A message from the Chair of the Australian Sports Commission – Josephine Sukkar AM
Sport has a place for everyone and delivers results that make Australia proud.
As we progress through this defining era in Australian sport, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is clear in our vision to lead and support the sector.
Our role is to provide opportunities for all communities to be involved in sport, while growing elite success and representation, inspiring future generations.
As the Australian Government agency responsible for supporting and investing in sport at all levels, we strive to increase involvement in sport and enable continued international sporting success.
We do this through leadership and development of a cohesive and effective sports sector, targeted financial support and the operation of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).
We play a unique role in the sport ecosystem and tackle the big challenges and opportunities with and for the sector.
We’re proud to do so and through our vision, we aim to bring out the best in everyone involved in sport as we establish Australia as the world’s best sporting nation.
Collectively, we’ve already made huge strides to set Australian sport up for success.
Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy is an industry-wide approach to harness our collective strengths, talent and resources.
It is built on creating an environment where athletes and sports can Win Well – by balancing ambitious performance goals with a culture of care, integrity, fair play and pride.
Working hand in hand with this is the co-designed National Sport Participation Strategy which calls on Australians to Play Well.
Building safe, welcoming, inclusive and fun experiences is central to the Strategy which focuses on people of all ages, backgrounds, genders and abilities coming together to access the benefits of sport.
The sporting strategies, programs and facilities we deliver now have the capacity to shape Australia’s long-term prosperity, well beyond sporting boundaries.
This is a defining era for Australian sport. We are well into the Green and Gold decade to Brisbane 2032, and we are focused on building sustainable success for decades to come.
As the national home of sport, we are proud of the role we play in supporting athletes, coaches and high performance staff to reach their potential.
In the past 12 months alone we’ve welcomed more than 5,000 athletes, coaches and support staff across 33 sports and 200 camps to the AIS campus and I look forward to seeing many of these athletes shine at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
On behalf of the ASC, thank you to everyone who contributes to the sector as we work collectively to ensure every Australian sees a place for themselves in sport .
Josephine Sukkar AM
PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
About
This Annual Report from Orienteering Australia covers the activities of the Australian Sports Commission recognised National Sporting Organisation for the sport of orienteering in Australia from January 2023 to March 2024.
Acknowledgement of Country
Orienteering Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands where we conduct our sporting activities.
Orienteering Australia extends this acknowledgment to all the Traditional Custodians of the lands and First Nations Peoples throughout Australia and would like to pay its respects to all Elders past, present and emerging.
Orienteering Australia recognises the outstanding contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make to society and sport in Australia and celebrates the power of sport to promote reconciliation and reduce inequality.
Photo: JWOC 2023 Romania
From the Chair
2023 was the year that we largely cast off the shadows the COVID-19 pandemic in both the competition arena and in the active work of Orienteering Australia (OA). We kicked off the year with a most successful IOF Oceania Regional Championships organised by Orienteering Tasmania. The event used the new maps prepared by the late Rob Plowright for the twice cancelled Australian Championships in 2020 and 2021. The high cost of Trans-Tasman travel at the time did diminish the usual number of New Zealand competitors at Oceania. It was pleasing there was a good group of competitors from New Caledonia. There are some developments in that area such that in the not-toodistant future we may see New Caledonia compete with full competition rights as part of the Oceania region. We conducted a very successful, albeit cold weather wise, Easter 3 Days organised by Orienteering ACT in the Snowy Monaro region, had an excellent National League with some great racing in the final round in Victoria and the preceding rounds, and had a successful Australian Championships carnival week organised by Orienteering Western Australia with good attendance considering the cost challenges of domestic airfares through 2023.
During 2023 we were active on the global sporting stage, sending teams to World Championships, Junior World Championships, World Senior and Junior Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships and represented at all rounds of the World Cup. We also had a small group of young people acquit themselves with credit at the European Youth Championships. We had a Bushrangers team travel to New Zealand in June to compete against our Trans -Tasman friends. Within the International Orienteering Federation (IOF), Australia continues to be an active member of the federation. Blair Trewin continues to be a member of the IOF Council. We have Brett Weihart on the Foot Orienteering Commission, Fredrik Johansson on the Mapping Commission after the retirement of Adrian Uppill and Christine Brown on the Disciplinary Panel. OA has actively contributed to all IOF requests for feedback and information.
2023 saw some small changes to the OA Board and Office. Richard Mountstephens and Craig Steffens left the Board after a tenure of two years. On behalf of the Australian orienteering community, we owe a great deal of thanks to Richard and Craig for their service to our sport while members of the Board. Craig assumed the role of Manager, Mountain Bike Orienteering Development after leaving the Board and was a central figure in the organisation of a most successful Australian Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships in Queensland. Andrea Harris was elected to the Board at the Annual General Meeting and Paul Liggins joined the Board in June. Andrea and Paul, along with all the continuing Board members, have made very positive contributions to the activities of the Board through 2023. Brodie Nankervis expanded his work within the Office by assuming the role of Manager, Participation to lead the development of a “whole of sport” orienteering participation plan. Another important appointment to the OA Office in 2023 was our new Editor of The Australian Orienteer, Hani Lada upon the retirement of long time Editor Mike Hubbert. Hania has quickly settled into her role as Editor and her wider contribution to the activities of OA is greatly appreciated. Australian orienteering owes a huge debt of gratitude to Mike for his many years of work in the Editor role. Sadly, Mike passed away in the spring of 2023. He will be forever remembered as someone who made a massive contribution to his sport of orienteering. You will note in this Annual Report that the OA Office now has several people doing a variety of roles, either in a paid or voluntary capacity. On behalf of the Board, I extend a profound thank you to all our Officers for their fantastic work and effort through 2023. Your contribution to your sport is appreciated and highly valued by the Board.
Major activities achieved by OA through 2023 have included:
• The continued updating of the OA Operations Guide Edition 6 with a major review of many operational procedures and policies.
• A review and updating of structures to manage and implement the second tranche of the Moira Whiteside Bequest.
• The adoption and progressive implementation of revised and associated policies under Sport Australia National Integrity Framework through our National Integrity Unit led by Andrew Shipton (ACT).
• The building of initial coaching curriculum into the new Orienteering Learning Centre after signing an agreement with the Australian Sports Commission.
• The development and piloting of Learn to Orienteer programs in the latter part of 2023 for implementation in 2024.
• Partnering with our member states/territories to develop an Orienteering Participation Plan for 2024 implementation.
• Implementation of the new OA Branding/Style Guide, developed through 2023.
• The launching of the updated OA website in the latter part of February 2024
• Improved tracking and acquittal of ASC participation grant finding.
• Finally engaging a Project Officer to lead the Eventor improvement project work and progressed that project.
• Developing a targeted set of projects for 2024 to better align with established and new participation activities.
• Continuing to grow engagement with the Sporting Schools program.
• Beginning a process to investigate the hosting of a future IOF major event in both orienteering and mountain bike orienteering.
• Conducting a series of online workshops for member States in lieu of an in-person National Conference, and engaged with Member States/ Territories through online meetings about mutual operational matters on a quarterly basis.
Looking ahead to 2024, OA has several tasks it plans to undertake. We hope to finally complete all the ASIC requirements to transition to a company limited by guarantee to follow on from the adoption of the updated constitution in November 2022. This is a critical governance requirement of the continued recognition of our sport by the Australian Sports commission. to work with Member States/Territories and Sport. We will be in the implementation phase of the Orienteering Participation Plan and the Learn to Orienteer project and completing the transfer of coaching curriculum into the Orienteering Learning Centre. We will be completing the development and implementation of a Communications and Marketing Plan to sit alongside the updated OA website. The aim is a more systematic and unified approach to communications and social media that will set the stage for OA to go out into the market in the second half of 2024 to seek commercial partnerships for our sport. Allied to this is the recent employment of a
Photo: Tony Hill
Manager, Communications and Marketing. The Board plans to have a closer look at how we can do more in the important areas of inclusive practice and widening the diversity of the Australian community engaging with our sport. We plan to begin to embed our updated Controller Accreditation framework into the Orienteering Learning Centre, to continue to improve the acquittal of project funding provided by the ASC, complete phase one of improving the usability of Eventor, reviewing and updating OA’s risk register to better align with the National integrity Framework, and to continue to enhance our operational procedures to both align with Australian Sports Commission governance requirements and continue to improve our operational efficiency.
I have previously stated I had a vision for our orienteering organisation and structures across Australia to work together and achieve an agreed common understanding across our ways of working in the conduct and administration of our sport. That is, to look at what we can do with a “whole of sport” approach rather than being a fragmented sport where everyone (OA, states/territories, and clubs) is doing their own thing with duplication of effort and a sometimes ineffective use of increasingly valuable volunteer time. We continue to make progress on that front but there is more work to do in some areas. A common national membership structure remains a work in progress and further implementation and understanding of the National Integrity Framework across all levels of Australian orienteering is an important goal for the good reputation of our sport. We also have challenges
as to the long-term financial sustainability of our sport at both national and state/territory level. The Board will be working closely with our members to look at this important area through 2024.
In conclusion, I would like to sincerely thank everyone, at all levels of our sport, who has contributed to the success of orienteering in Australia through 2023. It was again a challenging year in many respects, such as a further small decline in full national membership offset by a small increase in total participation. It was also a positive year on many fronts with several important projects being developed and implemented through the year. I am confident that we remain on a positive trajectory for our wonderful sport of orienteering through 2024. We shall see the implementation of important projects that are focused on increasing engagement and participation. The Board is committed to further develop and provide opportunities for many more people in the Australian community to enjoy what we know is the most wonderful, unique and endlessly challenging sport you can do.
I commend this Annual Report to you and thank all contributors and photographers for their support.
Michael Dowling Chair
Photo: Ilya
Photo:
ORGANISATION
Photo: Michael Dowling
Management of Orienteering Australia
Orienteering Australia (OA) in 2023 was managed and administered by:
• A Board of eight members headed by Chair Michael Dowling.
• Part-time paid officers: The General Manager, Head Coach, High-Performance Operations Manager, National Mountain Bike Orienteering Manager, Manager of Coaching and Officiating Administration, Sporting Schools Coordinator, and the Editor of the Australian Orienteer.
• Part-time contracts for the Editor of the Monthly eNewsletter and the website curator.
• A series of online Zoom-based workshops, to replace the 2-day Annual Conference. The meetings were attended by various Board members, delegates from each State and the ACT, and given the opportunity by the virtual nature of the workshops, interested members or Orienteering Australia were also able to attend. Athlete, mountain bike orienteering representatives, and relevant OA officers also attended.
• Additional appointed (volunteer) officers: Public Officer, OA Schools Championship Coordinator.
Membership of the Board
Board members and Board support for the 2023 year were:
Michael Dowling - Chair.
Richard Mountstephens - Director, Finance. Retired from the Board at the 2023 Annual General Meeting.
Paul Liggins - Director, Finance. Appointed by the Board in June.
Brett Weihart - Director.
Craig Steffens - Director, Operations and MTBO. Retired from the Board at the 2023 Annual General Meeting.
Andrea Harris - Director, Risk and MTBO. Elected to the Board at the 2023 Annual General Meeting.
Anna Sheldon - Director, Technical.
Troy de Haas - Director, Opportunities.
Clare Hawthorne - Director, Performance and Coaching.
Blair Trewin - Director.
Robert Spry supports Board governance as the Minutes Secretary.
Photo: Michael Dowling
Table 1: Board Member Meeting Attendance 2023
Note: Richard Mountstephens and Craig Steffens retired from the Board at the Annual General meeting. Andrea Harris was elected to the Board at the Annual General Meeting. Paul Liggins was appointed to the Board at its June meeting. Meetings indicated by * were held as in-person meetings. WK means Annual Workshops. STK means Member Stakeholder Meetings.
Board Meetings
The Annual General Meeting was held virtually in April (via Zoom). A series of virtual workshops were held, with all Member States/Territories represented in the period of November/December. Following International Orienteering Federation (IOF) standards, OA held two Stakeholder meetings to inform Members of ongoing work and progress in July and September.
The Board held monthly meetings by Zoom as indicated in Table 1. Meetings 172 and 179 were inperson meetings held in Melbourne.
Staffing and Officers
Paid staff (part-time): Arpad Kocsik (General Manager), Natasha Key (Head Coach), Craig Steffens (Director Operations and MTBO until the April Annual General Meeting then Manager, Mountain Bike Orienteering Development), Fredrik Johansson (High Performance Administrator), Jim Mackay (Sporting Schools National Coordinator and Manager, Coaching and Officiating Administration), Mike Hubbert until March and Hania Lada from March (Editor, The Australian Orienteer), and Brodie Nankervis , (Manager, Coaching Development and Manager, Participation).
Shane Jenkins was contracted as website curator, and Linda Burridge continued as national monthly eNews Editor.
Various people and organisations were contracted by OA and Member States/Territories to undertake projects funded by Australian Sports Commission Participation Grant. Daniel Stott is running two projects (eLearning and Learn to Orienteer), Paul Prudhoe is Manager, Eventor Working Group.
Remuneration range of OA staff (includes superannuation guarantee contribution).
Major Board Undertakings During 2023
2023 was an extremely busy and successful year compared to post covid years. The detail for each area is documented in the respective Portfolio areas within this Annual Report.
Chair: Michael Dowling as Chair took the lead role in updating the complete OA Operations Guide, led the organisation through a rebranding process that included a new logo, a new website (volunteering more than 600 hours), and developed a completely new approach to how orienteering is presented online. Chaired meetings of the Board by Zoom and kept up to date with all aspects of the governance issues including transitioning to Company Limited by Guarantee, NSO recognition process and dealing with the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) in general. Mike was also involved in the reforms related to the Australian Orienteer magazine and liaising with Orienteering New Zealand on trans-Tasman issues. He took a major role in the Moira Whiteside Bequest application/distribution process to the three major Championship events.
International: Blair Trewin, International Orienteering Federation (IOF) Council member, ex officio Director of the Board continued to generate valuable input in reviewing the OA competition rules and leading the technical workshop in his other role as chair of the OA Technical Committee. Always present at Board meetings, where his deep understanding of governance and financial issues is invaluable and plays a important role in maintaining OA’s good relationship with the IOF. Blair is also a signatory party in the event of the absence of the Director, Finance.
Finance: Richard Mountstephens opened a new chapter in the financial management of OA by implementing MYOB, an online tool that automatically manages the OA payroll, and keeps track of finances in general. Richard left the Board in April at the Annual General Meeting. Paul Liggins came on board from June as Director Finance. Richard prepared detailed handover materials for Paul. Richard and Paul provided regular reports to the OA Board on annual expenditure to date, the performance of the annual budget and the forward budget; led AGM and Board discussions on budget development; prepared annual accounts for auditing; provided the ASC with audit and acquittal statements
and budget figures as requested; and undertook the day-to-day payment of invoices. Since his appointmet to the role, Paul has developed a new financial status report methodology for the Board and has settled in well into the position of Director Finance.
High Performance and Participation: Led by the Director, Performance and Coaching, the High Performance Management Group (HPMG) made significant progress on various HPMG matters throughout 2023. Natasha Key as Head Coach and Fredrik Johansson as High Performance Administrator continued to support the work of the HPMG. The HPMG provided recommendations to the Board on national team appointments, selection criteria, coaching and training activities and other aspects of the High Performance program. Craig Steffens as Manager, of the Mountain Bike Orienteering Development did likewise for that discipline and initiated work to investigate the feasibility to host a major IOF event mountain bike orienteering.
Technical and Competition: Anna Sheldon Director, Technical continued to lead important work in this area to ensure the delivery of high quality events supported by standing committees. The three committees falling under the portfolio are:
• Technical - chaired by Blair Trewin.
• Mapping – chaired by Neil Barr.
• Events – chaired by Greg Hawthorne.
Work through 2023 focused on education workshops and rule updates; Oceania Championships and national events; equalising male and female winning times and course/class combinations; map scales and control descriptions; controller accreditation; balanced NOL season to accommodate the sprint and forest WOC program; IOF symbol updates and implementations.
2023 Workshops: Four online workshops were conducted in the latter part of the year to provide important updating of Board activities to our Member States/Territories in the following areas.
