MetrO back on track at Lapstone
- Last Updated: Sunday, 26 June 2016 22:17
Our Sydney interclub competition was back to familiar terrain for Round 4 with Big Foot hosting us on their track-laden Darks Common map at Lapstone.
After some easy running at Mt Annan and Botany, this was more like bush O. But the plethora of tracks can mislead - what sounds like simple trail running actually requires a sharp eye to ensure the correct track is taken; sometimes the cross-country bearing was more productive and less distracting.
Only two competitors (Dave Shepherd in Divn 1 and Riley Grainger in Divn 5) went under 35 minutes. Setter Miles Ellis tested the fine navigation with well thought out twisting, turning courses and again used a novel road-crossing control for safety.
The morning began with a minute's silence for Bennelong legend Frank Assenza, who we farewelled on Tuesday. Frank started the MetrO League in 1994 and was at events right up until his passing earlier this month.
With matches underway in bitingly cold but sunny weather, times were surprisingly long given that recent back-burning aided visibility in the southern half of the map.
We also thank Big Foot for allowing an undermanned Uringa-Central Coast to field two ACT elites as fill-ins; it cost the Feet the match - but with Garingal tripping up in a draw with WHO the Pink People still lead Division 1.
SHOO-IKO thrashed the GO Dragons in Division 2 in a battle of the heavyweights that was a likely preview of the final.
Division 3 is a three-horse race, with unbeaten Bennelong and Knox to meet in the last round. SHOO-IKO lie in wait hoping to sneak into the final. It's a similar tale in Division 4, where the unbeaten GO Legless face the strong Bennelong and WHO teams needing just a point to make the final. The GO Monitors are third.
In Division 5, Bennelong and WHO would both have lose badly to allow SHOO to leapfrog into the competition decider.
Thanks to Big Foot for a great day out - they had all the results up on their website before we were home! Most of these are linked on our ML web page. The individual points tallies are also up.
A reminder that our next round is on July 31 when WHO unveil their new map of Mulgoa.
Sydney SW schools champs POSTPONED to July 27
- Last Updated: Wednesday, 22 June 2016 12:58
Our largest metropolitan schools event is the annual Sydney South West primary schools championships at Camden Equestrian Centre and we are once again expecting around 400 eager students aged 10-12.
Due to conditions underfoot it has been postponed to Wednesday July 27 and we need literally dozens of helpers to make the day run smoothly. Any assistance that orienteers can offer is greatly appreciated by ONSW, our hosts from SHOO and the Department of Education.
There is usually a coffee van on site and helpers will get a basic lunch (pizza!).
Tasks involved include:
* parking attendants
* introductory coaching and map walks
* start official
* finish official
* roving coaches for the age races
* results processing
* general gophers
These championships help to present orienteering for kids in the best possible light. If you can help on the day, please email ONSW Development Officer Lyn Malmgron (lynmalmgron @ pacific.net.au) and state which role you prefer.
I love to have a sprint with Duncan...
- Last Updated: Monday, 20 June 2016 13:02
Is there anything this young man cannot do?
On Saturday afternoon at Leichhardt, 16-year-old Garingal junior Duncan Currie showed his alter ego "Jeff" (see The Australian Orienteer magazine for examples) how it's done with a fantastic ultra sprint.
In this micro format - which is so much fun and a great training tool - there are no control descriptions or numbers on the map; just a dot to show their locations.
With a 30-second penalty for each error (missing a control or punching the wrong control), what were initially decent times for the approx 1.2km races soon blew out and only three of the 80 participants managed three clean runs.
Add in a maze and you've got constant control conundrums!
Puzzled runners, upon hearing they had erred, quickly consulted the answer sheets at the assembly area with incredulity after each lap of Pioneers Memorial Park. "I swear I went to that one... and that one... and that one," they muttered.
We even attracted a couple of park visitors to have a go at one of the three courses.
Toby Wilson (GO) took out Junior Men and overall honours with an aggregate time of 21:50. Clubmate Michele Dawson was the fastest female in 27:57.
A massive thank you to Duncan and family, SI gurus Col Burnett and Di Bergen for their seamless efforts, and the entire GO gang for a great outing in a fantastic venue.
Photos can be found on our Facebook page, while results and splits are on Eventor.
Vale Frank Assenza
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 14 June 2016 23:28
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Bennelong Northside stalwart Frank Assenza, aged 82.
Among his many contributions to orienteering, Frank started the popular MetrO League in 1994. His cheery emails on the topic were signed off with "FrancO di MetrO", a monicker that stuck for the past 20-odd years.
Frank (born Francesco) was active in the RAEME HQ8 Infantry Brigade and Platoon 20, 19 National Service Battalion. He also co-founded Funrunner magazine in 1982.
His love (and knowledge) of classical music and opera shone through as he was an early programmer/presenter on 2MBS-FM (now FineMusic) in the 1970s with a weekly program "Aspects of Wagner". More recently Frank gave lectures to community groups.
He was well known for his good sense of humour and for the occasional practical joke.
Frank succumbed to pancreatic cancer on Monday morning. His funeral will be on Tue Jun 21 at Magnolia Chapel, Macquarie Park, from 12 noon with refreshments afterwards. All orienteering friends are welcome. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends.
