Latest ONSW News
We wish all orienteers and their families a safe and happy new year.
There's already lots happening around NSW and plenty of big weekends of orienteering on the horizon.
The Sydney Sprints and SHOO's Summer Sats are underway for 2016 (SHOO have just announced they will now be 45-minute events), while Central Coast's Summer Series resumes this Sunday at Kincumber Mountain.
Further down the track we look forward in particular to:
* Feb 20-21 - the O'Shea 2-Days on the Central Coast (entries are already open)
* Mar 25-28 - the Easter carnival is this year in the ACT (entries are already open)
* Apr 2-3 - the NSW Middle and Long Championships near Braidwood
* Jun 11-13 - the QB III carnival is this year around Coffs Harbour
* Aug 27-28 - the NSW Schools championships at Bankstown
* Sep 24-Oct 2 - the Australian championships in south-east Queensland
Add in the State League, MetrO League and all our club events and we've got the year well and truly covered.
Don't forget to renew your membership, or join one of our friendly clubs.
Seven local mountain bikers and teams threw down the challenge to the twentyfour visitng entries in the informal MTBO event at the Armidale Pine Forest (know affectionately in local MTB circles as the Piney) on December 30. However, they were no match for the more experienced of the visitors, who had been honing their navigational skills at Xmas 5 days foot O events in the Armidale area during the preceding few days.
Angus Shedden (Southern Highlands) completed the 20-control scatter course in just 28 minute 58 seconds and narrowly edged out Greg Barbour (Big Foot) by 7 seconds. David Symons was the best of the locals in 34 minutes 10 seconds, combining some local knowledge with previous orienteering experience. He was closely followed by local NEMTB girls Katherine and Isabella Hosking just a further minute or so back.
Several riders attempting the 20-control course evidently lost track of which ones they had visited and ended up with only 18 or 19 controls. Had they completed the course their times would have been very competitive.
The 10-control course was hotly contested, with Ann Scown (ACT) taking the honours in 23 minutes 51 seconds, closely followed by junior members of the Woolford family.
Download full results here.
Entries for the first Sydney Sprint Series event are open on Eventor here: http://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/2920
Entries close on Saturday at midnight in Eventor or Enter on the day, see below.
A short course will be provided which should be a good introductory event in addition to the sprint course, where we anticipate a winning time of 13-15 minutes. There will be bush, there will be buildings.
Parking at the event is limited to about 40 cars parking above the sports oval on Shout Ridge. Street parking is usually available on Winchester Avenue, from where it is a short walk to Crimson Hill.
Entry on the day will be available if there are any maps left.
Sydney Summer Series #14 Manly Vale - Wednesday, 6th January from 4:30pm
This must be some kind of record - Year 6 student Clyde McGhee has just hosted 1,000 students single-handedly, as a farewell present to Harbord Public School.
Clyde, 12, a member of Bennelong Northside, wanted to treat his fellow graudates to a course using a map made by Terry Bluett two years ago.
Proud dad Dave - who had to fight a very strong urge to be the helicopter parent - picks up the story...
"Clyde wanted to put on an end-of-year O course for each sports class. After some discussions with his teacher and the principal he got the okay.
"I was naturally nervous about his ability to pull off such a feat, but Clyde had a folder that covered every little detail of the event. He made his own laminated control cards, even bought some red and white bunting from Bunnings for the finish chute, and ended up running the event for the whole school, except kindergarten. I think that's a thousand kids!