• Organisation – Governance and Financial matters
• High Performance
• Technical
• Relationships, Opportunities and Projects
National Participation Plan: This important project supported by ASC Participation Growth Funding commenced in May with the appointment of Brodie Nankervis as Manager, Participation. Brodie has worked closely with member state/territory representatives and ASC on the development of a “whole of sport” Participation Plan for orienteering. The Plan is expected to be finalised and released in the latter part of March 2024 for implementation through 2024.
New Orienteering Australia Branding Guide and Logo: A Graphic Designer was engaged to create an updated and modernised OA logo and Branding Guide from the community-based logo design competition held in late 2022. The Board approved the Branding Guide in February 2023 with further refinement approved in September 2023. The guide provided the visual framework for the development of the updated OA website and in supporting communications.
Communications and Social Media Plan: Work commenced on developing the plan in late 2023. The goal is to complete the plan by the end of the second quarter of 2024 for implementation. Aligned with the plan development is the employment of a Manager, Communications and Marketing in March 2024.
National Integrity Framework and National Sports Tribunal: OA adopted updates to the National Integrity Framework (NIF) developed by Sport Integrity Australia. Andrew Shipton prepared the NIF updates contextualised to orienteering. OA has become part of a continuous improvement process facilitated by Sport Integrity Australia which will provide further guidance as to best practice NIF implementation though 2024.
Australian Sports Foundation: Donations were a major part of the financial support that OA could provide our national team athletes and officials throughout 2023. More than $10,000 was donated through the ASF portal to orienteering which was distributed equitably among national team members for each of our three major world championships teams (World Orienteering Championships, Junior World Orienteering Championships and World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships).
Orienteering Learning Centre (OLC): OA signed up to the ASC Learning Centre in May 2023. Daniel Stott is the Project Manager leading the development of coach education curricula into the Learning Centre. Phase 1 is complete with the implementation of the curricula for Orienteering Instructor (Teacher) and Orienteering
Instructor (Community). Remaining coaching curricula will be developed for online learning through the first half of 2024. The intention is that once coaching curricula is completed the OA officiating curricula will be adapted to the OLC platform for online learning.
Learn to Orienteer: This project began in May 2023 with the support of ASC Participation Growth Funding. Daniel Stott is the Project Manager The aim of this project is to learn the fundamental skills of orienteering in a structured manner whilst having fun in a group. Pilot programs were conducted in the latter part of 2023 with a full implementation of the program launched in early 2024.
Orienteering and Mountain Bike Orienteering Rules Update: Anna Sheldon and Blair Trewin prepared the updates required due to changes in the IOF rules for orienteering, particularly in the equalisation of target winning times regardless of gender. Craig Steffens led the preparation and updating of mountain bike orienteering rules to take into account IOF rule changes in that discipline.
Website Upgrade: The Website Development Working Group received a working framework for the new website in May 2023. The framework is built on the WordPress platform incorporating the Elementor drag & drop content builder. Site content development occurred through the rest of 2023 and into early 2024 with the site being officially launched in early March 2024.
Australian Sports Commission Grants: OA submitted ten projects for the next funding period. These projects were again focused on the goal to increase participation. They included support for the Manager, Participation role to implement the “whole of sport” Orienteering Participation Plan in 2024, to maintain the Orienteering Learning Centre e-learning platform with the Australian Sport Learning Centre (ASLC), to employ a Manager, Communications and Marketing to improve the visibility of the sport, to conduct coach and controller education courses, and to support member states/territories to implement participation focused activities.
Controller Accreditation Framework and Controller Curricula Update: Craig Steffens led the redrafting process of these documents vital to keeping event officials up-to-date with the latest changes in practice. This project was completed in early 2023 and the updated curricula is being used for Controller education.
Administration
The OA Office is led by the General Manager. The OA Office conducts the operational work of OA on behalf of the Board.
The OA Office meet online on a regular basis via Zoom to coordinate and implement this operational work.
Major administrative tasks of the OA Office during the year have included:
• Administrative support for regular meetings of the OA Board.
• National Integrity Framework adoption and implementation.
• National Sports Tribunal framework adoption and implementation.
• Reports and funding submissions to ASC.
• Continuing the process to transition OA to a company limited by guarantee structure process. Hiring of legal expert to complete the ASIC documentation.
• Release of Expressions of Interest for major OA projects – National Participation Manager hiring, Learn To Orienteer – a national beginner program; E-learning platform contract with the Australian Sport Learning Centre and hiring a project manager. Reviewing submissions, interviewing shortlisted candidates, and final selection of contractors.
• National management of the Orienteering Sporting Schools Program.
• High performance support by the Head Coach, High Performance Administrator, National MTBO Coordinator and other members of the HighPerformance Management Group for the Australian squads and representative teams and for the National Orienteering League program.
• Coaching and officiating administration by Jim Mackay of the Sport Australia accreditation schemes for coaches, controllers and training curricula.
• The General Manager representing Orienteering Australia at the Australian Sports Commission meetings and workshops on Participation, Sporting Schools, and submission of OA’s Annual Sports Assessment Review.
Other notable items included:
• Australian Sports Commission Participation Funding submissions,
• Orienteering Australia Hall of Fame selections.
• Orienteering Australia annual awards administration and presentation.
• Governance matters – support transitioning to a Company Limited by Guarantee, Development of a Risk Management policy, development of a Photography Policy and updating of Social Media Policy.
• Ongoing Member Protection / Child Protection / Child Safe Sport policies updates.
• Operational Guide updates – Eventor Permission and Usage policy, Australian Schools Orienteering Championships rules update.
• Australian Sport Foundation donations management and administration.
• Australian Sports Commission funding agreement
• Eventor – membership matters, event results and participation statistics.
• OA Reporting website management and updates
• RevSport management.
• Major Event Guidelines development.
• High Performance National League Survey and subsequent review and update.
• IOF Matters – including attending the 2023 IOF General Assembly (virtually).
• Australian Orienteer – introducing the new Editor Hania Lada.
• National Public Liability Insurance renewal
• Updated various regulatory bodies (ASIC, ABR, Access Canberra).
• Updated OA Anti-Doping policy (adopting Sport Integrity Australia national policy).
• Various online workshops around sustainability, top management and building relationships with other NSOs organised by the ASC.
• Regular member update meetings with the ASC.
Arpad Kocsik General Manager
Finance
The following table summarises Orienteering Australia’s (OA) financial outcomes in 2023. Please refer to the audited financial accounts at the back of this annual report for further details.
Whiteside Bequest
Orienteering is the beneficiary of a magnificent bequest by Moira Whiteside of Garingal Orienteers in NSW. The Whiteside Bequest was finalised in 2022 with the executor of Moira’s estate providing $940K to OA to be used for projects which will result in greater participation in, and enjoyment of, Australian Championships Carnivals.
Funds from the Whiteside Bequest supported the Easter Carnival in ACT and the Australian Championships Carnival in Western Australia.
Funds have also been committed for 2024 to support the Easter Carnival in South Australia, the Australian Championships Carnival in NSW, and the Australian MTBO Championship Carnival in the ACT.
OA operated at a deficit of $51,511 in 2023, a slightly worse position than the budgeted 32K loss. Notable changes in expenses compared to budget or 2022 outcomes include:
• Greater high performance spending due to a weaker Australian dollar and high entry and accommodation fees for athletes at World Championships and World Cup events
• Increases in salary costs, including the appointment of a Manager, Participation. Much of the increased salary costs are funded by Sport Australia grants.
Income was broadly in line with expectations, with variances primarily occurring due to the timing of receipts from Member States/Territories, and greater revenue from high performance activities including fund raising and training camps.
Liabilities primarily relate to the holding of unspent Sports Australia funds, which increased by $41,000 across the year. OA has no loans or other longer term liabilities.
Assets are primarily held in the form of term deposits and OA’s operational bank account.
The Australian Sports Commission benchmarks sports’ financial position. Its 2023 report identified OA as having a “lower” risk rating, as has been the case in previous years.
An Investment Committee, headed by Rick Steele and comprising experts in funds management and financial markets, has been established to manage the funds using the Netwealth platform. Investments are managed within a set of defined parameters and at the end of 2023 were held in a ratio of approximately two-thirds growth assets (including Australian and international equities, and property) and one-third defensive assets (fixed interest investments).
Over the long term the fund has a target investment return of 7%.
During 2023 the fund performed strongly, achieving a return of 10.84% net of costs and fees. As at 31 December 2023 the fund was valued at $1.042 million, with $56K owing to OA to reimburse Bequest payments made to States in 2023.
Photo: Hania Lada
2024 Budget Overview
The 2024 budget overview provides for an operational deficit of $42K, following on from the deficit in 2023 of $51K. Revenue is anticipated to be very similar to 2023, however expenses will increase primarily due to:
• General inflationary increases, including for wages, salaries and superannuation
• Higher costs of IOF membership and the ongoing costs of Eventor, in part due to a deterioration in the Australian dollar
• Greater spending on Sport Australia projects.
While OA has adequate reserves to cover the projected 2024 shortfall, ongoing deficits are not sustainable. Ultimately OA needs to reduce its costs but more importantly increase its sources of revenue and this will be a focus of financial planning.
Australian Sports Commission Funding
For many years now OA has been generously funded for 100K per annum by Sports Australia. Funding is provided on a financial year basis for specific projects which in 2022-23 and 2034-24 have focused on increasing participation. However, in recent years spending on ASC projects has fallen short of funding, with the result that as at 31 December 2023 OA held $261,000 in unspent funds.
This underspend will be significantly reduced in 2024 as projects which commenced in 2023 continue. These projects include the Eventor upgrade, re-launch of OA’s website, the development of e-Learning and Learn to Orienteer platforms, and work undertaken by our Participation Manager, Brodie Nankervis. The 2024 appointment of a Manager, Communications and Social Media is also funded under this program.
Paul Liggins Director (Finance)
National Integrity Unit
2023 was the second full year of operation of the National Integrity Framework and that of the OA Integrity Unit. Much has been achieved including:
• The release of the second version of the framework which is a more polished and considered document aiding readability, understanding and hence, implementation.
• Increased awareness across orienteering of the framework resulting in increased application across more activities, more often.
• Acceptance of OA into the Sport Integrity Australia Safeguarding in Sport Continuous Improvement Program that aims to assist sports in broad application of contemporary safeguarding at all levels.
• Exponential year-on-year growth in completion of online education covering the areas of antidoping, safeguarding of young people, coaching and recruitment, leading to increased awareness across the sport of areas of concern that can detract from the inclusive, positive, fair, and competitive aspects that make orienteering such a great sport for all.
Certainly, OA Integrity exists from a policy standpoint seeking to ensure that OA policies regarding member protection, safeguarding, and inclusion remain upto-date and to link in with government stakeholders federally as well as the clubs and states that comprise OA. Opportunity also exists for the reporting of integrity concerns, to have those concerns or issues considered, and where required, for OA to act. A focus over the next 12 months will be to be more overt with information and education for reporting of concerns and issues which can detract from the sport or contravene policy. Historically, few issues have been elevated for OA consideration, and while this might be an indication of a healthy culture and environment across the sport, we lack data to confirm that situation and hence, will seek to publicise the work of the Integrity Unit across the various OA communication channels more often in the coming year.
Additionally, early indications from the aforementioned Safeguarding in Sport Continuous Improvement Program have highlighted areas where OA can make some ‘quick wins’ in safeguarding. The work of the last 12 months more broadly across the OA Board and Officers in updating OA policies and procedures has already
gone some way to modernising how we operate. As I stated in my 2022 report, safeguarding and integrity is not a static body of work; it must change and evolve as society and community expectations change. So we will continue to be focused on incremental change, improvement, and a continual aspiration for ‘better’. I once again thank the Board and fellow OA Officers for your support, interest and assistance. And the same thanks to the state and territory Boards and Officers for your desire to aspire for better for the sport. As the Integrity Unit matures in the day-to-day operation of OA, I look forward to being able to achieve more, collaboratively, in our common interest.
Andrew Shipton Manager,
National Integrity and Complaints integrity@orienteering.asn.au
OPPORTUNITIES
Photo: Graham Braid
Membership
National membership has remained very close in terms of total numbers in 2023 compared to 2022. While it may appear that there was a significant decrease looking back to 2021 there are a couple of factors at play.
During the COVID pandemic period, orienteering was less affected than a number of sports due to its noncontact and outdoor nature. Anecdotal obedience suggested a boost in membership around this period as people were looking at an alternative recreation in lieu of limited opportunities in their preferred sport. In addition, there has been an ongoing reform of the national membership structure such that orienteering members numbers now more actively reflect real membership. Several states have moved away from the “family” member category. This inflated membership numbers as members were signed up at times who belonged to a family but were not orienteering. Further reform in membership is planned through 2024.
Orienteering Australia has a goal of having a national non-renewal rate of less than 20% per annum. This was not achieved in 2023. It should be noted that the high non-renewal rate in the ACT and QLD in large part can largely be attributed to membership structure reforms in those regions in moving away from the “family” member category.
Through 2024 Orienteering Australia is planning to conduct market research to identify factors affecting participation and engagement in the sport both within the broader community and within the sport. This will help provide data that can inform how orienteering may better support new orienteers better engage and participate in the sport on a longer term basis and assist in sustainable membership growth.
Table 1a: Membership by Year, 2021 to 2023
Table 1b: Membership by Member States/Territories, 2023
Table 2: Registered Orienteers, 2021-2023
Source: Eventor and data provided by Member States/Territories.
Table 2 Registered Orienteers attempts to capture the number of unique participants in orienteering events. The data should not be considered entirely accurate due to the different ways member states/territories capture participants using permanent courses and the lack of accurate reporting of participation by some affiliated clubs through Eventor. Orienteering Australia has to work with its members and affiliated clubs to ensure this data set is a more accurate reflection of the number or registered orienteers (unique participants) across Australia in a given year.
It is a concern for community engagement in the sport that the numbers reported of non-members in club events has had a significant decline from 2020. Programs such as the national roll-out of the Learn to Orienteer program through 2024 will seek to address this.
Previous non-members in corporate/scout/school events from Tasmanian in the years 2021, and 2022 may have included Sporting Schools unique participants so the 2023 figure of 360 is a more accurate number.
Events and Participation
The raw data for events and participation in 2023 across Australia show similar numbers to that from 2022. The total number of events conducted across Australia was similar in 2023 compared to 2022. Fluctuations in participation data for states/territories is due to the rotating cycle of the major event carnivals, the Australian 3-Days at Easter and the Australian Championships week in late September/early October. In 2023 these were hosted by the ACT and WA respectively which indicate the greater participation numbers in both. In addition, TAS hosted the 2023 Oceania Championships in January 2023 which explains the increased participation data for that state.
In looking at the three-year trend it is positive to see participation has recovered to a large extent in Victoria from the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic through 2021 and into 2022. Participation has remained steady across the three-year period in SA/NT and NSW. QLD appears to have had a small decline in total participation leaving aside that the state hosted the 2022 Australian 3-Days.
In looking deeper into the participation data, while participation in major events is holding up well there are some challenges in participation levels at the local and club event level in several jurisdictions. There may be several factors at play here such that people are facing cost of living challenges and are adjusting thei sporting and recreational choices. While travel costs can be significant for orienteering in forest based orienteering and mountain bike orienteering with events being held away from major population centres, many local and club events are held in close proximity to populations and are a cost effective sport and recreation choice compared to many other sports. In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic orienteering was a good option for sport and recreation opportunities as it was not restricted by close proximity considerations as much as many other sports.
We need to redouble our promotion and marketing efforts to the broader community about the recreational benefits of orienteering and that it is a cost effective and readily available sport for people of all ages. Our Australian Sports Commission Participation Growth Funding projects such as the Learn to Orienteer and Coaching instruction for Everyone, in conjunction with the “whole of sport” Participation Plan ,are two projects
being implemented that can help support people new to the sport to engage and experience success and enjoyment and help overcome perceptions that may be a barrier to access orienteering.
Table 4: Events and Participations by Age Category and Gender: 2023
NOTE Event data from Eventor and Member States/Territories. Some event and participation data may be missing
Sporting Schools
The number of Sporting Schools programs and participants showed a healthy increase in 2023 with an all-time high of 19,599 students participating in orienteering programs and also an all-time high of 188 programs.
The new Sporting Schools booking system has been delayed until Term 2 of 2024, but the old booking system was shut down at the end of 2023.
