The Australian Orienteer – March 2009

OCEANIA CHAMPS Aussies battle the Kiwis in NZ

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SILVA National Orienteering League Event Calendar 2009 Date

Race

Round 1

Location Adelaide Autumn Classic

South Australia

Sat Mar 21

1

Sprint Distance - AM

Sat Mar 21

2

Middle Distance - PM

Sun Mar 22

3

Long Distance

Round 2

Australian 3-day Championships

Tasmania

Fri Apr 10

4

Easter - Prologue (Sprint)

Sat Apr 11

5

Easter Day 1 - Middle Distance

Sun Apr 12

6

Easter Day 2 - Long Distance

Mon Apr 13

7

Easter Day 3 - Relay Distance

Sat Apr 18

8

ASC Galaxy Sprint

Sun Apr 19

9

Buttongrass Challenge

Round 3

ACT Championships

ACT

Sat May 16

10

ACT Sprint Championships

Sat May 16

11

ACT Middle Championships

Sun May 17

12

ACT Long Championships

Round 4

Australian Championships Carnival

Victoria

Sat Sep 26

13

Australian Middle Distance Championships

Sun Sep 27

14

Victorian Long Distance Championships

Fri Oct 2

15

Australian Sprint Orienteering Championships

Sat Oct 3

16

Australian Long Distance Championships

Sun Oct 4

17

Australian Relay Championships

All race details can be found at www.orienteering.asn.au www.silva.se

Silva is a FISKARS BRANDS company. australia@fiskarsbrands.com

Winning PartnershiP

The Australian Sports Commission proudly supports Orienteering Australia The Australian Sports Commission is the Australian Government agency that develops, manages and invests in sport at all levels in Australia.

Orienteering Australia has worked closely with the Australian Sports Commission to develop orienteering from community participation to high-level performance.

AUSTRALIAN SPORTS COMMISSION 4 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Orienteering Australia is one of many national sporting organisations that has formed a winning partnership with the Australian Sports Commission to develop its sport in Australia.

www.ausport.gov.au

w w w. o r i e n t e e r i n g . a s n . a u Orienteering Australia PO Box 284 Mitchell BC 2911 orienteering@netspeed.com.au w: 02 6162 1200 President: Bill Jones oa_president@netspeed.com.au h: 02 6258 6362 Director (High Performance): Mike Dowling oa_highperformance@netspeed.com.au h: 03 6244 7173 Director (Finance): Blair Trewin oa_finance@netspeed.com.au h: 03 9455 3516 Director (Development): Ben Rattray oa_development@netspeed.com.au m: 0404 781 032 Director (Technical): Andy Hogg oa_technical@netspeed.com.au w: 02 6125 9962 h: 02 6251 9777 Director (Special Projects): Robin Uppill oa_projects@netspeed.com.au h: 08 8278 3017 m: 0419 037 770 IOF Vice President: Hugh Cameron oa_international@netspeed.com.au h: 02 6027 0885 Executive Officer: Kay Grzadka orienteering@netspeed.com.au w: 02 6162 1200 m: 0421 174 846 Manager (High Performance): Robert Preston oa_headcoach@netspeed.com.au m: 0403 296 516 Badge Applications: John Oliver 68 Amaroo Street, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650

STATE ASSOCIATIONS Orienteering Queensland Inc: PO Box 114 Spring Hill QLD 4004. Admin Officer: Sandy Cantwell, Ph (07) 3379 8238 admin@oq.asn.au OA NSW: PO Box 3295, North Strathfield NSW 2137. Secretary: Dave Lotty, Ph. (02) 8116 9848 orienteering@sydney.net Orienteering ACT: PO Box 402, Jamison Centre ACT 2614. Office: John Suominen, Ph. (02) 6162 3422 orienteering.act@webone.com.au Victorian OA: PO Box 1010 Templestowe 3106. Secretary: Geoff Hudson, geoff@orienteering.com.au OA South Australia: State Association House, 73 Wakefield St Adelaide SA 5000. Secretary: Ken Thompson 08 8351 4757 secretary@oasa.net.au OA Western Australia: PO Box 234 Subiaco WA 6904. Secretary: Carol Brownlie Ph. (08) 9446 3457 carolnken@ozemail.com.au Orienteering Tasmania Inc.: PO Box 339, Sandy Bay, TAS 7005. Secretary: Sally Wayte, Ph. (03) 6234 8440 secretary@tasorienteering.asn.au Top End Orienteers (Northern Territory): PO Box 39152 Winnellie NT 0821. Secretary: David Rolland brolland@bigpond.com

NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE

April 17. Time-sensitive: April 24

ISSN 0818-6510 Issue 1/09 (no. 153) MARCH 2009

The national magazine of Orienteering Australia Inc. ABN 77 406 995 497 Published four times a year: First day of March, June, September, December. Print Post Approved PP 236080/00011 Editor: Michael Hubbert, P.O. Box 165, Warrandyte, Victoria 3113 mikehubbert@ozemail.com.au Phone (03) 9844 4878 Magazine Design & Assembly: Peter Cusworth, 8 View Street, Avonsleigh, Vic. 3782. Ph. 0409 797 023 cusworth@netspace.net.au Magazine Treasurer: Blair Trewin Printer: Ferntree Print Centre, 1238 Burwood Hwy Upper Ferntree Gully.

Contribution deadline: April 17. Time-sensitive material, April 24.

Deadline dates for contributions are the latest we can accept copy.

Publication is normally planned for the 1st of March, June, September & December. Copies are dispatched in bulk to State associations in the week prior to that date.

Regular Contributors: Badge Awards: John Oliver; Competition: Blair Trewin; High Performance: Mike Dowling; MTBO: Blake Gordon; Official News: Kay Grzadka; Nutrition: Gillian Woodward; Training: Steve Bird; Psychology: Jason McCrae.

