2010 Archive

Orienteering Australia is seeking expressions of interest from experienced event organisers to be the 2011 Oceania Carnival Coordinator, starting as soon as possible.

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. A stipend of $4,000 is being offered; the duties may be shared between 2 people.

The responsibilities of the position are:

1. Liaison with the state association event managers, OA Schools Liaison Officer and OA Executive Officer, by email, phone, in person and Skype teleconference as required to jointly plan the carnival, monitor progress and resolve problems.
2. Development of the paper and online entry forms for the carnival in consultation with the preceding contacts.
3. Liaison with the online entry company and facilitate provision of the entry lists and entry update information to the respective event managers for start list compilation and management.
4. Develop a carnival logo and liaise with an apparel company to produce souvenir carnival apparel.
5. Produce the carnival program and results booklets. 
6. Manage the carnival banking arrangements in consultation with the OA Director of Finance, Blair Trewin.
7. Manage an online carnival web page, providing a central online location linking to all information, bulletins, start lists, results etc.
8. Ensure that presentation of maps reflects carnival sponsors and logos.
9. Integrate material and logistics for carnival registration bags.
10. Coordinate any other issues that affect all events within the carnival.
11. Keep respective State organisers up-to-date with progress of key tasks (mapping, course setting etc) in other States.

Expressions of interest should be sent to John Harding, Executive Officer atorienteering@netspeed.com.au by 6 July 2010.

Orienteering Australia is calling for state associations to host a round of the 2011 SILVA National Orienteering League (NOL).

The 2011 NOL will consist of at least 4 rounds of racing. Plans for 2 rounds of racing have been set in place, consisting of:

• The Easter carnival in Western Australia (22-30 April)
• The Australia/Oceania Championships Carnival in Vic, NSW & ACT (1 – 8 Oct)

OA would like applications for an addition two rounds consisting of:

• A weekend in March. For this round alternative race formats (mixed relays, massed start etc) would be considered.
• A weekend in mid/late May which will also be the final WOC trials. The 2011 World Championships will be held in France.

An example of Victoria’s successful 2007 bid can be found here

A copy of the guidelines including Section 7: Example Courses can be obtained from the Operational Manual on the OA Website.

For more information please contact Rob Preston via email to oa_headcoach@netspeed.com.au. Applications should be sent by 30 June, 2010.

Rob Preston

Manager, SILVA National Orienteering League

Bendigo Orienteers have received the Orienteering Australia club development award for 2009. The club has an outstanding record of achievement in recent years in club development and in running between 30 and 35 events a year in local forests and a summer program of street orienteering, with a very effective program for attracting and training new participants.

This program includes a newcomers series in the leadup to the orienteering season, a mentor group of experienced orienteers, development of ‘Space Racing’ for primary school children (profiled in the Australian Orienteer), funding from VicHealth for employment of Jim Russell as a development officer for events with local schools, accelerating its mapping program to support these activities, training more Level 1 coaches, producing monthly newsletter information on course and event design, and achieving a record participation for 2009 of 2,400.

The club also hosted the 2009 Australian Championships carnival to further develop the orienteering skills of its members and to promote orienteering in the Bendigo region.

Bob McCreddin, former President of the Orienteering Federation of Australia, died peacefully at his home on June 3^rd after a long illness. He was 66.

Born and raised in Perth, Bob was initially a teacher of mathematics in secondary schools before becoming a District Director and then Director of Curriculum in the Education Department of Western Australia. This was followed by five years as a senior education consultant with the Association of Independent Schools.  In the early 1970s he was Secretary and in 1982/3 President of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers.

Bob started orienteering in the 1980s, after he had been persuaded to use his expertise with youngsters to organise a camp for juniors and rapidly became involved in all aspects of the sport.

In the early 1990’s, he initiated and conducted Junior Training days and inaugurated the WA State Schools Orienteering Team, being its manager the first time it was able to travel.