Years 9 & 10 Pilot Program
Sporting Schools continue to investigate expansion into Years 9 and 10 with Orienteering Australia taking part in a pilot project in Term 3 of 2023, with the bush program being the most popular but resource intensive. The Sporting Schools report on the pilot has not yet been issued.
Sporting Schools project for 2024 is for very remote schools with a focus on NT and Queensland schools with the support of their State Governments.
Jim Mackay
OA Sporting Schools Coordinator
Table 5: Sporting Schools Programs and Participation: 2016 to 2023
NOTE: Sporting Schools orienteering programs started Term 4, 2015. That data is not included here.
Table 6: Sporting Schools Programs and Participation by State/Territory and
2023
Map Run
MapRun is a convenient way to organise and participate in Orienteering events. It uses GPS satellite tracking to punch controls with an App on mobile phones and GPS watches, saving time and effort for organisers, and providing instant feedback on performance..
It is developed and operated in Australia, and used in 40 countries and 10 languages. The largest user base is the UK (24%), Europe (18%) and Australia (14%).
MapRun usage in Australia is shown by State in the table below. Participation in Australia has increased by 17% over the last two years.
Clubs are using MapRun as a way of attracting new participants to Orienteering, either through scheduled events or on a flexible basis. MapRun is used particularly for ParkO and StreetO events at a Club level. In some areas “auto-generated” StreetO maps are used, allowing clubs to offer a variety of events using fresh locations with little extra effort. These events attract newcomers of all ages and fitness levels, and are an avenue to increase participation levels and club membership.
The use of MapRun for bush events has increased, particularly on modern well-georeferenced maps (often based on Lidar foundations), and MapRun is also frequently used for training exercises on bush maps.
Table 7: MapRun Participations by State, 2019 - 2023
MapRun continues to be enhanced. Runners using MapRun on Garmin Watches can run without carrying their phone. A new version for Apple Watches has also been launched, as has MapRun version 7 with a range of new features.
The ongoing operation and development of MapRun is funded by regularly-using clubs who contribute to cover MapRun costs.
Many thanks to Peter Effeney for developing and operating the MapRun system.
Photo: Peter Yeates
Australian Sports Commission Participation Growth Funding
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Participation Growth Funding is the annual investment that aims to support Orienteering Australia (OA) to deliver quality participation outcomes. The level of funding received from the ASC for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 was maintained at previous levels of $100,000. The first half of 2023 consisted of projects that were started in the 2nd half of 2022. OA submitted range of core funding activities for 2022-2023 described in Table 8, which were presented in the 2022 Annual Report.
The Orienteering Instructor (Community) and Orienteering Instructor (Teachers) were both launched in October 2023. Work is now being undertaken to launch the three other coaching courses on the OLC. Learn and Play Orienteering Coach Accreditation plans to launch at the end of May 2024, with Competition and Performance Orienteering Coach following in August 2024.
Manager, Participation
Background
After attendance at a participation conference in June 2022, it was identified that OA was missing a personnel working specifically on participation. To achieve its strategic ambition and priorities, OA determined that a Manager, Participation should be established. A key role of this position would be to develop a whole of sport participation plan for orienteering.
Table 8: 2022-2023 Participation Growth Actvities
Product Development
Coaching
Develop and pilot a beginner program across Australia, using trial program called Learn to Orienteer run in Victoria. Previously there has been no national beginner product/program for community orienteering.
Transition new coaching courses/ delivery materials to E-learning through establishing sub-tenancy on Australian Sport Learning Centre.
Participation Workforce Advertise for and hire Participation Manager. Key roles to:
• Develop and implement a national participation plan.
• Oversee and provide assistance with other participation projects (Learn to Orienteer and E-learning).
$25,000 Ongoing. Learn to Orienteer program developed, piloted and launched to all states Feb 2024. Now implementation phase (to be completed July 2024).
$15,000 Ongoing. Orienteering Instructor live on Orienteering Learning Centre Oct 2023 (Phase 1). Now Phase 2 (Learn and Play) and Phase 3 (Competition and Performance).
$35,000 Completed. Manager, Participation hired April 2023. Whole of sport participation plan endorsed by OA + SSO’s March 2024. Plan implementation commencing.
Participation Workforce
Coaching
Employ Participation Growth Project Admin for 1 year.
Coach Instruction for Everyone: Train and accredit large numbers of experienced orienteers to provide basic beginner navigation instruction to new orienteers at events.
$10,000 Completed.
$15,000 Yet to commence. Will commence in 2024. Project intention adjusted to better align with and complement the Learn to Orienteer project.
$100,000
Project Status
With support from the ASC, Orienteering Australia developed a position description and advertised for the role of Participation Manager in early 2023. Brodie Nankervis was appointed to the position in April 2024 for a one-year term. This project has been finalised.
Project Administrator
Background
Employ Participation Growth Project administrator to ensure that all Participation Growth related projects are managed in a sustainable and professional way.
Project Status
Jim Mackay was renewed as Project Administrator for 2023.
Coaching for Everyone Project
Background
This project aimed to develop a system where orienteering instruction was consistently able to be provided at beginner orienteering events. It includes market research into barriers and facilitators to new participants starting and returning to orienteering, as well as branding/marketing/promotional materials for beginner events and ease of identifying orienteering instructors at events.
Project Status
Due to the changing landscape that the project aimed to address (Learn to Orienteer project, Orienteering Instructor being launched on the OLC) this project is yet to commence. Now that key inputs to the project have been completed, this project aims to commence before June 2024.
Ongoing 2021-2022 and Prior Participation Growth Activities
The following participation growth activities were ongoing through ASC funding received during the 2021-2022 and previous grant periods are as follows.
1. Updated Resource Material To Complement Recently Updated Coaching Syllabi – Mostly finalised in 2023. The only remaining task is to update coaching syllabi to new OA branding/style guide and minor changes from feedback from initial courses run in 2023.
2. Website Redevelopment – The developer of the new website provided the Website Working Group with a framework template in May 2023. Using the framework for site layout, content was reviewed on the existing site with amended or new content worked on through 2023. A feature of the new website architecture is that it uses a multisite structure. It is planned that all Australian Championships events will be subsite of the main site. The framework allows SSO’s and clubs to use the framework to develop their own content spaces. The new website was launched in March 2024. The updated site will continue to be developed through 2024 and to support that a maintenance and support agreement has been signed with the site developer.
3. OA Branding/Style Guide - This was completed through 2023 using reallocated Participation Growth Activity Funding. The Board repurposed some projects that were no longer viable as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and unallocated funding was allocated to this project. A graphic design company was engaged to produce the initial branding/style guide which was approved by the Board in March 2023. Further refinements to the branding/style guide were made through 2023 with the current version finalised and approved by the Board in September 2023. The branding/style guide informed the visual design of the new OA website.
4. Eventor Improvement - After a long delay this project finally commenced in April 2023 with the appointment of a Project Manager. Much of 2023 involved stakeholder consultation to identify and prioritise improvements to the system based on feedback. A meeting with Eventor developers, the Swedish Orienteering Federation (SOFT) occurred in Decemeber 2023. A priority list of improvements to the system have now been identified and the Eventor Working Group is collaborating with SOFT to implement these improvements through 2024.
Planned 2023-2024 Participation Growth Activities
OA submitted 10 activities for the next funding period (2023-2024). These activities are aimed to build upon the work in the participation and coaching space over the past 3 years. They are described in Table 9.
2022-2023 Participation Growth Activities
Learn to Orienteer
Background
To develop a beginner offering for orienteering to be used in the community to help new participants learn the fundamental skills of orienteering through a structured learning program.
Table 9: 2023-2024 Particpation Growth Actvities
Participation Workforce Employ Manager, Participation for 1 year. $35,000 Completed. Manager, Participation to continue for 1 year from April 2024.
Participation Workforce Advertise for and appoint a Manager Communications and Marketing for 1 year.
Participation Workforce Fund Grants Officer for 1 year.
Capability Building/ Coaching Maintain Australian Sport Learning Centre (ASLC) tenancy for 2024.
Participation Campaign Conduct the National Junior Development Camp in Dec 2023.
Schools
Review/update offerings for Year 9-10 school orienteering trialled in 2023 and create additional appropriate support resources.
Participation Partnerships Distribute part of participation funding to SSO’s/clubs to work on activities/ initiatives/projects to improve participation outcomes.
Coaching Run Competition and Performance Orienteering Coach Accreditation course in 2024.
$17,500 Completed. Person appointed to position. Commenced early March 2024.
$10,000 Completed.
$2,000 Completed.
$1,000 Completed.
$10,000 Yet to commence. Review and update of offering planned for quarter 2 and 3, 2024.
$20,000 Ongoing. Applications opened March 2024. Funding to be allocated early May 2024.
$1,500 Yet to commence. Course to start after with go live of Competition and Performance Orienteering Coach in August 2024.
Officiating Run Level 3 controller course in 2024. $1,500 Yet to commence. Planned second half of 2024,
Coaching Train/develop course facilitators/ assessors for Competition and Performance Orienteering Coach.
$1,500 Yet to commence. Planned to occur alongside Competition and Performance Orienteering Coach Accreditation course in August 2024.
$100,000
Project Status
Daniel Stott was appointed as project coordinator, with project oversight from OA Manager of Participation, Brodie Nankervis. A steering committee of state/ territory representatives was established, and guided program and supporting resource development. Two pilot programs were run in late 2023. Final program and supporting materials launched and made available to state Learn to Orienteer state/territory coordinators in late February 2024. Project coordinator, Daniel Stott, is now supporting implementation of initial programs in each state/territory and organising print/textile marketing/promotional materials. Project intended to be complete by July 2024.
E-learning
Background
The updated coaching framework and syllabus documents for accreditations within this framework were published in January 2022. This project was designed to transfer these courses onto a E-learning platform, to facilitate streamlined delivered with a blended model (online and face to face). The Australian Sport Learning Centre was chosen as the platform, and the funds from this project were used to pay for a tenancy on this platform and roll out online courses for all coaching accreditations.
Project Status
Orienteering Australia signed a sub-tenancy agreement for the Australian Sport Learning Centre with the Australian Sports Commission (tenant) and Kineo (provider) in late 2022. Work was then commenced on launching our first course on our sub-tenancy, a platform designed specifically for our sport called the Orienteering Learning Centre (OLC). Daniel Stott was appointed as project coordinator, to translate current coaching materials into E-learning format. He was supported by OA staff Jim Mackay (Manager, Coaching Administration), Brodie Nankervis (Manager, Coaching Development) and Arpad Kocsik (General Manager). Working closely with ASC staff, Orienteering Instructor (teacher) and Orienteering Instructor (Community).
Brodie Nankervis
Manager, Participation
Arpad Kocsik
General Manager
Volunteer Recognition and Awards
The Awards Committee appointed at the end of 2022 continued its role in determining the three Orienteering Australia services awards and inductees to the Orienteering Australia Hall of Fame. The Awards Committee for 2023-24 consists of Bruce Arthur (Chair), Greg Barbour, Jenny Bourne, Clare Hawthorne (Board representative) and Robin Uppill. Blair Trewin continued as Returning Officer for the Electoral College voting for the Athlete of the Year medal. Certificates of Appreciation were presented to the key officials at the Australian 3-Days Carnival and the Australian Championships Carnival, as well as to national team officials.
The most significant development relating to awards in 2023 was the retirement of some large trophies previously presented at the Australian Long Distance Championships. The Howden Trophies, which have been presented to the M/W21E winners since 1979, each weigh about 8kg, making them difficult to transport by air, and have been replaced by smaller wooden trophies weighing about 800g. The new trophies bear the names of all past Australian (Long Distance) Champions, including those for the period preceding the Howden Trophies.
The elite team competitions in the Australian Long Distance Championships, which had a low profile, even among competitors, and failed to attract any official teams in 2023, have been discontinued. The trophies for those competitions, the Silva Compass Trophy (M21E) and the Swedish Ambassador’s Trophy (or ‘Green Wave’, W21E), have been retired. The collection of retired trophies, including several for specific classes in the Australia–New Zealand Challenge, is maintained by the Manager, National Awards.
David Hogg Manager, Awards
Future IOF Major Events Planning
One of the 2023 Board Activity Plan priorities was to investigate the potential for Australia to host a future major International Orienteering Federation (IOF) event in either orienteering or mountain bike orienteering. The last major IOF world championships events hosted in Australia were the 2007 Junior World Championships in Dubbo, NSW and the 2004 World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships in Ballarat. The opening round of the 2015 World Cup was held in Tasmania. It is now 9 years since Australia held a major IOF event. The Board sees the opportunity to host another major IOF event as an important impetus for both international engagement and to grow the sport’s national profile.
Orienteering
In the latter part of 2023, a Working Group was established consisting of a group of 9 people from across Australia under the joint leadership of Board members Brett Weihart and Troy de Haas. The Working Group is aiming to deliver its findings to the Board at the end of 2024. The Working group is focusing its work on the feasibility as to whether Orienteering Australia should apply for a World Cup Round from earliest 2029 and/or a World Orienteering Championships from earliest 2030.
Mountain Bike Orienteering
The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO) Commission is interested in the potential of Australia being a future candidate to host a major IOF event in the discipline. A subgroup within the Australian MTBO Commission led by Craig Steffens is aiming to deliver its findings to the Board by October 2024. The Working group is focusing its work on the feasibility as to whether Orienteering Australia should apply for a major IOF MTBO event by 2030.
Photo: Honza Svoboda
Photo: IOF/Kristina Lindgren
RELATIONSHIPS
Photo: Graham Braid
International Relations and International Orienteering Federation
In 2023, international orienteering largely returned to normal. All major events ran as scheduled (or rescheduled from earlier years), and other IOF activities also returned to a pre-COVID mode, although with more use of digital technology for meetings, while the organisation has returned to a financially stable footing. A major highlight of the international season was the first forest World Championships, held in Switzerland in July, since the split into forest and urban championships.
2023 was not an IOF General Assembly year, so a major focus was on implementing activities related to the goals of the Strategic Directions agreed at the 2022 General Assembly. A major success has been the continued growth of live broadcasting in general, and the IOF TV platform in particular. Numerous countries now take TV broadcasts of major IOF events, and the number of users of the IOF’s own streaming service has grown dramatically (even if the races are mostly not at particularly friendly times for our part of the world).
One of the positive legacies of the events of the last few years is that IOF as an organisation is making much more use of digital platforms. This includes numerous development and event advising webinars which are now much more accessible, particularly to those outside Europe, than physical meetings are. The IOF now also has an e-learning platform, for which the first major use has been the development of fair play e-learning courses which are becoming mandatory for holders of IOF athlete licenses. The IOF office itself is now also fully digital with no physical premises, and staff across four countries. One significant in-person development initiative established in 2023 was the IOF Young Leaders Academy, for those between 16 and 25 who have the potential to take a leading role in the development of orienteering in their countries. This is to become an annual event; there has been no Australian involvement to date but hopefully there will be in future years.
A significant current focus of the IOF is to maintain a sustainable events program. The pool of countries prepared to apply for IOF major events is quite limited, and there have been some events on the program for which it has been difficult to find applicants, particularly in mountain bike and ski orienteering. (Ski orienteering also has problems with an increasingly unreliable and short snow season, particularly in central Europe). A working group is active in this area but no major changes have yet been brought forward. Closer to home, the Oceania Championships have been restarted, with the 2023 event in Tasmania being followed by the first sprint Oceania Championships in early 2024 in New Zealand. The event will now alternate between a sprint format and a predominantly forest format (although the latter will still have an individual sprint). There is also strong growth in southeast Asia with a growing events program, including World Ranking Events in Indonesia in 2023 (and scheduled again in 2024).
Australia continues to be actively involved in IOF activities. Blair Trewin is a member of the IOF Council, while Brett Weihart (Foot), Fredrik Johansson (Map) and Barry McCrae (Rules) continue to serve on IOF Commissions, and Christine Brown is a member of the Disciplinary Panel. Australia has one of the world’s larger pools of IOF Event Advisers, and Cathy McComb and Paul Prudhoe have recently served as Senior Event Advisers to Oceania Championships.
Blair Trewin Member IOF Council
Digital Media and Communication
Orienteering Australia (OA) has several digital based media communication tools. Facebook, Instagram, the national website, the Issuu online publishing platform and the monthly e-News bulletin are the main communication mediums. OA also has a presence on LinkedIn and YouTube.
