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Our annual women's coaching weekend was another huge success, with lots of newcomers gaining confidence and skills in a bush environment.
Here's just a small slice of the great feedback: "Lots of fun learning some of the deeper details of bush navigation. Super-experienced coaches to learn from. Plus it was a lovely group of inclusive, encouraging, enthusiastic women. I learned a bunch of new things and felt satisfactorily rugged from a day in the bush!"
And here's newcomer Callie: "It was great learning from and being encouraged by skilled female orienteers. My goal was to learn how to use my compass so that I don't get lost in the bush, but I got so much more than that from the weekend. I learnt a range of navigation tips, was challenged and gained confidence. I'm now looking forward to my club's upcoming bush series instead of fearing it. With the coaches' encouragement I now have the courage to have a go at a state or overseas event."
Thanks to organiser Barbara Hill, her team at Bold Horizons and the awesome bunch of coaches who helped out - Martina, Toni, Reni, Paula and Tracy. Thanks too to the ladies who participated.
"We really pushed you along in some challenging terrain yesterday but every single lady took on the challenge and excelled," said Barbara.
The quote of the weekend: "Mum, I'm SO PROUD of you!"
The next coaching weekend is for all comers, on May 8-9, also in the Southern Highlands. Details here.
Orienteering NSW is calling for nominations for the 2021 NSW Schools Team.
Up to 20 high school students - junior boys and girls (15 and under), and senior boys and girls - are selected to compete in the Australian All Schools Championships in individual and relay races.
In 2021, the squad (known as the Carbines) will travel with a manager and coach to St Helens, Tasmania for a week of competition during the September/October school holidays.
Nominations close on April 14. The squad will be announced by mid-June on the ONSW website and on Facebook.
Compulsory selection events are the Broulee State Leagues on May 15-16 and the QB III carnival in Newcastle on June 12-14.
Nominees are strongly encouraged to compete at all State Leagues. Please submit your nomination via Eventor. You can view the selection criteria in Eventor. Written notification to the Chair of Selectors (Rob Bennett) is required if illness, injury or exceptional circumstances prevent attendance at any race.
NSW won the Australian schools trophy in 2019 for the time in 17 years!
While everyone is rushing to ensure they have entered the big three weekends coming up (State League 1-2, Easter, 2020 NSW Champs) - ACT have opened entries for their State League weekend on the NSW South Coast in May.
The unique sand dunes of Broulee (a rarity in Australian orienteering) will host two Middle Distance races, plus there's a prologue sprint at a school on the Saturday morning.
This area was devastated by fires 15 months ago, so this event will assist the local economy enormously.
OACT have booked out the local Big 4 Ingenia Holiday Park - all the entry and accommodation details are in Bulletin 1.
Full ONSW SL classes are on offer as well as OACT A-League classes. This is also the final round of the National Orienteering League.
March means it's State League time, and do we have a sensational weekend to kick off 2021!
Sat Mar 20 is the NSW Sprint Champs on the complex campus of WSU Campbelltown. Expect lots of changes of direction, stairs, dead ends and uncrossable garden beds.
That's merely an entree to the Long Distance event the following morning (Sun Mar 21) at Wattle Ridge - which was obliterated by bushfires 15 months ago.
Course setter Greg Barbour - a multiple world championship rep for Australia and New Zealand - says: "This is the best sandstone map in Australia and not to be missed."
"Everything is at its peak, the runnability is still there after the fires, but the visibility is decreasing month by month. It's now at the sweet spot between too hard and unpleasant, and too open and easy.
"Expect some of the hardest technical challenges of your life. Expect some iconic rock controls on knolls, chasms and cliffs. It is not too steep and there are few paths. If you want to do well in the complexities of Easter this event is essential."
The map is one of Alex Tarr’s best and this allows the hard courses to be set on all features large and small. Courses have been set to the maximum difficulty the map allows. The dirt road through the middle of the map allows an easy and safe bailout if it all gets too much and has allowed for the Easy and Moderate courses.
Entries close on March 11 and numbers are limited by National Parks. Make sure you don't miss out.
