11 NSW orienteers top non-elite rankings for 2019
- Last Updated: Saturday, 12 October 2019 11:45
Eleven NSW orienteers have finished the 2019 bush season ranked No.1 in Australia in their age class.
The recent Oceania champs in NSW and Victoria wrapped up the rankings events, which included Easter (WA) and the Australian champs (WA and NSW).
Three of the 11 who finished with a ranking of 100% were relegated to second place on countback based on average winning margins.
Congratulations to:
Erika Enderby (Newcastle, W14), Nikolett Halmai (Garingal, W35), Jean Baldwin (Goldseekers, W75), Maureen Ogilvie (Uringa, W85).
Alton Freeman (Big Foot, M10, pictured), Oliver Freeman (BF, M14), Istvan Kertesz (GO, M35), Stephen Craig (NC, M50), Jock Davis (BF, M50), Greg Barbour (BF, M55), Basil Baldwin (GS, M80).
Read the full OA article and see the top-10 list for each age class here.
BOSS starts up on Sunday
- Last Updated: Wednesday, 09 October 2019 12:48
Our Newcastle club leads the way in mountain bike orienteering (MTBO) and their annual BOSS starts up again on Sunday at Killingworth South.
Newcomers and 'casuals' do a 75-minute score course, while those riders seeking a tougher challenge do a line course then a score course, all within the 75-minute time frame.
You can start any time between 8-9am - map board and SI timing sticks can be hired on the day. Pre-entry not required - just rock up on the day... but allow time for a briefing and gear prep.
Full BOSS details are in the series flyer here. Parking for event 1 is on Killingworth Road next to the big sub station.
Beginners will get instruction from our friendly Newcastle organisers.
Remember - this year one of the BOSS newcomers (Tim Doman) was so good he was picked for Australia to ride at the world champs! Could this be you in 2020?
And a reminder of closing date deadlines for looming interstate MTBO events:
* Sun Oct 13 Australian champs (in Victoria from Oct 25-27)
* Mon Oct 14 ACT champs (in Canberra from Oct 18-20)
Stephen Craig wins OA Silva medal
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 08 October 2019 16:16
Newcastle's Stephen Craig has won OA's prestigious Silva Medal for best-performed orienteer in their age class in Australia in 2019.
Points are awarded in the Australian Championships (Sprint, Middle and Long), Easter (each day is considered a separate event) and the Oceania Championships (Sprint, Middle and Long) for Elite and A classes in M/W16 and above.
Your best 6 events counts towards this award, with points as follows: 1st – 4; 2nd – 3; 3rd – 2 and 1 for finishing, 1 point if there are fewer than 4 starters.
Stephen ran in M35 and finished on the maximum of 24 points with Victorians Bruce Arthur and Jenny Bourne as well as South Australian Robin Uppill, and prevailed in a countback based on average winning margins.
Oceania also signalled the end of the National Orienteering League for 2019.
Congratulations also go to Big Foot's Alastair George who finished second in the junior men's elite comp where NSW was runner-up to ACT.
Our highest-placed athletes in the other NOL divisions were: Anna Fitzgerald (Goldseekers) 8th in senior women, Toby Wilson (Garingal) 8th in senior men and Iida Lehtonen (GO) 9th in junior women.
Alastair wins junior elite Middle to wrap up Oceania
- Last Updated: Monday, 07 October 2019 19:16
Alastair George (Big Foot) has broken through after numerous second placings at Oceania 2019 to win the junior men's elite Middle Distance race in Beechworth and wrap up the carnival on a high note.
Alastair - who finished runner-up in the Oceania Sprint, Australian Long, Oceania Relay and Oceania Long champs - blitzed the 4.7km course in 33m31s, a good two minutes clear of great rival Patrick Miller from the ACT. Garingal's Duncan Currie was eighth.
Ellen Currie (GO) was the best placed in the junior women in 16th, Toby Wilson (GO) finished 13th in senior men, and Alastair's sister Rebecca was 12th in the senior women.
The new map was on the edge of town.
Congratulations to our other Oceania Middle champs:
Alton Freeman (Big Foot, M10); Erika Enderby (Newcastle, W14); Emile Altmann (NC, M35AS); Rob Bradley (WHO, M45AS); Greg Barbour (BB, M55); Paula Shingler (BF, W55); Garry Stewart (SHOO, M55AS); Rob Vincent (NC, M60); John le Carpentier (SH, M75); Juha Lehtonen (Garingal, M Open B).
All up, NSW had 15 second placings and 11 thirds on the day.
Thanks to OACT, ONSW and OV for a brilliant carnival of eight challenging events in nine days. Pictured here is Waggaroos stalwart Alex Davey who does a lot of bush mapping in the Riverina.
Our next big bush carnival is the Xmas 5-Days at Armidale from December 27-31. The web page will be updated in the coming weeks.
