News

Summer is nearly here, and so is the 1st Training camp. But before we go there, have you put your names forward to be in a squad

From the 10 – 17th will be the camp in NZ, entries have now closed.

The next camp will be at Falls Creek from the 2nd to the 8th January. This is at high altitude, and will be all about fitness. Expect to do long runs over the High Country, as well as interval sessions along the aqueduct. Entries are now open, and will close at the end of the month.

In March, we are having a Camp in Tasmania, associated with the 1st round of NOL events. This camp will start at the Vic Relay Champs on the 6th March in Melbourne, before we re group (or arrive) in Launceston Monday morning, were we will stay until Wednesday, when we then travel to Hobart for a few more days training, then onto the NOL events on the weekend at Pittwater. Entries are now open

Jim Russell

Orienteering Australia Head Coach headcoach@orienteering.asn.au

Rankings in the non-elite classes for 2016 have been determined based on results in each of the days in the Australian Easter 3-Days (E1, E2, E3) and Australian Championships (AS, AM, AL)

Points are awarded for each event completed on the basis of 100 points for first place and lower scores for other orienteers. An orienteer’s best 3 events count towards their ranking.  Where more than one orienteer in a class achieves the maximum points, orienteers are ranked on the average of their best 3 winning margins.

Some points of interest in the 2016 rankings:

• The winners with a ranking of 100 and the largest percentage margins were: Kevin Paine (BS.A) 40.71; Jenny Bourne (EU.V) 17.68; Clive Pope (UG.Q) 16.49.
• In one class 2 orienteers earned maximum points (separated by winning margins): M35 – Matthew Cohen (AL.T), Glenn Meyer (SH.N).
• 31 clubs had members in the first 3 placings of their respective classes: NC.N (8); BF.N, BS.A, MF.V (7); YV.V (5); PO.A (4); BG.V, BN.N, GO.N, GS.N, UG.Q, UR.N (3); EN.Q, EU.V, EV.T, OH.S, RR.A, RR.Q, SH.N, TF.Q, WH.N (2); AL.T, AO.A, BB.N, LO.W, NE.V, NT.N, TK.V, TT.S, WE.A, YA.S (1).
• Families with more than one member placed in the rankings were: Craig (Alvin M14, Martina W45, Stephen M45); Marsh (Jamie M10, Tracey W40); Uphill (Robin W60, Adrian M65); Key (Sue W60, Warren M55); Baldwin (Jean W70, Basil M75); Arthur (Sophie W10, Torren M12, Bruce M40); Miller (Patrick M16, Tristan M16); Radford (Alison W65, Tony M65); George (Alastair M16, Joanna W14); Enderby ( Mikayla W12, Jennifer W45).
• Patrick and Tristan Miller filled the first 2 places in M16.
• NSW orienteers filled all 3 places in M45 and W45.
• Sam Woolford (BB.N) was ranked in 2 classes (M12, M14).

