Latest ONSW News
Our largest metropolitan schools event is the annual Sydney South West primary schools championships at Camden Equestrian Centre and we are once again expecting around 400 eager students aged 10-12.
Due to conditions underfoot it has been postponed to Wednesday July 27 and we need literally dozens of helpers to make the day run smoothly. Any assistance that orienteers can offer is greatly appreciated by ONSW, our hosts from SHOO and the Department of Education.
There is usually a coffee van on site and helpers will get a basic lunch (pizza!).
Tasks involved include:
* parking attendants
* introductory coaching and map walks
* start official
* finish official
* roving coaches for the age races
* results processing
* general gophers
These championships help to present orienteering for kids in the best possible light. If you can help on the day, please email ONSW Development Officer Lyn Malmgron (lynmalmgron @ pacific.net.au) and state which role you prefer.
Is there anything this young man cannot do?
On Saturday afternoon at Leichhardt, 16-year-old Garingal junior Duncan Currie showed his alter ego "Jeff" (see The Australian Orienteer magazine for examples) how it's done with a fantastic ultra sprint.
In this micro format - which is so much fun and a great training tool - there are no control descriptions or numbers on the map; just a dot to show their locations.
With a 30-second penalty for each error (missing a control or punching the wrong control), what were initially decent times for the approx 1.2km races soon blew out and only three of the 80 participants managed three clean runs.
Add in a maze and you've got constant control conundrums!
Puzzled runners, upon hearing they had erred, quickly consulted the answer sheets at the assembly area with incredulity after each lap of Pioneers Memorial Park. "I swear I went to that one... and that one... and that one," they muttered.
We even attracted a couple of park visitors to have a go at one of the three courses.
Toby Wilson (GO) took out Junior Men and overall honours with an aggregate time of 21:50. Clubmate Michele Dawson was the fastest female in 27:57.
A massive thank you to Duncan and family, SI gurus Col Burnett and Di Bergen for their seamless efforts, and the entire GO gang for a great outing in a fantastic venue.
Photos can be found on our Facebook page, while results and splits are on Eventor.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Bennelong Northside stalwart Frank Assenza, aged 82.
Among his many contributions to orienteering, Frank started the popular MetrO League in 1994. His cheery emails on the topic were signed off with "FrancO di MetrO", a monicker that stuck for the past 20-odd years.
Frank (born Francesco) was active in the RAEME HQ8 Infantry Brigade and Platoon 20, 19 National Service Battalion. He also co-founded Funrunner magazine in 1982.
His love (and knowledge) of classical music and opera shone through as he was an early programmer/presenter on 2MBS-FM (now FineMusic) in the 1970s with a weekly program "Aspects of Wagner". More recently Frank gave lectures to community groups.
He was well known for his good sense of humour and for the occasional practical joke.
Frank succumbed to pancreatic cancer on Monday morning. His funeral will be on Tue Jun 21 at Magnolia Chapel, Macquarie Park, from 12 noon with refreshments afterwards. All orienteering friends are welcome. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends.
Coffs Harbour stamped itself as a terrific new orienteering venue by hosting a wonderfully diverse QB III carnival over the long weekend.
Bush n Beach, our newest club and ONSW club of the year for 2015, turned on glorious weather and intriguing courses with more than 350 entries.
ACT elite couple Jo Allison and Dave Shepherd took out the 21A classes overall, although Nicola Blatchford (Newcastle) enjoyed a stunning 1-minute win in Monday's sprint.
The weekend opened with a middle distance at Boambee Dunes. Sand dune orienteering is a rarity in NSW, with the form lines on the map confusing many. Were they small depressions or hillocks? We won't mention the ONSW board director who took 43 minutes to the first control!
There was fast running for the long distance at Bom Bom State Forest on day two, where Grafton (21C) was the warmest place in NSW. Barbara Hill (Garingal) edged out Martina Craig (NC) in W45A, while Sharon Burgess (NC) pipped local Julie Irvine (BB) by one second in W45AS.
Overnight rain cleared for the early morning sprint at CHEC on Monday morning. Duncan Currie (GO) won M16A and Andrew Barnett (ACT) had a strong win in M21A.
Results are on Eventor, the courses are on Routegadget, and check out the fantastic photos by Tony Hill. A massive thanks to everyone who contributed to a very successful carnival.
All participants are asked to please fill out the brief Course Setter of the Year survey for each day.
Our next State League weekend is in late August when Uringa host the NSW Schools Championships near Bankstown.
