2019 Highlights from the Eureka Orienteers, Ballarat
WORD S BLAKE G ORDON, SE CR ETA R Y, EURE KA O R IE NTE E R S
Every year we reflect and record what were the highlights, individual achievements, strength and weaknesses and plans for the next year. Our 45th year was full of highlights; I’ve listed six that stood out. •
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the Daylesford’s mining history within the city limits for visitors and school children.
MapRun (7 events) was successfully introduced to Ballarat by Ian Chennell and a small team of members that took up the challenge of setting electronic controls on the smartphone app in and around the parks, streets and gardens of Ballarat during summer and autumn. Ballarat Winter Series ran five low-key events culminating in the Eureka Challenge at Enfield thanks to Roch Prendergast - before the rain descended!
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Ian Chennell’s determined and successful effort to update the electronic entry, timing and results capabilities for both small and large events – tested at Maryborough with 5 events in 3 days!
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Eureka’s team of Sam and Mark Valentine and Toby Cooper staged the largest aMAZEing Geelong for the Victorian Teachers Games in September, while Monica Dickson and Helen Bloom set challenging clues in aMAZEing Buninyong just south of Ballarat.
2019 was crammed with individual achievements some of which are noted below.
The 2019 Australian MTBO Championships were an outstanding success with Ian Chennell and Blake Gordon combining the expertise of Eureka, Yarra Valley and Bayside clubs to produce five quality events in Maryborough and Dunolly (and a dinner at the Maryborough Station!) in three memorable October days. Ken and Anita Dowling’s dedicated effort in establishing a permanent orienteering course (POC) at Cornish Hill which showcase direct experience of page 39
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Jenny Bourne’s detailed, technical courses at Petticoat Gully combined with Gary Buchan’s organising and Geoff Lawford’s checking in early March
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Aislinn Prendergast elected Secretary of Orienteering Victoria
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Jenny Bourne scored the highest number of points (24) in the “Silva Orienteer of the Year” medal but beaten on a countback on winning margin