M10

1          Paul Garbellini            EN.Q   98.98   E1E2AS

2          Makhaya Talbot-Hogg            PO.A   98.43   ALASE3

3          Jamie Marsh    BF.N   95.83   E2AME3

4          Liam Dufty     BO.W  95.64   E3E2AL

5          Luke Feuerherdt         BG.V  90.88   AMALAS

6          Tommy Mella NC.N  83.66   AMALE3

7          Ivan Stukov     WH.N 70.17   E3E2E1

M12

1          Torren Arthur MF.V  99.61   ASALE1

2          Remi Afnan    YA.S   84.39   ALASAM

3          Oskar Mella     NC.N  83.58   E3ALE1

4          Riley McFarlane         BO.W  78.90   ALE3AM

5          Oliver Freeman           BF.N   76.79   E3E1E2

6          Dylan Bryant  EN.Q   75.61   E1ALAS

7          Sam Woolford            BB.N   75.35   E3E2E1

8          Ryan Cates      YV.V  66.08   E3E2E1

9          Jamie Woolford          BB.N   66.01   ALAME1

M14

1          Andrew Kerr   PO.A   95.95   E1E2E3

2          Alvin Craig     NC.N  95.18   ALASAM

3          Ryan Gray       UG.Q  94.35   E3ALE2

4          David Stocks   BS.A   93.20   AME3E1

5          Jensen Key      MF.V  91.85   AME2AL

6          Mason Arthur MF.V  85.31   AME1AS

7          Ewan Shingler BF.N   84.29   E2E3AS

8          Max Grivell     TT.S    74.96   AMALAS

9          Brendan Wilson          BS.A   73.65   E1E3E2

10        Ethan Penck    YA.S   73.43   AMALE2

11        Grant Reinbott RR.Q   68.90   AMALAS

12        Oscar Woolford          BB.N   67.02   E2E1AM

13        Sam Woolford            BB.N   61.42   AMALAS

14        Ben Hobson    BS.A   61.29   E2AMAS

15        Mykal Marsham          PO.A   60.75   AMASAL

16        Clyde McGhee            BN.N  60.44   AMASAL

17        Finn Mackay   UR.N  60.03   ALASAM

18        Hadyn Tang    MF.V  58.38   ALAMAS

19        Blake Reinbott            RR.Q   55.04   AMASAL

20        Samuel Garbellini       EN.Q   51.63   AME2E1

21        Jack Marschall             TT.S    50.61   AMASAL

M16

1          Patrick Miller  BS.A   100.00 E1ALE3

2          Tristan Miller  BS.A   99.58   E2E3E1

3          Alastair George           BF.N   86.00   E2ALAS

4          Duncan Currie GO.N  85.91   ASAMAL

5          Ryan Stocks    BS.A   82.95   AME3AL

6          Noah Poland   BS.A   79.62   E2E3AS

7          Joshua Allen   AL.T   78.34   AMALE1

8          Dante Afnan   YA.S   77.00   AMALE3

9          Glenn James    BG.V  73.37   AME2AS

10        Zac Needham  RR.A   73.32   ASAMAL

11        Jed Fleming     EV.T   70.63   ASAME2

12        Jaiden Fidge    BB.Q   66.45   ASALE2

13        Jaidyn Gluskie AL.T   66.42   AMASAL

14        Daniel Gray    UG.Q  65.91   E3E2AS

15        Alex Battaglia             WR.T  59.62   E1E3AS

M35

1          Matthew Cohen          AL.T   100.00 ALASAM       0.49

2          Glenn Meyer   SH.N   100.00 E1E3E2           0.25

3          Darren Slattery            BN.N  56.62   E1E2E3

4          Tony Bryant    EN.Q   50.48   ASE1E2

M40

1          Bruce Arthur   MF.V  100.00 E1ALE3

2          Jock Davis       BF.N   94.33   E2E3E1

3          Richard Mountstephens          BF.N   91.67   E3E2E1

4          Andy Hogg     PO.A   90.32   E3E2E1

5          Craig Feuerherdt         BG.V  88.34   ASAMAL

6          Jonathan McComb      AL.T   86.72   E3E2E1

7          Graham Braid KO.W 64.05   ASAMAL

8          Angus Shedden          SH.N   60.49   E1E3E2

M45

1          Stephen Craig NC.N  100.00 E1ALE3

