Brindabella Challenge MTBO Entry Form

Saturday, 11 November 2006

Brindabella Challenge MTBO Event

Tuesday, 26 September 2006

OACT is running an MTBO event on Saturday, 10 December, as part of the Brindabella Challenge 06.

General event details are now available; registration details and further information will be published on the OACT website as available.

Liz Abbott, Bushflyers and NSW Seeking to Secure Top Awards at ACT Championships

Saturday, 16 September 2006

The ACT Long Distance  Championships at Honeysuckle Creek is the final round for the SmokeFree League, the Southern Cross Inter-club competition and the Bennelong Trophy competition.

Liz Abbot

After round nine Liz Abbott’s best five scores total 567, 17 ahead of Andy Hogg who as the course planner cannot improve his position.   Then there is a pack of three Kevin Paine (544), Murray Scown (542) and Darryl Erbacher (540) who don’t seem to be close enough to trouble Liz, even with the best six out of ten counting for the award.

In the Southern Cross Inter-club competition, the Bushflyers have a total of 621 points, Parawanga 515, Red Roos 389, and Abominables/Weston Emus 386.  There is nothing that can stop the Bushflyers march towards an eighth title.

The Bennelong Trophy was introduced in 1986 as a competition between ACT and NSW, based on the results of their respective Long Distance Championships.  Points are awarded on the basis of 1 point for the winner in E/A classes and ½ for all others.  The ACT has won only five times since 1986 and has not won since 1999.   NSW amassed 23.5 points to ACT’s 11.5 at the 2006 NSW Champs and has strong entries in most classes, so ACT will have difficulty in picking up 12 points.

The start times for the ACT Long Distance Championships are now available here.

Bob Mouatt

ACT High School & College Champs 2006

Saturday, 2 September 2006

The 2006 ACT High School and College Championships were held today at Mt Majura West.The warm start to the Spring created some close and exciting racing. In the high profile 11/12 Womens class with experienced junior Heather Harding from Merici College taking out the win in a time of 29.06, from Swiss exchange student Nadine Cejka from Erindale College, while Snowy Haiblen from Dickson College was third. Heather and Nadine will both be ones to watch in the Australian All Schools Orienteering Champs to be held in Perth later this year.

In the 11/12 Mens class it was Austrian exchange student Michael Pfeifer from Dickson College who took out the win in 29.40, and will also add vital depth to the ACT Senior Boys team for the National in Perth. Robert McDonald from Radford College was second, while Robert D'Ascenzo from Canberra Grammar was third.

The 9/10 Mens class was a close run affair with Sean Bruce from Canberra Grammar taking out a somewhat surprise win by 48 seconds ahead of Lachlan Dow from Lynham High, while Luke Poland from Radford College was third.

The 9/10 Womens Class was taken out by Catriona Baily-Price from Telopea in 28.08, three minutes clear of  Naomi Mitchell from Canberra High in second and Hannah Bragg of Canberra Girls Grammar in third.

The 7/8 Men was a close battle with only 50 seconds separating the top three of Paul de Jongh of Radford, Dane Broughton of Grammar and Ashley Jenkins. While the 7/8 Girls was a Lynham High affair with Georgia Parsons taking out the win from schoolmate Bonnie Haiblen.

The schools competiton was also interesting with Canberra Grammer taking out both boys division in a dominating display, while the Girls Colleges was hard fought between Dickson and Erindale, with Dickon prevailing by 2 points, while Lynham High won convincinly in the Girls Schools division.

With 160 competitors it proved some tough competition and good prepartion for the team members heading over to Perth in early October aiming to win the Australian All Schools Title. Some exciting prospects await.

Results

June 06 Newsletter #364

Wednesday, 9 August 2006

Download the June 06 newsletter #364 (817 KB PDF)

Included in this issue:

• Following a Routine to Achieve Success — Bob Mouatt
  
• New Equipment — Bob Mouatt
• Rambling Around
  
• Queensland Championships
• Search & Rescue Procedures — Ian Booth
  

Vale Jim Sawkins

Monday, 5 June 2006

Orienteering ACT regrets to advise the passing of Jim Sawkins.  On Sunday morning Jim was orienteering on the new Goorooyaroo map when he collapsed soon after starting his course.  Despite receiving the best possible first aid; some orienteers, well trained in CPR, were with him quickly and the paramedics were on the seen soon afterwards, he was not able to be revived.  

Anne had started earlier than Jim and on her way back to the Finish she came across the group (incl ambulance paramedics) trying to revive him.  A number of close orienteering friends stayed with her and Jim until son Tim arrived to take her home.  She is being supported by family and friends.

Jim was the consummate orienteer, both as a competitor; he won the M65A class at the 2006 Australian 3-Days and was the 2005 ACT Orienteer of the Year, and as an official; on Saturday he was the organiser of the usual Saturday Program event and he contributed to the success of many major orienteering carnivals in the ACT.  He was the best.  He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

The Sawkins family wants it to be known that orienteering should not be seen as in any way contributing to his death.  He was in great spirits when he started and he died on a beautiful sunny Canberra Winter's day on a new map doing what he loved.  

The family and the organizers of Sunday's event wish to thank the many who stopped to provide assistance and to stay and comfort Anne during her moment of need.

Orienteering ACT is currently seeking advice from the ACT Ambulance service, which provides access to counselling.  More information will be provided when the details are available.

Jim's funeral is likely to be towards the end of the week.  Details of the arrangements will be advised as soon as they become available.

Our thoughts and sympathy are with Anne, Tim and his family Jenny, Hannah and Rebekah, David, Robert and the extended Sawkins family.

Liz Abbott and Bushflyers take early lead after Round 1 of SmokeFree League

Wednesday, 29 March 2006

138 participants took advantage of a warm, sunny day to compete in Round 1 of the 2006 SmokeFree League at Timber Tops (courses by Graham Turner, Red Roos) and all but six finished their course, a fairly low percentage of DNFs for an area that seems simple but can be tricky, especially where the gullies and spurs all look the same.  The dappled shadow affect at some control sites caused by the bright overhead sunshine also created a problem for a few orienteers who were not confident of their location.

The Bushflyers have started their quest for an eighth successive Southern Cross Inter-club Shield with a good first round, the points for which are: Bushflyers 68, Parawanga 66, Red Roos 60, Weston Emus/Abominables 36. (scores compiled by Norm Johnston)

The first round of the SmokeFree League competition has produced some interesting scores with Liz Abbot getting 124 points for her time of 53 min 14 sec for the Red 4 - 7.2 km course.  Jo Allison had the next best of 123 for her 44 min 32 sec for the same course.  Darryl Erbacher, another on the Red 4 course was third on the leader board with 116 points and Bob Allison also on Red 4 was next best with 111 points.  There was obviously something about the Red 4 course that enabled the competitors on that course to enjoy very fast times.  SFL competition administrator Andrew Blakers was so concerned that he asked for a check of course lengths.  A detailed analysis of the split times might reveal the reason.

Visiting Swiss student Nadine Cejka is certainly getting to see a variety of Australian orienteering terrain.  She enjoyed Timber Tops much more than the rock strewn hills north and west of Bigga NSW two weeks previous.

• Results
• Results with splits
• SmokeFree League standings