His leadership and administrative skills came to the fore during his time as President of OAWA (1994 –1998) and under his stewardship, the Association secured government funding for a Sports Development Officer, its first paid position. As President he recognised the importance of listening to members and conducted ‘think tanks’ which helped guide the future direction of orienteering in the West. He also organised the funding and construction of a shed for OAWA’s vehicles, equipment and maps, not surprisingly on the grounds of a school.

His success as Carnival Organiser for the Australian 3-day series in 2003 established his reputation beyond the State and he was subsequently elected President of the then Orienteering Federation of Australia in 2004, a position he held until ill health forced him to step down late in 2005 and eventually prevented him from competing in events. Despite this setback he retained a strong enthusiasm for the sport and in 2005 became the first editor of WA’s weekly e-News, a role he held for over four years.

In Bob’s nomination for Life Membership of OAWA in 2006, it was noted that he had been responsible for significant improvements and changes within the sport but had always been modest about his achievements. As State President, he initiated a Quiet Achiever Award and many feel he himself would have been the most suitable recipient of that.

Many of us have lost a good friend and wise counsellor but our sympathies are particularly with Julie and the family.

Ken and Carol Brownlie

The New Zealand Pinestars have reclaimed the Key/Aspin Trophy from the Australian Bushrangers after an intense 3 days of racing near Auckland. Kathryn Ewels and David Shepherd were again best placed Australian’s, both finishing 2nd. Youngsters Aislinn Prendergast (3rd) and Laurina Neumann (4th) both showed they had gained valuable international experience on the tour with strong final races. Simon Uppill, who was affected by illness over the weekend, had a better run to finish 3rd, just 21secs behind winner Toby Scott.

In Round 3 the Pinestars managed to win both men’s and women’s classes by the smallest of margins- 1 point. Overall the Pinestars won the challenge 189 to 141 points. The weekend tour has provided Australia’s elite orienteers great racing practice before heading to Europe next month.

Thank you to the New Zealand Federation and local clubs-Auckland, Counties Manukau and North West Orienteering Clubs, for organising a high quality carnival of races.

Day 3 Long Distance (Multi-day length)   winsplits

More details from maptalk.co.nz/news

The New Zealand Pinestars edged out the Australian Bushrangers by the narrowest of margins today– just one point apiece for the men and women.

Steep hills, lower visibility forest and 3-minute start intervals gave the race a different flavour, with more individual running and a tougher physical challenge than seen on the first two days of racing.

Winning the individual challenge was Auckland junior Toby Scott who gave the top elites of both New Zealand and Australia something to think about for the second time in three days.

Scott was one of several NZ Juniors on fire over the weekend, taking the scalp of Australian champion David Shepherd by 9 seconds, with Oceania champion Simon Uppill in third.

Fellow NZ junior Jourdan Harvey took 4th place ahead of past and present NZ Champions Darren Ashmore and Ross Morrison; another impressive effort from our juniors, alongside Matt Ogdens two third places and Angela Simpson’s win on day 1.

“It’s great to see!” said Morrison, who will be coaching the Junior Worlds team of which Scott and Harvey are part.

“This Junior Worlds team is hitting top form at just the right time. They’re going to do really well in Denmark; the sandhill terrain there is a lot like Woodhill” added Morrison.

Scott’s kilometre rates on the weekend were not just better than the top elites competing; they were faster even than those of former World Champion Carsten Joergensen when he won the 2009 Nationals in the same area.

With Scott not part of the official New Zealand Pinestars team taking on the Australian Bushrangers it was up to the minor placing Kiwis to pick up enough points to counter the 2nd and 3rd placed Shepherd and Uppill.

It was a close call but with solid runs by Ashmore, Morrison and James Bradshaw the men just pipped the Aussies by one point, 28 to 27.

After the close sprinting finish and 2 second loss of the previous day, NZ and Oceania champion Lizzie Ingham was navigating clean and mistake-free to beat Aussie Kathryn Ewels by 42 seconds.