2          Eric Morris      BN.N  89.77   E1E2E3

3          Greg Barbour  BF.N   86.03   E1E3E2

4          Scott Simson   NC.N  83.85   ASE1E2

5          Ruhi Afnan     YA.S   78.52   ASE3E1

6          Peter Annetts  GO.N  78.44   ASE1E2

7          Blair Trewin    YV.V  77.29   E2ALE1

8          Matthew Stocks          BS.A   66.22   E3E1E2

9          Brenton Gray  UG.Q  63.46   ASE2E3

10        Paul Marsh      BF.N   58.38   E1E3E2

11        Shane Trotter  NC.N  57.02   E3E2E1

12        Shane Doyle    UR.N  56.38   ALE1E2

13        Neil Simson    TF.Q    50.30   ASAME2

M50

1          Tony Woolford           BB.N   98.29   E3E2E1

2          Mark Nemeth  TF.Q    94.69   ALAMAS

3          Ian Jones         UR.N  88.53   E2ASAL

4          Simon George             BF.N   88.32   AME2E1

5          Kenneth McLean        EV.T   87.06   E2E1E3

6          Lance Read     UG.Q  81.84   E1E3E2

7          Jemery Day     AL.T   80.58   ASE2E1

8          Mark Shingler             BF.N   80.52   ASAMAL

9          John Shelton Agar      AO.A  77.21   AME2E3

10        Glenn Burgess             NC.N  76.35   ALE2AM

11        Steve Cooper  YA.S   75.83   E2ASE3

12        Tony Hill         GO.N  74.80   ALAMAS

13        Bruce Barnett  BS.A   72.80   E1E3E2

14        Martin Steer    DR.V  72.71   E2AMAS

15        Peter Charlton             NC.N  65.20   E2E3E1

M55

1          Warren Key    MF.V  100.00 E1ASE3

2          Ian Prosser       AO.A  91.52   E2E3AL

3          Jim Russell      BG.V  89.59   AME2E1

4          Robert Vincent           NC.N  87.39   ALE1E2

5          Geoff Lawford           EU.V   84.48   ALAME2

6          Bjorn Mella     NC.N  74.41   AMALE1

7          Tim Hatley      BK.V  71.12   E1E2AL

8          Carl Dalheim   MF.V  65.27   AME1E2

9          David Poland  BS.A   64.61   ASALE1

10        Nick Melhuish PO.A   61.43   ASE2E1

11        Geoff Todkill  NC.N  56.43   E1E2AS

12        Sebastian Burgess       AL.T   51.68   ASALAM

M60

1          Ted van Geldermalsen            YV.V  100.00 E1ASE2

2          Paul Pacque    EV.T   99.27   E3AMAL

3          Chris Norwood           EU.V   96.60   E2E1E3

4          Eoin Rothery   BF.N   93.44   ALASAM

5          James Lithgow            GO.N  87.99   AME2AL

6          Melvyn Cox    BN.N  84.84   E2E1E3

7          Jeff Dunn        AL.T   84.75   E2E3E1

8          Russell Bulman           YV.V  79.98   E2E3E1

9          David Marshall            AL.T   78.04   E1E2E3

10        Nicholas Wilmott        UR.N  73.22   E2E3E1

11        Bert Elson       AL.T   72.23   AME2E1

12        John Scown     AO.A  70.13   E2ALE3

13        Neil Barr         BG.V  68.75   E2ASAM

14        Ian Dempsey   NC.N  64.85   E2E3E1

15        Roch Prendergast        EU.V   63.59   E2E3E1

16        Colin Price      CC.N   59.92   E2ALE1

17        Don Barker     NT.N   56.88   E2E1E3

18        Alec Watt        NT.N   55.79   E2AME3

19        Stephen Collins           BK.V  55.38   E2ASE1

20        Paul Prudhoe  CC.N   51.29   E2E1E3

21        Rudi Landsiedel          NC.N  50.68   E2ALE3

22        Rick Steele      UR.N  50.32   E2E1E3

M65

1          Gordon Wilson            BN.N  97.93   AMALE2

2          Adrian Uppill  OH.S   96.39   E3ALAS

3          Tony Radford BG.V  96.04   E2E1E3

4          Robert Rapkins           EN.Q   95.50   E1ALE2

