The last of the Sydney Sprint Series was run by Uringa at Mort Bay Dock on a map newly refreshed by Dave Lotty, who also set the course. Dave had taken the best of the area to produce an unusual sprint course that combined street areas and the best of the local parks.
Route choice was important especially on the longer legs where choices made measureable differences to results. Tricky short dashes through the parkland at Ballast Point, where spotting detail on the map was critical, had runners leaping up and down staircases and hunting in amongst the park features which included old oil drums and loading bays.
Michael Burton was the swiftest, canniest runner on the day with a time of 21:47 followed by Big Foot runner Patrik Gunnarsson in 22:21. First woman home was Tracy Marsh in 24.24. Special mention must go to Duncan Currie, Garingal junior, who with his 26:18 romped home ahead of some serious competition.
The Coalfields Classic - World Ranking event, World Orienteering Championship Selection Trial races, National Orienteering League Round 3 and incorporating NSW State Leagues #3,#4 and #5? We are talking the best of everything - great maps, great courses, and all controlled and organised by our most experienced officials. Come and see the cream of Australian orienteering compete for their spot on the WOC team, whilst making your own bid for age class honours.On-line entry is now open here.
Space Racing is becoming a star attraction in Dubbo and it is bringing new blood to Western Plains Orienteering Club. Fourteen people have joined the club since the beginning of the series with both adults and children having their appetites for orienteering whetted by this highly successful innovation in the WP calendar.
The latest race was held at the TAFE campus in Dubbo and was set by Sally Devenish, Kate and Rebecca Kennedy.“The TAFE campus is very complex and yet children as young as eight years old were able to navigate their way around without adult assistance” said Karen Hagan, President of the Western Plains Orienteers, showing how such a series can really help the orienteering skills of the children to develop.
The next event will take place at Macquarie Anglican Grammar School on Saturday 17th March (registration 8.30am).
Thanks to Karen Hagan for her help with this report
A number of our best athletes and upcoming juniors travelled to Victoria this weekend to compete in the opening NOL races. Matthew Parton, Josh Blatchford and Rob Preston were all racing in the Men's Open Elite and brought in some good results in a competitive field. Matthew Parton had the best result amongst the men with his 3rd place in the Sprint race, but they were all on their game with Rob Preston's very consistent 5th in both Middle and Long Distance races, and Josh Blatchford bringing home a 7th in the Sprint, 8th in the Middle and 10th in the Long Distance. Alex Massey and Kasimir Gregory were racing in the Men's Junior Elite but never quite got on terms with some of the other Junior Elites who were on fire. Oscar McNulty won the Sprint in a blistering 12:44, missed winning the Middle by a mere minute and won the Long Distance comfortably in 76:24 ahead of Ian Lawford's 82:46.
Read more: NSW has good outing at National Orienteering League in Victoria