Contributions are welcome, either directly or via State editorial contacts.

Prior consultation is suggested before preparing major contributions.

Guidelines for Contributors are available from the editor or from state contacts.

State Editorial Contacts Qld. – Liz Bourne 07 4683 6374 (h) batmaps@halenet.com.au NSW – Alex Davey alexdavey@internode.on.net ACT – Philip Purcell philippurc@hotmail.com Vic. – SA – Claire Davill 08 8226 4381 (w) davill.claire@saugov.sa.gov.au WA – Cath Chalmers 08 9380 4049 catheoin@ozemail.com.au Tas. – Mary Hawthorne 03 6243 8616 (h) editor.oti@trump.net.au Subscriptions: State Association members via State Associations. Contact relevant Association Secretary for details. Other subscribers: Write to The Australian Orienteer, PO‑Box 165, Warrandyte, Vic. 3113. Within Australia: $40 inc GST. Overseas: Asia/Pacific (inc. NZ) $A44, Rest of World $A49.

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CONTENTS OCEANIA ORIENTEERING CHAMPS, NZ.......... 6 S C H O O L S T E S T M A T C H .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 N AT I O N A L J U N I O R S Q U A D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 HIGH PERFORMANCE.............................. 14 J W O C R E M I N I S C I N G .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 6 THE MINDFUL ORIENTEER........................ 18 FAT LO S S L A B O R A R TO R Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 QUEENSLAND’S MINI CYCLONES................ 20 B I G M I S TA K E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 WOC 2009........................................... 23 XMAS 5 DAYS....................................... 24 M I D W E E K O R I E N T E E R S .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 URBAN ORIENTEERING ........................... 28 N U T R I T I O N .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 0 L E T T E R S .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1 M T B O – R I D I N G I N S A N D .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 MTBO – RANKINGS................................ 34 TOP EVENTS......................................... 41 ORIENTEERING AUSTRALIA ..................... 42 N A T I O N A L R A N K I N G S.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4 Front Cover: Krystal Neumann starting the Sprint race at the Oceanis Champs in New Zealand. Photo: Andrew Johnstone

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 5 MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 5

OCEANIA ORIENTEERING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Simon Uppill dominated at the Oceania Championships.

Photo: Rob Preston

6 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

The Trewin Report Blair Trewin takes us to the South Island of New Zealand for the 2009 Oceania Championships held in early January.

Uppill dominates again but NZ takes the trophies

N

ew Zealand continued the long run of home victories in the Australia-New Zealand Challenge when the Oceania Championships were contested in the South Island in January. No visiting nation has won either the Individual or Relay challenge since 1994. Australia had high hopes that they might break this run in 2009, particularly as the smaller number of classes gave them a better chance to field competitive teams, but New Zealand took out both events comfortably, winning the Relay 9-5 and the Individual 10-4.

Australia did, however, provide the individual star of the competition. Simon Uppill was one second away from a clean sweep of the three individual titles. He was a comprehensive winner in the Long Distance, six minutes clear of the field. It was a much closer affair in the Middle Distance, where he had only three seconds in hand over Finn Miika Hernelahti, and in the Sprint he was squeezed out by Jamie Stewart by a single second.

It was a reasonable week for the Australian men in general, especially in the Long Distance where Eric Morris was third, Ben Rattray was fourth and the leading New Zealander (Brent Edwards) was 13 minutes down on Uppill, but it was not enough to lift Australia to victory in the elite Test Match, as the women (up against a very strong New Zealand team) were unable to place better than eighth in any of the three races. Finland’s Mari Vaananen won the Middle and Long Distance races, while Lizzie Ingham took out the Sprint and was second in the other two events.

Australia struggled in many of the other classes. One where they excelled was M16, where they won both the Individual and Relay challenges, and Kurt Neumann and Oscar McNulty took the Long Distance and Sprint titles respectively. Australia also won both Individual and Relay events in W20 and W40, although both teams benefited from New Zealand relay disqualifications (a fate which also befell our M21 Relay team, which crossed the line first), and the best Australian individual performer in either class was someone who was not in the team – Sibylle Boos (Uringa, NSW), who took both the Long and Middle Distance titles in W40.

The other Australian relay wins came in M60 and W70. The Relay was an unusually technical one, held on a complex sand dune area north of Christchurch, with few big features, which brought many competitors unstuck. Many of the classes saw wild fluctuations from leg to leg, but the best race of the day was in M40, where two strong teams clashed. The teams were within seconds of each other at every changeover but Mark Lawson was a bit too fast for Jim Russell in the final sprint.

The Sprint, at Lincoln University near Christchurch, was the first major event of an interestingly varied week. It was Australia’s best event of the week with eleven A class wins, nearly half of which were accounted for by two families. In addition to Oscar McNulty’s victory in M16, his brother Henry won M14, and

the Burridges took three of the youngest junior classes through Isabella (W10), Heather (W12) and Nicholas (M10). Eoin Rothery won M50, one of two titles for the week (he also won the Middle Distance), and other Australian wins went to Tony Mount (M75), Belinda Lawford (W20), Su Yan Tay (W45), Jacquie Rand (W55) and Maureen Ogilvie (W75).

The Long Distance was a physically demanding race at Craigieburn in the foothills of the Southern Alps – the courses may have gone only a third of the way up the mountain but they were still tough, and single-digit kilometre rates were few and far between (something much more common in New Zealand than Australia). This was a day when many Australians did it tough.

Four juniors won, with Heather and Isabella Burridge backing up after the Sprint, and Max Neumann taking out M14 alongside Kurt’s win in M16, but Sibylle Boos in W40 was the only veteran to take out a Challenge class. There were victories for Alex Tarr in M65, Scott Simson in M35 and trans-Tasman transplant Ted van Geldermalsen in M55.

