Metro spoils shared in 2018
- Last Updated: Sunday, 26 August 2018 19:39
Sparse forest and plenty of road/track options made for fast times at our MetrO League finals at Lansdowne on Sunday.
The five divisions were won by five different clubs, as rain threatened to dampen the champions' parade.
Much to everyone's disappointment there were only a few drops and we hope for decent falls across the land.
This was our third outing on the revised Boggabilla map, and setter Jim Mackay got his course lengths spot on - with the quicker runners thankful for times a bit under 35 minutes for a change.
Big Foot (pictured) already had Division 1 in the bag before beating Garingal, but couldn't repeat their 2017 quinella as Uringa-Central Coast took out Division 2.
Bennelong knocked over SHOO-IKO in Division 3, the Molochs won the all-Garingal Division 4 final, and WHO's all-female team triumphed in Division 5.
Our champions for 2018 are:
Division 1: Big Foot. Individual: Alastair George (BF).
Division 2: Uringa-Central Coast. Individual: Shane Doyle (UR).
Division 3: Bennelong. Individual: John Bulman (GO).
Division 4: Garingal Molochs. Individual: Robert Herkes (GO).
Division 5: WHO. Individual: Melanie Christie (UR).
Our MetrO League web page has been updated with all today's results.
Thank you to all the clubs, participants, setters, controllers, organisers and results gurus for another great year.
NSW Schools champs update
- Last Updated: Friday, 24 August 2018 13:23
Our annual NSW schools champs are just around the corner - they are on September 1-2 in the Hills District of Sydney.
Students - click here for the Trybooking link and here for the information sheet. The entry deadline has been extended to midnight on Saturday August 25.
Everyone else - you can run the same courses as the students. You must enter via Eventor as usual. The entry deadline is midnight on Sunday August 26.
Saturday consists of two Sprints - at Hills Grammar and Cherrybrook Technology HS, while Sunday is a bush event at Wianamatta Regional Park.
We would also greatly appreciate any volunteers to help with the non-O school students to ensure they have a lovely day out. Please go to the rego tent to make yourself available.
Orange icing on State League cake
- Last Updated: Monday, 20 August 2018 13:07
What is it they say about mad dogs and Englishmen? Well, throw that in reverse - and it seems only orienteers relish running around in sub-zero temperatures in winter near Orange.
Saturday's Middle Distance at Kahli's Rocks, one of our best granite maps, drew some fast times - and well they needed to be as the 'feels like' temp hovered just below zero.
We noted former junior squad manager Sally Devenish (Western Plains) roaring to a win in W45AS in a rare appearance this year, and WHO's Robert Bradley cleaning up M45AS by seven minutes as his rivals made big mistakes.
Newcastle prodigy Alvin Craig raced around the 3.5km M16A Hard course in just 18 minutes and 50 seconds!
Garingal and Newcastle each took out ten age classes, while our ACT visitors also did very well in conditions they are much more used to.
At Ophir in mining terrain On Sunday it was colder still - verging on Antarctic - with actual temps of 0-2C and 'feels like' temps of -5 all day as 30-knot winds buffeted the hardy 160-odd participants.
And what racing there was! In M21A, run over 10.2km and with almost 500m of climb, Toby Wilson (Garingal) pipped ACT's Martin Dent by just one second. Big Foot's Alastair George was less then a minute away in third place.
We must say a very big thank you to the NSW Stingers and Goldseekers for their efforts in very tough conditions. Perhaps even a rendition of "Freeze a jolly good fellow"?
Please fill out the very brief Course Setter surveys. Our State League page has been updated with links to results and splits.
Our final SL weekend is September 22-23 in Newcastle. Entries will open shortly.
Galston, Mowbray win Sydney North titles
- Last Updated: Monday, 13 August 2018 17:38
Galston HS, with a big contingent, and Mowbray PS with just five students took out the Sydney North schools champs at sunny St Ives Showground on Monday.
More than 200 students enjoyed blue skies and great courses set by Jim Merchant that took in much of the runnable bush on the map.
Galston High have been wonderful supporters of this day since its inception in 2012 and bring a busload of eager students.
This year we noticed a lot more primary students - many progressing from the Sporting Schools programs that we conduct throughout the state.
A big thank you to organisers Peter Annetts and Barbara Hill, and the dozens of helpers.
Our NSW schools champs are on the weekend of Sep 1-2 in the Hills District of Sydney. Entries close Friday August 24 - click here for details.
