News

Adventure and challenge pair up for O'Shea Two Day event

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Entries are now open for the O'Shea 2 Day which will be held 25th & 26th February. All ready to go are Bryony and Tim Cox who are the first intrepid pair to sign up for the challenge which is expected to draw teams interstate as well as from local NSW orienteering clubs and the adventure racing community.

With 3 NEW maps this year the format remains the same with teams of two competing  over 2 days in 3 events which include a Pairs Relay, a Night Event, and a Score Event.   With a mix of bush, park and street orienteering this fun event will give anyone who races in the winter a great start to their season.  All the information and the entry form can be found here.

Architectural blend proves interesting for Sprint #4 runners

Thursday, 26 January 2012

A new assembly on a new UWS Parramatta map made for good numbers and interesting orienteering.  The runners navigated around the buildings of the historic Female Orphan School (the main building of the Orphan School is the oldest 3 storey building in Australia) and the bright new architecture of the modern university. 

Planner Lyn Malmgron set an interesting course with lots of changes in direction and a number of crossovers. There were a number of opportunities to stretch a gait, with longer legs over grassed slopes. 

Michael Burton showed his power as a runner with his charge up the hill to the finish to nudge Ian Myer down one place.  Lisa Grant and Barbara Hill battled it out with only 50 seconds separating them.  The high point for the younger orienteers was watching the Parramatta Rivercat travelling so close to the shore that they could wave to the commuters on board.

On a serious note, organisers were concerned that there were a number of participants who ran through gardens and areas marked olive green.  Runners should take warning from the 2011 World Orienteering Championships where elites doing the same thing were disqualified in large numbers.  Whilst this time all that was suffered was a reprimand, runners should note that this behaviour doesn't impress the landowners or the clubs who have mapped the area.

Photo: Ross Duker

IOF shelve plans for changes to World Orienteering Championship format

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

The Future of the WOC project was shelved at the recent joint meeting of the IOF Council and Commissions.  Whilst the IOF believe there is a consensus on the need for evolution of the Wolrd Orienteering Championships they acknowledged that the diversity of the opinion on the changes needed was too great.

'At this point of time it is more important not to split the IOF family than to make the changes that received support in Trondheim in 2010”, IOF President Åke Jacobson said, and continued: “That is why we have decided not to continue with the current programme.'

Readers of the article which ran in the last edition of Australian Orienteer will be aware that the opposition to the proposals came from a sigificant cadre of elite athletes including Thierry Gueorgiou, Helena Jannson, Annika Billstram, Olav Lundanes and our own Julian Dent.  Eva Jurenikova who spearheaded the reponse from the athlete body must be congratulated on her initiative to broaden the debate.  More details can be found at World of O and the official IOF website

Western and Hills host #2 event in Sydney West Series at Marayong

Monday, 23 January 2012

Western & Hills Orienteers hosted event #2 in the Sydney West Series at Marayong on Sunday 22 January.  Changeable weather made for unpleasant conditions for organisers but cool running for participants.  Planner Steve Holloway challenged  the best to get all the points on offer but winner James McQuillan from the local club topped the scores with 530 points. One competitor did get all controls but forfeited the win with severe time penalties.

The next event in the Series is on 5 February at UWS Kingswood.

Thanks to Chris Crane for his help with this report.
More News
Adventure and challenge pair up for O'Shea Two Day event Thursday, 26 January 2012 Entries are open for the O'Shea 2 day event which sees pairs racing three races over two days
Architectural blend proves interesting for Sprint #4 runners Thursday, 26 January 2012 Sydney Sprint #4 was held in the grounds of the UWS Parramatta, an interesting blend of historic and modern buildings.
IOF shelve plans for changes to World Orienteering Championship format Tuesday, 24 January 2012 The International Orienteering Federation announced at their recent joint meeting of the IOF Council and Commissions that the project 'WOC in the Future' was dead.
Western and Hills host #2 event in Sydney West Series at Marayong Monday, 23 January 2012 Western and Hills host #2 event in Sydney West Series at Marayong on Sunday 22 January
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