Orienteering NSW

Coming Events

map	Fri 1 Nov 5:30 pm Goldseekers Park #1 - Cook Park Cook Park

map	Sat 2 Nov 9:30 am SOS 3 - Middle Cove Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School, 5A Glenroy Ave, Middle Cove

map	Sat 2 Nov 10:00 am Illawarra Map Running Series - Spring #3 Croome Sporting Complex John O Dwyer Oval within Croome Sporting Complex - use the northern entrance from Croome Road - most direct access to Oval.

map	Sun 3 Nov 4:00 pm River and Bay Series #2 - Randwick Over the Rainbow, Randwick

map	Wed 6 Nov 4:30 pm 2024/25 Sydney Summer Series #5 - Lindfield Primula Oval, Lindfield.

map	Wed 6 Nov 5:00 pm Newcastle Summer Street Series #4 - Blackalls Park Blackalls Park

map	Thu 7 Nov 5:00 pm Summer series #1 72 Ross Street

map	Fri 8 Nov 5:30 pm Goldseekers Park #2 - Gosling Creek Gosling Creek

map	Sat 9 Nov 9:30 am SOS 4

map	Sat 9 Nov 10:00 am Illawarra Map Running Series - Spring #4 Unanderra Lindsay Maynes Park, cnr Princes Highway & Factory Rd, Unanderra

Sandra Stewart seems to tempt the elements with her course setting, and with the cold change having come through on Friday there was every possibility some of her controls would be under water, but wily Sandy made sure that this time she put the controls well away from any rapids. Her 'Gunnarsson' control, cut off by some building construction, was seen as a challenge to be overcome by the top runners.

The cool weather tempted a large group of runners to SHOO's penultimate event of their Summer Saturdays. The allocation of points means that next week the challenge will be on. Patrik Gunnarsson (BF) will hold first place in the Men's Score with Steve Cooper (SH) and Paul Davey (SH) hot on Luke Robertson's (NC) tail. An even closer competition will be between Lachlan Brooks (SH) and Jai Cooper (SH). They are currently on identical points. A sub-competition is taking place between James Wilkinson, Dean Williams and Ben Cummings. Only 4 points separated the three of them this week.

Next week's event on 9 February will be the last in the series at Harrington Park East, Fairfax Reserve of Sir Warwick Fairfax Drive. Prizes will go out to the top 3 places in men's, women's and boy's and girl's divisions. The places will be decided on the best 5 out of 6 runs.

Thanks to Lyn Malmgron for this report

Matt Hill and Michele Dawson kick off the latest ONSW training course for orienteers this Saturday 9th February. Aimed to help runners make the transition from Street events to Bush orienteering the course runs over 4 weeks, and is open to individuals or families. Anyone who has ever wondered if they have what it takes, and what indeed it does take, to run confidently in the bush should sign up for this comprehensive introduction. Our two NSW Junior Elites will be passing on the secrets on the following dates from 8-10am:

9th Feb - Bicentennial Park (West Pymble)

16th Feb - UTS Ku-ring-gai

23rd Feb - St Ives Showground

2nd March - Sydney Park

Join up for the whole course to gain maximum benefit (Individuals $75, Families $100) or week on week ($25 per week/individual). All course training materials included. Pre-registration is essential. Enter on-line at http://www.trybooking.com/41264 or call Matt on 0466 878 679 for more information

Over 50 Space Racers helped save Earth from attack last Saturday at Elephant Park! This was a record attendance at the third and final Space Race in Orange. This is the first time Space Racing has been held in Orange.

Space racing is park orienteering designed for 8 to 14 year olds. After some initial training all the children were handed a map showing the location of 20 Space Stations. Space Racers visit as many Space Stations as possible within 30 minutes however they need to plan ahead and manage their time carefully. Racers have a limited time to locate as many Stations as possible before returning to Mission Control. A visit to each Station earns points but for every minute that Space Racers are over time, they start losing points. At each Station Space Racers register their personal electronic Space Key which can then be downloaded on return to Mission Control to confirm the Space Stations visited and points earned.

The winner was young Thomas McRae who located all 20 Space Stations and was back before the 30 minutes time limit. His mother Michelle was a wonderful support for Thomas. All parents who attended the Space Races with their children are thanked for their help and encouragement. Many other children found all 20 stations. All earned a reward of Milky Ways and Mars Bars and drinks for helping to protect Earth and awarded certificates for their excellent participation.

Many will now participate in the Summer Orienteering series which begins at 6.00pm this Friday 1 February from the Velodrome in Hill Street.

Uringa had the worst weather of the holiday weekend for their Sprint event at Sydney Park. Heavy rain had left the course waterlogged and muddy, but despite the rain continuing to fall it didn't put off nearly 50 competitors who showed up for a run. Some had the foresight to come in their best wet weather runners - which could of course also double up for the beach! Will Inov-8 take their new shoe inspiration from these rather handy waterproof examples? Probably not, especially as the runners quickly changed their footwear for more traditional O-shoes before they headed for the start box.