Breakthrough wins at Newcastle State League
- Last Updated: Monday, 20 April 2015 09:22
Georgia Jones announced her arrival in the adult ranks with a surprise win in State League 4 at Newcastle on Sunday.
16-year-old Georgia (Uringa) is in her first year running for NSW in the National League junior division and recorded an impressive ninth placing at the big Easter carnival in South Australia. She followed up that impressive performance by knocking off Newcastle's three-time JWOC rep Nicola Blatchford (albeit by just 14 seconds) in the W20A class at Balickera.
In W45AS, Barbara Dawson (GO) made it a double, winning Sunday's long distance event by one second from Sharon Burgess (NC).
We also note new Bennelong recruit Alitia Dougall taking out W21AS on each day. Alitia is originally from Queensland and is just getting back into the sport after a 10-year break.
And how wonderful it was to see local Carolyn Chalmers winning W70A just a fortnight after a serious car accident en route from Easter to Adelaide airport. Rumour has it Carolyn is off overseas this week!
In the men's classes, ACT's Andrew Barnett won a close tussle with Josh Blatchford in M21A over 12km.
SHOO's Angus Shedden, the individual medal winner in MetrO League division 2 last year, took out M35A on both days. And Bjorn Mella (NC) inflicted a rare defeat on Eoin Rothery (BF) in M55A.
Thank you to Newcastle for another great weekend.
We ask all participants to fill out the very brief course setter surveys, and remind everyone that entries close on Sun May 3 for the next SL weekend near Orange on May 16-17.
Events statewide show orienteering's diversity
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 14 April 2015 20:36
Channelling Forrest Gump's "box of chocolates" analogy, you never know what you are going to get on an orienteering course. Around the state last weekend we had six clubs offering quite different terrains and experiences.
In round 2 of SHOO's Highlands Forest Series on Sunday, Robert Spry set courses in the rarely used eastern part of Penrose SF, which includes some beautiful but technical sandstone terrain in open eucalypt forest.
Former elite Eric Morris blitzed the 4.5km Long Hard course in 39.45. The Short Hard course had the leading four all within a minute of each other.
In Wagga, round two of the annual Interclub challenge with Albury Wodonga was on steep, rocky hillsides on the Burngoogee map - with some vague terrain between climbs making navigation quite tough.
Both hard courses were stern tests. Newcomer Krystal Jessup (your correspondent's niece, pictured left) made her debut on an abbreviated Easy course in preparation for the Riverina Schools champs.
Half an hour from Armidale, Northern Tablelands hosted on the flat Sandy Creek map, drawing a good number from our newest club at Coffs. Vegetation was a mix of open grazing land and moderately thick forest, with some rock features and numerous termite mounds.
Near Orange, Goldseekers were out and about on the Macquarie Woods map.
On Saturday, Garingal drew more than 100 people to an introductory coaching session for locals in Westleigh as part of the Hornsby Healthy Living Festival. Courses ranged from very easy and easy around Ruddock Park to longer moderate navigation through Lane Cove National Park. Half the attendees were newcomers who provided very positive feedback.
IKO's event at Sutherland offered a 45-minute score or 2km line course through urban parkland, again suited to beginners.
Delightful DuO champs
- Last Updated: Monday, 13 April 2015 13:21
Bennelong couple Marina Iskhakova and Fedor Iskhakov put on a superb event in staging the second annual NSW DuO championships at Castle Hill on Sunday.
Our Russian hosts were on site at the crack of dawn setting out controls across the vast expanse of the showground and Fred Caterson Reserve, and were applauded for their efforts in setting great foot O and MTBO courses at the one event.
"Thanks Marina and Fedor - most enjoyable Duo event ever," gushed Cath Chalmers, winner of the women's Hard 2 course.
"I second that," added Newcastle's Rob Prentice, a close second in men's Hard 2.
Congratulations to our winners, and to all participants - please spread the word about this format. It's compact, enjoyable adventure racing!
Hard 1- Carolyn Matthews (NC) & Steven Todkill (NC)
Hard 2 - Cath Chalmers (BF) & Eoin Rothery (BF)
Hard 3 - Lynda Hewson (NC) & Ewan Shingler (BF)
Novice - Andrew Vesey-Wells (WH)
Check out the results and the Facebook photo album.
Finn bounces back after roo-t choice accident
- Last Updated: Thursday, 09 April 2015 20:39
Uringa's Finn Mackay is one of our promising juniors now finding his feet on moderate courses.
Finn entered M14A at the Easter carnival in South Australia. After a promising 13th placing in the short prologue, he was all set for the 3 days in the bush... when nature struck!
“I had an unlucky day on the first day at Wonna Creek when a kangaroo jumped out at me at the 2nd control trying to get away from another orienteer," recalled Finn, pictured here at the recent Xmas 5-Days in Pyrmont.
"The kangaroo was coming straight at me really fast. I rolled my ankle getting out of the way. I tried to keep on going but couldn’t because I was hobbling with a sore ankle, so headed to the finish for a DNF."
That wasn't going to stop Finn from enjoying the last 2 days, and here he recounts Day 2 at Tundarri.
“My ankle was better and the M14 course was 4.3 km. Control #1 seemed easy: go straight north to the river, then follow it east to the control… but I must have drifted a bit to the west because when I followed the river east I came across #2. I followed the dry river bed from there to the control easily, and #2 was even easier because I already knew where it was!
Read more: Finn bounces back after roo-t choice accident
