Latest ONSW News
The best of Australian orienteering were ready for battle in the WOC selection races at the Coalfields Classic this weekend. Starting with a Sprint event around Newcastle University it was Matthew Crane who took the lead ahead of Simon Uppill and Toby Scott in the Men's 21E. In W21E Rachel Effeney was on great form taking 1st place over a minute ahead of Grace Crane and nearly 2 minutes ahead of New Zealand international Lizzie Ingham. The JWOC team were racing with some fine performances from the younger elites with ACT's Oli Poland not far off the senior elite pace, Tasmanian Brodie Nankervis and NSW Alex Massey tucked in closely behind. Nicola Blatchford has clearly recovered from her recent injury problems taking third just behind Lilian
Burrell and Heather Muir.
But the Sprint and the weekend weren't just about elites. With all three weekend races also nominated as NSW State Leagues nearly 200 club athletes were also out to try their luck on the Newcastle maps. The high quality of the mapping allowed planner Karen Blatchford to set some really challenging courses. High control concentration and multiple changes of direction on an area where route choice really made a difference to times meant that those who got it right were within seconds of their rivals, and those who got it wrong found their results tumbling down the Sprint Results. Michael Burton of Big Foot Orienteers won a very competitive M40A class and Malcolm Roberts (Newcastle Orienteers) had an impressive win in the M50A. Bruce Meder (Garingal) was nearly over 2 minutes quicker than second placed Rob Preston in M60A; by contrast the margin in the W40A was 1 second between Barbara Hill, also Garingal, and Nicole Haigh, Newcastle.
For most competitors less than 30 minutes running time out of their legs meant that they were still fresh and ready for the afternoon's Middle Distance event at Pelaw Main. The site of an old colliery, Pelaw Main was mainly flat with intricate path detail requiring fast accurate running. Matthew Crane and Simon Uppill again took the top two spots for M21E but it was a real contest for the next five places which were only separated by 37 seconds. Lizzie Ingham, Vanessa Round and Aislinn Prendergast were the top three in W21E, the first NSW
elite girl, Catherine Murphy of Uringa Orienteers a little off the pace down in 12th. Local orienteers Scott Simson, Glenn Burgess and Graham Fowler of Newcastle Orienteers will have been pleased with their 1st places in M40A, M50A and M70A respectively. Nicole Haigh (W21A), Gayle Quantock (W50A), Toy Martin (W65A) also took top spots for Newcastle. Middle Distance Results.
Sunday's Long Distance race at Kitchener was also the World Ranking Event. With a steep ridge to the south of the map and undulating eucalypt crisscrossed with an extensive creek and trail networks for the rest, both physical and mental stamina were required. With the longest courses checking in at 18.1km competitors will have been glad of the cool, dry running conditions. The best Elites results for NSW were in the junior ranks with Alex Massey and Kasimir Gregory posting 4th and 5th in the M17-20E and Michele Dawson 2nd in W17-20E. Rob Preston and Tracey Marsh were NSW best in the 21E races scoring top ten finishes with a 7th and 8th place respectively. Runners who managed the trifecta this weekend were Matthew Crane M21E, Ewan Shingler M10A, Duncan Currie M12A, Daniel Hill M16A, Daniel Orr M21AS, Barry Hanlon M75A, Karen Wallace OpenC, Sophie Jones W10A, Felicity Barker-Smith W18A, Barbara Hill W40A, Luke Robertson EOD Moderate Long Distance Results
These races were the first opportunity this season for the NSW Wildfires to get together for some fun as well as some serious racing. With a 'club' tent for meeting up with their friends, and brand new racing shirts the Wildfires were easy to spot. Wildfires leader Salme Fuller put on a string course and then ran a series of games for the under 12's after their races.
'It was great to see them all getting together, really engaging with the games and having fun,' said Salme. Salme has a fantastic repertoire of orienteering games and the children were treated to some of her favorites including Jump the Creek, Orienteering Soccer, Orienteering Bullrush and Compass Parachute. The Wildfires will get together again at the Queens Birthday 3 Days in Armidale.
Thanks to Russell Rigby for the event photographs. Photo gallery
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
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' 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