Author: craigf

Orienteering Australia has been successful in its bid for funding from the Australian Sports Commission for programs to increase participation. The Minister for Sport Mark Arbib has today announced that $100,000 has been allocated to OA for 2010-11, the first year of the funding period.

OA will be advised in the coming days which elements of the funding bid were successful. This is very opportune as strategic and operational planning for the next 4 years will be a major topic for discussion in a week’s time at the OA Annual Conference over 4th and 5th December. Andrew Collins, ASC Director of Sports Planning and Performance, will be attending the Annual Conference and discussing the details of implementation and accountability for the funded participation programs.

The new National Junior Squad and Junior Development Squad have been announced. The National Junior Squad was selected from amongst those who are eligible for JWOC 2011, while the Junior Development Squad is selected from those who were 16 and under in 2010.

National Junior Squad:

Men: Karl Bicevskis (Tas), Joshua Blatchford (NSW), Lachlan Dow (ACT), Ian Lawford (ACT), Kurt Neumann (Qld), Max Neve (Vic), Oscar Phillips (Tas), Oliver Poland (ACT)

Women: Lilian Burrill (Qld), Claire Butler (Tas), Emily Cantwell (Qld), Michele Dawson (NSW), Jacqui Doyle (Qld), Belinda Lawford (ACT), Heather Muir (Qld), Georgia Parsons (ACT)

Junior Development Squad:

Men: Matt Doyle (Qld), Matthew Hill (NSW), Oscar McNulty (WA), Brodie Nankervis (Tas), Max Neumann (Qld), Jack Oakhill (Qld)

Women: Kate Bowen (ACT), Anna Dowling (Tas), Rebecca Freese (Qld), Shea-Cara Hammond (ACT), Kelsey Harvey (Qld)

Congratulations to all of those selected.

The High Performance Management Group of Orienteering Australia announces the 2011 Australian MTBO Series program. The 2011 Australian MTBO Series will consist of 9 races conducted over four  rounds. The Series rolls away in early April in Victoria followed by Round 2 in Queensland. In October the MTBO Series heads to Beechworth, Victoria for the National MTBO Championships followed by the NSW MTBO Championships the following weekend. Full details below

Round 1                                               Victoria                              Victorian Long and Middle Championships         *Selection Trials for MTB WOC and JWOC

Race 1 Saturday, April 9                 Long Distance                   Daylesford, Victoria
Race 2 Sunday, April 10                 Middle Distance               Daylesford, Victoria

Round 2                                               Queensland                       Queensland Championships

Race 3 Saturday, 30 July                 Long Distance                   Yarraman, Queensland
Race 4 Sunday, 31 July                   Middle Distance               Yarraman, Queensland

Round 3                                               Victoria                              Oceania MTBO Championships

Race 5 Friday, 14 October             Middle Distance (WRE)                Beechworth, Victoria
Race 6 Saturday, 15 October         Sprint Distance and Relay            Beechworth, Victoria
Race 7 Sunday 16 October            Long Distance (WRE)                Beechworth, Victoria

Round 4                                               New South Wales           NSW Championships

Race 8, Saturday 22 October        Middle Distance               Duckmaloi, NSW
Race 9, Sunday 23 October           Long Distance                    Jenolan East, NSW

The four classes in the 2011 Australian Elite MTBO Series are

M21-E, W21-E, M-20E, W-20E,

and the eight classes in the 2011 Australian Masters MTBO Series are

M40-, W40-, M50-, W50-, M60-, W60-, M70+, W70+.

Map locations, embargoes and organisers will be announced pending approval of access to the competition areas.

Blake Gordon
Australian MTBO Committee Convenor

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) has recently warned all Australian athletes and coaches about the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine, following a spate of positive doping tests both in Australia and overseas. Methylhexaneamine was added to the WADA banned substance list in 2010.