Completely different terrain was found again for the Middle Distance – an open limestone area near Oamaru. For some it was the completion of a good week (Heather Burridge was the only Australian to make it three out of three, and as noted earlier there were second titles for Uppill, Boos and Rothery, as well as Henry McNulty). For others the change of terrain was to their liking as they scored their first success for the week. The senior women had a particularly good day, with Sue Hancock (W45), Lynn Dabbs (W55), Sue Mount (W70) and Sue Healy (W75) all in front of their classes. On the other hand, the New Zealand juniors mostly bettered their Australian rivals here, although Joshua Neumann won in M18.

The week finished in the intricate gold-mining terrain of Naseby.

For the Schools team this was one of the key parts of the week, as the Individual and Relay Test Matches took place there. New Zealand have won both previous matches and were heavily favoured to win in 2009 as well. It was a closer-run thing than many expected, but in the end a 3-1 individual win was enough for the New Zealanders after the four relay classes were split.

As was expected from the results earlier in the week, the junior boys were dominant and swept the individual placings, with Kurt Neumann four minutes ahead of Ian Lawford and Oliver Poland.

Krystal Neumann, who had battled in races earlier in the week, came good when it mattered, seven seconds ahead of Belinda Lawford and 27 ahead of Kate Morrison, but Australia was unable to get a third runner in time to lift them to a win in that class.

And they were well back in the two others, although Lachlan Dow was second in the senior boys’. In the Relays both junior teams won, the boys as expected, the girls unexpectedly so dominant that they lapped their rivals, but neither senior team was really in the hunt.

For the other classes Naseby was not a championship race. It did, however, provide a platform for Simon Uppill to demonstrate his technical skills again with probably his best run of the week, seven minutes ahead of the field in a 48-minute race; on the same day the Australian elite women had their best day of the week as Vanessa Round and Briohny Davey filled the minor placings.

Ben Rattray took advantage of Uppill’s departure before the final mass-start race to score a win there, with Ryan Smyth and Bryan Keely also in the top four.

While many of the travelling Australians did not have the results they hoped for, most thoroughly enjoyed the competition, with almost every area very different, and most of them interesting.

There were also signs that Oceania is becoming more than just Australia and New Zealand, with a noticeable New Caledonia presence, including a first title when Laurent Devaud won the M35 Middle Distance event.

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 7

SCHOOLS TEST MATCH

Aussie Schools Team does battle with the Kiwis Following the Oceania Championships held in New Zealand, Australia’s Schools Team participated in a two-day Test Match against the Kiwis’ Team. Schools Orienteering National Coordinator, Ian Dalton, reports: Photos: Andrew Johnstone Schools Individual Race Day 1 of the two-day test match held in Naseby provided a stark contrast to the previous few days in New Zealand. Instead of the warm temperatures and open terrain encountered in the leadup events the competitors were presented with a saturated forest and sodden ground. Being one of New Zealand’s most technical maps, Naseby was going to require a solid set of skills to ensure good results.

Kurt Neumann ran through the Junior Boys field to take a convincing win on what was difficult gold mining terrain.

From the first control Kurt established a lead and held onto it throughout the race. Kurt won in a time of 26:23, 3min 37sec clear of 2nd placed Ian Lawford (Aus) followed by Oliver Poland (Aus) in 30:09. Best placed New Zealand runner was Alistair Richardson in a time of 32:42. It was a tri-fecta for AUS allowing the Australians to score a point in the Teams competition.

Michele Dawson from AUS had a strong run in the Junior Girls to place 3rd in a time of 40:26, 8min behind the eventual winner Laura Robertson of NZ. This was a great result for Michele with the comment “this was my best run of the week” being heard at the finish line. Laura Roberston took the lead early on from fellow Kiwi Selena Metherell (2nd) and demonstrated a clean run to hold onto first place.

The Senior Girls category provided close competition with the first three placegetters being within 27secs of each other. Krystal Neumann (AUS) won in a time of 41:21 closely followed by Belinda Lawford (AUS) in 41:28 and Kate Morrison (NZ) 3rd in 41:48. The lead changed several times throughout the race with any of the top three runners having a chance for the win. This gave Krystal Neumann her best result for the week.

Lachlan Dow was our only strong performer in the Senior Boys event with a 2nd placing (47:43), 1min 26sec behind eventual winner Toby Scott (NZ). The other AUS team members struggled in the gold mining terrain. A four minute error at the second control probably cost Lachlan a win but he showed consistency throughout the rest of the race cementing a second place.

Controls 6 -9 caused Joshua Blatchford (AUS) to drop several minutes taking away any chance of a podium place for the first time during the week.

Ian Lawford and Josh Blatchford lead the way in the relay

Australian team for the lead but with Kurt being our anchorman, a win was secured with Kurt’s fastest run of the day.

The New Zealand Junior Girls lead runner unfortunately had trouble on one leg putting the Australian girls in a commanding position, with the Australians ending up a whole leg in front.

The winning Australian team consisted of Rebekah Sunley, Jackie Doyle, Katie Doyle and Michele Dawson, with Michele Dawson having her best two runs of the Carnival at the Schools events.

Schools Relay

The Australian Senior Boys team consisting of Joshua Blatchford, Joshua Neumann, Patrick Watts and Lachlan Dow battled hard against the New Zealand Team. After two legs the AUS team had a lead of 10mins with two legs to go. Toby Scott (NZ) produced the fastest split of the Senior Boys course, overhauling Patrick Watts to put the New Zealand team in a strong position for a win. Scott McDonald eventually led the New Zealand team across the finish line for a win.

Day 2 and the area used was the more intricate detail of Naseby.

Winning times were predicted to be 30min which by the way the first leg runners were travelling, was thought to be a little ambitious. Three runners out of 16 were only able to achieve times in the 30-40min range. The Relay was showing that slower speeds and constant map contact would produce results.

