The Official Website of the Canberra Cockatoos



The Canberra Cockatoos represent the ACT in the National Orienteering League. Pictured above are members of the 2016 Senior and Junior Men's and Women's Teams, after the Australian Championships in Stanthorpe Queensland.

National Orienteering League

The National Orienteering League is Australia's premier orienteering competition. The League is primarily a teams’ competition: each State fields teams of at least three men and three women in a number of stages (a total of 14-18 per season). In addition, there is a points competition, the National Series, for individual glory.

The competitions are similar to the Tour de France in that the teams’ competition is based on the placings of team members in stages. However, rather than all the stages being conducted consecutively, the stages are spread throughout the year in rounds of events (4 to 5 rounds per year).

Competition Format

There are four divisions of the National League and of the National Orienteering Series:

  • Senior Men
  • Senior Women
  • Junior Men
  • Junior Women

Except for Relays, National League points are awarded on the basis of the fastest times for the first three competitors  from each team in each division of each stage of the National Series. Relay points are awarded on the basis of first team to finish for each State team.

The seven teams in the competition are: Canberra Cockatoos, NSW Stingers, Queensland Cyclones, Southern Arrows, Tassie Foresters, Victorian Nuggets and the Western Nomads.

Canberra Cockatoos Enjoy Success At Season’s End

Sunday, 4 October 2015

Photos from left to right: Tomas Krajca, David Shepherd, Ian Lawford, Andrew Barnett, Matt Crane

Canberra Cockatoos wrapped up their 2015 National League season with successes in both the Senior Men’s team and individual competitions.  The Men easily clinched the teams’ competition when the team of Tomas Krajca, David Shepherd and Ian Lawford were the first National League team to finish the Australian Relay Championships at Buninyong on Sunday leaving their main challengers the Victorian Nuggets in their wake. It the Cockies fifth straight win and their sixth in nine years since the format was changed in 2007.  Previously under the old format when the points of the both the men’s and women’s teams were combined, the Cockies won 12 of 13 from 1994 through to 2006. 

On Saturday Matt Crane wrapped up the National Series by finishing the gruelling 15.4 km Australian Long Distance Championships ahead of his nearest competitor Simon Uppill.  It was Crane’s four Series win having won previously in 2007, 2012 and 2013.  He withdrew from the Men’s Relay team as he was carrying an injury.  The Cockies lead female runner Jo Allison added to the Cockies successes in winning her fourth Australian Long Distance Championships, having previously won in 2003, 2011 and 2012.  Allison missed the first half of the season through injury. 

The ACT orienteers who were placed in the Australian Sprint and Long Distance Championships over the weekend included:

  • Australian Sprint Distance Championships: MEN: M12A: 2,500 m: 2nd David Stocks Bushflyers 19.45; M14A: 2,200 m: 3rd Tristan Miller Bushflyers 9.45; M40A: 3,000 m: 2nd Tate Needham Red Roos 15.53; M45A: 3,000 m: Rob Jessop Parawanga 14.43; M80A: 1,700 m: 1st Pauli Piiroinen Bushflyers 18.51, 2nd Eino Meuronen Bushflyers 26.42; M85A: 1,700 m 1st Kevin Paine Bushflyers 21.12; M90A: 1,700 m 1st Hermann Wehner Weston Emus 21.18; Open B: 2,200 m: 1st Daniel Del Dot Garran Bushflyers 13.36; WOMEN: W14A: 2,200 m: 3st Zoe Melhuish Parawanga 11.13; W20E: 3,000 m: 2nd Tara Melhuish Parawanga 14.54; W20A: 2,500 m: 1st Emily Alder Orienteering 18.11; W45A: 2,200 m: 3rd Anita Scherrer Red Roos 13.37; W65A: 1,900 m: 1st Judy Allison Red Roos 14.44, 2nd Pat Miethke Parawanga 16.55. Full results are here and splits are here

  • Australian Long Distance Championships: MEN: M21E: 15,540 m: 3rd Matthew Crane Abominables 37.30; M14A: 4,000 m: 2nd Tristan Miller Bushflyers 28.31; M16A: 6,325 m: 2nd Patrick Miller Bushflyers 46.47; M40A: 9,525 m: 3rd Andy Hogg Parawanga 1.13.21; M45A: 7 950 m: 1st Rob Jessop Parawanga 58.21; M80A: 2,800 m: 1st Eino Meuronen Bushflyers; M85A: 2,125 m: 1st Kevin Paine Bushflyers 1.31.13; M90A: 2,125 m: 1st Hermann Wehner Weston Emus 1.17.46; Open B Long: 4,000 m: 1st Daniel Del Dot Bushflyers 43.41. WOMEN: W21E: 10,775 m: 1st Jo Allison Red Roos 1.17.53; W21AS: 4,775 m: 1st Jenna Linehan Red Roos 1.08.56; W14A: 3,275 m: 1st Zoe Melhuish Parawanga 31.06; 3rd Ella Cuthbert Bushflyers 32.38; W16A: 3,750 m: 3rd Tara Melhuish Parawanga 33.18; W20A: 3,750 m: 2nd Lucy Barton Parawanga 51.42; W65A: 3,575 m: 3rd Kerryne Jones Red Roos 53.40.  Full results are here and splits are here

There will be photos on Facebook later in the week.

Cockatoos News
Orienteering Resumes and Cockatoos win Thursday, 6 October 2016 Orienteering Resumes and Cockatoos win
Canberra Cockatoos Enjoy Success At Season’s End Sunday, 4 October 2015 Canberra Cockatoos wrapped up their 2015 National League season with successes in both the Senior Men’s team and individual competitions
Senior Men Canberra Cockatoos Best Results in AUS 3-Days Prologue Friday, 3 April 2015 The Canberra Cockatoos senior men’s team filled three of the top five placings in the 2015 AUS 3-Days Prologue
Canberra Cockatoos Among Finalists for ACT SportStar Awards Monday, 20 October 2014 The Canberra Cockatoos team and coach Grant McDonald are among those named as finalists for the 2014 The Tradies ACT SportStar of the Year Annual awards
Canberra Cockatoos Win Men’s National League on Mixed Day for ACT Orienteers Monday, 6 October 2014 The Canberra Cockatoos men’s team clinched the 2014 National League competition