perfect scores of 1200 were matched, delving into the series event scoring detail was the only way to differentiate between top scorers. Even then it was by very slim margins. Lisa Grant in the Open Women took top badge from Gill Fowler this way, as did Glen Horrocks from Richard Green in Masters Men. Steve Ryan was a veteran of 26 races this season and scoring the full 1200 took first place from Andrew Hill, who despite injury part way through the season still had such a great set of results that Mark Schaefer couldn't catch him. 
Michael Burton won in convincing style ahead of Malcolm Bradley and Andy Graham; Eoin Rothery was the winner of the Super Veteran class. NSW Junior Squad members Matthew Hill and Michele Dawson took top honours in the Open Men and Open Women categories.
Full results for the race and for the season will be available soon on the Sydney Summer Series page.
The winter bush orienteering season has started, with club events already underway and the Metro League kicking off on Sunday 1st April out at Cecil Hills. Anyone heading up to the Easter Carnival in Queensland will find this a great opportunity to brush up their bush orienteering skills. For those who get withdrawal symptons from the Summer Series during the bush season, there is the monthly Moonlight Madness race series held at the full moon. The first of that series is on 4th April in Northern Sydney.
The next big thing - the Coalfields Classic
- Last Updated: Friday, 06 July 2012 15:44
The Coalfields Classic brings together top quality terrain with the very best in organisation and planning that NSW has to offer. These races are blue riband State League events and National Orienteering League Round 3. Nominated as one of the Australian team World Orienteering Championship selection races, and Sunday 13th Long Distance as a World Ranking Event it is no wonder there is such a classy field of competitors lining up to run. Have a look at the competition area maps and start to get excited. Entries are still open until 15th April but don't get distracted by Easter and book your entries in now here. This is one set of races you don't want to miss!