Work has commenced on developing a Communication Plan and Social Media strategy. The aim will be that this will be ready for implementation in the second half of 2024 to improve alignment of digital communication systems and engage in a more strategic approach to communication via digital media.
Allied to this, OA is using a portion of 2023/2024 Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Participation Growth Funding to engage a Manager, Communications and Marketing for 30 hours a month. Advertisements for the position were placed January 2024 with an appointment made early March 2024.
Facebook
The @OrienteeringAustralia Facebook page is the principal social media for OA. 2023 saw a significant growth in key page metrics, reflective of more consistent posts throughout the year to engage with audience. The Page Reach metric, which is the number unique views per day of people who have seen posts or the page have had considerable growth. The highest single day of the Page Reach metric was on July 12 during the World Championships in Switzerland with a day reach of 5,462. Similarly, the Page Visits metric, which is the number of unique people who visit the page each day over the year, has had significant growth, as has Interactions which is the number of likes or reactions, saves, comments, shares and replies to content.
Instagram
The Orienteering Australia Instagram page @ orienteeringaus had a significant increase in the Page Reach metric although the Profile Visits metric was less. The number of page followers increased slightly over the year. It should be noted that it was only in the fourth quarter of 2023 that more regular engagement of audience via this medium occurred. It is planned that Instagram will be more actively utilised to communicate due to a different demographic to Facebook in 2024.
issuu - The Australian Orienteer and other Digital Publications
issuu.com/orienteeringaustralia is the online magazine repository of primarily The Australian Orienteer digital edition. In addition, the site hosts Orienteering Australia Annual Reports and some state based digital documents such as the Orienteering Victoria Yearbook.
Every issue of The Australian Orienteer is on the issuu platform from the June 2004 issue. There are two earlier issues of the magazine available on the platform from June and September 1997.
A data comparison shows that 102,185 people accessed magazines on the platform in 2023 compared to 2022 110,337. However, there was a significant increase in both reads and downloads compared to 2022 despite a decrease in average reading time. It was pleasing to see a large increase in downloads compared to 2022 although not to the same level as 2021.
More detailed data analysis of the 2023 issues of The Australian Orienteer is in the magazine section of this Annual Report.
Orienteering Australia Website
The OA website at orienteering.asn.au is the principal means by which the National Sporting Organisation (NSO) communicates and holds repositories of key organisational material.
It is again acknowledged that the website operating through 2023 lacked aspects of functionality and usability. That is evident in the decline in the three metrics of page views, users view per user as noted in the table below. The data is extracted from Google Analytics. This was activated in October 2021 to track user engagement with the website, hence data for 2021 is not an accurate picture for that year. 2023 data is also somewhat questionable as there seems to be absence of data for a period late in the 2023 calendar year within the Analytics report.
The 10 most accessed pages on the Orienteering Australia website in 2023 are shown below.
316
It is noted elsewhere in the Annual Report that the project to develop a new website experience for end users that also improves integration with OA’s social media channels went live in the first quarter of 2024.
It is hoped that the new site architecture and the appointment of a Manager, Communications and Marketing at the same time the new site went live will see an increased engagement with the website through 2024.
eNews Bulletin
The Orienteering Australia eNews is an electronic newsletter sent out monthly to over 6500 subscribers. Its readership is increased over 2022 by being shared via some State eBulletins as well as on the OA Facebook page. The subscriber database is regularly updated to include members new to Orienteering Australia.
The eNews has a wide variety of content – upcoming events (state, national, international), event reports (state, national, international competitions), human interest (interviews, successes, achievements, awards), technical (mapping, course formats), translations of articles from International Orienteering Magazines, technology (apps, updates), studies (medical, parenting, scientific), newspaper coverage, coaching, training techniques, OA/IOF (meetings, announcements, surveys) and humour/interest articles.
The OA eNews is a valuable communication tool within the organization, providing up to date information to the Australian Orienteering community. Its monthly release ensures that state and national events and organizational material can be disseminated quickly and accurately to a large national audience. Its articles are usually of shorter format than the Australian Orienteer but contain a wider variety of content material.
The editor welcomes contributions from all members of the orienteering community – especially advertisements and information on upcoming events and trainings, championship reports, and stories relevant to the orienteering community.
Website Redevelopment
The Orienteering Australia (OA) Activity Plan item to build a new national website supported by Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Participation Growth Funding continued through 2023. The project was delayed early in 2023 until the finalisation of the new OA Branding Style Guide to enable the website developer, Digital Thing, to build the framework. The framework became available in early May 2023 and the Website Working Group began the long process of reviewing and updating existing website content where appropriate. This review process found much of the content to be dated and no longer relevant to the operational activities of OA as the National Sports organisation (NSO) for orienteering. New content had to be sourced and reviewed for relevance and accessibility. The Scope of Work produced by the Working Group was used to build the new website such that it would:
• Showcase and promote the sport of orienteering.
• Be logically structured to assist users navigate the site.
• Be visually attractive with extensive use of photographic imagery.
• Use accessible language with a target reading level of Grade 8
• Make clear the opportunities for getting involved in orienteering in a diversity of ways.
• Offer an accessible overview of how to begin and go orienteering across the main orienteering activities offered in Australia.
• Provide a reference point for rules, coaching and competitions for state bodies, clubs and members.
• Be an archive for the rich competitive heritage of the sport in Australia and the operational activities of OA.
• Honour the many outstanding volunteers who have contributed to the sport since its inception in Australia.
The build process proved to be a major undertaking by the Working Group. Well over 600 hours of volunteer effort was put into building the updated site. The updated website had a soft launch in February 2024 with a formal launch in early March 2024.
OA expresses its gratitude and thanks to the contributors of new and updated content, the photographers whose images are featured throughout the new site and especially to the Website Working Group of Craig Steffens, Margi Freemantle, Jon McComb, and Mike Dowling.
The Australian Orienteer
In December 2022 Mike Hubbert and Hania Lada began preparations for the handover of editorship of The Australian Orienteer, from Mike to Hania. Together with the magazine’s graphic designer, Peter Cusworth, they produced the March 2023 edition. The June issue was Hania’s first as a sole editor.
Simultaneously, the task of mailing the magazines to non-member subscribers, and to receivers of ‘freebies’ (free copies of the magazines) on behalf of Orienteering Australia, was transferred from Kathy Liley to Mike Hubbert. Thank you Kathy for many years of your service posting the magazines.
Sadly, Mike Hubbert died in August 2023, just before the park street orienteering event he was coursesetting. The event, at Safety Beach, went ahead as a tribute to Mike.
Since September 2023 Hania has been mailing the copies of The Australian Orienteer to non-member subscribers, and as free copies. The magazine’s postal address has changed to:
The Australian Orienteer PO Box 200 Ringwood East 3135 Victoria
Financial Matters
In September 2023, for financial and environmental reasons, the recipients of freebies were asked if they would be happy to read digital versions of the magazine, and to inform the editor if they preferred to keep receiving freebies. While all respondents were appreciative of their freebies, in total 14% of those who had been asked, requested freebies to continue being sent.
By December 2023, all types of non-member subscriptions were updated. They increased to reflect the postage costs.
As Orienteering Australia can no longer accept cheques nor directly process credit card payments, nonmember subscribers can now either directly deposit subscription fees to the magazine’s OA bank account or use the PayPal options (on the magazine’s webpage at orienteering.asn.au/resources/oa-magazine/) that allow payments via credit cards, debit cards or PayPal balance. Direct deposits and PayPal options have been used by subscribers.
Paper Copies of the Magazine
The magazine is available in paper and digital forms. Hard copies are ordered quarterly by each state orienteering association, based on the number of members who had ticked the paper option in Eventor. Each state receives magazines from the printer, and distributes them among their state members. From March to December 2023 the number of ordered copies increased for NSW and Victoria, decreased for ACT, SA and Queensland, and didn’t change for Tasmania and WA (Fig. 1).
Figure 1: Figure 1. The number of paper copies of each 2023 issue of The Australian Orienteer ordered by each member state/territory.
Photo: Hania Lada
Michael Dowling
Digital Engagement
The digital versions of the magazine are hosted on the ISSUU website, along with a few OA Annual Reports and OV Yearbooks. There are links from the OA’s magazine webpage to the ISSUU website. Orienteering Australia Activity Plan 2023 states the following success criteria (to be reported December 2023) for The Australian Orienteer on ISSUU and for other digital-based media communication tools: “Increase usage and/or engagement on digital platforms by 3% annually”.
ISSUU provides the following statistics to estimate engagement
Reads - the number of times users opened the publication, staying for more than 2 s or took actions like zooming.
Average Read Time - Read time (counted after content loaded for 2 s) divided by Reads.
Downloads - the number of downloads.
Clicks on Links - the number of times users clicked on links within the publication.
Impressions - the number of times the publication was shown on the ISSUU network as a thumbnail, in feed, etc.
Given that the impressions statistic is only relevant to the ISSUU network, and it counts publication appearance regardless of whether a user engaged with it or not, it isn’t used in this report as we are most interested in active engagement across the world wide web, and less how our publications are cross-promoted by ISSUU.
In 2023 compared to 2022, from January 1 to December 31 of the given year, there was 64% increase in reads, 29% increase in clicks on links, 1481% increase in downloads, and 11.5% decrease in average read time, for all publications on ISSUU. The latter two changes may suggest that in 2023 readers spent less time reading online than in 2022 but they downloaded publications in much greater numbers. In 2023 the top five countries for reader engagement were Australia, New Zealand, United States of America, United Kingdom and Sweden.
Figure 2: Readers of The Australian Orienteer and other publications on the digital platform ISSUU in 2023. issue.com
When the digital engagements with the five (including the previous year’s December magazine, which is read in January and February of the following year) most recent issues of The Australian Orienteer were compared between 2022 data (the issues from December 2021 to December 2022) and 2023 data (the issues from December 2022 to December 2023), there was an increase across the board, 59% more reads in 2023 than in 2022, 35% increase in clicks on links,
2600% more downloads and 8% increase in average read time from 6:25 to 6:55. One-tailed paired t-test at 0.05 significance level, https://www.socscistatistics. com/tests/, with engagement data for each issue of the magazine as samples (March 2022 vs March 2023, June 2022 vs June 2023, etc) showed evidence that the increases in downloads and in reads were statistically significant. So, in 2023 compared to 2022 there was significant increase in usage / engagement with The Australian Orienteer on ISSUU.
Table 1 shows the number of reads, the number of downloads, the number of clicks on links, and the average reading time on ISSUU, from January 1 2023 to December 31 2023, and from January 1 2022 to December 31 2022, for all publications, and for the five most recent issues of The Australian Orienteer for the given year. The five issues of the magazine include the December 2022 to December 2023 editions for 2023 data, and the December 2021 to December 2022 editions for 2022 data.
Hania Lada Editor,
The Australian Orienteer
Table 1: Digital Engagement Statistics
January 1 to December 31 2022, five publications , 2022 total (December 2022, March 2023, June 2023, September 2023, December 2023)
January 1 to December 31 2023, five publications, 2023 total (AO Dec 2022, AO March 2023, AO June 2023, AO September 2023, AO December 2023)
Photo: Graham Braid
Eventor and Digital Systems
Eventor
The project to improve Eventor functionality finally commenced in May 2023.
Paul Prudhoe was appointed as the Project Manager, supported by Ian Rathbone (TAS), former Eventor Working Group (EWG) Manager, with 10+ years of knowledge and experience of Eventor), and Jack Dowling (WA) also an original EWG member, and similar lengthy experience in Eventor.
The project objectives are:
That everyone who participates in an orienteering event in Australia, whether a club member or not, is registered in Eventor and results of all Australian orienteering events are recorded in Eventor.
That the registration process for a new participant is user friendly, and captures the essential information required by Orienteering Australia (OA) and has an easy option to become a member of a club at initial sign on or at a future date.
That it is easy and pain free to load any event information and upload results for all event formats.
That it is a user friendly and visually attractive interface that sells the sport.
1. That extracting data for reporting purposes is easy.
To achieve the objectives the following process plan was adopted:
• Develop email circulation groups to facilitate easier communication with Eventor stakeholders.
* None available at time of project implementation
• Generate Issue and Gaps questionnaire to simplify feedback process.
• Seek feedback from orienteering community.
* Initially from Eventor State/Club Event & Entry administrators
* Subsequently from all members
• Collate feedback items into various categories.
* Eventor Registration
* Membership Process
* Event Administration
* Event Results
* Other functionality
* Omaps
* Support (within Australia, and by SOFT)
• Review of feedback items by EWG
• Identify Items are/aren’t already possible.
• Items that should be followed up for ‘immediate’ implementation.
• Item to be considered for future implementation.
• Item not to be pursued (on the basis of expected development hours required and/or limited benefit to the Eventor user community as a whole)
Responses received from 69 members (out of 3,000+ members)
A total of 121 feedback items were received.
• Eventor Registration 15 items
• Club Membership 11 items.
• Event Administration 53 items
• Event Results 14 items
• Other Functionality 14 items
• Omaps 10 items
• Eventor Support 4 items
At the end of the year, the EWG plus OA Chair, Mike Dowling, met (via Zoom) with the Swedish Orienteering Federation’s (SOFT) CEO, Susanne Maarup and Eventor Lead Developer, Daniel Forsgren to discuss the project.
Since late November, the EWG meet regularly to progress review of all feedback items in preparation for Change Request submissions to SOFT in early 2024.
In addition to the Eventor Improvement Project the EWG continue to provide local support for Eventor and liaise with SOFT when problems occur. The support includes the verification and documenting of reported problems, and subsequent testing of fixes prior to implementation to Orienteering Australia’s ‘production’ site.
Photo: Kelvin Meng
Omaps
Omaps.net is an online map repository which currently utilises the Eventor permissions to control access (note: Omaps access will be changed in the future). It provides comprehensive management of map files, associated documents, and a range of other metadata.
Omaps can be found at https://www.omaps.net/au
The purpose of Omaps is to make orienteering maps more accessible and visible, both externally to the public (if the map owner agrees) and internally within the club. Once a map is uploaded, it can be georeferenced (if not already) and displayed on a unified map if the permissions allow. Likewise, external map-based services and applications such as Livelox can access the map files depending on the permissions.
Livelox
Livelox is a service that lets orienteers to record and compare their orienteering races with family, friends, and fellow competitors. The competitor’s route is recorded in real time using a mobile app or can be uploaded from a GPS watch afterwards.
Organisers of orienteering trainings or competitions can upload maps and courses to Livelox to let spectators follow the competitors in real time, and to let participants analyse their route choices post-race.
OA Reporting Site
One OA digital system not well recognised by Orienteering Australia’s broader membership is the OA Reporting site. This is a facility created in 2019 by OT’s Ian Rathbone, and supported by him.
The OA Reporting site can be found at https://reporting. orienteering.asn.au/
The objective of the reporting facility was to utilise the data contained within Eventor to provide various reports of benefit to National and State administrators.
At the national level, contact reports, membership and participation statistics, and downloads are available, while at the State level contact reports, events and entries reports, membership reports, membership and participation statistics, and downloads are available.
All OA Reporting site data is drawn from Eventor via the Application Program Interface (API) provided to Orienteering Australia as part of the Eventor system. The API methods allows OA to use a web service to read the data from Eventor. This is then stored and made available on this website.
OA Reporting Site Data
• Contact details and membership data is refreshed every hour on the hour. The process takes about 10 mins to refresh all states.
• Most other reports including all statistics reports for the current year are refreshed every night from midnight onwards.
• Data from previous years statistics reports does not require refreshing but can be updated on request.
• At about 10 to 15 minutes past the hour, the contact details and membership details reports will pick up the latest data.
RevolutioniseSPORT
RevolutioniseSPORT, or RevSPORT, is an online, cloudbased platform for sporting organisations.
Orienteering Australia currently utilise RevSPORT for coach and controller accreditation management and administration only.
Paul Prudhoe Eventor Project Manager
Photo: Tony Hill
EVENTS
Photo: Kelvin Meng
Overview
The Technical and Competition areas for Orienteering Australia (OA) fall under the portfolio of the OA Director, Technical, and are overseen through the following committees:
• Technical (2023 Chair - Blair Trewin);
• Mapping (2023 Chair - Neil Barr);
• Events (2023 Chair - Greg Hawthorne).
