Author: craigf

The National Junior Squad training camp took place last week in NSW. The 26 strong group also included some members of the newly formed Junior Development Squad, for talented 15-17year olds. The camp started on January 1^st with a bit of R&R at the beach near Nelson Bay, since most kids had already competed in the Christmas 5-days race in Newcastle. Wednesday started with a 3000m time trial on the athletics track, and some afternoon agility and beep tests. Thursday saw some tough technical training at the famous North Stockton Sand dunes and an afternoon of putt putt golf and sand boarding on the nearby dunes.

The camp then moved to Belanglo forest for some more intensive technical training and advice from some of Australia’s top elites. Sprint, relay, middle and long distance practice races left the juniors very tired by Sunday afternoon. Each night there were talks on orienteering technique, training methods and sports psychology. Julian Dent, Rob Walter, Dave Shepherd, Jo Allison and Kerrin Rattray attended some of the camp and provided invaluable information about Orienteering in Sweden, in particular Gothenburg where JWOC 2008 will be held.

Thank you also to National Junior Coach Nick Dent, and Manager Hilary Wood for organising the camp, and to Roch Prendergast for his assistance.

Due to the difficulties a number of teams have encountered in arranging return flights after the  NOL long distance race and WOC trial at St Helens on May 18, the first start time for all NOL races will now be 9:00am, rather than 11:00am.

Australian orienteers enjoyed the annual Christmas 5 Day orienteering carnival.  This year the event is being held in the Newcastle area north of Sydney.  For the full results each day, the final standings, as well as maps of all courses and photos, visit the event web site’s results page at http://www.newcastleorienteering.asn.au/index.php/results-archive-bush/396-2007-xmas-5-day

Cumulative time results are also available at http://www.newcastleorienteering.asn.au/images/Results/BUSH/2007/Xmas%205%20Days%202007%20-%20Overall%20point%20score%20results.pdf.

The Men A course had close competition after the first 2 days between Dave Shepherd (winner Day 1), Julian Dent (winner Day 2), Eric Morris and Grant Bluett.  However some mispunches and DNS for some of the leading group on subsequent days, saw the final placings as Dave Shepherd (winner on Days 1, 4 and 5), Grant Bluett (Day 3 winner) and Simon Uppill.

In Women A, Jo Allison won each day with Mace Neve and  Allison Jones second and third overall respectively.

Other course winners were (based on best 4 of 5 results)

B – Nicolay Stytov (M), Jenny Enderby (W)

C – Hugh Moore (M), Lilian Burrill (W)

D – Alex Tarr (M), Jacquie Rand (W)

E- Valentin Schepotkin (M), Lisette Schults-Rand (W)

F – Leigh Hoy (M)

National Orienteering League #1 & 2

NOL Relay & Eureka Challenge

8^th-9^th March 2008

Castlemaine – Clunes, Victoria

Invitation/Entry Form 2008NOL1-2invitation.pdf

Orienteering Australia is seeking nominations for the Silva Services to Orienteering and Silva Services to Coaching.  Details of previous recipients are here.

The guidelines relating to the Services to Orienteering Award are set out in Operational Manual leaflet 3.10.  While there is currently no specific leaflet for the Services Coaching Award, the same principles apply.

Our talented Queensland girls have been showing their talent in front of the camera as well as in the forest.

Australian Junior team members Rachel Effeney and Bridget Anderson have shown up on nation-wide television sets as part of Scope TV to educate viewers about orienteering. Scope TV is a children’s science show aimed at providing entertaining ways of teaching scientific concepts. Rachel and Bridget help the viewers learn about orienteering which also leads into some education about the Earth’s magnetic field.

Scope TV shows every Monday at 4pm on the Ten network. You can view the orienteering section online (unfortunately this episode is no longer available)

You can also buy a copy of the show, or if you recorded it and work in a educational insitution, you can use it for students.

The 2007 Xmas 5 Days is being conducted by Newcastle Orienteering Club in the area bounded by the vineyards of the glorious Hunter Valley, the shores of Lake Macquarie and the spectacular surf beaches of Newcastle.

Events commence on Thursday 27th and finish on Monday 31st December.

The area offers challenging orienteering terrain along with enough infrastructure and tourism possibilities to make an enjoyable orienteering holiday. We have added three organised activities (torchlight gaol tour, petanque tournament and a Street Orienteering event) to further enhance your stay. We look forward to seeing you at Christmas.

Entries close on Friday 7 December.

The 2008 National Senior Squad has been selected, including the High Performance Group. Congratulations to the squad members.

Men (13)
Bruce Arthur
Troy de Haas
Julian Dent (HPG)
Adrian Jackson
Matt Parton
Rob Preston
Ben Rattray
Kerrin Rattray
Dave Shepherd
Reuben Smith
Ryan Smyth
Rob Walter
Simon Uppill

Women (12)
Jo Allison (HPG)
Hanny Allston (HPG)
Tracy Bluett
Susanne Casanova
Grace Elson (HPG)
Kathryn Ewels
Kirsten Fairfax
Tash Key
Jasmine Neve
Vanessa Round
Anna Sheldon
Cassie Trewin

Bushrangers 2008

Recent changes to the Bushrangers format for 2008 means Australia will be sending a full strength team to New Zealand for the Waitangi Carnival in February. I request an indication/nomination from anyone in the National Squad who is intending to race in NZ, to contact me via email to oa_headcoach@netspeed.com.au by next Monday 10th December. Details on available funding will be finalised soon.

NZ Training Camp prior to Waitangi

I would also like to request indications from any senior or junior elite who is interested in a 4 day training camp prior to the Waitangi carnival. This would start on Tuesday 29th January, and finish at Taupo for the start of the carnival. I will make a decision on Monday as to whether there is enough interest to hold the camp.

Orienteering Australia has appointed the National Coach and Manager for the Mountain Bike Orienteering team.

Kay Haarsma (SA) has been appointed at Coach. Kay has much experience coaching national foot orienteering and MTBO teams and is one of only a handful of Level 3 accredited coaches in Australia.

James Lithgow (NSW) has been appointed as Manager. James has had a long interest in foot-O and MTBO, and was manager of the 2006 MTBO WOC team. He brings to the position great organisational skills acquired from his career in business.

The OA board would like to congratulate Kay and James on their appointments, and look forward to their help in preparing athletes for the 2008 MTBO WOC in Poland.