Latest ONSW News
The penultimate event in the Waggaroos Summer Series was held in the Tatton area. Bob Moore set a challenging course in which participants could stay west of Plumpton Rd and tackle the hilly ridgeline, or try their luck east of Plumpton Rd where it was flatter, points values were higher, but there was more distance to be covered.
Competition was close on the 45 minute course with only a few points separating the participants. The hill area proved the best route choice with Brian Coogan amassing an excellent 145 to break through for a well-earned win. The in-form Alex Davey decided to head east towards the lake and fell short of first place by only 5 points.
Duncan, Emily and Ella Farquahar came and tried orienteering for the first time and did exceptionally well to finish fourth with 125 points just behind John Oliver in third.
On the 30 minute course the amazing pram pushing Jonathon Holland scored 90 points to finish ahead of his wife Catherine.
Next week will be the final event in this year’s summer series. It will be conducted in the Tolland area commencing from the Cobb St side of Kessler Park at 6pm.
Thanks to John Oliver for this report.
With all coaching and events within easy travelling distance of Camden this training course is designed for anyone wanting to improve their navigation skills, whether orienteering, adventure racing or just getting from place to place without a SatNav!
The course offers three Saturday coaching sessions on 10th and 24th March and 14th April, along with three key club events (Sunday 18th March, 1st and 22nd April) the coaching team have nominated where they will be on hand to mentor participants through their first bush events of the season. All this for $30! More details? Read the flyer here.
The second of the five Space Race missions set by Western Plains was manned by enthusiastic crews last Saturday.
Team Pleione (Samantha Wallace and Shannon Finch) came home first for the second week in a row. Team Electra (Kate Hagan and Samantha Smart) were second and Team Atlas (Robert Barwick and Jingming Chow) took third place. After the Space Race, adults were encouraged to try a little Star Trekking of their own. Nineteen sprinters (including some enthusiastic space cadets) were given a map and a different mission to finish as soon as possible. Robert Barwick rocketed home first (12:02), closely followed by Kerrie Mitchell (12:15) and Dale Wallace (12:32) took third place.
The next Space Race will take place at 8.30am (followed by the Star Trek at 9.30am) on the 3rd March at the Dubbo Christian School, Sheraton Road.
Shady spots at the latest Summer Series included one which was being staked out by police. Phil Harding, picking up controls at the end of the event came across a late model Mercedes which suddenly burst open and had men jumping out of the car and into the nearby bush, swiftly followed by the arrival of an unmarked police car full of gun toting constables who dashed after them. Says Phil 'in a short space of time, there were police everywhere.'
Being told that there were police dogs on the way as well, Phil picked up the controls as quickly as he could so he could 'move along' before the whole area was shut down. Late runner Richard Green came across Phil with his pots in hand, having come up short at the actual sites, so took advantage of the opportunity to bag the controls. With a quick one, two, 40 points were scored in what must be the fastest split between controls ever managed at a Summer Series.
Many thanks to Phil Harding, Ross Barr, Terry Bluett and The Manly Daily for the facts underpinning this world record event.