5          Paul Hoopmann          TJ.S     94.40   ASAME1

6          Steve Flick      BN.N  93.26   ALE3E1

7          Robert Preston NC.N  91.54   E3E2AS

8          Greg Hawthorne         WR.T  89.60   E1E3E2

9          Ian Fletcher     LO.W  87.73   ASE2AL

10        Greg Chatfield UG.Q  87.17   E1E2AS

11        Robert Allison             RR.A   83.61   ALAMAS

12        Rob West        BO.W  80.13   ALE2E3

13        John Oliver      WR.N  77.89   E1E2E3

14        Rob Simmons  AW.V 76.65   E2ALE3

15        Russell Candy KO.W 76.55   AME1E3

16        Richard Matthews      LO.W  76.05   E1E2E3

17        Lindsay Pender           AL.T   73.05   E3E1E2

18        Robert Tucker YA.S   72.62   E2E3E1

19        Peter Dalwood DR.V  72.31   E2E1E3

20        Keith Jay         IK.N    71.61   E2E1AL

21        Hugh Moore    RR.A   71.37   E2AMAL

22        Jim Lee           NC.N  70.79   AME1AL

23        Bob Hawkins  NT.N   70.44   E3E2E1

24        Robert Lewin  NC.N  69.22   E1E3E2

25        Russell Creed  TF.Q    67.75   ALE3E2

26        Peter Shepherd            IK.N    65.71   E1E2AM

27        Charles Brownridge    BG.V  54.28   E2E1E3

28        Ewen Templeton         BK.V  51.96   ASE3E1

M70

1          Ross Barr        GO.N  98.83   ASAME1

2          Alex Tarr         YV.V  95.61   E1ALAM

3          Tim Dent        YV.V  95.05   E3E1E2[

4          Terry Bluett    BN.N  93.48   E2E1E3

5          John Le Carpentier      SH.N   82.40   E3ALAM

6          Jim Merchant  GO.N  82.34   E3E1AS

7          Robert Smith   TT.S    79.79   E1E2E3

8          Dick Ogilvie    UR.N  76.81   E1E3AL

9          Phil Dufty       BO.W  74.59   E3ASAM

10        Ken Brownlie  WO.W 72.05   E3E2E1

11        Mike Howe     LO.W  71.71   E3E1E2

12        Eric Wainwright         RR.A   69.46   AMALE2

13        James Laver    AL.T   69.22   E1E2E3

14        Ron Junghans  GO.N  66.93   E3E1E2

15        Alan Thompson           RR.A   56.53   E1E3E2

16        Maurice Anker            NT.N   53.71   E1E3E2

M75

1          Peter Prime      TK.V   100.00 E1E3E2

2          Basil Baldwin GS.N   92.63   E3E2E1

3          James Bowling            EN.Q   92.08   ALAMAS

4          John Sutton     RR.A   82.58   ASALE3

5          Ted Mulherin  WH.N 79.03   E2E3E1

6          John Hodsdon SH.N   74.70   E3E2E1

7          Peter Kreminski          WA.S  66.24   ASAMAL

8          Geoffrey Dabb            BS.A   62.01   E1E3E2

9          Peter Meyer     SH.N   60.72   ASAMAL

10        Frank Tomas   WA.S  50.74   E1E3E2

M80

1          Clive Pope      UG.Q  100.00 E1ASE3

2          Barry Hanlon  WH.N 83.51   ALAME1

3          Pauli Piiroinen BS.A   82.82   E3E1E2

4          Robin Simson  TF.Q    65.64   AMALE2

M85

1          Kevin Paine     BS.A   100.00 E1ALE3

2          Graeme Cadman         YV.V  59.29   E3E2E1

M90

1          Hermann Wehner        WE.A  100.00 E1ALE3

W10

1          Sophie Arthur MF.V  100.00 E1ALAS

2          Erika Enderby NC.N  98.57   E3E2AM

3          Milla Key        MF.V  97.33   AME3AL

4          Luca Talbot-Hogg       PO.A   92.06   E1E3AL

5          Mali Brennan  RR.Q   87.22   ASE2E3

W12

1          Mikayla Enderby        NC.N  100.00 E1E3E2

2          Justine Hobson            BS.A   99.08   ASE3E2

3          Nea Shingler   BF.N   92.94   ASE3E2

4          Natalie Miller  BS.A   87.18   E3E1E2

5          Noelle Chitty  LO.W  83.10   AMALAS

