2010 Archive

Melanie Simpson recorded her best ever international result with a fine 12^th in the MTBO World Cup sprint held at Veneto, in Italy over last weekend.  As the World Champs are to be held in Italy next year most of the top competitors were present.

Christine Schaffner (Switz) won in a time of 33.52 with a 40 second buffer ahead of Michaela Gigon (Austria).  These two are fighting for the 2010 no 1 ranking with Christine holding just a 7 point lead after this event.  Finland’s Marika Hara was 3^rd in 36.44 and world sprint champion Anna Kaminska was 5^th in 37.13.  Melanie recorded a time of 40.05 mins.

In the men Dane Erik Skovgaard Knudsen extended his world cup lead to an almost unassailable 44 points in winning the sprint in 36.10.  His main rival Beat Schaffner (Swiss)placed 5^th today. Second place was taken by Italian rider Luca Dallavalle (37.08) giving the locals much hope for a podium finish next year.  Austria’s Bernhard Schachinger was 3^rd just one second back.  ACT’s David Simpfendorfer was recorded as a DNF – no news on why at this stage.

In the middle distance event Australian rep Melanie finished in 21^st position with a time of 59.48.  Talented Dane Rikki Kornvig took the victory in 48.30 with Michaela Gigon and Marika Hara again filling the minor places.  Christine Schaeffer’s 7^th position enabled Micahaela to steal ahead again in the World Cup rankings.

In the men’s race the experienced Russian Ruslan Gritsan scored his best result of the season winning in 54.43 ahead of Czech riders Jiri Hradil (55.27) and Marek Pospisek (56.33).  Although Beat Schaffner finished 8^th ahead of Erik Skovgaard Knudsen in 24^th place the Dane will be the World Cup champion.  Australian David Simfendorfer took 92 minutes and finished 62^nd.

The concluding event was the mixed relay.   Denmark reigned supreme (Refslund, Kornvig,Knvosen) in 2.40.20 just ahead of Austria (Gigon, Breitschadel, Haselberger) in 2.41.02 while Switzerland 2.41.54 (Dauwalder, Schaffner, Schaffner) held onto 3rd by just 4 seconds ahead of Finland (Hara, Lauril, Saarela)

Battered and bruised AJ takes Tour de Timor thriller

Adrian Jackson –  “AJ” – used his one minute 41 second lead at the start of today’s final stage to hold off fellow Australian  Steele von Hoff and win the 2010 Tour de Timor Race for Peace by just 29 seconds in front of Dili’s Presidential Palace and thousands of screaming spectators.
“What’s the time?” von Hoff yelled as he fell off his bike at the finish. “How much have we got?” Well… unfortunately, not enough! AJ won the $US15,000 first prize!  Twenty-two year-old  von Hoff, who is moving towards road racing and who aspires to compete in the Tour de France, won the final Stage in a blistering 1:52.48 but could not make up enough time to catch the battered and bruised “Yellow Jersey” 27-year-old “AJ.”

2010 title probably belonged as much to Ben Mather as he relentlessly led the way for as long as he could today. Mather, who is the Australian Mountain Bike Marathon Champion, has sacrificed his own race during the Tour to work with Jackson.
The 2010 Tour de Timor is contested over five gruelling days and 420-kilometers, more than 320 riders were competing for this year’s $US100,000 in prizes. The race is an initiative of the Government and President of Timor-Leste and is part of a wide-ranging strategy to help reduce poverty throughout the nation by attracting adventurers and tourists.

Orienteering Australia is seeking expressions of interest to fill 2 important vacancies on the OA Board: Director (Development) and Special Director (Media and Communications). The role of the former Director (Development) position has been split and the position of Special Director (Media and Communications) created to take over media and communications responsibilities.

The Director (Development) is now responsible for participation strategic and operational planning; website resources for beginners & other competitors, coaches, controllers, & sponsors; engaging sponsors and maintaining sponsorships; ongoing development and maintenance of marketing planning; website advertising; club & schools development; and liaison with state association Development Officers on development issues.

The Special Director (Media and Communications) will take responsibility for coordination of the affairs of Orienteering Australia in the following media and communications areas: Media Liaison Officer (media releases, team profiles, results distribution, TV and radio interviews); coordination of timely release of OA website stories and results links on relevant international and national events; Facebook, Twitter and other social media; OA Enews bulletins; the Australian Orienteer; and website development and maintenance.

Further information is available by contacting John Harding, Executive Officer (ph 0427 107 033) or any OA Board member, and expressions of interest should be sent to John Harding atorienteering@netspeed.com.au by 15 October.

