NATIONAL O DAY
O-Mazing Eaglemont National Orienteering Day on May 1st saw events of all kinds conducted around the country. Four events were staged near Melbourne, one being a Maze-O event at Eaglemont Flats designed by Ian and Debbie Dodd of Dandenong Ranges Orienteering Club (DROC). The Maze-O course was set up on a tiny patch of parkland alongside the main event, a series of MicrO courses organised by Melbourne Forest Racers (MFR). THE two events complemented each other in that most competitors who came for the MicrO courses later came over to try the Maze-O event with many finding it wasn’t the ‘pushover’ they had at first assumed. And, while parents were out on the MicrO courses all their kids were over negotiating the Maze-O course again, and again and again …… What a great way to learn the techniques of Orienteering within the confines of a 40 x 50 metres maze. There were 102 attempts on the Eaglemont Maze record but Bruce Arthur (MFR) reigned supreme with a time of 3:44 and a convincing 25 secs lead. Tash Key (MFR) was best woman with 4:39 and Lachlan Fraser (BK) best junior with 5:35, edging out Jasmine Neve (MFR) by 3 secs. But the performances of the day were by some of our very youngest orienteers. Elana and Lauren Frost (DROC) were just 2 sec behind Jasmine Neve on 5:40 with the group of Becky, Rose & Ruby equalling that time. Maze-O might well be the right breeding ground for future JWOC representatives. This event design was based on an idea developed by Newcastle Orienteers for their Australia Day promotion (see The Australian Orienteer – March’05). From the success of both events it seems likely that we’ll see more Maze-O events in the future.
Race for the Finish line Studying the map
Maze designer Ian Dodd tests the course.
Learning how to punch a control JUNE 2005 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 37
