Latest ONSW News
Sydney Summer Series - Website - LINK
Season 34 will kick off on an updated Watsons Bay map today - Wednesday, 9th October with a new start location that will let everyone get to the most scenic bits and hills.
Plus, practice for Sydney City Race on Sunday.
Calendar "ics" file for input into Google calendar or Microsoft Outlook, just import:
Sydney Summer Calendar ICS Import File
Other Series available here thanks to Justin Stafford (NC) and Barbara Junghans (GO) - Calendar Files info
Season tickets for members will be $292.50 and $195 respectively. This is a 25% discount and lets you enter all 26 events with one payment. If you plan on doing 20+ events you will save money and the weekly convenience!
93 sold already, let's see that number increase and join in this week's event with Interstate and Kiwi visitors who are staying in NSW for the MTBO and City races. We sold 130 season tickets last season.
Season ticket sales are here - Eventor Australia - Event information: Sydney Summer Series 2024/2025 Season Ticket (orienteering.asn.au)
Sydney's Maprun series organised by Nick Barlow - Board Member and Garingal member last one this week!
Parking: Pickworth Ave alongside the oval.
Enter here - Eventor Australia - Event information: 2024 Sydney MapRun #10 Balgowlah (orienteering.asn.au)
Western & Hills Orienteers (WHO) have dominated the 2024 Sydney MetrO League after taking out three of the six divisions on physically demanding courses in the final at Northmead on Sunday.
WHO-UR already had Division 1 in the bag and comfortably beat a depleted Bennelong in the last round to finish the year unbeaten and claim their first top level trophy since 2008.
The host club added to that with wins in the Division 3 (30-24 over SHOO-IKO) and Division 4 (33-22 over Bennelong) finals at Excelsior Reserve. It was a great reward for their investment in youth as their teams were loaded with promising juniors.
State member for Castle Hill Mark Hodges, who helped gain WHO a grant to continue their excellent development work, was on hand to present the perpetual trophies and medals to the winning teams. We thank Mark for taking the time out of his busy schedule to attend.
Bennelong Northside again took out Divisions 5 and 6 with easy wins over the previously unbeaten WHO and the Garingal Geckos respectively, while SHOO-IKO won the Division 2 final against the Garingal Frill Necks.
Courses mainly followed the steep tracks in the reserve, with only two viable crossing points of Excelsior Creek. The loose leaf litter, rockfaces and gravelly tracks made for cautious progress for many orienteers, while the younger and more nimble were able to run with greater freedom.
Winners of the individual medals are:
Div 1 - Seth Sweeney (WH) and Ryan Armstrong (BN)
Div 2 - Curtis Pepper (BN)
Div 3 - Kieran Joseph (GO)
Div 4 - Euan Shedden (SH)
Div 5 - Louise Waland (BF)
Div 6 - Dennis Sparling (GO) and Ning Li Marc Heng (GO)
A big thank you to all the setters, controllers, organisers, mappers, helpers and club captains for their volunteer efforts in a record year with 33 teams.
The 2024 Victorian Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO) Championships took place over the weekend of 31st August and 1st September at Whroo, near Rushworth. Part of the National MTBO Series – Round 2, the event featured both Sprint and Long-Distance competitions. Organised by Bayside Kangaroos Orienteers, this year’s championships.
Both events were held on the Whroo Goldfields map, known for its varied and demanding terrain. The area is predominantly open native forest, offering riders a mix of well-used vehicle tracks, less distinct paths, and sections shaped by historical mining activity. The Sprint event, in particular, featured a more complex part of the map, with erosion from old mining operations adding to the difficulty. The terrain was mostly flat, though short hills around former mining areas and scattered small dams added challenges, requiring precise navigation and quick decision-making. The Long Distance event, on the other hand, tested riders' endurance over a wider area. The terrain was fast in many parts, with flatter stretches interspersed with short climbs. Riders had to maintain speed while navigating through dense areas and making sure not to miss the occasional less obvious track junctions.
NSW Competitors in Action: Sprint Event:
NSW riders made a big impact in the Sprint race. Robert Prentice (Newcastle orienteering) won the sprint race in M70, Alon Gudes from Uringa Orienteers took 1st place in the M14 category, while his father, Ori Gudes, claimed 2nd place. Andrew Power from Newcastle Orienteering Club narrowly missed a podium finish in M60, coming in just 39 seconds behind third place. Unfortunately, Carolyn Matthews from Newcastle Orienteering Club misspunched, but her determination shone through as she prepared for the next day’s event.
NSW Competitors in Action: Long event Event:
The Long-Distance event on Sunday was another triumph for the NSW team. Carolyn Matthews from Newcastle Orienteering Club dominated the W60 category. And Robert Prentice (Newcastle orienteering) secured his podium in 3rd place M70. Meanwhile, Alon Gudes continued his winning streak, securing 1st place in the M14, Ori Gudes did not race in the Long-Distance event.
Well done to all the NSW MTBO riders who made the long but rewarding trip to Victoria to compete! Now, we can look forward to our own state championships at Mt Annan and Appin. We have special promotions and prizes for the under-20 riders. So, if any of you are thinking about moving to the "fast side," (detail in eventor) this could be your chance to win some nice prizes as well!