An unfortunate incident left the Australian Senior Girl lead runner, Belinda Lawford, behind the NZ team by over 15mins.

An incorrectly labelled control description on the maps caused uncertainty for Belinda who abandoned her course to have the issue clarified. The rest of the Australian girls put up a good fight but Naseby’s terrain proved too difficult for the Senior Girls.

The Australian Junior Boys consisting of Ian Lawford, Max Neumann, Oliver Poland and Kurt Neumann produced another awesome result winning the Relay after a tight tussle with the NZ team. The New Zealand team came close to challenging the

The New Zealand Secondary Schools Team took the Test match win 5-3, once again giving the New Zealanders victory for the third time in a row. Australia took consolation in trouncing New Zealand in the Curling on Saturday evening.

8 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

SCHOOLS TEST MATCH

Belinda Lawford at the spectator control

Rebekah Sunley

Max Neumann

Lachlan Dow Nervous looks before the relay start

Krystal Neumann MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 9

Photo: Andrew Johnstone

Ben Rattray Photo: Rob Preston Ryan Smyth Photo: Andrew Johnstone

Jamie Stewart (NZ), winner of the Oceania Sprint, trying out his hot weather O-top.

Photo: Rob Preston 10 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Matt Scott (NZ) Photo: Rob Preston

Rob Preston Photo: Andrew Johnstone

Darren Ashmore runs final leg for winning NZ relay team Photo: Rob Preston

OCEANIA ORIENTEERING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Photo: Andrew Johnstone

Hugh Moore Photo: Andrew Johnstone

Simon Uppill Photo: Peter Yeates

Mace Neve Photo: Andrew Johnstone Blair Trewin Photo: Andrew Johnstone Ben Rattray heading to the finish in the Long event at Craigieburn Photo: Andrew Johnstone

Briohny Davey Photo: Andrew Johnstone MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 11

NATIONAL JUNIOR SQUAD Two national Junior training squads have been announced for 2009. Juniors Team Manager, Hilary Wood, has collected a series of profiles of our talented juniors and here we reproduce some of them.

The series will be continued in future editions of the magazine.

Oscar Phillips Nickname: Scar Attackpoint name: I don’t need ANOTHER reason to waste time on the computer….J but I have given in and got one - Scar Age: 18 (DOB) 3/1/91 Class: M17-20E Club: Esk Valley Orienteering Club Live? Launceston, Tasmania Current status: Year 12 student at Launceston Church Grammar School.

my National Schools wins in 2007 and 2006, of making the schools Honour Team from 2005-2007, and being in National Squads.

Orienteering goals for 2009: make the JWOC team to Italy, and win a lot of stuff in AUS, starting with Easter 2009.

Future plans: Survive Year 12, then Uni or Gap Year (to be decided); do more than make up the numbers at future JWOCs; represent at senior level and continue with Orienteering until I am in M80 +.

One interesting thing about you is: I have been running since I was three years old (and boy, am I tired………ha ha ha ha ha).

Orienteering successes: 1st Australian Schools Champs 2005,2006,2008, 2nd Australian Schools Champs 2007, 2008; Australian JWOC team, 2007, 2008; Australian Oceania Schools team Orienteering goals for 2009: Australian JWOC team; improve my ability.

Future plans: make future JWOC and eventually WOC teams.

One interesting thing about you is: the name I use today was not the name given to me at birth.

Josh Blatchford

Krystal Neumann

National Junior Squad 2009 Boys: Joshua Blatchford (NSW), Oliver Crosato (Qld), Lachlan Dow (ACT), Leon Keely (Vic), Simon Mee (Qld), Joshua Neumann (Qld), Kurt Neumann (Qld), Max Neve (Vic), Oscar Phillips (Tas), Patrick Watts (Tas) Girls: Bridget Anderson (Qld), Sarah Buckerfield (Tas), Lilian Burrill (Qld), Belinda Lawford (ACT), Krystal Neumann (Qld), Brea Pearce (Tas), Aislinn Prendergast (Vic)

Junior Development Squad 2009 Boys: Aaron Breed (Qld), Ian Lawford (ACT), Stuart Lawrie (Tas), Alex Massey (NSW), Todd Neve (Vic), Tom Palfrey (Tas), Oliver Poland (ACT) Girls: Katie Doyle (Qld), Mary Fleming (Vic), Morgan McIntyre (Qld), Naomi Mitchell (ACT), Melanie Neumann (Qld), Glennie Nottle (Qld), Georgia Parsons (ACT), Rebekah Sunley (Vic)

Current job/subject studying: after school job at “Jacka’s” (Hungry Jack’s). School subjects Biology, English, History, Health.

Other Interests: Mountain biking, music.

How did you start Orienteering?

My mum saw an ad for EVOC in the school newsletter or local newspaper and thought it would be something I’d like as I was into cross country running.

One important strategy/skill you apply to achieve Orienteering success is: I always thought my running speed was my strongest point but I have since been told by observers that I run pretty conservatively out on courses, and my favourite win was on a course covered in rocks not really conducive to fast running, so yeah I guess I must sometimes do something else other than run fast…..

Orienteering successes: I am proudest of making the JWOC team to Sweden in 2008, and of

12 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Nickname: krysy, pistal Attackpoint name: kryso Age: 17 (DOB) 20/5/91 Class: 17-20E Club: Enoggeroos, Qld. Live? Brisbane, Qld. Current status: student Studying: Year 12 Other Interests: touch footy, netball, soccer and other sports.

How did you start orienteering?

Dad took me and my brother along one day.

One important strategy/skill you apply to achieve Orienteering success is: complete focus.

Nickname: Josh, joshy b?, joshwa?

Attackpoint name: joshwa Age: 17 (DOB) 26/07/91 Class: M17-20 E Club: Newcastle.