Other relevant support personnel include the OA Badge Scheme Secretary John Oliver, and the Manager Coaching and Officiating Development Jim Mackay. Elite rankings were maintained by Bruce Arthur, non-elite rankings by Darryl Erbacher and National Orienteering League points by Fredrik Johansson. The work of the above people and of the committee chairs in 2023 is acknowledged.
Technical – Orienteering
The Technical Committee met in April and October, and had a workshop (Great Events) in November 2023. Meetings were well attended by member state/territory representatives and interested parties. Meetings are conducted online (via Zoom) which have been successful in providing a format where relevant state representatives can meet on a regular basis and enable discussion and progress with relevant technical issues.
OA rules and documents referred to below are maintained on the Orienteering Australia web site, either in the Operations Guide or the Technical Pages. Organisers, course planners and controllers are encouraged to seek clarification from state and national technical directors regarding the interpretation of the OA rules and their appendices and of the NOL Guidelines, which are primarily overseen by the High Performance Management Group with input from OA Technical.
Following a major review of rules in 2022, there were fewer issues to consider in 2023, although work continued on the implementation of decisions made in principle in 2022. This included finalisation of decisions on winning times and map scales, with details provided below. Some minor changes were also made to align with IOF rules and changes in those.
Oceania Championships and National Events
There was agreement between Australia and New Zealand about changes to the structure of the IOF Oceania Classes to split the sprint championships (in particular the classes where individual WOC places were available in sprint) to conduct Forest races in odd years and Sprint races in even years. This coincides with the current rotation between sprint format and forest format World Championships. The current agreed rotation starts with NZ hosting Sprint in 2024 and Forest in 2025, followed by Australia in 2026 (sprint) and 2027 (forest). The rotation also allows for an event notionally in one year to be held late in the preceding year, which will happen for the first time when the “2027” Oceania Championships are held in the timeslot usually occupied by the 2026 Australian Championships. Subject to final confirmation, in 2026 the four Australian Championships will take place in Tasmania at Easter, and the Oceania Championships and Australian Schools Championships in the ACT at the end of September.
2023 was the first year of conducing the IOF Oceania Regional Championships in classes from M/W16, 18 and 20. Competition was successful, acknowledging that New Zealand participation was limited by travel costs. This issue is expected to resolve in future as flight availability and relative cost returns to pre-covid levels. The early 2024 sprint event in New Zealand had good attendance by senior competitors from Australia, although junior attendance was low.
Photo: IlyaP
Equalising Distance Winning Times and Course/Class Combinations
Work continued in 2023 on implementation of the decision made in 2022 to equalise men’s and women’s long distance winning times, including the development of new course/class guidelines. This will be implemented from the start of 2024. The opportunity has also been taken to standardise the definition of the lengths of A (where there is an E) and AS classes in terms of the length of the corresponding E/A class, and align the specifications for 21A and 20A with those of the NOL Sport class.
There was also a review of the ratio of relative running speeds across different age classes, drawing upon recent Australian data as well as corresponding British and WMOC guidelines. A single scale will now be used for sprint and forest events for senior and masters classes as data from national events and WMOC indicate that there is little justification for separate scales for these classes (they will be retained for juniors). There was also a slight reduction in the relative running speed for W21E.
Map Scales and Control Descriptions
From 2024, it will be permitted to use 1:7500 scales in forest format events and 1:3000 in sprint format events for the following classes:
• All Masters classes from M/W35 upwards
• All AS classes
• All classes on moderate or easy courses (1:7500 or 1:5000 are already allowed for very easy courses under existing rules).
A guidelines document will be prepared on situations where it is, or is not, appropriate to use a larger scale (e.g. 1:7500 may not be suitable for a particularly long course because of the size of the map print required).
This brings the Australian rules into line with IOF rules for events under its jurisdiction (noting that AS and moderate/easy courses are not covered by IOF rules).
There were also some changes made to IOF mapping specifications and control descriptions. The most significant of these has been to introduce a new symbol in control descriptions for map flips.
Moderate, Easy and Very Easy Classes at National Events
The required set of classes at the Australian Long Championships and Australian 3-Days has been reduced to M Open B, W Open B and Open Easy. This does not preclude organisers from offering other classes (e.g. Junior B, Open Very Easy).
This is intended to bring some consistency, as offerings in these categories at recent national events have been very inconsistent.
Updates to OA Rules
OA Rule changes which were agreed during 2023 (or earlier) and are to be implemented during 2024 are itemised in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Rule Changes for 2024
Rule/Item Change
2.6 Wording brought into line with International Orienteering Federation (IOF), and duplicate wording on rule breaches removed.
2.12
5.7, 5.8
Clarification that the notice period for rule deviations does not apply for deviation requests arising from a rule change affecting an event for which planning is already under way.
Changes to mandatory B/Open classes at Australian Long and Middle Distance Championships and Australian 3-Days.
12.5 Deletion of word ‘normal’ before ‘start interval’ (in line with corresponding IOF change).
15.2, 15.3, 15.4, 15.5
Changes to permitted map scales.
16.9, 16.10 Changes to long distance winning times through equalizing times for men and women.
16.18
16.20 (was 16.19)
New rule that where winning time is expressed as a range, the middle of that range should be targeted (replaces deleted provision in 16.15 which applied to middle distance only).
Changes to specifications for A (if E is offered), AS and B classes.
17.2 Bridge/tunnel entrance added to list of forbidden features under ISSprOM.
19.4 ‘Similar features’ proximity rule deleted for sprint maps.
19.6 Changes to specifications for control numbers (including no minimum thickness).
21.6 Wording of rule on GPS devices simplified to match corresponding IOF changes.
24.5 New rule giving the organiser the authority to withdraw a participant from an event on medical or safety grounds.
Appendix 1 Extensive changes (including the replacement of all course/class tables) to reflect changes in winning time specifications and running speed ratios, and provision of additional guidance.
Appendix 6 (was Appendix 8)
Changes in map scales to match rule 15.
Appendix 5 Appendix 7 Deleted as now covered by standalone documents in the Operations Guide
Changes expected to lead to substantive changes in the running of events (beyond existing practice) are shown in bold.
Technical – Mountain Bike Orienteering
• New Controller accreditation levels came into effect late in 2023 for MTBO. They include a level 1 for Local club events and Level 2 for State and National Championship events. Training plans for each have been generated and integrated into the Controller Framework with options for existing controller to upskill for MTBO events. Some volunteers have already progressed through an initial RPL process to have their capabilities recognised and training course are being held during 2024.
• MTBO Rule revisions during the year included clarification of the no fence crossing rules and what exclusions might apply to this. With more urban sprint events happening the guidelines for map scales were refined as well as the safety consideration where blind corners and stairs might exist at an event site.
• Mapping changes flowing through from the IOF for ‘rideable areas’ were employed at most major events.
• The use of long range SPORTIdent units is now widespread. All states are sharing their kits for use at state and national championships.
Controlling – Major Events
The work of the following OA Level 3 controllers for Group A events in 2023 is acknowledged.
Oceania Championships, St Helens Tasmania 7-12 January
IOF Senior Event Advisor and National Controller: Paul Prudhoe.
Oceania Sprint Distance WRE: Paul Pacque.
Oceania Middle Distance WRE: Lindsay Pender.
Oceania Long WRE: Clare Hawthorne.
Oceania Relay: Randall Hope.
Sydney Sprint Weekend NOL, Sydney NSW 11-12
March
Sprint Distance WRE IOF EA and Controller: Paul Prudhoe.
Sprint Relay: Nick Dent.
Knockout Sprint (Qualifier and QF): Robert Spry.
Knockout Sprint (SF and F): Rodney Parkin.
Australian Easter 3-day, Snowy-Monaro ACT 7-10 April
Technical Directors: Ann and John Scown.
IOF Event Advisor: Blair Trewin.
Sprint Distance NOL: Tate Needham.
Day 1 Middle Distance WRE: Phil Walker.
Day 2 Long Distance WRE: Cath Chalmers.
Day 3 Relay Distance: Ross Stewart.
NOL Finals, Wattle Gully Victoria 6-7 May
Middle Distance Qualification and Chasing Start Final: Neil Barr.
Relay: Warwick Williams.
Australian Championships Carnival, Western Australia 30 Sept 25 – Oct 2, Victoria
Technical Director: Tony Simpkins.
IOF Event Advisor: Andrew Lumsden.
Middle Distance: Graham Braid.
Relay: Helen Bailey.
Long Distance: Paul Dowling.
Sprint Distance: Ceri Pass.
Australian MTBO Championships and ANZ Challenge, Brisbane QLD 8-10 September
Mass Start: Craig Steffens.
Sprint Distance: Joel Young.
Middle Distance: Andy Findlay.
Long Distance: Norah Skilton.
Controller Accreditation –Orienteering
Following two Level 3 courses in 2022, there were no new Level 3 courses run by Orienteering Australia in 2023. Courses for Level 1 and 2 controllers continued to be run at state level, drawing on the updated curricula developed over the last few years and finalised in 2022. It is planned to include some controller training in the new Orienteering Australia e-learning platform (although a substantial in-person component will still be required), and it is hoped that this will become available during 2024.
A concern in many states is the ageing of the controller workforce, particularly at the higher levels. A large majority of the current Level 3 controllers are 60 or older with a significant number being over 70, and there is a clear need to recruit additional controllers to replace the existing group as many of them retire over the coming years.
Map Committee
The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) Map Commission has released minor updates to the ISOM17 and ISSprOM19 map specifications. Amongst many minor changes the following changes stand out as being those which will be noticed by competitors.
• New symbol for dangerous mine shaft (ISOM17)
• Earth bank – wider line (ISOM17)
• New symbol for retaining wall (ISOM17 and ISSprOM19)
• More black in the bare rock grey colour mix (ISOM17 and ISSprOM19)
• New map exchange symbol (ISOM17 and ISSprOM19)
• New area symbol for an area with many obstacles (ISSprOM19)
The changes to bare rock colour and to the width of the embankment line are codifications of the longstanding practice of some Australian mappers. The new symbol for dangerous mine shafts codifies mapping conventions in Slovenian karst terrain. Australian orienteers will need to become familiar with this new symbol. Information will need to be included in the bulletins of major events which use mining terrain maps. The next will be Easter 2025.
With the release of the latest specification updates the MC indicated that they will soon be seeking approval to undertake a major review of the ISOM specification. If this goes ahead, Australian mappers should consider what changes might lead to improved mapping of our terrains.
The Orienteering Australia web site mapping pages have been rewritten. The new structure is designed to with a page each for three different audiences –
• Those new to orienteering
• Orienteers who do not undertake mapping
• Orienteering mappers
Only the last of these pages contains technical information to support mappers. A call for further content generation has been made on the Orienteering Mappers Australia Facebook page.
Events Committee
Events components of the technical portfolio were addressed as part of the technical meetings in April, October and December 2023. Major event hosts for the next few years have been confirmed. It was agreed that the sequencing of events within the Australian Championships carnival continue to be a matter to be decided by the organising state.
The events committee has also liaised with the High Performance Management group regarding the NOL calendars for 2024. A major challenge for the NOL schedule moving forward is balancing the demands of senior elite preparation for the alternating Urban and Forest WOC and the requirement for a balanced NOL season.
A significant concern for many states is the resourcing, particularly volunteer workload, required to run major national carnivals. In some states this has adversely affected their broader event programs in years when they are hosting major national events.
An updated schedule of Major Event allocations to states was presented to the December OA technical workshop. This shown in Table 2.
Table 2: Proposed Schedule of Major Orienteering Events - 2024 to 2031
NOTE: The normal rotation for major foot orienteering championships is that “inner” states (NSW, Vic, ACT) host both Aus Champs & Aus 3-Days within a 6-year cycle and “outer states” (Qld, SA, Tas, WA) are scheduled on an 8-year cycle. The schedule for Oceania events assumes that:
• They will continue to be rotated between Australia and New Zealand.
• The main focus of the Oceania Championships will be the youth/junior/elite regional championships as described in Appendix 11 of the IOF Foot Orienteering rules.
Controller Accreditation
The numbers of accredited controllers at 31 December 2023 are listed within Tables 2, 3 and 4 with equivalent figures from previous years.
Mountain bike orienteering controllers are also included for the first time, including in the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) totals.
Anna Sheldon
Director, Technical with assistance from Blair Trewin - Chair, Technical Committee
Jim Mackay - Controller Accreditation
Greg Hawthorne - Chair, Events Committee
Neil Barr - Chair, Map Committee
Table 2: Accredited Controllers by Gender, 2015 - 2023
Table
4: Total Accredited Controllers, 2015 - 2023
PERFORMANCE
Photo: Remy Steinegger
2023 was a big year for international competition. Orienteering Australia (OA) sent a full team to World Cup 2, smaller teams to World Cups 1 and 3, and full teams to the Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) and the World Orienteering Championships (WOC). A successful Oceania Championships was also held in January in conjunction with an AustraliaNew Zealand Challenge, and New Zealand hosted a Bushrangers-Pinestars test match in June.
High Performance Management Group
The leaders of the High Performance Program form part of the High Performance Management Group (HPMG), chaired by the Director Performance and Coaching. This group includes the Head Coach, the High Performance Administration, Manager Coaching Development, and the General Manager. It acts as a bridge between the OA Board and national high performance and coaching operations. Meetings were held every month during 2023.
High Performance and Coaching Committee
This committee includes the HPMG and two representatives from each Member State/Territory. Its purpose is to develop and coordinate high performance and coaching across Australia. The HPMG communicates regularly with this committee via email, to distribute important High Performance and coaching information. The committee also met virtually once in 2023, at the ‘Great Performances’ workshop of the online OA conference.
National Orienteering League
The National Orienteering League (NOL) continues to be the premier series of events in the national elite competition. Although the focus is on elite racing, high quality competitive events run in conjunction with NOL are also enjoyed by age-group orienteers, including many interstate competitors.
In 2023, the NOL season kicked off with three Oceania championships events (sprint, middle and long distance). The Sydney Sprint weekend in March included an exciting relay and knock-out events, while the Easter 3-day in the ACT featured technical terrain in challenging weather conditions. The season finished
with a middle distance double-header and a forest relay in Victoria. In total, 12 races over four rounds were held, which included 6 World Ranking Events, 2 Sprint and 4 forest races.
Social events were also conducted at each round, including a very successful Trivia Night fundraiser and a ‘meet and greet your high performance squad members’ BBQ at the Oceania carnival. During the final NOL round, an end-of-season presentation dinner was held at the Castlemaine Golf Club, with 107 people attending. Individual NOL winners were presented with prizes from our NOL sponsor Wildfire Sports and Trek.
A total of 217 different athletes competed in the NOL in 2023: 70 senior men, 64 senior women, 48 junior men and 35 junior women.
Team winners
Senior Men: NSW Stingers
Senior Women: CBR Cockatoos
Junior Men: NSW Stingers
Junior Women: NSW Stingers
Individual winners
Senior Men: Patrick Jaffe, VIC
Senior Women: Caitlin Young, ACT
Junior Men: Sam Woolford, NSW
Junior Women: Eszter Kocsik, NSW
A NOL survey was conducted after the end of the season.
Sport Class
The Sport class continued in 2023, extending to all forest races for the 2023 season after a successful one-round trial in 2022. The competition attracted 21 different competitors across the junior and senior Sport classes. While overall numbers are still low, the popularity of this class at larger events such as the Australian 3-days indicate that it has yet to reach its potential.
The sport class has now been added to the NOL Guidelines as a permanent ongoing feature for future seasons.
International Races
Selection Panels 2023
WOC, World Cups
Fredrik Johansson – Chair
Natasha Key – Head Coach & WOC Coach
Bruce Arthur – Selector
Tracy Marsh – Selector
JWOC
Fredrik Johansson – Chair
Natasha Key – Head Coach
Cathy McComb – Selector
Warren Key - JWOC Coach
Bridget Uppill – Selector
2023 World Orienteering Championships
The World Orienteering Championships (WOC) was held in Flims Laax, Switzerland in July. This year was a ‘forest’ WOC, consisting of a middle distance race (qualifier and final), a long distance final, and a 3-person relay. Australia’s leadership team was Natasha Key (WOC coach), Mary Fleming and Renate Leuenberger-Widmer. The Swiss federation helped to make the event affordable for teams by subsidising the accommodation costs at the official venue, allowing most countries to stay together and enjoy the atmosphere.
