2012 Regional Schools Championships get underway with Riverina Region
- Last Updated: Friday, 06 July 2012 15:44
Forty-two students participated in the Riverina Region Schools Orienteering Championships conducted co-jointly by WaggaRoos, Orienteering NSW and the Department of Education and Training. Expert coaches were on hand to provide preliminary instruction to participating students. Basic skills in map reading and navigating in the bush were explained by taking students on short map walk. This was followed by individual age-races and a relay.
Commencing from the Music Bowl courses utilised the tracks and bushy areas around the Botanic Gardens. Students had to find various depressions, exercise stations, watercourses and rock-faces. The area near the Music Bowl was sufficiently open to provide spectators with some good vision of participants approaching latter controls. Given this was the first time most students had attempted orienteering, all did remarkably well.
The Boys and Girls 12-14 year age-group individual races were conducted over 2.5km that led students in a large loop towards Baden Powell Drive and back. The Boys section was hotly contested with just a couple of minutes separating the first five places. Stewart Braden from Wagga High was fastest in 30:45. Lachlan Billett, a primary school student from Uranquinty Public School, upstaged many of his secondary school competitor’s by just holding off William Standley (Wagga High) for second place.
The Girls 12-14 year age-race was considerably more sedate with most enjoying a leisurely stroll rather than racing seriously. Amy Cottee (TRAC) won by a considerable margin with Wagga High School sisters Monique and Jessica Canty filling the minor placings.
The 15+ year age group was contested over 3.0 km that involved 15 controls and included a tough climb to the top of the ridge. The Boys race was again a fiercely contested affair between Derek Boyd (TRAC) and Jonothan Bewick (Wagga High). Derek eventually prevailed by a mere 
46 seconds. Sam Dunnett (TRAC) finished third about 5 minutes off the pace.
The Girls 15+ age-race was a trifecta for Wagga High . Bethany Miller finished first, Ellie Heydon, second and Penny MacIntosh a creditable third.
The relay race was conducted by teams of three over 1km legs. A mass start created a flurry of activity and most played follow the leader until one of the group realised the leader was going the wrong way. The Wagga High team of Adam White, Kieran Gregory and Jonothan Bewick sorted themselves out of the melee quickest and won the day.
Results. Riverina Region Schools orienteering Championships. M12-14. Stewart Braden (Wagga High) 3045; Lachlan Billett (Uranquinty Public) 31:33; William Standley (WH) 31:47. Girls 12-14. Amy Cottee (TRAC) 70:05; Monique Canty (WH) 87:32; Jessica Canty (WH) 88:27. Boys 15+. Derek Boyd (TRAC) 40:23; Jonothan Bewick (WH)41:09; Sam Dunnett (TRAC) 46:21. Girls 15+. Bethany Miller (WH) 87:09; Ellie Heydon (WH) 88:10; Penny MacIntosh (WH) 90:17. Relay. Wagga High (Adam White, Kieran Gregory, Jonothan Bewick).
The next WaggaRoos event will be at Livingstone Forest at 10am on Sunday 20 May.
Thanks to John Oliver for this report and Helen Jessup for the photographs
New appointments and responsibilities
- Last Updated: Friday, 06 July 2012 15:44
Following election at the recent AGM, ONSW welcomes Maurice Anker (Northern Tablelands) to the Board. Maurice will be taking over the management and development of the website. His enthusiasm and energy are very much appreciated.
Robert Spry has kindly offered to add to his Board responsibilities event safety and risk management and will be undertaking a review of safety measures and equipment.
The Board have also appointed the 2012/2013 Sydney Summer Series South and West Co-ordinators. Dave Lotty (Uringa) will take responsibility for the South series and Janet Morris (Western and Hills) for the Western series.
The best thing I have ever done!
- Last Updated: Friday, 06 July 2012 15:44
'The best thing I have ever done' was the verdict of a Glenmore Park boy after his day orienteering in the Sydney West Regional Schools Championship last Wednesday 23 May.
Seven schools, 4 primary and 3 secondary, turned up at Fred Caterson, Reserve Castle Hill to test their skills on Ted Mulherin's clever courses. It was a beautiful day and the venue provided bush tracks, rockfaces, playing ovals, and even a termite mound or two.
The morning started with a map walk led by 7 ONSW volunteer coaches. This is an excellent way to introduce the electronic timing as well as the map. Some of these runners are very confident now as they have taken part in the event for the last 3 years. Then came the age races - children going in all directions after a 1min sneak preview of the map. The pressure was on in all 10 divisions.
Our 2 ONSW 'walking wounded', Chris Crane and Gordon Wilson, churned the finishers through while Jai Di Tommaso kept the results flowing onto the results board.
Kurrajong PS achieved 10 podium places mainly in the younger divisions, with Kellyville Ridge PS and Kingswood Primary PS gaining places in the older primary divisions.
Kingswood HS took most of the secondary places with Glenmore Park HS claiming all positions in the Boys 16 and over. Pendle Hill High School claimed an easy win in the Boys 12-13 division.
After the individual races came the Relays and lots of excitement. Most runners were visible most of the time and the 'encouragement' given by waiting runners was deafening. The girls team from Samuel Terry PS showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the runners and were such excited winners that they were leaping around the arena. The combined teams of Pendle Hill HS and Glenmore Park pushed each other to their limits with the teams positions changing with each runner.
Champion Primary school Kurrajong PS
Champion High School Kingswood HS
Thanks to Lyn Malmgron for this report, and Neville Fathers for the photographs
Careful planning at Newcastle Club event
- Last Updated: Friday, 06 July 2012 15:44
For the Newcastle Club event this weekend at The Underpass, planner Peter Newton had a number of problems to solve. The area between Killingworth and the F3 Freeway is heavily used by motorbikes and 4 wheel drives which made Very Easy and Easy course setting a worry. Faded flags were used to draw less attention from passersby and the flags were stood up late in the afternoon to minimise the time they were in situ. Control stands were secreted behind bushes or off the track, again to reduce the chance of interference from non-competitors which added a bit more spice to courses for the orienteers. Very Easy were set challenges to cross an open area to the base of an electricity tower which they could see. Easy runners were given route choice options enticing them to be brave and leave the comfort of the track, so cut across rather than run the long way around tracks. Since this event was a minor/training event these options were highlighted on a notice board map for course entrants to study.
With all that planning and care the only small problem for the day was courtesy of OCAD ‘all controls’ feature. Course descriptions were all correct but using a master map of all controls to place the stands meant that with the 2 last controls in close proximity, OCAD positioned the control numbers on the map in a fashion which saw the setter reverse the controls. More experienced OCAD users are aware of this trap so shrink the circles and numbers to ensure they are positioned close to the feature and double check number location. A useful tip for all!
And what of the race? One of Newcastle's fittest competitors (recent NOL setter Steve Todkill) ran the Long Hard in just over 41 minutes so Newcastle's newest JWOC representative (Alex Massey) was set the challenge of beating that time. He did - by 26 seconds. Alex’s time would have been shorter had he not baulked at getting his feet wet at the creek crossing (he was reminded that all he should do is RUN!)
Many thanks to Peter Newton for this report