Live: Ashtonfield, NSW. Current status: Student. Maitland Grossmann High School Studying: HSC Other Interests: running, mountain biking, music.

How did you start orienteering?

Through family.

One important strategy/skill you apply to achieve Orienteering success is: well, you’ll always have to work hard if you wanna achieve. Make sure you enjoy it.

Planning ahead is important. And as soon as something doesn’t seem right, slow down.

Orienteering successes: 1st M16 Easter 3 Day 2007; 2nd Aus Schools Individual Champs 2007+2008; ASOC honour team 2006, 07, 08; Aus Schools Orienteering Team 2007, 2008/09 Orienteering goals for 2009: Do well in NZL; Do well at Easter and make JWOC; Do well at ASOC; Continue to improve.

Future plans: umm…see above?

One interesting thing about you is: I play a bit of netball here and there. And I’m a bit of a fan of boost juice and JB Hi-Fi (can’t stop buying cd’s) :P

Orienteering goals for 2009: Australian JWOC team to travel to Italy.

Future plans: make future JWOC/ WOC teams.

Sarah Buckerfield

Joshua Neumann Nickname: josh Attackpoint name: josh88 Age: 17 (DOB) 5/8/1991 Class: M17-20E Club: Enoggeroos.

Live: Cashmere, QLD. Current status: Student, finished grade 12 in 2008 Other Interests: mountain biking.

How did you start orienteering?

Family friend.

One important strategy/skill you apply to achieve Orienteering success is: concentrate.

Orienteering successes: 2008 Australian Schools Test Team.

big commitment and I’m travelling overseas to compete.

Patrick Watts

One interesting thing about you is: I used to live in Newcastle and then Canberra but never heard of Orienteering until I moved to Tasmania in 2003.

Nickname: Pat; Waddy Potts Age: 18 (DOB) 29/11/1990 Class: M17-20E Club: Wellington Rangers.

Live: Hobart, Tasmania.

Current status: just finished TQA(HSC) looking for work to have a study free year.

Current job: Still looking.

Other Interests: Soccer, music (hip hop), most team sports e.g. rugby league.

How did you start orienteering?

Through the Tasmanian Institute of Sport Talent Search program -selected as a result of running the beep test in 2003.

Leon Keely

Age: 18 (DOB) 21/6/1990 Class: W17-20E Club: Australopers.

Live: Hobart, Tasmania.

Current status: Just finished school.

Current job: working for parents in Vet practice.

Other Interests: Horse riding, hiking.

How did you start orienteering?

I did a local schools O course in 2006.

One important strategy/skill you apply to achieve Orienteering success is: be open to learn all the time.

Orienteering successes: Schools Honour Team 2008 and Australian Schools Team 2008.

Orienteering goals for 2009: JWOC Team 2009.

Future plans: Possibly JWOC 2010.

To ride my bike around Australia.

One interesting thing about you is: I started orienteering as one afternoon a week and now it is a

One important strategy/skill you apply to achieve Orienteering success is: Keep contact with the map. Don’t run faster than you can navigate.

Orienteering successes: 4th Schools Champs 2008.

Orienteering goals for 2009: Do well at Easter (top 6) and other NOL events. Stay injury free.

Future plans: Get a job. Go to uni in a couple of years.

Age: 18 (DOB) 23/3/90 Class: M20E Club: Bendigo Orienteers Live: Bendigo Vic Working: Purtill’s Nursery Bendigo Current job: Disc Jockey/ Nurseryman Other Interests: Running, Music, Disc Jockey How did you start orienteering?

Uncle Jim took me to an orienteering event around Ballarat when I was 14.

One important strategy/skill you apply to achieve orienteering success is: Hard Work Orienteering successes: Team Australia member at Jukola 2008, 12th in relay leg at JWOC 2008.

Orienteering goals for 2009: To make the Australian JWOC Team 2009; top 3 at Australian 3 days 2009; Top 3 at Australian Champs.

Future plans: no definite plans at this stage One interesting thing about you is: Not many orienteers DJ and I do.

Orienteering Australia – National Training Centre MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 13

ORIENTEERING AUSTRALIA

High Performance Mike Dowling, OA Director, High Performance Readers of this column in the previous edition of The Australian Orienteer will remember that this is my final column as Director, High Performance before retiring from the Board at the upcoming Annual General Meeting of Orienteering Australia. In my last column I discussed some of the achievements of the last six and a half years and for this edition, as promised, I shall discuss some of the challenges and ongoing issues facing us into the future.

Funding Funding has always been our greatest challenge in promulgating an effective High Performance program and more so since the advent of annual World Championships and the development of Mountain Bike Orienteering. That is one of the principal reasons Orienteering Australia proposed to the IOF at their 2008 Congress for a return to World Championships every two years. It also means we are unable to provide the level of support we would like to for development activities that can further develop our international competitiveness.

Coaching While we have a number of very keen and dedicated coaches working at all levels of our sport it is fair to say we have a lack of depth among our coaching ranks. Often we struggle to fill our national coaching positions and therefore lack the necessary support to enable our orienteers to achieve their true potential.

Coaching is a rewarding role but at the same time requires a lot of commitment in time and energy.

In some circumstances this effort is under-appreciated by a few overly self-centred and self-absorbed athletes who think they know best and act to the detriment of an effective team environment. It is a very rare athlete who can achieve their true potential in any sport without recourse to the guidance and mentoring of a coach. In addition, the increasingly and seemingly ever increasing complexity of our daily lives means it is difficult for many people to put in time and energy to this role.

The increasingly legalistic approach to sport in terms of governance and accountability placed on national sporting organisations can place a barrier to individuals wanting to take on significant coaching roles on a voluntary basis. Having said that, we as a sporting organisation have to demand the highest level of integrity of our coaches especially when there is a significant age difference between coach and athlete. In an ideal world we will need to work toward the employment of a full time national Head Coach to provide the level of strategic direction and leadership in coaching and to work with our national teams and squads.

