TOP EVENTS

2006

July 1-7 WMOC 2006 Wiener Neustadt, Austria www.wmoc06.com/ July 2-7 JWOC 2006, Druskininkai, Lithuania www.losf.lt/jwoc2006 July 8-15 Tour O Swiss www.tour-o-swiss.ch July 9-14 World MTB-O Champs, Joensuu, Finland. mtbwoc2006.orienteering.org July 15-22 Swiss O Week 2006 Zermatt, Switzerland www.sow2006zermatt.ch July 16-21 O-Ringen, Halsingland, Sweden (250 km north of Stockholm) www.oringen.com July 29-Aug 5 WOC 2006 and Danish WOC Tour 6-Days, Aarhus, Denmark www.woc2006.dk/ 29 Sept-12 Oct Australian Championships Carnival York, Western Australia http://wa.orienteering.asn.au/ auschamps 2006 10-12 Oct Australian MTB-O Championships Collie, Western Australia http://wa.orienteering.asn.au/ auschamps 2006 Dec 29-31 APOC 2006, Hong Kong http://www.apoc2006.hk

2007

Jan 3-7 Ultimax 5 Days, Orange NSW April 6-15 “Burra to Barossa 2007” Aust 3Days & Middle-dist Champs, SA www.oasa.asn.au/2007 July 7-14 WMOC 2007 Kuusamo, Finland www.wmoc2007.fi/ July 7-15 JWOC 2007 Carnival, incl NSW Champs, Aus Champs & Schools Champs, Dubbo, NSW. http:// orienteering.asn.au/events July 22-27 O-Ringen Östergötland, Sweden www.oringen.com August 16-26 WOC 2007 Kiev, Ukraine e-mail: info@woc2007.org.ua www.woc2007.org.ua August 19-26 WMTB-O 2007 Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic www.mtbo.cz/woc2007/ October 4 Australian Sprint Championships, Canberra ACT October 6-7 Oceania Championships, Canberra ACT November Australian MTB-O Championships, NSW Dec 27-31 Christmas 5 Days, NSW

Orienteer gets Top-10 place in Commonwealth Games

Lauren Shelley, Bayside Kangaroos member and a former regular participant in Melbourne’s Park & Street-O events, ran for AUS in the Commonwealth Games Women’s Marathon last March. She finished the 42+km event in a very creditable 8th place.

Lauren reports:

Well it was a busy and exciting two weeks and I think it took a few more weeks to really sink in. But overall it’s been a fantastic experience. The opening ceremony was great - particularly as we waited before rushing out onto the bridge into the centre of the MCG - a real rush. But it was all over so quickly, and the next day the mood in the village was no longer one of excitement and more one of anticipation and preparation for the hard days of competition to come. I was really relaxed going into the marathon race - I’d had a good preparation and had been training as well or better than leading into the Tokyo marathon, so I was hoping for a good run. I’m not one for nerves but there was certainly a sense of excitement, and I was glad to be competing early in the Games as I was looking forward to racing (and then hitting the 24hr food hall!). The day of my race was about 24 degrees max, so a little warm - but I coped well with the heat. Walking onto the MCG before the start I could hear friends and family in the crowd cheering. We started on the track with 3.5 laps before heading out into Melbourne for our 42km tour of the city. The support on course was the best I’ve encountered in a race - there were so many people out, and of course the majority were cheering for us Aussies! The cheering crowd as I ran into the MCG was something I certainly won’t ever forget. The race itself was exciting - the first 5km was relatively slow (18:45) and we ran in a pack of 15 over the early undulating stages of the race until about 15km, with only 11 of us left by 20km. Half-way split was 1:16:24 so going along well and I felt comfortable. It was great to run a competitive race in a pack as so often in marathons you run alone. But by 22km the leaders were cranking up the pace and I dropped off, and soon after there were only three runners left at the front. From there it was a battle to the finish, trying to slow as little as possible and stay in touch with those in front. My legs started to really tighten up and it got harder and harder to run fast. My times got slower and my final 5km from 35 - 40km was run in 20:25! Nevertheless, despite me slowing considerably, everyone else was suffering the same fate and after a couple of tussles with the Scottish runners and the Lesotho runner, I managed to hold my place in the end and finish 8th in 2:39:13.

Kerryn McCann (AUS) won in an exciting sprint finish in the stadium with the Kenyan runner. The other Australian Kate Smythe finished in 7th, 43sec in front of me, and not looking quite as fresh. She was placed on a drip afterwards and recovered fine. I have mixed emotions about my run - it was a fantastic race to be in; I was able to stay with the leaders early on; I felt I ran my best on the day; I coped with the heat well and had a good preparation. The field was strong and to finish 8th in my first major championship marathon and beat several strong runners who beat me in Canada last year was good. On the other hand, I finished 5min 30sec off my PB in Tokyo last November, I slowed considerably and struggled in the second half. I felt like my four marathons in eleven months had perhaps started to catch up with me, and I feel that Tokyo was definitely a better run. But if I had my time again I would do everything the same - run the race the same, and do the same marathons leading up to the Commonwealth Games - because without them I wouldn’t even be here. But I also know I can do better next time... The Closing Ceremony was my last chance to soak up the atmosphere of the ‘G, before flying back Women’s Marathon Results to Esperance. I’ve had a great time living 1 AUS McCANN Kerryn 2:30:54 in the village, catching up with friends, 2 KEN CHERONO KOSKEI Hellen 2:30:56 and watching the athletics, but by the end 3 ENG YELLING Elizabeth 2:32:19 I was exhausted and tireing of village life 4 WAL MORRIS Tracey 2:33:13 and 24hr food halls. I was looking forward 5 6 7 8 TAN CAN AUS AUS AKUNAAY Josephine KORTCHAGUINA Lioudmila SMYTHE Kate SHELLEY Lauren 2:36:27 2:36:43 2:38:30 2:39:13 to heading home, taking it easy for a few weeks, jogging along the foreshore, dipping the legs in the ocean post-run, 9 SCO HAINING Hayley 2:39:39 and cooking my own dinner - back to 10 SCO PARTRIDGE Susan 2:39:54 normality! Lauren’s 5km splits: 18.46; 17.36; 17.59; 18.04; Thanks for all your support - anyone for 18.24; 19.06; 19.46; 20.25. Beijing 2008??