Latest ONSW News
Women's training weekend in Belanglo Forest was no teddy bear's picnic, with nearly thirty female orienteers from around the State coming to learn from NSW Head Coach Nick Dent. The weather was unkind for most of the time, making running conditions wet and slippery and soaking the participants as they tackled the challenging exercises.
Theory sessions followed by practical sessions delivered a tight training package, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. 'You don't often get the opportunity to spend real time working on techniques, like really reading contour,' said Jane McKenna from Uringa Orienteers. 
The experience level of the group ranged from urban orienteering savvy orienteers who had little or no bush experience - one described herself as 'consciously incompetent', to those who had been orienteering for some years picking up skills along the way and often coached by husbands, to a couple who have represented Australia. There was something to learn for everyone, and the final relay race, where teams were mixed up by ability produced some fierce racing. Read the full report here.
The last of the Sydney Sprint Series was run by Uringa at Mort Bay Dock on a map newly refreshed by Dave Lotty, who also set the course. Dave had taken the best of the area to produce an unusual sprint course that combined street areas and the best of the local parks.
Route choice was important especially on the longer legs where choices made measureable differences to results. Tricky short dashes through the parkland at Ballast Point, where spotting detail on the map was critical, had runners leaping up and down staircases and hunting in amongst the park features which included old oil drums and loading bays.
Michael Burton was the swiftest, canniest runner on the day with a time of 21:47 followed by Big Foot runner Patrik Gunnarsson in 22:21. First woman home was Tracy Marsh in 24.24. Special mention must go to Duncan Currie, Garingal junior, who with his 26:18 romped home ahead of some serious competition.
The Coalfields Classic - World Ranking event, World Orienteering Championship Selection Trial races, National Orienteering League Round 3 and incorporating NSW State Leagues #3,#4 and #5? We are talking the best of everything - great maps, great courses, and all controlled and organised by our most experienced officials. Come and see the cream of Australian orienteering compete for their spot on the WOC team, whilst making your own bid for age class honours.On-line entry is now open here.
Space Racing is becoming a star attraction in Dubbo and it is bringing new blood to Western Plains Orienteering Club. Fourteen people have joined the club since the beginning of the series with both adults and children having their appetites for orienteering whetted by this highly successful innovation in the WP calendar.
The latest race was held at the TAFE campus in Dubbo and was set by Sally Devenish, Kate and Rebecca Kennedy.“The TAFE campus is very complex and yet children as young as eight years old were able to navigate their way around without adult assistance” said Karen Hagan, President of the Western Plains Orienteers, showing how such a series can really help the orienteering skills of the children to develop.
The next event will take place at Macquarie Anglican Grammar School on Saturday 17th March (registration 8.30am).
Thanks to Karen Hagan for her help with this report