Culture Change One of my main goals as the Director, High Performance has been to work toward bringing about a culture change in our national teams. One aspect of this is to inspire in our juniors an appreciation of the level of commitment that is to be expected in representing your country as a foundation for future success in senior competition.

We are fortunate that our national junior coaching/management team in Nick Dent and Hilary Wood also share this vision. They are gradually bringing about a change of culture in our talented juniors as a basis to building pride, commitment and improving international competitiveness in our best young athletes in 14 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

return for the significant level of support we provide for High Performance within our limited budgetary framework.

Too often in the past there has always been one or two athletes selected in our Junior teams who give the impression that making the team was a higher priority than actually seeing this as a step along to way to the main game of representing their country to the very best of their ability. This will be a continuing challenge and I look forward to the day when we are left in absolutely no doubt that all our athletes who have the privilege of representing their country in World Championships understand the level of commitment we as a sporting community expect.

Junior & Young Adult Participation Nationally the level of participation in this age demographic continues to bedevil Orienteering in Australia. It was very noteworthy to see at the World Championships in the Czech Republic in 2008 that the largest level of participation in the supporting events for spectators were in the younger age categories. This is the complete opposite to that experienced here in Australia. As a sport we need to work on increasing the level of participation of young people as they will be the future organisers of our sport. We need to look at innovative ways to make Orienteering more attractive to the young.

The Future of Our Sport Across our nation we can see a slow decline in the level of participation in the “traditional” bush format of our sport. Like many, I find this of concern as it is my main centre of enjoyment in our sport. However, it is hardly surprising in one of the most urbanised societies in the developed world and where the mythology of the bush is one of a remote place with all sorts of hidden dangers.

In addition, the “desire” to seek out “new” areas sees us on occasions going to ever remote locations far from main population centres in search of the “perfect” terrain. In a society of time poor individuals with changing social structures this is hardly surprising.

We are also perceived as being an “irrelevant” sport by some sporting bureaucracies and a “celebrity obsessed” media. They seem to see sport as only having relevance if there is success among the privileged sports who gain Olympic medals. In terms of a High Performance focus, one option we need to seriously consider is some sort of national Sprint series as a means of capturing interest in our sport amongst urban populations and to showcase the marvellous experiences that our sport offers.

Closing Comment My family is looking forward to me spending less time in the near future wading through emails and fielding phone calls about all manner of HP related activities. Do I have any regrets about taking on this voluntary role that has occupied a significant amount of my mental energies? The answer is absolutely not. I have a firm belief that Orienteering is an awesome sport for all ages and abilities and at the HP level I regard it as a true “elite” sport with its physical, mental and technical demands.

In closing I’d like to especially thank the people who I have had the privilege to work with and get to know. Firstly, all my fellow Board members over the years who do so much to ensure that our sport is where it is today. Our Executive Officer Kay Grzadka, who is always ready with an answer and for whom nothing is ever too much trouble. Our current Manager, High Performance in Robbie Preston and our current Manager, Coaching & Officiating, Dave Meyer for their work that often takes up so much more time than they are actually paid to do.

I’d also like to pay a special thanks to Jason McCrae who was Manager, High Performance back in the early days of this role.

ORIENTEERING AUSTRALIA

Silva Medal 2008

result of all this exercise was that this Easter I was fitter than I had been for years.

The Australian Carnival was missing some of my major competition (Tim Dent overseas, Darryl Erbacher injured). So luck comes into it. There are no secrets to orienteering well. Just keep heading towards the next control, use the appropriate techniques and concentrate on map reading during competition. The main thing is to avoid injury and enjoy the challenge.

T

he Silva medal for 2008 has been won by Alex Tarr (YV.V) for the fourth time.

Alex was one of the inaugural winners. In 2008 the Silva Medal award is based on points for participating and placing in the following events: Australian 3-Days (each day considered as a separate event); Australian Sprint, Middle Distance and Long Distance Championships, and State Championships associated with national carnivals.

Each orienteer who completes 6 of the above events in M/W16and above is eligible for the Silva Medal. Points are awarded as follows: 4 for 1st, 3 for 2nd, 2 for 3rd, and one point for finishing.

One point is allocated for finishing if there are fewer than 4 starters.

Maximum score achievable is 24 points. This year, two orienteers scored 23 points.

Alex won on a countback from Laurina Neumann (EN.Q) based on winning margins.

OA Statistician, Darryl Erbacher, interviews Silva Medal 2008 winner, Alex Tarr.

S: I have run a place behind you more times than I care to remember. I will use some of those techniques when next we meet.

A: Unfortunately when we compete it is easy to be distracted. Most competitors have the skills to have a mistake free run. If all my competitors have a good run I count myself lucky to get a placing.

S: You have made many maps and set many courses. Do these activities contribute to your skills?

Statistician: Congratulations Alex, you are the winner of the Silva Medal for 2008.

Alex: Thanks S: Alex, you have had a long and illustrious career.

You ran for Australia when you were an Elite, you have won many championships, and now you have won the Silva Medal for the 4th time. How do you do it?

A: It was a good year for me. In February my daughter Sandra and I spent a week walking into and climbing Federation Peak and we both had put in a big effort to get specially fit. This was followed by mapping in Tasmania. The

A: Mapping provides me with my basic fitness level and reinforces map reading skills. In particular it can make you much more flexible in interpreting someone else’s map. This is because you know there can be a variety of ways of mapping features, all of which are legitimate.

S: I love your courses (although I don’t get to run against you on them). We now have three different

disciplines in Orienteering.

Do course setters address the nuances appropriately in Australia?

A: Good courses meet the IOF specifications for the type of event. We seem to be setting very good Sprint and Middle Distance courses. Long Distance courses are very uneven, they are meant to provide an emphasis on route choice.