Most of the team arrived three to four days prior to the competition and trained on the model areas. The terrain proved to be extremely complex, unlike anything we have in Australia. Overall, our athletes performed extremely well. Two athletes - Vanessa Round and Henry McNulty - qualified for the middle final and both athletes went on to run strongly, finishing the women’s and men’s final in 41st and 35th place respectively. Other team members ran well in the middle qualification and all were very close to making the final.
Brodie Nankervis achieved Australia’s best result for the championship, with a 34th place in the men’s long distance final (no qualifications are held for the long distance race). He was closely followed by Henry who again finished in 35th place. Vanessa Round and Grace Crane also performed well, finishing an extremely tough race in 47th and 57th place respectively.
Photo: Remy Steinegger
Photo: Remy Steinegger
After becoming unwell following her individual races, Vanessa withdrew from the relay team. The final women’s relay team consisted of Aislinn Prendergast, Grace Crane and Caitlin Young. All athletes performed well, finishing strongly in 19th position.
The men’s relay team consisted of Henry McNulty, Brodie Nankervis and Patrick Jaffe, who finished in a commendable 21st position. Disappointingly for many countries, the organisers started packing up the arena after the 8th team finished, with live coverage also ending at this time. This was seen by many countries to undervalue the effort of teams outside the top 8, and was quite disrespectful to the athletes who competed in this extremely tough, technical and competitive event.
Lessons Learned
In 2023, we chose not to select the relay teams until the final week in the lead up to WOC. In hindsight, this didn’t work well and led to undue stress for some team members. In future, we should aim to avoid this scenario where possible.
Currently, the structure of the WOC forest program of middle qualifier, long final, middle final and relay is perhaps too arduous for one runner competing in all three formats. In particular, Henry and Vanessa both went into their middle finals fatigued from their long races, which may have contributed to Vanessa being unable to compete in the relay. This is something to consider when selecting future teams.
Team Members
Women
Grace Crane
Caitlin young
Aislinn Prendergast
Vanessa Round
Men
Patrick Jaffe
Henry McNulty
Brodie Nankervis
Ewan Shingler
Officials
WOC coach: Natasha Key
Team leaders: Mary Fleming, Renate Leuenberger
2023 Junior World Orienteering Championships
The Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) were held in Baia Mare, Romania, with a leadership team of Warren Key, Brett Weihart, Serena Doyle and Natasha Key. The team met in Budapest before travelling to an area featuring several European Youth Orienteering Championships maps with similar terrain, remaining there for a night before heading to Romania.
The trip to Baia Mare included a troublesome border crossing, where we were reminded that some countries in Europe still require an international driver’s licence. Luckily for the team, Serena Doyle had one in her back pocket, and we were extremely grateful for her foresight. The team then spent four days visiting the different training areas and getting acclimatised, before moving into the official accommodation for the competition week.
The first race was the Individual Sprint, where the team achieved its best individual results for the week: Nea Shingler and Milla Key finishing 19th and 24th respectively, with Erika Enderby in 56th place.
The second race was the Sprint Relay, a mixed race with teams consisting of two men and two women. This is only the second year that JWOC has featured a Sprint Relay, and all nations were permitted to enter two teams. Australia’s 1st team - Milla Key, Callum White, Cooper Horley and Nia Shingler - achieved our best ever relay result of 8th nation.
Nea achieved another top 20 placing in the Middle Distance race, finishing 20th, with David Stocks the best of the men in 41st place.
In the Long Distance, our best result was Leith Soden in 48th, in an exciting race that featured a 5th place from New Zealand superstar Zefa Faa’vae. In the women’s race, Justine Hobson had a solid run to finish as our top placer in 67th.
The forest Relay didn’t go quite as well as the Sprint Relay, but we still achieved solid placings with 16th and 19th in the women’s and men’s races respectively.
Lessons Learned
We came in just over budget this year, so in future years could consider a slightly shorter official training period, potentially cutting the training camp from 6-7 days to a more manageable 4-5 days prior to the competition.
It may also be beneficial to encourage eligible athletes to attend training camps or competitions in areas similar to the following year’s JWOC, and assist them to take advantage of these opportunities while in Europe. This would help with their preparation for the following year, ensuring that they arrive physically ready for the demands of the terrain.
We also need to consider strategies for ensuring that JWOC athletes arrive at the training camp fully fit and ready to compete to their full abilities. Where this is clearly not the case, it would be preferable to replace that athlete with a reserve who is already in Europe. There would be value in having clear processes in place for dealing with such a scenario.
Team Members
Women
Natalie Miller
Erika Enderby
Milla Key
Mikaela Gray
Nea Shingler
Justine Hobson
Men
Callum White
Cooper Horley
Leith Soden
Toby Cazzolato
David Stocks
Sam Woolford
Officials
JWOC coach: Warren Key
Team leaders: Brett Weihart, Serena Doyle
World Cup
Orienteering Australia sent partial teams to World Cup 1 and World Cup 3, and a full team to World Cup 2. World Cup rounds are an excellent opportunity for younger athletes to gain international experience; while more experienced athletes can prepare for future world championships and acquire valuable world ranking points. In 2023, World Cup rounds were held in Norway, Czech Republic and Italy.
Nea Shingler, Mary Fleming, Serena Doyle, Olivia Sprod
World Cup Team Leaders
Brett Weihart WC1, Anna Sheldon WC2 and Mary Fleming WC3
Photo: Tomas Bubela
Australia vs New Zealand Elite Test Matches
Oceania 2023 was held in St Helens, Tasmania, and provided an opportunity for another series of close competitions with our Kiwi cousins. As part of the Australia-New Zealand challenge, Australia’s elite and age group teams defeated NZ in the individual and relay categories. The WOC places for Forest WOC 2023 were won with very strong performances by Lizzie Ingham (NZ) in W21E and Aston Key in M21E, both of whom won all three races (sprint, middle and long distance).
Later in the year, the NZ Pinestars were victorious on home ground in the Waikato region of New Zealand. These competitions provide invaluable opportunities to strengthen ties with New Zealand and to improve our performances in top level competitions in the lead-up to the European summer season.
Team Leaders
Francesca Taufer and Allison Stubbs - Bushrangers-NZ Test Match, KB3-day
Thank You
Thank you to all the athletes who put in the hard work and achieved such fantastic performances, and the team officials who gave up their valuable time to wrangle, assist, support and encourage our national teams.
National Squads 2023
The national squad program continued in 2023 with the High Performance Squad and National Development Squad. The High Performance Squad supports our top athletes to achieve their competition and performance goals at WOC and World Cups, while our National Development Squad supports existing and aspiring JWOC athletes, as well as high performing athletes transitioning from junior to senior competitions.
We are fortunate to have a strong group of squad leaders who offer mentorship and support to squad members.
High Performance Squad Leaders: Julian Dent, Grant Bluett and Tash Key
National Development Squad Leaders: Paula Shingler, Jock Davies and Tracy Marsh
The HPMG is committed to supporting State and Territory members to provide training and guidance to other high-performing athletes who hope to compete at national and international level events in junior, senior or masters categories.
National High Performance Squad
This squad supports high level athletes aiming to excel at the world orienteering championships in 2024 and beyond:
Matt Doyle
Alastair George
Angus Haines
Pat Jaffe
Aston Key
Henry McNulty
Brodie Nankervis
Ewan Shingler
Grace Crane
Aislinn Prendergast
Nea Shingler
Emily Sorensen
Olivia Sprod
Asha Steer
Caitlin Young
Photo: Tomas Bubela
National Development Squad
This squad supports developing athletes who are aiming for senior representation at World Championships or World Cups from 2023-2025.
Zoe Carter
Erika Enderby
Julia Gannon
Joanna George
Mikaela Gray
Justine Hobson
Milla Key
Natalie Miller
Sophie Taverna
Alvin Craig
Ryan Gray
Toby Lang
Oskar Mella
Ethan Penck
Leith Soden
David Stocks
Sam Woolford
Athletes Commission
The Athletes Commission represents the voice and interests of athletes within the Australian orienteering community. The Athletes Commission works in cooperation with the HPMG for orienteering matters and with the MTBO Commission for MTBO matters, raising matters of interest and importance to athletes.
The Athletes Commission members in 2023 were: Alastair George, Will Whittington, Ricky Thackray, Olivia Sprod and Emily Sorenson.
Training Camps
The following training camps were organised in 2023: A junior development training camp was held in Tasmania in early January 2023, preceding the Oceania Championships. The camp was moved from the December 2022 timeframe to minimise the travel burden with many likely participants travelling to Tasmania for the Oceania Championships. The camp was attended by 32 participants and 12 coaches, some of whom also participated in training sessions. Thanks to Brodie Nankervis for coordinating the camp and Esk Valley Orienteering Club and Orienteering Tasmania for their assistance.
Photo: Michael Dowling
Photo: Kelvin Meng
In April 2023, directly following the Australian 3 days, a training camp was held for members of the High Performance Squad. The camp was focused around physical and mental capacity testing at the University of Canberra under the expert guidance of Ben Rattray and his team. The athletes undertook a VO2 Max test, strength/functional testing and cognitive/reaction time testing. The camp was also a good opportunity for some team building, with a laser tag session, talks with squad leaders Grant Bluett and Julian Dent, and some preparation activities for world championships in 2023 and 2024.
The 2023 annual Australian Junior Development Camp was held in December 2023 in Beechworth, Victoria. Coordinated by Peter Mousley from Albury Wodonga Orienteering Club and assisted by Brodie Nankervis, the camp was a huge success. Over 80 junior orienteers attended, and an amazing group of nearly 50 adults helped out in various ways. On Saturday, participants practised how to navigate on the complex granite maps Racecourse Creek and Kangaroo Crossing. On Sunday, athletes took part in a pairs relay in the morning, followed by fast-paced sprints in the afternoon. The camp continued with some warm weather and plenty of fun orienteering training sessions.
One of the highlights of the camp was an insightful and inspiring talk by 2019 JWOC sprint champion Aston Key. Aston’s talk focused on successful sprint training and racing. Participants were able to put the advice into practice shortly after with some fast and furious sprints in the town of Wodonga.
The camp concluded on Wednesday with the ‘Camp Champs’, a three-person relay with interesting team compositions and many granite boulders to confuse and challenge.
Thank you to everyone involved, especially our camp coordinator Peter, and the many adult helpers at the camp who shared their invaluable knowledge, experience and advice.
Orienteering Coaching Education
After publishing the new OA coaching framework and its underlying syllabus documents in 2022, the focus in 2023 was on finalising the delivery materials and running the first set of courses.
Final materials for Competition and Performance Orienteering Coach Accreditation were made available in the first quarter of 2023, coinciding with the first online course for both of these accreditations in the first half of 2023. These courses were run over several months and had 15 coaches attend. In 2023, one inperson Learn and Play Orienteering Coach course was run in NSW, with 13 attendees. All of these courses were facilitated by Brodie Nankervis, OA Manager of Coaching Development.
Sport Integrity Australia Training
In 2023, OA complied with its agreed education plan with Sport Integrity Australia, with all international athletes, coaches and support staff completing mandatory training requirements. The HPMG continues to encourage national level athletes, coaches and support staff to complete training that is recommended for them. More information can be found on the AntiDoping page of the OA website (https://orienteering. asn.au/performance/anti-doping/)
In 2023 OA also made the decision to make child safeguarding training mandatory for all accredited coaches (in addition to the OA’s compliance with the Safeguarding Children and Youth Policy). It is now mandatory that all accredited coaches complete the Sport Integrity training course ‘Safeguarding Children and Young People in Sport Induction’.
The Orienteering Learning Centre
The other main focus in coaching education in 2023 was launching our orienteering-specific education on the Orienteering Learning Centre (OLC). The OLC is an online learning platform, hosted by the Australian Sport Learning Centre. Orienteering learners have access to both sport-wide education materials (such as the Community Coaching Essential Skills course) and orienteering-specific education.
In October 2023, the first two courses launched on the OLC, Orienteering Instructor (Community) and Orienteering Instructor (Teacher). These courses replace the previous Level 0 course, with a different pathway for teachers and community members. Both courses lead into the other three courses: Learn and Play, Competition, and Performance Orienteering Coach. These three courses will be launched on the OLC in 2024.
Learn to Orienteer Project
The Learn to Orienteer project commenced on a national level in 2023. In 2024, the Learn to Orienteer program will be rolled out nationally, supported by the OA Manager of Coaching Development and Participation Manager. More details can be found in the Participation Growth Funding Section.
Coach in Residence Program
The Coach in Residence program continued in 2023. Orienteering Tasmania was lucky enough to have Italian coach Francesca Taufer remain in the state throughout the winter season. After almost a year in Tasmania, Francesca departed after the Australian Championships Carnival to commence a PhD in Sweden. We wish Francesca the best of luck.
South Australia engaged Wataru Teraegauchi from Japan as coach in residence from January to April 2023. Wataru assisted with the sporting schools program and undertook some local mapping.
Two more coaches in residence were appointed in the latter half of 2023: Jiri Vales and Veronika Kubinova from Czech Republic. Both coaches were great additions to the orienteering and MTBO scene in Tasmania: Veronika with her MTBO skills and coaching experience, and Jiri as a high level orienteering coach and top competitor. Both were also welcome additions to the Forester’s NOL team. After their stint in Tasmania, Veronika and Jiri travel to Western Australia to continue their coaching roles in the 2024 winter season.
While there appears to be diminished interest from some states in engaging overseas coaches, all states and territories are encouraged to support this program. Overseas coaches bring a level of enthusiasm, expertise and innovation that can have a huge impact on participation, engagement and performance in their adopted home state. They also provide invaluable support to our overworked local coaches. The friendships they form, particularly with our younger orienteers, have inspired many people to travel internationally and compete at the highest level.
It has been especially rewarding this year to have coaches staying in Australia for longer periods, and we encourage all interested and qualified overseas coaches to apply.
Clare Hawthorne Director, Performance and Coaching with assistance of Fredrik Johansson High Performance Administrator
Natasha Key Head Coach
Brodie Nankervis Manager, Coaching Development
Photo: Kelvin Meng
Coach Accreditation
The numbers of accredited coaches on 31st December 2023 is listed below with equivalent figures from previous years.
This is the 2nd year where the latest accreditation framework levels have been used, so the historic tables show a combination of the old and new accreditation levels. Comparisons between the old and new frameworks are not easily made as a coach can have multiple accreditations in the new framework.
To understand the figures below it is helpful to know that most states started their teacher PD programs around 2015 and 2016 and by 2017 the number of accredited teachers had risen quite dramatically. Those accreditations expired after 5 years and the number of newly accredited or re-accredited teachers in 2022 and 2023 has not met those early figures so there is a steep drop in OI accreditations for 2023.
The reasons for the fall in new teacher accreditations are mixed:
• Reduced support from state Depts of Education to run teacher professional learning workshops.
• reduced support from Member States/Territories to organise workshops for teachers.
• COVID disrupting opportunities to plan workshops in advance
• Rollout of new coaching syllabus and framework delaying plans to hold workshops
• Implementation of Orienteering Learning Centre (OLC) impacting plans to hold workshops
A successful promotion of the OLC with the Department of Education in each State, OA and SSOs combined with Member State/Territory support should result in a rise in the number of teacher accreditations.
Jim Mackay Manager, Coaching and Officiating Accreditation
Table 1: Coach Accreditations by Gender at Year End 2023
Table 3: Coach Accreditations Totals at Year End 2023
Photo: Remy Steinegger
Photo: Remy Steinegger
MOUNTAIN BIKE ORIENTEERING
Photo: Peter Cusworth
Overview
Through 2023 the base for further growth in Mountain Bike Orienteering was established with the introduction of the role: Manager, MTBO Development. OA has been fortunate to have Craig Steffens take up this role. Craig has a wealth of experience in MTBO as a past member of the OA Board, as well as an organiser and active competitor in the sport. Further to this the MTBO Commission, is now well established and driving MTBO initiatives.
In early 2023 Craig Steffens stood down from the OA Board after two years as Director, MTBO, and was replaced by Andrea Harris in April 2023.
