Wagga and Albury orienteers combined for a training weekend at Beechworth to fine tune their skills for the forthcoming bush event season starting in early March. Nineteen orienteers from the two clubs participated in a series of practical bush exercises in areas that are navigationally very complex.
Three very different areas were visited with each session emphasising the same points of “extending the control” by associating the target feature with other detail to make it a larger target, and identifying the key features to be observed en route so less important detail can be ignored. Sessions were conducted in pairs so that the less experienced members could learn from the more experienced and to exchange ideas on how to a leg could be attacked.
The first session was at Yackandandah where the complicated contour detail offers unique challenges. The importance of having a plan and focussing on key features was emphasised because everywhere looks much the same. Numerous little gullies and mounds make it imperative to focus on key features because trying to read each and every feature is just too difficult. Exactly the same thinking was required at Mt Barambogie where the numerous massive rock features are just everywhere. Focussing on just key features means much of the detail can be ignored, simplifying the navigation.
Each session commenced with a map walk to help interpret how the mapper has represented the area. This proved to be a popular and valuable component of the training.
The skills were further emphasised in a night event conducted around Lake Sambell in the middle of Beechworth. By day this is an open reasonably flat area with good picturesque visibility. By night, even with a full moon and headlamps, the lack of visibility means the same techniques as used in a complicated mining area or boulder riddled area are required. Identifying key easily recognisable features, large enough to see in a light beam of restricted area, even if slightly off-course was paramount.
Leigh Privett proved too fast in the night event winning by almost 8 minutes from Rob Simmons and Alex Davey. First woman to finish was Pauline Moore.
Results: Lake Sambell Night Event: Leigh Privett 27:47; Rob Simmons 35:11; Alex Davey 35:20; Pauline Moore 37:23; Catherine Holland 40:26; Wes Campbell 40:30; Bob Moore 49:57; Matthew Mott 51:39; Don MacIntyre 53:02
Thanks to John Oliver for this report
