Finns win 2018 Ski O
- Last Updated: Monday, 13 August 2018 16:09
How on earth can someone from Western Australia win a ski orienteering event?
When they're Finnish and have winter sports in their blood!
Virpi Komulainen from the LOST club took out the 7km Long course at the annual Ski O day at Perisher on Sunday.
And it appears Finns made it a trifecta, with Heli Laajoki (a teenage cross-country talent from Canberra O club Abominable O Men) finishing second and Pauli Viljakainen (Bushflyers, ACT) third.
Big Foot's Hamish Mackie, now slightly the wrong side of 50, can surely lay claim to being Australia's greatest male orienteer - with a fourth placing in the Long. This follows his victory at the Australian MTBO titles in Open Men, and his solid form in foot O.
There were 47 starters all up from 10 clubs across four states (we noted a couple of Garbellinis from Queensland in the results). The day was sunny and there were perfectly groomed snow tracks to compete in Long, Middle, Short or Snogaine courses designed by Fedor Iskhakov.
A big thank you to Marina, Fedor, Red Roos, Big Foot, ACT and NSW Orienteering and to the beautiful and warm Nordic Shelter.
Results are here and Facebook photos are here. Next year's event is set down for Sunday August 11.
Level 0 coaching course Aug 17 in Sydney
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 07 August 2018 11:55
We will be putting on a Level 0 coaching course on Friday August 17 at ONSW headquarters in Sydney Olympic Park.
The course will run from 10am-2pm sharp. Parking is available at Sports House.
This is aimed at people coaching beginners (adults and children) and includes the OK-GO kit used in primary schools and course setting using Purple Pen.
Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to confirm your attendance and familiarise yourself with the other modules that must be completed before accreditation. We have more than 60 coaches in ONSW - come and join the team!
World champs underway in Latvia and Austria
- Last Updated: Sunday, 05 August 2018 13:41
The annual world championships are underway in Latvia
, where New Zealander Tim Robertson came within a second of winning Saturday's opening Sprint event.
Robertson, who won the Sprint at the World Uni Champs last month, covered the 4.3km in an incredible 14:07 (that's a km rate of 3m17s) to stun the European elites who took out 11 of the 12 podium places.
The Sprint Finals offered all kinds of obstacles – sudden showers accompanied by thunder, speed-reducing crowds of tourists, slippery cobblestone, narrow passages and yards that made route choices tricky.
Natasha Key was the only Australian to make the final - at age 46! - but mispunched.
You can follow all the action via the event website and through the OA Facebook page. Sunday is the Sprint relay, with the first leg runners off just before midnight AEST.
Meanwhile, the MTBO world champs start in Austria on Tuesday, with the new Mass Start event the first of 5 competitions over 6 days.
Newcastle's Glen Charlton is hoping for a better experience than last year when he suffered multiple mechanical failures.
You can follow all the action via the event website and through the AUS MTBO Facebook page.
Hill End embargoed until March 2019
- Last Updated: Friday, 03 August 2018 13:45
The really good news about Hill End (remember the awesome mining terrain at the Australian champs last year?) is that we're going back in March 2019 for a round of the National League!
The bad news is that until then we have to stay away from the mapped areas, as they are under embargo to prevent participants gaining an unfair advantage.
The embargo covers the forest within 3.5km of the Royal Hotel in Hill End, and for approximately 7km north of Hill End township towards Mudgee. The area mapped for orienteering covers 23 sq km of forest.
However, you may visit the township, including the Visitors Centre, Café, Royal Hotel, Northeys Store, Hill End Lodge and the National Parks Camping Grounds, plus the famous 'Golden Gully' walk.
Permission for access into embargoed terrain shall be obtained from the organiser if needed.
The NOL round on March 30-31 will have a Relay and a Long Distance; for non-elites there is a Middle on the Saturday and the Long on Sunday. This is our first State League bush weekend for 2019.