Following confirmation of ongoing funding by the Australian Sports Commission, Orienteering Australia is seeking to recruit a Manager, High Performance for a 2-year period with the possibility of extension beyond this. The Manager coordinates Australia’s High Performance Orienteering Program and reports to the Director, High Performance.

The core duties of the Manager, High Performance are to work in conjunction with the Director, High Performance, and in consultation with athletes, coaches, and team managers, to develop and facilitate the implementation of an annual high performance orienteering training, development and competition program that is attractive to all elite orienteers and prepares the best Australian orienteers for international competition.

The position is a casual position requiring an average of 20 hours per week to be worked on a flexible basis during the year. Initial appointment is for a period of 2 years, with the possibility of extension beyond this date. Further details on conditions of employment, duties and selection criteria can be found at Manager, HP position 17 Sept 2010.pdf.

Applications close Friday 8 October at 6pm with the Executive Officer, Orienteering Australia at orienteering@netspeed.com.au.

To discuss the position, please contact Eric Morris (02) 6252 7332 (w) or (02) 6259 8249 (h).

Australia’s biggest (and best!) adventure racing series, the Paddy Pallin Adventure Race Series, returns for another season of sprint racing that will test even the most experienced competitor. AROC Sport are yet again delivering with REAL navigation, singletrack, coasteering, spectacular coastal waters and great terrain giving teams an experience they won’t forget as they run, ride and kayak their way through the course.

Adventure racing is for everyone, from the serious elite teams looking to smash the Classic Course in 2.5hrs to who just want to have a good time and take in the full 5hr experience. Teams that may be new, inexperienced, young, old or just relaxed are catered for with the Novice course which is approx. half the distance of the Classic Course.

The opening race of the series heads to a brand new location in the Shellharbour region on October 16th. This beautiful region has so much to offer and course is looking great with a mix of so many different terrains! Course setters Tom and Dave have a few things up their sleeves to keep teams guessing and their brains working overtime. For those at the pointy end of the field the bonus leg will make a return to reward (punish?) those who have sped their way to the finish.

The second and third races of the season will be within and hour of the ACT, the spiritual home of AROC Sport. The season finale heads north of Sydney for a spectacular finish in the sunshine of the Newcastle/Central Coast region.This series sees the introduction of  new prizes to reward those AROC Sport addicts who take part every race during the series. We are also looking implement a point score to acknowledge those teams and athletes who consistently top the results ladder over four races. Stay tuned for more details!

Entries have opened online and are selling fast with 103 teams already entered for the first race with still one month to go! Early bird entries close on October 1st for the Shellharbour race so make sure you get in quick to avoid the late fees! Late entries are open until Monday October 11th unless sold out earlier.

The Australian Championships carnival in South Australia starts in two weeks.

A copy of the event program and the start lists are now available.

Event Program

Start Lists by event

Recent rains in South Australia have filled all the dams and reservoirs, and many creeks are flowing, so the countryside is looking beautiful.

Orienteering Australia has missed out on additional high performance funding announced by the Australian Sports Commission today at http://ausport.gov.au/news

However, the existing funding of $86,000 per year will continue. The ASC is Orienteering Australia’s principal sponsor and 45 sports put in bids for the $23.2 million on offer for additional high performance funding. Of these, 25 sports were successful, similar in number to the ASC’s priority list announced in June.

Orienteering Australia also submitted a substantial bid for ASC funding to increase participation. Announcements on this new funding program will not be made for some weeks until a new national government is in place.

Orienteering Australia is pleased to announce that long-time ACT orienteer John Scown has been appointed the new Manager of Coaching and Officiating Development.

John is a member of the Abominable O-Men in the ACT, has been a well performed Masters orienteer in his age group for many years and has just returned from contesting the B finals in M55 in the World Masters Championships in Switzerland. John is a Level 2 Controller and Level 1 coach and had a very long career in IT at a senior level in the Department of Defence and Northern Territory Public Service. He is a very experienced organiser and course setter of both foot and mountain bike orienteering events.

Immediate priorities are to get coaching and officiating accreditation with the ASC up to date and organising a Level 2 coaching course early in the new year.

The International Orienteering Federation has announced that it has submitted a bid for ski orienteering to be included in the program for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

See full details at http://orienteering.org/

Orienteering Australia is very pleased to announce that Nick Dent, organiser of WMOC 2009, and JWOC 2007 Teams Liaison Officer, has been appointed 2011 Oceania Carnival Coordinator.

The Carnival from 1-8 October 2011 includes the Oceania Middle & Long Distance Championships in Victoria, Australian Schools Championships and Australia Relays at Wagga Wagga in NSW, and Oceania Sprint Championships, Australian Long Distance Championships and Oceania Relay Championships near Cooma in NSW but organised by Orienteering ACT.