AIS Sports Nutrition has compiled the following advice in relation to this substance:-

Historically, Methylhexaneamine has been used in nasal decongestant sprays, however because of its stimulant effects, it is increasingly being found in nutritional supplements. Methylhexaneamine may be identified on labels as one of the following:

• Methylhexaneamine — Forthan — 2-hexanamine 4-methyl-
• Methylhexanamine —Floradrene — 2-hexanamine, 4-methyl- (9CI)
• DMAA — 4-methyl-2-hexanamine — 1,3-dimethylamylamine
• Geranamine — 4-Methylhexan-2-amine – 1, 3-dimethylpentylamine
• Forthane — 2-amino-4-methylhexane — Pentylamine, 1, 3-dimethyl-

Methylhexaneamine is also a component of geranium oil. Therefore, it may also be listed on supplement labels / ingredients lists as:

• Flower oil extract (geranium)
• Geranium oil extract

Methylhexaneamine is often combined with caffeine in nutritional supplements to promote a stimulant and thermogenic effect. This is most likely to occur in two types of products:

1. Weight loss supplements (i.e. drink powders / pills which are promoted to enhance fat or weight loss). These supplements often used to contain ephedra, which is also listed on the WADA banned substance list.
2. Pre-exercise ‘stimulant’ supplements – frequently promoted and sold within body building circles as a pre-exercise ‘boost’ to enhance training.

These products are for sale over the counter in Australia and can be readily obtained over the internet.

Athletes should be aware of the potential risks involved in taking any nutritional supplement and note that under the World Anti-Doping Code strict liability principle, athletes are ultimately responsible for any substance found in their body. This means that even if a failed drug test results from a mistake or a contaminated supplement, the athlete is still at fault.

It is important for all athletes to carefully check the ingredients list of any nutritional supplement, and if unsure check with their sports doctor, sports dietitian or with ASADA.

News Release

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) is advising all Australian athletes subject to in-competition doping control to carefully consider their use of supplements and products containing methylhexaneamine.

What is methylhexaneamine?

This substance is classed as an S6 stimulant on the Prohibited List and is prohibited
in-competition.

Bans involving this substance can range up to two-years.

Recent developments

Over the past two years, there has been increasing evidence that methylhexaneamine is present in supplements and other products.

This year methylhexaneamine has been the subject of a number of reported doping cases involving Indian and Nigerian athletes, as well as a US swimmer receiving a suspension.

Last year Jamaican athletes Yohan Blake, Marvin Anderson, Allodin Fothergill and Lansford Spence were suspended for three-months after each returned positive tests for methylhexaneamine from samples taken during the Jamaica National Track and Field Championships.

ASADA is also investigating a number of positive test results to methylhexaneamine by Australian athletes.

What you need to do

Athletes need to be aware that, under the policy of strict liability, they are responsible for any substance found in their body. Athletes using supplements do so at their own risk and, because of supplement manufacturing processes can lead to their contents varying from batch to batch, ASADA can not advise if supplements contain prohibited substances.

Athletes need to be very careful not to use any supplement or product that contains any of the following identifiers on the label:

Further information regarding substances and supplements can be found on the ASADA website.

Frazzle Rock Carnival Update — Easter 2011

Entries now open for the Frazzle Rock Carnival

Start planning your trip to Easter 2011 in Western Australia.

The next major Australian Championship carnival is just 6 months away so now is the time to enter and to book your travel to attend the Be Active Australian 3-Day Championship at Easter in 2011.

The popular Be Active Australian 3-Day Championship is just part of a feast of events, including 2 World Ranking events, in Western Australia that will form the Frazzle Rock Carnival. The Be Active Australia Sprint Championship and the Australian Middle Distance Championship are part of the carnival.

Carnival dates are the 22^nd April till the 1^st May 2011 so get in early for flight deals to Perth and to secure your accommodation. Information on the dedicated event website will help your planning and acting now will make sure that you benefit from early bird entry fees.

Any enquires can be directed to the Frazzle Rock Carnival team at easter.twenty11@gmail.com

Looking for an excuse to have a holiday in France? Well look no further than the spectator races as WOC 2011 in the Savoie Grand Revard region. And while you’re there be sure to support the Australian Boomerangs team competing in the WOC races. Read below for information from the organisers.

“Registration for the public races O’Festival ERDF Savoie Grand Revard 2011 are open!

The O’Festival is organised so as to allow participants to:

Compete in a high level 6-stage orienteering event on the same terrain as the World Championships:

* exceptional terrain (semi-open forests, meadows, chaotic limestone surfaces),

* courses adapted to every taste (for the young and the not so young, from beginner to specialist)

* World Championships maps (different for each stage and only a day after the championship event)

* same arenas as the WOC (finish chute, partners? village, podium,

etc.)