At the domestic level the successful Australian MTBO National Series was run over 13 races in 2023. The Australian MTBO Championships were held in Queensland and attracted a large contingent of NZ riders competing in the Australia/NZ Challenge.
In international competition Australian MTBO was represented at the 2023 WMTBO Championships in the Czech Republic by Will Whittington and Ricky Thackray and Team Manager Tony Howes.
In this past year there was a change in the MTBO Selection panel for MTBO with Craig Steffens and Carolyn Jackson, after many years of much appreciated service, stepped down. They have been replaced by Joel Young and Ricky Thackray who join Kay Haasma.
Many thanks to the all the competitors and volunteers who work to grow this wonderful sport.
International Races
In 2023, Orienteering Australia (OA) sent a small team of riders to the World MTBO Championships held in the Czech Republic town of Jicin. The team manager for the trip was Tony Howes.
The Championships commenced with the Sprint Distancerace through the cobbled streets of Jicin.
In the elite men, Ricky Thackray was 53rd with a time of 31.21, and in the junior men, Will Whittington finished midfield in 27.27.
The Long Distance event involved a start at the mediaeval town of Pecka and finish nearly 10 km to the east at Mostek.
In the Mens Elite event Ricky Thackray unfortunately mispunched a couple of early controls, while in the Junior Men, Will Whittington finished 38th with a time of 1:58:30 less than 30 minutes behind the winner, Finland’s Eemil Koskinen.
Both Will and Ricky struggled with the nonconventional start, the first 1/2 dozen controls dotted around Pecka Castle being more akin to a street sprint event, very challenging at 1:15000 scale. Both riders felt more at home in the forest, although Ricky had the misfortune of mispunching a third time.
In the Middle Distance event, the results were:
Men’s Elite - Ricky Thackray 59th out of 82 entrants
Junior Men - Will Whittington 32nd out of 57 entrants.
Both riders were happy with their rides, Ricky had a clean consistent ride with no navigation or route choice mistakes. Will had a good start and middle but couldn’t maintain the pace in the closing stages.
The Mass Start was held in forest much flatter than the Long or Middle events.
Will Whittington had a challenging start in the Junior Men’s event and narrowly missed a fallen rider, then was hit from behind causing some gear damage. Apart from that his riding was smooth and he finished in 41st place.
Photo: Honza Svoboda
Ricky Thackray in the Men’s Elite, finished in 64th place, losing only 2 places to his start number. After the race he said that even with a perfect ride he would have probably only made up a few places. The European riders were able to travel very quickly on this flatter terrain.
Australia’s entire travelling group (1 elite, 1 junior, 1 team manager) participated in the Men’s Elite relay, which had an interesting mix of ski slopes, steep forest, areas of crossable forest and some residential and urban riding.
With an 18th place the Australian position on the starting grid will be maintained in 2024. All the riders enjoyed the challenges of competition, with Will getting experience with the mass start in Elite company, Ricky having another solid ride and relay felt his navigation and route choice selection and execution was good, and Tony was content finishing without mishap.
Results:
Team place 16th
Leg times:
1. Will Whittington 1:07:39
2. Ricky Thackray 1:00:19
3. Tony Howes 1:36:50
MTBO National Series
The 2023 MTBO National Series was held across four state championship carnivals. The series rules were modified by the MTBO Commission during the year, so that any state holding an MTBO championships can also be included in the scoring scheme. Events held in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT counted towards the series points table during the year.
As is usual practice, the series points and virtual trophies of each class winner were published on the OA MTBO National Series page at orienteering.asn.au/ go-orienteering/mountain-bike-orienteering/nationalmtbo-series/.
MTBO Commission
The OA MTBO Commission got in to full swing during 2023 with representatives from each Member State/ Territory except Tasmania, the OA Manager MTBO Development Craig Steffens and OA Director Andrea Harris. Meetings are held bimonthly.
The key activities undertaken during the year included:
• the review, update and publishing of the OA MTBO Rules.
• the review of mapping standards and the setting of standards for MTBO National Series events. Variations from the standards require review by the OA MTBO Commission.
• the finalisation the MTBO controller accreditation process and the assessment and appointment of a number of controllers.
• the Commission also commenced the process of assessing whether it is viable for Australia to nominate to hold a future WMTBOC and/or WMMTBOC.
Australia was represented at the WMTBO Championships by Will Whittington and Ricky Thackray and joined by Team Manager Tony Howes for the relay.
The Australian MTBO National Series was run over a 13 race series in 2023. The Australian MTBO Championships were held in Queensland and attracted a large contingent of NZ riders to compete in the Australia/New Zealand Challenge.
Photo: Peter Cusworth
Participation and Development
Development activities undertaken during the year that aligned with the new Manager, MTBO Development position description included:
• Working with the MTBO Commission to plan and promote the National MTBO Series across 4 state championship carnivals.
• Coordinating the Australia/ New Zealand MTBO Challenge at the Australian Championship Carnival, hosted in Brisbane.
• Calling for team nominations and advertising for a team manager position.
• Planning and facilitating selection of national MTBO team.
• Reviewing and publishing the MTBO team selection criteria.
• Collaborating with the High Performance Management Group for World Championship entry and administration.
• Working heavily with the MTBO Commission to:
* promote the new MTBO Controller accreditation
* review and refine the MTBO rules and guidelines for Urban Sprint events.
* form a working group to investigate a bid for WMTBOC in 2028
• Conducting Recognition of Prior Learning sessions for 5 Controller applications.
Andrea Harris Director, Risk and MTBO
Craig
Steffens Manager, MTBO Development
Andrew Power Chair, MTBO Commission
ORIENTEERING AUSTRALIA AWARDS
Photo: Kelvin Meng
Photo: theawesomest.com
Photo: theawesomest.com
SILVA Award for Services to Orienteering: Helen O’Callaghan - NSW
Helen O’Callaghan’s leadership story started at the local level in establishing a new regional orienteering club, Bush’n’Beach Orienteering Club, based at Coffs Harbour, NSW. It continues today through her celebrated efforts to enthuse junior orienteers at all levels. She is specially recognised for her drive to involve more junior orienteers in the social, developmental and competitive experience of the Australian Schools Orienteering Championships, including through the 2022 All Australian Junior Development Team.
Helen was appointed manager of the NSW Junior Squad in 2020. She initiated and developed many activities for the juniors including Zoom coaching sessions and a Zoom competition for NSW juniors to keep them motivated during COVID-19 lockdowns.
2022 saw immense efforts to encourage, develop and support NSW orienteering juniors by a now experienced team of committed volunteers coordinated by Helen. She has held introductory courses, training and events for juniors at schools and over the school holidays.
Helen’s efforts to increase enthusiasm for orienteering are not limited to juniors, and she is considered a powerhouse in her club, particularly in welcoming and assisting newcomers, and in hosting and organising larger events over the years, such as the Queen’s Birthday 3-days in 2016.
Photo: PhotosByTom.com.au
SILVA Award for Services to Coaching: Jon McComb - TAS
Jon McComb has made an invaluable contribution to orienteering in Tasmania through his coaching activities, particularly over the past 6 years during which time, Jon has been the State Coaching Coordinator for Orienteering Tasmania and coach for the Tasmanian Schools Team.
In these roles Jon has offered an extensive program of coaching activities throughout the year, ranging from regular multi-day camps, weekly fitness training and an intensive program of Saturday technical training sessions, particularly targeting the development of the Tasmanian Schools team. He has also worked with local Tasmanian orienteers to offer coaching development and accreditation opportunities.
David Hogg Medal for Services to Event Management: Christine Brown - TAS
Christine Brown has contributed for more than 25 years to the staging of orienteering events in Tasmania, in Australia and internationally. In 2023, Christine was the Event Director of the very successful 2023 Oceania Orienteering Championships at St Helens, Tasmania. She managed five smaller teams and dozens of volunteers, and delivered a successful and enjoyable event that hosted over 600 orienteers.
As a Senior IOF Event Adviser, she served in that capacity at the Oceania Championships in New Zealand in 2013 and 2017, and the World Games in 2009 in Kaoshiung, Chinese Taipei, and in 2013 in Cali, Colombia. She was Technical Director for the 2015 Oceania Championships and World Cup in Tasmania and the 2007 Junior World Orienteering Championships in Dubbo.
Christine was Course Planner for the 2020 Australian Middle Distance Championships, Round 4 of the 2016 National Orienteering League (a World Ranking Event) and the 1992 Forestry Commission Classic Day 1 (and Course Vetter on Day 4).
Photo: PhotosByTom.com.au
Photo: PhotosByTom.com.au
Hall of Fame: Athlete Division - Tracy Marsh - NSW
Tracy Marsh (nee Bluett) has had an outstanding international orienteering career extending over fourteen years (1991 to 2005). She represented Australia at the World Championships in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2005, at the Junior World Championships in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995. Her best results included 6th in Australian Relay team at the 1997 World Championships, Norway, and 13th in Middle Distance at the 2005 World Championships, Japan.
At the national level, Tracy won the W21E class at the Australian (Long Distance) Championships in 1994 and 1999, and at the Australian Middle Distance Championships in 2004.
Hall of Fame: General Division - Nick Dent - NSW
Nick Dent has contributed for over 25 years to coaching, controlling and event management at international, national, state and club level. He was the Coach for the Australian Junior World Championships team in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009, OA Head Coach in 201415 and OA High Performance Manager in 2013-15.
At the international level, Nick served as Carnival Director for the 2009 World Masters Orienteering Championships and the 2011 Oceania Championships. He was the Senior IOF Event Adviser for the 2017 World Masters Orienteering Championships in Auckland, New Zealand, and Controller for the 2018 Oceania Sprint Championships in Wagga Wagga. He was the Teams Liaison Officer for the 2007 Junior World Orienteering Championships in Dubbo.
At the national level, Nick was Event Director/Controller for the Australian 3-Days in 2014 and 2021, and was Organiser for the 1993 Australian Championships, when he also mapped the Relay area.
Photo: PhotosByTom.com.au
Photo: PhotosByTom.com.au
Hall of Fame: General Division - Don Young - WA
Don was a founding member of the Orienteering Association of WA in 1974 and soon took on major leadership roles, serving as President from 1979 to 1984.
At the national level, Don represented WA on the (then) Orienteering Federation of Australia (OFA) Council from 1981 to 1997, chaired the Magazine Committee, was Vice President (Development) and finally OFA President from 1994 to 1997. Achievements during his term as President included convening an annual conference for officers working in the field of orienteering development, the introduction of Affiliate Membership at reduced rates to enable Street O participants to join state associations, the establishment of a Working Group to prepare an environmental code of practice for orienteering, and the introduction of mountain bike orienteering to Australia.
Don strongly advocated for, and supported, OFA personnel in their roles at the International Orienteering Federation, athletes representing Australia in international competition, team coaches and managers
of both JWOC and WOC teams. In 1995, as President, he represented the OFA at the IOF meeting held at the World Orienteering Championships in Germany, and advocated for Australia’s unsuccessful bid to secure the World Orienteering Championships in 2001.
Don had a strong interest in regional development, competing in the first six series of the (Asia) Pacific Orienteering Championships and representing Australia on several occasions in the Australia–New Zealand Challenge.
NATIONAL COMPETITION AWARDS
Photo: Kelvin Meng
OA Shield
Interstate competition based on the results of the Australian Long Distance Championships.
Victoria
Xanthorrhoea Trophy
Interstate competition based on the results of the Australian Relay Championships.
Australian Capital Territory
Champion Club Trophy
Inter-club competition based on the placings at the end of day two of the Australian 3-Days.
Red Roos - Australian Capital Territory
National League (Senior)
Interstate competition based on the team results of all senior events in the National League.
Women: Canberra Cockatoos
Men: New South Wales Stingers
National League (Junior)
Interstate competition based on the team results of junior events in the National League.
Women: New South Wales Stingers
Men: New South Wales Stingers
National Series (Senior)
Interstate competition based on the individual results of senior events in the National League.
Women: Grace Crane ACT
Men: Aston Key VIC
National Series (Junior)
Interstate competition based on the individual results of junior events in the National League.
Women: Nea Shingler NSW
Men: Ewan Shingler NSW
Australian MTBO Championship Plaque
Interstate competition based on the results of the Australian MTBO Sprint, Middle and Long Distance Championships.
New South Wales
MTBO National Series
Interstate competition based on the individual results of senior events in the MTBO National Series.
Oceania Middle Distance Championships: St HelensTasmania
W21E Lizzie Ingham NZL
M21E Aston Key VIC
W10 Lior Elson TAS
W12 Naomi Penton ACT
W14 Katie Clauson TAS
W16 Ella Maja Lang VIC
W18 Ingrid Shelton Agar ACT
W20 Eszter Kocsik NSW
W35 Thorlene Egerton TAS
W40 Briohny Seaman NSW
W45 Tracy Marsh NSW
W50 Cathy McComb TAS
W55 Jennifer Enderby NSW
W60 Toni Brown ACT
W65 Jenny Bourne ACT
W70 Valerie Barker ACT
W75 Val Hodsdon NSW
W80 Dale Ann Gordon VIC
W85 Helen Alexander VIC
M10 Logan Seaman NSW
M12 Baxter Peel NSW
M14 Rory Shedden NSW
M16 James Wright NZL
M18 Jamie Woolford NSW
M20 Sam Woolford NSW
M35 Dane Cavanagh TAS
M40 Matthew Crane ACT
M45 Bruce Arthur VIC
M50 Carsten Joergensen NZL
M55 Mark Freeman NSW
M60 Tony Woolford NSW
M65 James Lithgow NSW
M70 David Marshall TAS
M75 David Scott NZL
M80 Alex Tarr VIC
Oceania Long Distance Championships: GoshenTasmania
W21E Lizzie Ingham NZL
M21E Aston Key VIC
W10 Tessa Radajewski ACT
W12 Naomi Penton ACT
W14 Katie Clauson TAS
W16 Rebecca Craig NSW
W18 Sophie Best TAS
W20 Mikaela Gray QLD
W35 Mace Neve ACT
W40 Shannon Jones ACT
W45 Tracy Marsh NSW
W50 Natasha Key VIC
W55 Jennifer Enderby NSW
W60 Paula Shingler NSW
W65 Jenny Bourne ACT
W70 Louise Fairfax TAS
W75 Libby Meeking VIC
W80 Jean Baldwin NSW
M10 Logan Seaman NSW
M12 Angus Hewitt TAS
M14 Alton Freeman NSW
M16 Euan Best TAS
M18 Liam Dufty WA
M20 Sam Woolford NSW
M35 Tomas Krajca ACT
M40 Matthew Crane ACT
M45 Bruce Arthur VIC
M50 Carsten Joergensen NZL
M55 Paul Liggins TAS
M60 Warren Key VIC
M65 Jeff Dunn TAS
M70 David Marshall TAS
M75 David Scott NZL
M80 Alex Tarr VIC
Oceania Relay Championships: St HelensTasmania
Results indicate either Australia, New Zealand or Australian State team if first.