6          Zali McComb  AL.T   83.02   E2E1E3

7          Ella Rogers     RR.Q   70.38   ALAMAS

8          Emma Cates    YV.V  69.54   E2E3E1

9          Ana Penck       YA.S   61.88   E2E1E3

W14

1          Ella Cuthbert  BS.A   98.28   E1ALE3

2          Zoe Melhuish  PO.A   96.83   AME2E3

3          Joanna George TT.S    94.96   E3E2E1

4          Mikaela Gray  UG.Q  91.42   ASE2E1

5          Abigail George           TT.S    90.77   ALE3E2

6          Julia Gannon   RR.Q   85.82   AMALE3

7          Sophie Jones   UR.N  85.33   AME2E1

8          Eleanor McLean         EV.T   70.57   ALAME2

9          Mikayla Cooper          AL.T   67.05   ALAMAS

10        Nina Gannon   RR.Q   59.87   ASAMAL

11        Ellen Currie     GO.N  58.34   ALASE2

W16

1          Laurel Gannon            RR.Q   97.26   E3E2AL

2          Ellie de Jong   RR.Q   96.41   E1AMAL

3          Claire Burgess             NC.N  91.02   AME3AL

4          Miho Yamazaki          WE.A  84.23   E3ASE2

5          Amy Enkelaar AL.T   83.56   ALAMAS

6          Michaela Maynard      BO.W  82.02   ASE1E3

7          Lily McFarlane           BO.W  78.15   AME3AL

8          Meredith Norman       TJ.S     73.59   ASE2E3

9          Sarah Lim       TJ.S     71.20   E3ASAM

10        Arabella Phillips          EV.T   68.79   ASALAM

11        Karina Cherry BG.V  64.15   AME2AS

12        Emily Sorensen           TT.S    56.82   ALASAM

W35

1          Melissa Gangemi        YV.V  98.19   E1E2E3

2          Ruth Shedden SH.N   72.68   E3E1E2

3          Danielle Kopriva         UR.N  72.59   E1E3E2

W40

1          Allison Jones   RR.A   100.00 E1E3E2

2          Anna Fitzgerald          GS.N   98.35   ALASAM

3          Tracy Marsh    BF.N   94.77   AME3AL

4          Cathy Hogg     PO.A   93.35   ALE3AS

5          Emily Walter   RR.A   88.19   E2E3E1

6          Meredith Gray UG.Q  85.60   ALE3E1

7          Belinda Allison           RR.A   84.07   E3E2E1

8          Anna Hyslop   PO.A   56.02   E2E1E3

W45

1          Jennifer Enderby        NC.N  100.00 ALE3E2

2          Barbara Hill    GO.N  94.02   ASE3E2

3          Martina Craig  NC.N  91.94   AMALE1

4          Linda Sesta     UR.N  84.76   E3E1E2

5          Alison Inglis   BS.A   79.67   E2E3E1

6          Anita Scherrer BS.A   70.88.  E1ALAM

7          Margaret Jones            UR.N  66.36   ASE3E2

8          Karen Wild-Allen       AL.T   53.32   E3E2E1

W50

1          Su Yan Tay     UG.Q  100.00 ALASE3

2          Nicola Dalheim           MF.V  99.42   E1E2AL

3          Toni Brown     BS.A   97.94   AMALE3

4          Sue Hancock   WR.T  89.37   AMALAS

5          Wendy Read   UG.Q  84.99   AME3AS

6          Karen Blatchford        NC.N  84.62   AMALE1

7          Carolyn Matthews      NC.N  82.10   E1E3E2

8          Gayle Quantock          NC.N  80.62   ALAME3

9          Paula Shingler             BF.N   78.05   E3ASE2

10        Ana Herceg     PO.A   78.01   ASAME2

11        Joanna Parr      BF.N   70.37   AMALAS

12        Christine Marshall       AL.T   66.16   E3E2E1

13        Tara Sutherland          BS.A   59.23   ALASAM

W55

1          Anthea Feaver             LO.W  100.00 E1ASE3

2          Carolyn Jackson          MF.V  97.72   ALE2E3

3          Christine Brown         EV.T   85.20   E2E1E3

4          Chris Brown   EV.T   84.38   ASALAM

5          Geraldine Chatfield    UG.Q  77.23   AMASAL