Elite courses should be based around a number of legs of up to three kilometres giving extensive route choice. Long Distance course setting for older age groups should be set in the same style as the elites. In a five kilometre course we should expect at least two major route choice legs of up to a kilometre. It is route choice that makes an event memorable. All too often I go to a Carnival and get nothing but Middle Distance style courses where straight line is both the obvious and the quickest route. The M65 course at the recent Australian Championships was a good example of a well set Long Distance course. The route choice problems certainly caught me out, which is a great reminder to concentrate on map reading and basic skills.

S: If I can get a period of injury free running I will try to reduce your winning margins in the future. Once again, well done, Alex.

A: I look forward to seeing you again Darryl.

High Performance continued from page 14…

Jase was an absolute legend to work with and gave so much of himself in such a passionate manner for HP Orienteering.

And finally, I’d especially like to thank our former President Bob Mouatt for his passion, enthusiasm, guidance, support and friendship. Like Bob, I have a passion for our sport to gain its rightful place and level of recognition for the fantastic opportunities Orienteering can and could offer to the Australian community.

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 15

JUNIOR WORLD ORIENTEERING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Reminiscing JWOC 2008

time wandering through the forest by our cottage. On one such wander I came across a great lake in the middle of the forest, with little sign of civilisation other than a hut on the far shore. It seemed like a scene out of a fairy tale, and radiated tranquillity. It was a soothing place in the lead up to the excitement of JWOC.

Geoff Stacey (Parawanga, ACT)

Training Camp: The first week was a training camp, and our accommodation turned out to be a little cottage (an orienteering clubhouse) hidden just within a great expanse of forest. This was perfect for our purposes, because any time we wanted to we could grab a map of the area (available with a scale of 1:5 000, 1:10 000 or 1:15 000) and go training in the surrounding forest. Inside, we had a table tennis table and a huge supply of cards for relaxation.

Our first training session consisted of completing a small course in groups of two or three, taking it slowly and studying the way the terrain was mapped. The forest had a lot of undergrowth and was in general very soft, not to mention green! Occasionally I made the mistake of wandering into a patch of stinging nettles, but quickly learned which type of leaves to watch out for. There were boulders and bare rocks much like in Australia, except that most of them were covered in moss.

The mapping of the rock could be difficult to become accustomed to; the general rules were that bare rock covered in moss wasn’t bare rock and that cliffs weren’t mapped unless they were difficult to pass. As a result, yellow often turned out to be bare rock, and contours that were close together often turned out to be cliffs. The mapping of contours was more detailed than in Australia, and sometimes even the smallest gully nestled between two boulders could be shown on the map. Another unfamiliar feature on the Swedish maps were the marshes. Some of these were just wetter patches of ground with longer grass, but the larger marshes could be quite muddy and were usually covered in moss and grass, with quite a spongy surface. Visibility was good in these areas but running could be quite draining physically.

The areas generally had lots of small, steep hills (whereas Australian terrain tends to have a single primary hill). The land was formed by glaciers, which caused the hills to be generally more linear than those in Australia. Courses often had long legs going across the grain of the land, making them very physical.

Route choice was usually either up and down over several steep slopes, or around through thick gullies or spongy marshes.

Due to the vegetation, it was very difficult to see what your feet were going to land on, and the ground was often lumpy or tussocky underneath. On one occasion my foot fell straight into a gap between two unseen pieces of rock. The only thing that stopped my fall was my knee slamming into them and being wedged in between. I was most fortunate that my leg went in at the right angle to avoid breaking anything.

Throughout the rest of the training camp, we managed to have a session for each of the four disciplines, and I also spent a bit of 16 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

There was a great change to our lifestyle once JWOC started. The accommodation for the teams was in an army barracks, for which there was a Sprint map to practice on. There was a great view of the city from the top of a nearby hill. Deer and hares could be seen around the place, as well as various birds. Most of the food provided was pretty bland, but jam went with pretty much everything and gave it some flavour.

Mike Hubbert

On Monday 23rd of June I arrived at Gothenburg airport, Sweden, ready for the experience of a lifetime – JWOC, the Junior World Orienteering Championships.

JWOC:

Sprint race: The JWOC Sprint was our first event. I was feeling a little anxious on the bus ride because I didn’t really know what to expect, but once I arrived at the start arena it suddenly felt like any other national event, only scaled up a little. We had a nice area to warm up in, with a small practice map to get a feel for the terrain. We had a silent start, which basically meant we had to follow hand motions rather than verbal instructions, and when it was time I pushed through the start gate and began my course.

The early part wove around lots of small buildings and gardens, which wasn’t very different to the Sprint races in Australia and I was travelling really well. The second half of the course began to cross strips of bushland, which were a little thick in places and had cliffs riddled throughout. This bush was really technical and, although it wasn’t too hard to see where I wanted to end up, I had to make a lot of quick decisions about the fastest way to get there without jumping down any impassable cliffs (which is a disqualification in a Sprint). There was also the added pressure of the media, which was distributed throughout the course.

Around a third of the way through the course, I caught someone who’d made an error, and we headed around the next few controls together, until we took different route choices on a long leg. I got a little disoriented here, but without hesitation changed my route choice to make use of a catching feature which saved me from making an error. I came up to the second last leg, which went through the bush, but in my haste I didn’t notice a track underneath a contour line. It was a little harder without it and I hit the cliff about 10 meters from the control, but the bush was thick there and it took me a while to see the control and reach it. From there my bearing to the finish control was a little off, but I corrected this and suddenly I was sprinting down the streamered finish chute towards the finish of my first JWOC race.

My time was quite reasonable; until my small errors on the last two controls I had been roughly equal with Lachlan Dow who got the fastest time for the Aussie boys. At the finish, I eagerly awaited the arrival of the rest of my team. Most of the team had very respectable times, although we had a couple of mishaps such as Leon Keely breaking his compass in the middle of a fantastic run.

