Vic MTBO 2021

Mountain Bike Orienteering thrives despite restrictions

It was another year where many of our scheduled events had to be cancelled due to the COVID19 pandemic.

The year started off well and we were able to complete some Bike-O 75 events during the summer and unlike 2020, we were able to run the Victorian MTBO Championships before lockdowns struck again with restrictions for much of the rest of the year.

Bike-O 75 Series

The first Bike-O 75 was at Woodlands Historic Park in late January, organised by Bayside Kangaroos with 68 competitors eager to get out and compete in a MTBO event again. All of the Bike-O 75 events used the MapRun technology with competitors using their phones, or Garmin watches, to record visits to the virtual control locations - a great system to allow non-contact competition in these times. Pre-entry was encouraged for minimal on-the-day contact for officials.

The second Bike-O 75 was due to run at Lysterfield but had to be postponed due to a 5-day lockdown, so the next event was at Westerfolds Park later in February. A fantastic 87 competitors attended this event, which was organised by Yarra Valley OC.

The Lysterfield event was rescheduled to early March with 49 riders taking part - a lower number than usual at Lysterfield, but people were getting a bit wary of heading out from home to attend any activity.

A fourth Bike-O 75 event was held out of the city at Muckleford on a Saturday in April, in conjunction with a Foot score event using the same map the next day. Organised by Nillumbik Emus, Rob Edmonds was the key organiser and John Gavens and Heather Leslie set the course. The event again used the MapRun technology and around 40 competitors took part, enjoying the challenge with many more than the usual 20 controls on offer.

The Vic MTBO Series

The first round of the series was able to run on the Bells Reef map near Daylesford. This event had been cancelled in 2020 so it was good to get it completed this time. Unfortunately it turned out to be the only event in the series for the year. Anthony Jones set the courses with Peter Cusworth assisting, and a good turnout of 46 riders attended. This event saw the first use of the new SportIdent BS11 control units that allow a 1.5 metre range for registering control visits with the SI AIR technology. Victoria had purchased a set of these units along with a larger set purchased by Orienteering Australia. Some other states had also bought sets so this technology can now be used at all major MTBO events held in Australia.

The 2021 Victorian MTBO Championships

The Victorian Championships were held in May re-using the maps created for the 2019 Australian Championships at Maryborough and Dunolly. Much of the event planning had been done in 2020 but at least this time the Sprint, Middle and Long events were able to run. The Championships were jointly organised by the Eureka, Bayside Kangaroos and Nillumbik clubs with assistance from members from Yarra Valley and other clubs. It was the first round of the 2021

National MTBO Series, so we did have some interstate entries, but unfortunately our Championships turned out to be the only round that was able to run in 2021.

There were between 70 and 80 competitors in each event, which was quite promising given the trying times we were experiencing. A big thanks to the key personnel for organising these events.

Sprint: Mark Valentine, Blake Gordon and Ian Chennell. Middle: Rob Edmonds and Peter Hill. Long: Tash Thackray, John Gavens and Tim Hatley.

With the exception of some AlburyWodonga club events, there were no other MTBO events held in Victoria in 2021. For the second year running the Australian MTBO Championships due to be held in NSW had to be cancelled again, actually several times during the year. No Australians travelled overseas to World Championships. Let's hope 2022 will be a better year to report on.

Peter Cusworth

Victorian MTBO Co-ordinator

2021 Victorian MTBO Champs – Maryborough

Victoria

Victorian podium placings were:

SPRINT Distance: Bristol Hill, Maryborough, Saturday 15 May

1st – Aeon Greenhan M14 (NE), Maya Bennette W14 (YV), James Robertson M21 (BG), Tom Lothian M40 (BK), Jayne Sales W40 (MF), Tim Hatley M60 (BK), Heather Leslie W60 (BK), Leigh Privett M70 (AW), Peta Whitford W70 (YV), Keith Wade M80 (TK), Helen Alexander W80 (BK)

2nd – Carolyn Jackson W21 (BK), Gavin Bennette M40 (YV), Melissa Biviano W40 (BK), Sofie Van Gunsteren W50 (BK), Carolyn Cusworth W60 (BK), Rick Armstrong M70 (AW), Kathy Liley W70 (YV)

3rd – Tash Thackray W21 (BK), Anthony Jones M40 (BK), Ed Steenbergen M50 (CH), Peter Cusworth M60 (BK), Prue Dobbin W60 (BK), Ralph Koch M70 (YV)

MIDDLE Distance: Tullaroop Forest, Maryborough, Saturday 15 May

1st – Aeon Greenhan M14 (NE), Maya Bennette W14 (YV), Dion Keech M40 (MF), Jayne Sales W40 (MF), Ed Steenbergen M50 (CH), Heather Leslie W60 (BK), Rick Armstrong M70 (AW), Keith Wade M80 (TK), Helen Alexander W80 (BK)

2nd – Carolyn Jackson W21 (BK), Anthony Jones M40 (BK), Melissa Biviano W40 (BK), Sofie Van Gunsteren W50 (BK), Leigh Privett M70 (AW), Peta Whitford W70 (YV)

3rd – Tom Lothian M40 (BK), Stephen Hanlon M50 (CH), Monica Dickson W50 (EU), Steven Law M60 (BK), Carolyn Cusworth W60 (BK), Blake Gordon M70 (EU), Kathy Liley W70 (YV)

LONG Distance: Dunolly Forest, Dunolly Sunday 16 May

1st – Maya Bennette W14 (YV), Carolyn Jackson W21 (BK), Dion Keech M40 (MF), Jayne Sales W40 (MF), Ed Steenbergen M50 (CH), Steven Law M60 (BK), Rick Armstrong M70 (AW), Peta Whitford W70 (YV), Keith Wade M80 (TK), Helen Alexander W80 (BK)

2nd – Luke Haines M21 (BK), Anthony Jones M40 (BK), Melissa Biviano W40 (BK), Sofie Van Gunsteren W50 (BK), Carolyn Cusworth W60 (BK), Graham Wallis M70 (DR),

3rd – Gavin Bennette M40 (YV), Monica Dickson W50 (EU), Prue Dobbin W60 (BK), Ralph Koch M70 (YV), Kathy Liley W70 (YV)