Latest ONSW News
Channelling Forrest Gump's "box of chocolates" analogy, you never know what you are going to get on an orienteering course. Around the state last weekend we had six clubs offering quite different terrains and experiences.
In round 2 of SHOO's Highlands Forest Series on Sunday, Robert Spry set courses in the rarely used eastern part of Penrose SF, which includes some beautiful but technical sandstone terrain in open eucalypt forest.
Former elite Eric Morris blitzed the 4.5km Long Hard course in 39.45. The Short Hard course had the leading four all within a minute of each other.
In Wagga, round two of the annual Interclub challenge with Albury Wodonga was on steep, rocky hillsides on the Burngoogee map - with some vague terrain between climbs making navigation quite tough.
Both hard courses were stern tests. Newcomer Krystal Jessup (your correspondent's niece, pictured left) made her debut on an abbreviated Easy course in preparation for the Riverina Schools champs.
Half an hour from Armidale, Northern Tablelands hosted on the flat Sandy Creek map, drawing a good number from our newest club at Coffs. Vegetation was a mix of open grazing land and moderately thick forest, with some rock features and numerous termite mounds.
Near Orange, Goldseekers were out and about on the Macquarie Woods map.
On Saturday, Garingal drew more than 100 people to an introductory coaching session for locals in Westleigh as part of the Hornsby Healthy Living Festival. Courses ranged from very easy and easy around Ruddock Park to longer moderate navigation through Lane Cove National Park. Half the attendees were newcomers who provided very positive feedback.
IKO's event at Sutherland offered a 45-minute score or 2km line course through urban parkland, again suited to beginners.
Bennelong couple Marina Iskhakova and Fedor Iskhakov put on a superb event in staging the second annual NSW DuO championships at Castle Hill on Sunday.
Our Russian hosts were on site at the crack of dawn setting out controls across the vast expanse of the showground and Fred Caterson Reserve, and were applauded for their efforts in setting great foot O and MTBO courses at the one event.
"Thanks Marina and Fedor - most enjoyable Duo event ever," gushed Cath Chalmers, winner of the women's Hard 2 course.
"I second that," added Newcastle's Rob Prentice, a close second in men's Hard 2.
Congratulations to our winners, and to all participants - please spread the word about this format. It's compact, enjoyable adventure racing!
Hard 1- Carolyn Matthews (NC) & Steven Todkill (NC)
Hard 2 - Cath Chalmers (BF) & Eoin Rothery (BF)
Hard 3 - Lynda Hewson (NC) & Ewan Shingler (BF)
Novice - Andrew Vesey-Wells (WH)
Check out the results and the Facebook photo album.
Uringa's Finn Mackay is one of our promising juniors now finding his feet on moderate courses.
Finn entered M14A at the Easter carnival in South Australia. After a promising 13th placing in the short prologue, he was all set for the 3 days in the bush... when nature struck!
“I had an unlucky day on the first day at Wonna Creek when a kangaroo jumped out at me at the 2nd control trying to get away from another orienteer," recalled Finn, pictured here at the recent Xmas 5-Days in Pyrmont.
"The kangaroo was coming straight at me really fast. I rolled my ankle getting out of the way. I tried to keep on going but couldn’t because I was hobbling with a sore ankle, so headed to the finish for a DNF."
That wasn't going to stop Finn from enjoying the last 2 days, and here he recounts Day 2 at Tundarri.
“My ankle was better and the M14 course was 4.3 km. Control #1 seemed easy: go straight north to the river, then follow it east to the control… but I must have drifted a bit to the west because when I followed the river east I came across #2. I followed the dry river bed from there to the control easily, and #2 was even easier because I already knew where it was!
Eleven NSW orienteers took out their age classes at the big Easter carnival in South Australia.
Multiple medals went to the Enderby, Woolford, Marsh, Barbour, Freeman, Blatchford, Iskhakov, Morris, Schafer and Rothery families.
Nicola Blatchford (NC) and Aidan Dawson (GO) cemented their spots in the Australian team for the junior world championships in Norway in July with podium finishes across the 4 days of elite competition.
Big Foot came third in the champion club competition (decided by results in the Long distance event on Sunday), relinquishing the trophy they won last year at Clandulla on home soil.
And in a promising sign, NSW sub-juniors took out the first four places in the MW10 Novice class!
There were lots of compliments from many people on the outstanding organisation by Orienteering South Australia and great courses in delightful outback terrain for each of the 4 days.
Results from all 4 days are here. There are lots of photos on the OA Facebook page and from Tony Hill.