Watch the World Championships show:

* be at the heart of the event once you have finished your race (for 5 of the 6 stages you will have the same finish area as the WOC; there is a rest day for the sprint championships)

* follow the competitions live (large screen, pictures from the forest, GPS tracking)

* be in contact with the world?s best orienteers

* benefit from all the services offered to the public.

See you on the terrain and maps of Savoie Grand Revard!”

Cordialy,

Laurent Astrade,

Directeur de course O’Festival ERDF Savoie Grand Revard

Orienteering Australia and Paddy Pallin are very pleased to announce a nationwide schedule of ‘Paddy Pallin Nav Training, Try Orienteering’ days during November. It is a great opportunity for those who like the outdoors, like discovering new places and want to try an activity the whole family can enjoy. Throughout Australia from Hobart to Darwin, Perth to Sydney, orienteering clubs are organising ‘Paddy Pallin Navigation Training, Try Orienteering’ days so that you can learn the basics of how to read a map and use a compass and try an introductory orienteering event.

Orienteering is a sport for all ages and fitness levels and participants are welcome to walk or jog. Whether you are an average person just wanting to get fitter or try something new, or whether you are a super fit runner, triathlete, adventure racer or mountain bike rider who wants to learn how to navigate with a map and compass, the Paddy Pallin Day provides a wonderful opportunity to pick up tips from experienced coaches and orienteers.

The first event will be on Wednesday 3 November in conjunction with the Sydney Summer Series event at Putney Park, Pelliser Road, Putney. One hour coaching sessions will be conducted every half hour between 4pm and 6pm and then participants can try the Summer Series event. The full schedule of events throughout Australia is at 1_2010 Paddy Pallin Day events.pdf .

Beginners and novices will receive a guide to orienteering, Paddy Pallin free membership form, copies of the Australian Orienteer and Australian Geographic Outdoor, and a Paddy Pallin catalogue and go into a national draw for Paddy Pallin products with a value of $900.

Orienteering club members are encouraged to invite friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to learn the basics and try orienteering on Paddy Pallin Day.

The 2010 Australian MTBO Championships were held this weekend near Daylesford, Victoria. Bayside Kangaroos,

The middle and sprint distance events were held on Saturday in the Castlemaine area. Marquita Gelderman, from New Zealand, was a convincing winner of both events in the open women’s division, with resident champion honours going to Thorlene Egerton (middle) and Mary Fien (sprint and long).

There was a major upset in the men’s sprint, in which Steven Cusworth finished just over a minute ahead of multiple world champion Adrian Jackson, with Alex Randall in third place. The middle distance was more predictable with Jackson winning by two minutes over Randall, and Jackson returned to his accustomed position in the long-distance, ahead of Randall and Cusworth.

Oscar Phillips, better known as a foot JWOC team member, had narrow wins in the first two men’s junior races before a more convincing victory on Sunday, while Jasmine Sunley took out all junior women’s distances.

Middle distance results and splits.

Sprint distance results and splits.

Long distance results and splits.

More information can be found at http://www.vicorienteering.asn.au/mtbo/auschamps/

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has released the World Anti-Doping Code 2011 Prohibited List which will come into effect on 1 January 2011.

 There are some very important changes that athletes and support personnel need to be aware of including:

•  the addition of a new section on “non-approved substances”
•  the removal of platelet-derived preparations (commonly referred to as PRP)
•  removal of the obligation for athletes to file a Declaration of Use for specific substances that are not prohibited
•  a modification to the classification of methylhexanamine.

 Further information about the new Prohibited List can be found on the ASADA (www.asada.gov.au) and WADA (www.wada-ama.org/en) websites.

 Athletes can re-check the status of their medications at any time by referring to the Check Your Substances tool on the ASADA website. The Check Your Substances tool will be updated to reflect the 2011 changes on 23 December 2010.

With the MTBO Australian Championships to be held in just over 2 weeks, the current National League standings for 2010 have been updated.

The MTBO National League has individual and state team competitions and applies across all age classes.

There are some new names leading the Elite competitions this year with Mary Fien of NSW ahead in the women and Jamie Dougall of Queensland leading the men.  Will they hold their lead at the Australian Championships?

In the teams competition, Victoria leads the way for the elite field and will most likely retain that position with many strong competitors and the National Championships located there.  However, in the Masters competition, Queensland is currently leading the way, followed by NSW with Victoria in an unfamiliar 3rd place.  Competition will be tight in this category!