West Sydney series starts on Sunday morning
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 01 December 2020 14:48
Our West Sydney orienteering series gets underway this Sunday morning at a revamped Castle Hill Showground.
WHO kick off the West series, which runs for two Sundays in December (6, 13) and four in January (10, 17, 24, 31).
You have the choice of four courses: (a) a SCORE course of 45 minutes, (b) a 6km LONG LINE course with minimal street crossing, (c) a 4km MEDIUM LINE course and, (d) a 2km MINI course - very easy, mainly for younger juniors.
You may start any time between 9.30-11am. Series details are on the web page.
Sydney Summer Series turns 30
- Last Updated: Wednesday, 25 November 2020 21:51
It was an itch that needed to be scratched, a tummy rumble that simply had to be fed: why are we not orienteering over summer? How can we fix this?
That was the scenario 30 years ago, and it led to the biggest money-spinner and most successful innovation in ONSW history: the Sydney Summer Series.
Today's event at Waverton - with special access to Balls Head thanks to North Sydney Council - commemorated 30 years since the SSS started on the same map in November 1990.
You can compare the original map with today's course.
We had 250+ attendees, including nine students from nearby Shore school whose headmaster Tim Petterson - a long-time SSS devotee - making his return to action after a couple of idle years.
Course length was perfect: Richard Morris (Bennelong) the best with 590.
And did we mention the views? Harbour Bridge, the CBD, the former BP site, the coal loader with its tunnel linking #10 and #23, Berrys Bay and more - on a glorious sunny 25C day with a nice noreaster.
Perfection indeed - but how did we reach this nirvana?
Much like Australian Rules football was invented to keep cricketers fit over winter, the SSS was a way to give orienteers some navigational exercise over the summer months - when it's too hot to 'go bush' and snakes are most active.
Ross Barr was the man who got the ball rolling, with a 1990-91 series of 5 events. Today was SSS event number 622 and in that time we've evolved to coloured maps, electronic timing, online entry, Ross' weekly blog, live results, a free MINI course for kids, a season ticket, a new website - and some incredible statistical analysis by Richard Pattison.
Carol Jacobson won the 30th anniversary quiz and nice bottle of Moet.
Thanks to setter Warwick Selby, hosts Garingal, ONSW for supplying the commemorative mini cupcakes, and of course Moses himself - Ross Barr (pictured starting his course). Raw results are here.
Here's to another 30 years.
SOS to make big splash at Raging Waters
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 24 November 2020 11:46
Here's an orienteering event so exciting you'll wet yourself - literally!
Our partner organisation Bold Horizons is staging a special event at Raging Waters Sydney (formerly known as Wet n Wild) early on Saturday December 12.
The start window will be 7.30-8.30am, with course closure at 9.20am.
Due to the unique nature of this event and very special location, entry is dearer than our weekly SOS events. Most courses have a $30 entry fee however shorter courses, that are likely to be popular with children, have a discounted entry fee.
Note that rides will not be operational during the orienteering event. After the completion of courses, all guests will be required to exit Raging Waters Sydney. Discounted tickets will be available to re-enter the park on opening at 10am and guests are invited to slide the rest of the day away.
Entries are open now via the Bold Horizons website.
Hat-tricks galore at ACT MTBO champs
- Last Updated: Monday, 23 November 2020 11:56
Hamish Mackie (Big Foot) and Newcastle pair Robert Lewin and Carolyn Matthews won all three events to dominate the ACT MTBO championships held in very warm weather over the weekend.
Hamish won a star-studded M40 field, riding down an age class, while Robert won M70 and Carolyn (pictured left) had three close tussles with fellow Australian rep Tamsin Barnes from Queensland in W50.
Garingal's Istvan Kertesz took out the non-championship Open 3 class at each event as well.
NSW riders made up half the field, which would have been larger still had the Victorian borders opened a week earlier.
After a gorgeous Sprint on Saturday morning where there were options to ride through open fields, temps were touching 30C on the open fire trails and twisting steep single track for the Middle in the afternoon at Kowen Forest.
Courses were much longer than expected and winning times blew out, with many riders abandoning their course.
Conditions thankfully stayed mild on Sunday morning for the Long where you could really stretch out your legs on the fire trails.
Other NSW winners across the three days were:
Sprint: M50 Andrew Power (NC), M60 Eoin Rothery (BF), W20 Clare Jessup (Garingal).
Middle: M50 Shane Trotter (NC), M60 Malcolm Roberts (NC), E bike Tim Hackney (NC).
Long: M12 Alon Gudes (Uringa), M50 Andrew Power (NC), M60 Malcolm Roberts (NC), Open 4 Nikolett Halmai (GO), Open 5 Ian Jessup (GO).
We should also mention the extra effort put in by Ori Gudes (UR) who rode 60km in his three races, another 10km shadowing his 8-year-old son Alon, then backed up to run 4km and win the Medium Line course at the River and Bay Series back in Sydney on Sunday afternoon!
Life wasn't so rosy for clubmate Johnny Nolan (M14) who suffered the misfortune of a broken chain and had to walk his bike roughly 3km back to the finish. Ouch!
And it was great to see former Western Plains member Dale Wallace riding in the E-bike class, all the way from Dubbo.
A big thank you to Marina, Fedor and the OACT crew for a great weekend. You can see all the results here.
Our last MTBO event for 2020 is Newcastle's BOSS 3 at Neath on Sunday December 13. Details here.