“This time I was more definite with my route planning and execution” commented Ingham.

“I’m pleased to be up there with Kathryn before we head to Europe!” she added.

Both Ewels and Ingham are known for their ability to perform at their best in big races, but with Ewels picking up a 5th in a World Champs at elite level in 2009 and Ingham only racing in her first World Champs in August this year, it’s hoped that the World Champs may be fruitful for both the elite and the junior elite New Zealand orienteers.

The Junior World Championships are to be held in Aalborg, Denmark from July 4 and the World Orienteering Championships will be in Trondheim, Norway from August 7.

With Aislinn Prendergast (Bushrangers) in third and teammate Laurina Neumann in 4th, it was a close fought team challenge between the two countries.

The Pinestar women eventually edged out the Bushrangers by just1 point, (28:27) giving New Zealand the win for the day of 56 to 54 points and an overall win in the Test Match of 189 points to 141.

Results – Australia New Zealand Test Match Round 3
New Zealanders unless noted otherwise
Elite women:
1 Lizzie Ingham (NZ Pinestars) 57:59, 2 Kathryn Ewels (Australian Bushrangers) 58:41, 3 51:12, 3 Aislinn Prendergast (Australian Bushrangers) 62:49, 4 Laurina Neumann (Australian Bushrangers), 5 Angela Simpson, 6 Penny Kane (NZ Pinestars).

Elite men:
1 Toby Scott 60:48, David Shepherd (Australian Bushrangers) 60:57, 3 Simon Uppill (Australian Bushrangers) 61:09, 4 Jourdan Harvey 63:41, 5 Darren Ashmore (NZ Pinestars), 6 James Bradshaw (NZ Pinestars), 7 Ross Morrison (NZ Pinestars).

Test match points , Round 3 NZ Pinestars men win 28 points to 27, NZ Pinestars women win by 28 points to 27. Overall NZ wins Round 2 56 to 54.
Total: New Zealand Pinestars 189, Australian Bushrangers 141.

Another action packed day in Woodhill Forest north of Auckland saw some great results for the Australian Bushrangers. The format involved a Middle Distance race in the morning, and in the afternoon a chasing start based on the morning’s results. NZ Pinestar members Ross Morrison and Lizzie Ingham won the morning races but were hunted down by big packs in the afternoon. Kathryn Ewels and David Shepherd were in front when it counted with fast flying finishes.

Now with thanks to Mick Finn and Maptalk.co.nz here is some more detail

An action packed two-race round of trans-Tasman orienteering in Woodhill Forest saw mixed fortunes for both Kiwis and Aussies.

Refusing to surrender Ingham and Penny Kane regained the lead at the 11th control holding it right up until the very last.

But Kathryn Ewels, tucked into the chase pack along with countrywomen Shannon Jones, Aislinn Prendergast and Anna Sheldon, and Pinestar Lara Prince, had one last card to play.

The two individual wins for Shepherd and Ewels were not enough however to claw back the NZ Pinestars Test Match lead, even with the Bushrangers women winning the second day by 30 points to 25.

A collective Pinestars tally of 57 points to the Australian Bushrangers 53 stretched out the overall lead for New Zealand to 46 poinst (133:87) putting them into a commanding position with one round remaining in the Test Match. 

Day 2 AM Short Distance  winsplits

Day 2 PM Short Distance  winsplits

The Australian Bushrangers have started the return test match against the New Zealand Pinestars in the difficult sand dune terrain. The multi-day distance race was held on the Telephone Track map, and the team were thoroughly tested by complex courses. The Pinestars have taken a strong lead, 76 points to 34, so the Bushrangers have their work cut out for them over the next two days.

Best performed Bushrangers were David Shepherd (4th) and Simon Uppill (7th) in the mens. Jo Allison showed her technical prowess to finish 2nd, ahead of Bushrangers Kathryn Ewels (6th) and Anna Sheldon (7th).

