Latest ONSW News
The organising team in Newcastle spent a long evening on Tuesday this week finalising their plans for the big Coalfield Classic events. Bulletins with more event details will be going up in the next couple of days and the start lists will be published on Monday. There's a great line-up of competitors with many of the 2012 JWOC team racing, as well as senior Australian Internationals including Rachel Effeney, Kathryn Ewels, Grace Crane, Simon Uppill and Rob Preston. There are a number of New Zealander elites also coming to try their luck and even some Finns. With over 300 runners pre-entered there will be plenty of competition to go around.
Junior orienteers from across Sydney will descend on UWS Kingswood for the first of the 2012 Junior League season. With plenty of teams and individuals already signing up the League is set to have its best year yet.
For those still yet to sign up pre-entry is best but entry on the day is also available. Online pre-entry is open until Friday 4 May and can be accessed here. Anyone planning to enter on the day should email Barbara Hill
The Sydney Junior Orienteering League runs in school terms 2 and 3 on Sunday mornings and is aimed at Junior orienteers aged between 8 and 20. Beginners through to experienced orienteers are welcome with courses ranging from introductory level navigation through to harder courses that will challenge some of Sydney's best young orienteers. If you like a puzzle and problem solving plus getting out and active then the Junior League is for you.
It was definitely worth turning up early at last Wednesday's Moonlight Madness in Cremorne. Early runners getting ready for their twilight sortie were treated to the evening illumination of the city, with ferries scuttling across the twinkling harbour towards our beautiful Opera House. Once darkness fell and the race began there were more views to be had, including the eerily flashing green lighthouse at the end of the point.
There was a sizeable turnout for the event with nearly seventy runners setting out, both individually and in groups, surprising the homecoming commuters walking up from the ferry point at Cremorne. Planner Carolyn Haupt had set an enjoyable course where there were plenty of points for all, not just those with long legs and too much energy. Average score on the course was 420. Richard Green scooped up all the points in 42:40 with Glenn Horrocks and Steve Ryan in second and third places respectively.
Building on the success of the Space Racing series the Western Plains Orienteers hosted a coaching course on one of the Sappa Bulga maps last Saturday. Coaches Karen and Sean Hagan ran the course for fourteen members who wanted to move to or improve their performance on Moderate level courses. After revising basic skills, the participants tested themselves first on a short course and then with growing confidence, on a trickier longer course. Review and reflection with the coaches consolidated their learning, giving them a solid basis to attend the Goldseekers event taking place on the following day at Ophir.
Thanks to Karen Hagan for this report