6          Debbie Davey WR.N  76.04   E3E1E2

7          Felicity Crosato          RR.Q   75.37   ASE3E2

8          Julie Flynn      BG.V  74.82   E1E3E2

9          Sally Wayte    AL.T   68.42   E2E1AS

10        Carol Harding             BS.A   58.37   E3E2AM

11        Kathy Petrie    SO.Q   52.85   AME1E3

12        Margi Freemantle        YV.V  50.91   ALE3AS

13        Mary McDonald         AO.A  50.61   E1E2E3

W60

1          Jenny Bourne  EU.V   100.00 E1ALAS

2          Sue Key          MF.V  82.32   E2E3E1

3          Robin Uppill   OH.S   79.85   E2E3AS

4          Lynda Rapkins            EN.Q   75.74   ALAME2

5          Lynn Dabbs    WH.N 72.37   E3E2E1

6          Hilary Wood   CC.N   71.05   E2E3E1

7          Jacquie Rand  UG.Q  61.36   E2E3AM

8          Carol Brownlie           WO.W             59.56   E3E2E1

9          Robyn Pallas   CC.N   57.66   ASAME2

W65

1          Judy Allison    RR.A   96.76   ASE2AL

2          Toy Martin      NC.N  96.16   E3E1E2

3          Alison Radford           BG.V  93.18   E1E3E2

4          Val Hodsdon  SH.N   88.87   ALE2E1

5          Barbara Tassell            AL.T   85.95   ALASAM

6          Valerie Barker             BS.A   85.69   E1ALAM

7          Christine Sinickas       YV.V  80.75   E3E1E2

8          Carol Jacobson            GO.N  77.42   E3E2E1

9          Debbie Gale    EV.T   77.33   E3E1E2

10        Janet Bush       AL.T   76.80   AME3AS

11        Lois West        BO.W  71.17   ALAMAS

12        Jan Candy       KO.W 68.22   ALASE1

13        Jitka Kopriva   UR.N  66.05   E3E2E1

14        Kerryne Jones RR.A   64.84   E1E2E3

15        Joan Sheldon   UG.Q  58.71   E3E1AM

16        Maureen Trotter          NC.N  53.90   E3E2E1

W70

1          Jenny Hawkins            NT.N   100.00 E1ALAS

2          Jean Baldwin  GS.N   91.49   E2E1AM

3          Ann Ingwersen           PO.A   87.96   ASAMAL

4          Ann Baylis      RR.A   85.60   E3E1E2

5          Janet Fletcher  LO.W  85.34   E3E1E2

6          Ruth Goddard YV.V  82.98   E3E1E2

7          Robin Spriggs UG.Q  81.98   ASALAM

8          Janet Tarr        YV.V  78.77   AME2E3

9          Penny Dufty   BO.W  75.18   E3E2E1

10        Sally Salier      AL.T   68.21   E2E1E3

11        Carolyn Chalmers       NC.N  56.20   E2ASAL

12        Helena Griggs AL.T   54.35   AME2AL

13        Bryony Cox    GO.N  53.90   E2E1E3

W75

1          Christa Schafer           GO.N  96.55   AME2E3

2          Pam Cox         TF.Q    95.38   ALASAM

3          Janet Morris    WH.N 91.70   ALE2E3

4          Barbara Pope  UG.Q  90.56   E3ALE2

W80

1          Maureen Ogilvie         UR.N  100.00 E1ALAS

W85

1          Sue Healy        NE.V   100.00 E1ALAS

Darryl Erbacher
Statistician

The Silva Medal for 2016 has been won by Jenny Bourne (EU.V W60) for the third time. The Silva Medal award is based on points for participating and placing in the following events: Australian 3-Days (each day considered as a separate event) and the Australian Championships (Sprint, Middle and Long). Points are awarded: 4 for first; 3 for second; 2 for third; 1 point for finishing in M/W16 and above in elite classes

There were 2 orienteers who scored the maximum points (24) and a countback system based on winning margins has been used to separate these. In effect, Jenny Bourne has performed relatively further ahead of the field in her class than Jenny Hawkins (NT.N W70).