A second race for the day was held at Murawai Golf Course. In a very interesting format, the Bushrangers competed in teams of 2 with each running completing two short courses.

The Queens Birthday weekend carnival continues tomorrow with a morning Middle Distance Race followed by a chasing start in the afternoon.

An excellent report courtesy of NZ’s Maptalk website can be found here.

Day 1 Long Distance (Multi-day length)   winsplits,  routegadget

An intensive weekend of racing faces the Australian Bushrangers as they match up against the Kiwis on their home terrain. With 5 races in 3 days (including the highly competitive team night-O sprint at the Muriwai Golf Course), it will be an excellent experience for many of the team who are heading overseas in the next few months to races at the World University Games and the World Orienteering Championships. It will be a tough task for the Aussies to match their performance in Round 1 of the Test Match series, where they beat the Pinestars quite convincingly 156 points to 114. On the tricky sand dune terrain of Wood Hill (to the north of Auckland) where 3 races will be held, the locals will surely have some home ground advantage. Competition aside, for the Bushrangers however, the international race experience is invaluable: to sharpen up skills and technique, to hone mental preparation and tactical routines and to also keep improving their physical fitness.

We wish the Australian Bushrangers well in their short but intense overseas campaign.

Team Members

Kathryn Ewels
Shannon Jones
Mace Neve
Anna Sheldon
Aislinn Prendergast
Laurina Neumann

Simon Uppill
Dave Shepherd
Ian Meyer
Bryan Keely
Ben Rattray
Chris Naunton

The 2010 Tasmanian Sprint Distance Championships were held Sunday may 30th at Austins Ferry in Hobart’s northern suburbs. Organising club Wellington Ranges presented a new map prepared by Patrick Saile that featured an intricate track network within the grounds of St Virgils College and the surrounding parkland. Oscar Phillips (Esk Valley) and Cathy McComb (Australopers) emerged victorious to claim the championship titles following the conduct of a qualification race to determine start order for the actual championship race.

Phillips finished in front of Wellington Ranges club mates Patrick Watts & Callum Fagg, whereas McComb edged out JWOC representative Claire Butler. In the W17-20 divsion, Emma Campbell was a clear winner and in the M17-20 divsion, Tom Goddard edged out Stewart Lawrie.

The most interesting result of the day was in the M16 division where Shaun McDonough and Brodie Nankervis dead-heated for first. Interestingly, this is the third tie for first Brodie has been in over the last 12 months.

Full results are available here.

Orienteering Australia is pleased to announce the following team to participate in the World Orienteering Championships in Trondheim, Norway in August:

Men: Julian Dent, Dave Shepherd, Simon Uppill, Rob Preston
Women: Shannon Jones, Grace Elson, Jasmine Neve, Anna Sheldon, Vanessa Round, Kathryn Ewels

with races as follows:

Sprint: Julian, Simon
Middle: Julian, Simon, Dave
Long: Dave, Robbie
Relay: Simon, Dave, Julian

Sprint: Shannon, Grace, Jasmine
Middle: Grace, Vanessa, Jasmine
Long: Shannon, Kathryn, Anna
Relay: Grace, Vanessa, Kathryn

The team features first-timer Robbie Preston who, at the time of this posting, is minutes away from winning the multi-day XPD adventure race in Cairns.  Anna Sheldon returns to the team after several years absence.

Ian Meyer has been named as reserve for the men’s team and will replace any of the selected runners should they withdraw prior to WOC.  Any withdrawals from the women’s team will be filled from within the team.

Note that in view of his nomination to be a member of the team, Robbie Preston withdrew from his position as a selector and played no part in the selection process. While being involved in basic organisation and administration of the team in his role as Manager High Performance, Robbie will also not be involved in any substantive financial, performance and selection decisions/issues impacting on WOC.