Latest ONSW News
ONSW is pleased to announce that Nicky Nygh will lead a new team of Junior Squad Catering Co-ordinators for 2014.
It will be very much a family affair at State Leagues this year with Nicky in charge of catering, husband Jock Davis taking over as Junior Squad coach, and son Callum in the squad.
Nicky will be assisted by Airdrie Long, Jo Parr and Jane McKenna.
ONSW again thanks Maggie Jones and Barbara Dawson for their 3 very successful years raising funds to subsidise the cost to families of attending squad camps and the annual national schools championships (which this year are in WA). Without their efforts the cost of attending the Schools Champs and the various squad camps would have been much higher.
Garingal's Karin Hefftner has won the Sydney Summer Series Cup for the second straight year - and came within one run of a perfect season.
Karin's tally of 2580 points (out of a possible 2600) included 25 wins from 26 events in the Super Veteran Women's class. Her only 'stumble' was in week 10 at Sugarbag Creek on the steep Big Foot map of Lindfield/Roseville.
Even more meritorious is that Karin regularly finishes in the top quartile of all runners each week! Final Cup tallies are on the SSS website.
Our 23rd SSS season wrapped up at Macquarie Uni under leaden skies last Wednesday and the top 3 overall placegetters in each class received chocolates or wine from series co-ordinator Ross Barr. Thanks to all the setters, vettors, competitors and clubs for another successful season.
For those Sydneysiders who need their fix of midweek score course orienteering, don't forget the monthly Moonlight Madness night-time series which starts on April 9 at Vineyard Creek, Telopea.
In Newcastle, our biggest club also concluded their summer season with a night championship at Brickworks Park at West Wallsend. This map has some serious contours! Alex Massey took out the long course and Jim Lee the short.
We've got lots of great mountain bike orienteering coming up, with our first Super Series double header for 2014 in the Southern Highlands and the closing DuO Adventure races of the summer season.
The weekend of April 5-6 will see Mountain Devils open the annual Super Series at Belanglo State Forest (Sat) and Penrose State Forest (Sun). The Sunday will coincide with our next DuO (combined Foot O and MTBO), On the Sunday you can enter the DuO, or just the MTBO section, or just do some Foot O.
Accommodation is available for a small fee at Belanglo, either in The Hut or camping.
And for the first time, we are staging a NSW DuO championship. This will be at Glenbrook in the lower Blue Mountains on Sunday May 4.
Entries for all these events can be made via Eventor. Enter-on-day is also available but pre-entry is preferred.
Speaking of MTBO action, Newcastle's BOSS (Bike Orienteering Summer Series) wrapped up last weekend at Pelaw Main.
Nicola Blatchford (Newcastle, pictured) and Michele Dawson (Garingal) have kept NSW on top of the junior women's National League after a tough weekend in round 2 in Victoria.
In a much stronger field than for the opening round sprints in Brisbane, Nicola posted two third placings in the intricate gold mining terrain of Yackandandah and granite of Kangaroo Crossing, near Wangaratta. That lifted her into second on the individual table.
Michele is third overall after a fourth and an 11th placing. Alinta Merrotsy (Northern Tablelands) was consistent with placings of 11th and 9th to sit sixth overall.
In the junior men's section Daniel Hill, Toby Wilson and Aidan Dawson were brought back to earth (after a big weekend in Brisbane), with both days bringing placings from 10-16 for the Garingal trio. That was enough to keep NSW second overall, however.
The Stingers' best effort in Victoria was Dave Meyer (SHOO) coming second on Sunday, after an 8th on Saturday. Josh Blatchford (NC) was 10th and 5th, while Matt Parton had a 14th and a 13th. Leading the comp after Brisbane, the men are equal second, close behind Victoria.
Tracy Marsh (Big Foot, 7th and 6th) was our best senior female. Lucy McGarva (Waggaroos) was 17th on both days.
The OA website has standings: senior and junior; and there are photos on the Stingers Facebook page.
In the non-elites NSW orienteers recorded the following podium placings:
Saturday: 3W Karen Blatchford (NC) 3rd; 4M Ron Junghans (GO) 1st, Jim Merchant (GO) 2nd; 7W Kath Oliver (WR) 3rd.
Sunday: 3M: Nick Dent (CC) 1st; 4M Ron Junghans (GO); 4W Karen Blatchford (NC) 1st.