Jenny Bourne  24        0.17

Jenny Hawkins            24        0.07

Warren Key    23

Anthea Feaver 22

Simon Uphill   20

Clive Pope      20

Su Yan Tay     20

Stephen Craig 20

Ted van Geldermalsen            20

Patrick Jaffe    20

Patrick Miller  20

Jennifer Enderby        19

Jo Allison        18

Bruce Arthur   18

Lanita Steer     17

Natasha Key   16

Paul Paque      15

Carolyn Jackson          15

Jock Davis       15

Matt Doyle      15

Ross Barr        15

Tristan Miller 15

OS Statistician Darryl Erbacher interviewed 2016 Silva Medal winner, Jenny Bourne.

Darryl: Jenny you have had a fabulous year. Six good wins from 6 starts. Congratulations.

Jenny: Thanks Darryl. I had some good races this year but mostly my win was due to“being in the right place at the right time”. There are many people who could have won this award but either chose to run a younger age class, didn’t run all the races or had an unexpected defeat. (I must remember to give Rob Vincent that bribe money I promised him if he would beat Warren!!!!)

D: Your win returns this award to a family affair (Tarr 5 times, Saw 4, Key 2, Bourne/Lawford 5). Are good orienteers born (no pun intended) with the right genes?

J:  I think it is a mix of nature and nurture. Good orienteers have the right “sort” of brain to be able to interpret maps and form a mental picture of the terrain plus the right physical attributes. Being in an orienteering family helps by being in a supportive and understanding environment. It’s like being on a permanent training camp- having discussions about O, having the opportunity to do technical training whenever we feel like it, having other people keen to go training.

You may not know that OA looked into this in the early 1980s and decided to set up a “selective breeding” program. Geoff and I were the first pairing. The Key family were the next recruits. There seems to have been some successful outcomes from the program and this should continue in the future with the progeny of some good breeding pairs in ACT expected to show some form in the next 10 years.

D: I have had three disastrous years with injuries and operations (I am not alone – my rivals have their fair share of troubles too).  You appear to remain injury free. What can I do to remain competitive?

J:    Perhaps all your injuries are a sign of overtraining! Again, being injury free is partly luck, being born with good biomechanics and partly being able to recognise when things may be going wrong. Cross training is a good idea too (though I don’t practice what I preach!)

D: I have good runs and bad ones.  You are remarkably consistent. There must be some secrets to this game?

J:   I’m glad I appear to be consistent but I’m actually capable of complete brain fades (as below). One “secret” is to identify why you make mistakes- not so much what you did but why you did that. You do some legs well and then you make a mistake. Why? Were you concentrating on moving fast and not thinking about where you were going? Did you see another runner and get distracted by them? Were you getting tired and not concentrating so well? Once you have the basic skills, you have to question why it is that you don’t always apply them. If you are aware of the circumstances, perhaps you can prevent a mistake happening.

D; Do you love this sport or are you merely good at it?

J:  That’s hard to answer. I don’t know if I’d enjoy it if I wasn’t good at it. Maybe I would just find it frustrating. But I do enjoy being in the bush and I do enjoy the challenge of finding the controls efficiently. In Sprint O, I enjoy the intense concentration required.

D: What is the worst/largest mistake you have made?

J:  I had one of my brain fades this year at the Coff’s Harbour event. It was a long leg (about 1.5km) but simple enough- just follow a large watercourse the whole way crossing a big side watercourse en route. I managed to cross the main watercourse (thinking I was crossing the side one), veered left to get back to following the main watercourse (by which time I was running almost back the way I’d come but on the other side of the creek). By the time I got back on track I’d made about a 1km detour. Not one of my better moments!

D: What is the most interesting/weirdest venue you have run on?

J:  One race that stands out for me was a street O in Venice way back in 1983, before the days of Sprint O. It was unique then to do orienteering in a town and Venice had it all – difficult navigation (so many alleyways) and route choice (having to find a bridge to cross the canals) plus a full length course, so you had to keep full concentration for 45 mins or so. And it had what I called “moving green patches”- the crowds of people that slowed you down. I remember that one lady had obviously had enough of runners pushing past her. When I approached her, she attacked me with her folded umbrella!

D: Congratulations again.  Keep up the good work.  Jenny Hawkins is hovering.

J:   Yes, another season awaits us. I wonder if I can convince Jenny Hawkins to run down a few age classes??????