W21 Australia M21 Australia
W/M12 New South Wales
W14 Tasmania W16 Australian Capital Territory/New South Wales
W20 Australia
W35 Australian Capital Territory
W45 Australia
W55 Tasmania
W65 Australian Capital Territory
W75 Victoria
M14 New Zealandy
M16 New Zealand
M18 New Zealand
M20 Australia
M35 Tasmania
M45 Victoria
M50 Australia
M55 Victoria
M65 Australia
M75 Victoria
NATIONAL TEAMS AND SQUADS
Photo: Jiri Cech
World Championships - Flims - Laax, Switzerland
Women
Grace Crane ACT
Aislinn Prendergast VIC
Olivia Sprod SA
Caitlin Young ACT
Men
Patrick Jaffe VIC
Henry McNulty WA
Brodie Nankervis TAS
Ewan Shingler NSW
Officials
Mary Fleming - Manager VIC
Tash Key - Coach VIC
Renate Leuenberger - Assistant SUI
Junior World Orienteering Championships - Baia Mare, Romania
Women
Erika Enderby NSW
Mikaela Gray QLD
Justine Hobson
Milla Key VIC
Natalie Miller ACT
Nea Shingler NSW
Men
Toby Cazzolato SA
Cooper Horley NSW
Leith Soden SA
David Stocks ACT
Callum White VIC
Sam Woolford NSW
Officials
Warren Key, Coach VIC
Brett Weihart, Manager SA
Serena Doyle, Assistant Manager NSW
Natasha Key VIC
World Cup - Ostfold, Norway
Women
Michele Dawson NSW
Men
Henry McNulty WA
World Cup - Ceska Lipa, Czechia
Women
Serena Doyle NSW
Mikaela Gray QLD
Justine Hobson ACT
Anna Sheldon QLD
Nea Shingler NSW
Emily Sorensen SA
Men
Toby Cazzolato SA
Duncan Currie NSW
Alastair George NSW
Angus Haines SA
Toby Lang ACT
Sam Woolford NSW
World Cup - Trentino/Veneto, Italy
Women
Michele Dawson NSW
Serena Doyle NSW
Mary Fleming VIC
Nea Shingler NSW
Olivia Sprod SA
Men
Henry McNulty WA
National High Performance Squad
Women
Grace Crane ACT
Aislinn Prendergast VIC
Nea Shingler NSW
Emily Sorensen SA
Olivia Sprod SA
Asha Steer VIC
Caitlin Young ACT
Men
Matt Doyle ACT
Alastair George NSW
Angus Haines SA
Pat Jaffe VIC
Aston Key VIC
Henry McNulty WA
Brodie Nankervis TAS
Ewan Shingler NSW
National Development Squad
Women
Zoe Carter SA
Erika Enderby NSW
Julia Gannon QLD
Joanna George SA
Mikaela Gray QLD
Justine Hobson ACT
Milla Key QLD
Natalie Miller ACT
Sophie Taverna VIC
Men
Alvin Craig NSW
Ryan Gray QLD
Toby Lang ACT
Oskar Mella NSW
Ethan Penck SA
Leith Soden SA
David Stocks ACT
Sam Woolford NSW
KEY OFFICIALS - NATIONAL EVENTS
Photo: Kelvin Meng
Australian Three Days: Canberra and Snowy Monaro Region - Australian Capital Territory
Event Director
Stephen Goggs
Technical Directors
Ann & John Scown
IOF Event Adviser
Blair Trewin
Prologue
Organiser
Edith Gray
Controller Tate Needham
Course Planner John Shelton Agar
Mappers
Day One
Organiser
Controller
Course Planners
Mappers
Day Two
Organiser
David Shepherd
Bob Allison
Patrick Miller
Andrew Cumming Thom
Phil Walker
David & Matt Stocks
Marian Cotirta Hugh Moore
Sue Garr
Controller Cath Chalmers
Course Planner
Mappers
Day Three
Organiser
Andy Hogg
Marian Cotirta
Hugh Moore
Valerie Barker
Controller Ross Stewart
Course Planner
Jon Glanville
Mappers Alex Tarr
Rod Gray
Australian Championships Week - Perth, Avon Valley, Clackline and BrooktonWestern Australia
Event Director
Graham Braid
Technical Director
Tony Simpkins
IOF Event Adviser Andrew Lumsden
Australian Schools Championships Coordinator
Tom Brownlie
Australian Sprint Distance Championships: ClaremontWestern Australia
Controller Ceri Pass
Course Planner Nick Dale
Mapper Nick Dale
Australian Middle Distance Championships: PeterdineWestern Australia
Controller Graham Braid
Course Planner Noel Schoknecht
Mapper Noel Schoknecht
Australian Long Distance Championships: Avon ValleyWestern Australia
Controller Ian Fletcher
Course Planner Edward Plummer
Mapper Alex Tarr
Australian Relay Championships: ClacklineWestern Australia
Controller Helen Bailey
Course Planner Tony Simpkins
Mapper Noel Schoknecht
Australian Schools Sprint Distance Championships: Salter Point - Western Australia
Controller Noel Schoknecht
Course Planner Anthea Feaver
Mapper Graham Braid
Australian Schools Long Distance Championships: Brookton - Western Australia
Controller Dan Greig
Course Planners Hadrian Devillepoix Tim Sharp Ellie Sansom
Mapper Alex Tarr
Australian Schools Relay Championships: BrooktonWestern Australia
Controller Ian Fletcher
Course Planner Edward Plummer
Mapper Alex Tarr
National Orienteering League
Sprint Distance: Camperdown - New South Wales
Event Director Mark Shingler
Technical Director Paul Prudhoe
Organisers Amanda Mackie Paula Shingler
Controller Paul Prudhoe
Course Planner Ross Barr
Mapper s Andrew Lumsden
Rebecca George
National Orienteering League Sprint Relay: KensingtonNew South Wales
Event Director Mark Shingler
Technical Director Paul Prudhoe
Organiser Airdrie Long
Controller Nick Dent
Course Planner Shane Doyle
Mapper Carol Jacobson
National Orienteering League Knockout Sprint Qualification & Quarter Final: Campbelltown - New South Wales
Event Director Mark Shingler
Technical Director Paul Prudhoe
Organiser Ruth Shedden
Controller Robert Spry
Course Planner Jock Davis
Mapper Lyn Malmgron
National Orienteering League
Knockout Sprint Semi Final & Final: Campbelltown - New South Wales
Event Director Mark Shingler
Technical Director Paul Prudhoe
Organiser Selwyn Sweeney
Controller Rodney Parkin
Course Planner James McQuillan
Mapper Stephan Wagner
National Orienteering League
Middle Distance: Castlemaine - Victoria
Organiser
John Wilkinson
Controller Neil Barr
Course Planner Jim Russell
Mapper s Alex Tarr
National Orienteering League
Middle Distance: Castlemaine - Victoria
Organiser
Cormac McCarthy
Controller Russell Bulman
Course Planner Daniel Stott
Mapper Alex Tarr
National Orienteering League
Relay: Castlemaine - Victoria
Controller
Warwick Williams
Course Planners Fredrik Johansson
Natasha Key
Mapper s Alex Tarr
Oceania Regional Championships: Tasmania
Event Director Christine Brown
Technical Director Roger Harlow
OA Controller Paul Prudhoe
IOF Event Adviser Paul Prudhoe
Oceania Sprint Distance
Championships: LauncestonTasmania
Controller Paul Pacqué
Course Planner Kim Nankervis
Mapper Paul Pacqué
Oceania Middle Distance
Championships: St HelensTasmania
Controller Clare Hawthorne
Course Planner
Greg Hawthorne
Mapper Rob Plowright
Oceania Long Distance
Championships: GoshenTasmania
Controller
Lindsay Pender
Course Planner Warwick Moore
Mapper Rob Plowright
Oceania Relay
Championships: St HelensTasmania
Controller Randall Hope
Course Planner
David Marshall
Mapper s Mike Morffew
Kjell Melander
Arto Rautiainen
Jörgen Fors Rob Plowright
Australian MTBO Sprint Distance Championships: Alexandra Hills - Queensland
Event Director Craig Steffens
Controller Joel Young
Course Planner Tony Howes
Mapper Geoff Peck
Australian MTBO Mass Start Championships: BoondallQueensland
Event Director Craig Steffens
Controller Sandra Pearce
Course Planner Eva Kovacs
Mapper Craig Steffens
Australian MTBO Middle Distance Championships: Cleveland - Queensland
Event Director Craig Steffens
Controller Andy Findlay
Course Planner Eva Kovacs
Mapper Craig Steffens
Australian MTBO Long Distance Championships: Victoria Point - Queensland
Event Director Craig Steffens
Controller Norah Skilton
Course Planner John Skilton
Mapper Craig Steffens
OFFICE BEARERS
Photo: Kelvin Meng
Board
Chair Michael Dowling TAS
Secretary Robert Spry NSW
Director (Finance)
Director (Finance)
Director (Events)
Director (Operations & MTBO)
Director (Risk & MTBO)
Director (Performance and Coaching)
Director
Director (Opportunities)
Paid Officers
General Manager
Head Coach
High Performance Administrator
Richard Mountstephens NSW To Apr 23
Paul Liggins TAS From Jun 23
Anna Sheldon QLD
Craig Steffens QLD To Apr 23
Andrea Harris QLD From Apr 23
Clare Hawthorne TAS
Brett Weihart SA
Troy de Haas VIC
Arpad Kocsik NSW
Natasha Key VIC
Fredrik Johansson VIC Manager, Coaching & Officiating Accreditation
Administrator, National Sporting Schools
Jim Mackay NSW
Jim Mackay NSW Manager, Coaching Development
Brodie Nankervis TAS Manager, Particpation Development
Brodie Nankervis TAS Manager, MTBO Development
Craig Steffens QLD From Apr 23
Contracted Officers
Editor, The Australian Orienteer
Editor, The Australian Orienteer
Graphic Designer, The Australian Orienteer
Mike Hubbert VIC To Mar 23
Hania Lada VIC From Mar 23
Peter Cusworth VIC Editor, Orienteering Australia E-News
Linda Burridge QLD Support, Website and IT
Shane Jenkins NSW eLearning Project
Learn to Orienteer Project
Volunteer Officers
Public Officer
Anti Doping Medical Officer
Ranking Officer – General
Ranking Officer – Elite
Badge Scheme Secretary
Daniel Stott VIC
Daniel Stott VIC
Bob Allison ACT
Mark Freeman NSW
Darryl Erbacher ACT
Bruce Arthur VIC
John Oliver NSW Manager, Awards
Coordinator, Facebook
OA HP Instagram
David Hogg ACT
John Harding ACT
Brodie Nankervis VIC
Committees and Commissions
Technical - Chair
High Performance and Coaching - Chair
Events - Chair
Mapping - Chair
MTB Orienteering Commission - Chair
Athletes Commission
Awards
Whiteside Bequest
Blair Trewin VIC
Brodie Nankervis TAS
Greg Hawthorne TAS
Neil Barr VIC
Andrew Power NSW
Alastair George NSW
Emily Sorensen SA
Olivia Sprod SA
Ricky Thackray WA
Will Whittington TAS
Bruce Arthur VIC
Greg Barbour NSW
Jenny Bourne ACT
Robin Uppill SA
Greg Barbour NSW
Christine Brown TAS
Andy Hogg ACT
Barbara Junghans NSW
Coaching, Team Management and Selection
High Performance Squad Coaches
Development Squad Coaches
Manager, MTBO World Championships
Coach, World Championships
Manager, World Championships
Adviser, World Championships
Coach, Junior World Championships
Manager, Junior World Championships
Assistant Manager, Junior World Championships
Assistant Coach, Junior World Championships
Manager, World Cup
Selection - Senior Orienteering
Selection - Junior Orienteering
Selection - MTBO
Working Groups
Website Development
Grant Bluett ACT
Matt Crane ACT
Julian Dent NSW
Tash Key VIC
Tracy Marsh NSW
Paula Shingler NSW
Jock Davis NSW
Tony Howes QLD
Tash Key VIC
Mary Fleming VIC
Renate Leuenberger SUI
Warren Key VIC
Brett Weihart SA
Serena Doyle NSW
Tash Key VIC
Brett Weihart SA
Brodie Nankervis TAS
Fredrik Johansson VIC
Bruce Arthur VIC
Tracy Marsh NSW
Tash Key VIC
Fredrik Johansson VIC
Bridget Uppill SA
Cathy McComb TAS
Warren Key VIC
Task Key VIC
Craig Steffens QLD
Kay Haarsma SA
Carolyn Jackson VIC
Craig Steffens QLD
Margi Freemantle VIC
Jon McComb TAS
Michael Dowling TAS
Photo: Michael Dowling
3/6 Kennedy Street, Kingston ACT 2604
PO Box 4237, Kingston ACT 2604
Orienteering Australia Inc
ABN 77 406 995 497 Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2023
P 02 6171 9550
E ncaca@ncaca.com.au W ncaca.com.au
ABN 34 646 697 109 Liability
Orienteering Australia Inc Independent Auditor's
Report to the Members of Orienteering
Australia Inc
We have audited the accompanying financial report, being a special purpose financial report, of Orienteering Australia Inc (the Association), which comprises the Committee's Report, the Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2023, the Profit & Loss Statement for the Year then ended, notes comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information, and the Statement by Members of the Committee.
Committee's Responsibility for the Financial Report
The Committee of Orienteering Australia Inc is responsible for the preparation of the financial report, and has determined that the basis of preparation described in the Notes to the Financial Statements is appropriate to meet the requirements of the Associations Incorporation Act (Australian Capital Territory) and is appropriate to meet the needs of the Members. The committee's responsibility also includes such internal control as the committee determines is necessary to enable the preparation of a financial report that is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
Auditor’s Responsibility
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial report based on our audit. We have conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Those standards require that we comply with relevant ethical requirements relating to audit engagements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial report is free from material misstatement.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial report. The procedures selected depend on the auditor's judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error.
In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the Association's preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view, in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the association's internal control.
An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by the Committee, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial report.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.
Opinion
In our opinion, the financial report of Orienteering Australia Inc presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Orienteering Australia Inc as at 31 December 2023 and its financial performance for the Year then ended in accordance with the accounting policies described in the Notes to the Financial Statements, and the Associations Incorporation Act (Australian Capital Territory).
Orienteering Australia Inc
Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Orienteering Australia Inc
Basis of Accounting and Restriction on Distribution
Without modifying our opinion, we draw attention to the Notes to the Financial Statements, which describe the basis of accounting. The financial report has been prepared to assist Orienteering Australia Inc to meet the requirements of the Associations Incorporation Act (Australian Capital Territory). As a result, the financial report may not be suitable for another purpose.
Nikki George National Capital Accounting Pty Limited
Dated 25 March 2024
Orienteering Australia Inc
Trading, Profit and Loss Statement
For the Year ended 31 December 2023
Uniform and Badge Sales
Less Cost of Goods Sold
Opening Stock
Purchases
Closing Stock
Gross Profit from Trading
Less Expenditure
Accountancy and Audit Fees
Australian Orienteer Expense
Bank Charges
Development Projects
Employee Costs
Eventor & Other Software Licences
High Performance Insurance
IOF Levies & Meetings
Office Expenses Promotion
Sporting Schools
Total Expenditure Plus Other Income Australian Orienteer
The financial statements are special purpose financial statements prepared in order to satisfy the financial reporting requirements of the Associations Incorporation Act (Australian Capital Territory). The committee has determined that the association is not a reporting entity.
The following material accounting policies, which are consistent with the previous period unless otherwise stated, have been adopted in the preparation of the financial statements.
Basis of Preparation
The financial statements have been prepared on an accruals basis and are based on historical costs unless otherwise stated in the notes. The accounting policies that have been adopted in the preparation of the statements are as follows:
(a) Income Tax
No provision for income tax has been raised as the association/company (as the case may be) is exempt from income tax under Division 50 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.
(b) Revenue and Other Income
All revenue is stated net of the amount of goods and services tax (GST).
(c) Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of GST, except where the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). In these circumstances, the GST is recognised as part of the cost of acquisition of the asset or as part of an item of the expense. Receivables and payables in the balance sheet are shown inclusive of GST.
Orienteering Australia Inc Committee's Report
Your committee members submit the financial report of the Orienteering Australia Inc, for the year ended 31 Dec 2023.
Committee Members
The names of committee members throughout the year and at the date of this report are:
Michael Dowling
Paul Liggins
Andrea Harris
Anna Sheldon
Blair Trewin
Brett Weihart
Troy de Haas
Principal Activities
The principal activities of the association during the financial year were: Operating as the national body responsible for the organisation and promotion of Orienteering throughout Australia
Significant Changes
No significant change in the nature of these activities occurred during the year.
Operating Result
The Loss for the year ended 31 December 2023 amounted to $50,511.
Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Members of the Committee.
Michael Dowling
Paul Liggins
Orienteering Australia Inc
Certificate by Members of the Committee
I, Michael Dowling, and I, Paul Liggins, certify that; We attended the annual general meeting of the association held on 22 April 2024. The annual financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 were submitted to the members of the association at the annual general meeting.
Michael Dowling
Committee Member
Paul Liggins
Committee Member
22 April 2024
939,027.68
939,027.68
theawesomest.com, JWOC 2023 Romania.
Photo Credits - Michael Dowling, Graham Braid, Remy Steinegger, Kelvin Meng, Simon George, Tony Hill, quentinjlang.com, Ilya P, Honza Svoboda, IOF/Kristina Lindgren, PhotosByTom.com.au,