Middle Distance: On the Tuesday we headed out to the model event for the Middle Distance. Unfortunately, as it turned out I didn’t spend much time in the more relevant parts of the map, which were the open rocky hills.

The next day we ran the Middle Distance Qualifications, for which there were three different courses (heats) that we were randomly assigned to, and the top 20 from each heat would run the A final, with the next 20 running the B final and the rest running the C final. Competitors were started three at a time with 2-minute intervals.

My race got off to a good start, but my navigation slowly declined as the physically tough terrain took its toll. Much of the team

had a similar experience. Bridget Anderson and Oliver Mitchell achieved the best results for our team, with Bridget making the A final and Oliver making the B final.

Next day we ran the Middle Distance Finals. It provided me with another chance to become accustomed to the terrain before the Long Distance event, but it ended up going much the same way as the qualifier. Most of our team ran much better, which raised spirits after the previous day. Bridget had a fantastic run and came 28th in the A final.

Long Distance: We spent the rest day taking a boat trip out to the nearby islands.

The Long Distance race was on the next day. This lived up to the expectations of a physically demanding event. With so many entrants, the men’s start times alone ranged over nearly 6 hours.

The terrain was steep and covered in undergrowth. I’d chosen to be in an early start block to avoid the heat, but without the trails (“elephant tracks”) that form by the end of the event I found it very difficult to run. I estimated I lost around 15 minutes on this alone. I didn’t have a bad start, but then the draining and disorienting terrain caught me out when we came to a long leg, and I drifted off course. After that I felt that I really settled into the mapping of the Swedish terrain a lot better, and while I still moved slowly I managed to keep my focus and navigation pretty steady the rest of the way.

We had some great runs by Laurina Neumann, Nick Andrewartha, and Leon Keely, except Leon miss-punched on the drinks control with the famous error of drinking without punching. The drinks had been positioned in front of the control, which encouraged this error.

Relays: The Relays were our final JWOC races. This was the race I had been waiting for, as it had always been my primary focus. I was in the Australian B team, whose running order was Oscar Phillips, Lachlan Dow, and then myself.

Geoff at Easter’08.

Photo: Gay Pywell

Leon and Oscar both had a great performance in the mass start, and our A team continued to show respectable form after Leon’s lead. Unfortunately, Lachlan had sore feet from the week’s efforts and this set him back a little. I believe I was one of the last people to head out, but was determined to make the most of this final opportunity.

The country was said to be easier running than the Middle and Long Distances, and this was also the only race for which I ran later in the day, meaning that I finally had some elephant trails at my disposal. It was generally flatter and had better visibility, which I think suited me well. I made the most of these advantages, and kept a steady speed and strong focus. Since the latter half of the Long Distance the day before, I felt I was really starting to understand the terrain much better and to read the maps far more fluently. My only real setback was that there were few people around to form a pack with. As I neared the finish I could hear the announcements and the anthems of the race’s award ceremony and came running down the finish chute to the sounds of the last song. I’d had a great run, with the second fastest time for the Aussie boys and catching up 6 places. This was a result that I could be very happy with because by third leg the gaps between the teams are usually quite significant.

We spent the rest of that day celebrating through the evening and long into the night, bringing a great conclusion to a wonderful journey.

Thanks To: I would, of course, like to give a huge “Thank You” to everyone who helped me get to Sweden for such a wonderful experience.

My orienteering club, Parawanga, and the Board of Orienteering ACT, put in a lot of work towards my funding on very short notice (as Reserve, I only discovered that I would be attending JWOC two weeks before my departure, and during this time I was busy with final assignments and exams at uni). Grant McDonald and the Canberra Cockatoos have been wonderful coaches and made training much easier and very enjoyable. The JWOC team of 2008 was full of great people and we all got along very well. Lastly, thanks to Nick Dent and Hilary Wood, coach and manager of the JWOC team, who made every effort to see that we performed at the very best of our abilities in JWOC, and looked after us every step of the way. It’s been a fantastic adventure and really makes me look forward to competing overseas in the future.

Lachlan Dow handing over to Geoff in the JWOC Relay. Photo: John Anderson

Finishing the Relay at JWOC. Photo: Hilary Wood

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 17

SPORT PSYCHOLOGY

The Mindful Orienteer Jo Mitchell

Last edition I discussed the concept of autopilot – a lack of present moment awareness – and the issues it can create in Orienteering. This article introduces the alternative to autopilot – mindfulness. Mindfulness is defined as ‘a receptive attention to and awareness of present events and experiences’ (Brown & Ryan, 2003).

Mindfulness helps us to tune in to the present moment and creates a space between our perception and ensuing response; this space allows us to be reflective, rather than reflexive, about the way we respond to experiences.

Mindfulness in action

Mindfulness practice

Mindfulness is derived from Buddhist practices and has been adapted and applied successfully in a variety of settings (e.g. medical, psychological, work, education and wellness).

Mindfulness in sport is an area of growing interest and has been applied by athletes and teams such as golfer Tiger Woods, speed skater Apolo Ohno, the American women’s rowing team, and the Chigaco Bulls and LA Lakers basketball teams. Evidence based research has demonstrated that mindfulness predicts positive well-being, reduces stress and improves performance across a range of life domains (e.g. work, social, study and sport).

There are many forms of mindfulness training, including the more formal practice of sitting with your eyes closed or focussed on a single point and letting your attention rest with the your breathing. Observing the breathing process as if noticing it for the first time. Anytime you become aware your attention has wandered away from the breath, just acknowledge where it has gone (e.g. to thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations) and then, without criticism or judgement, gently guide it back to the breathing. You may need to repeat this process once or 100 times.

The idea is to be a non-judgemental observer of your breathing which serves as an anchor to the present moment. Try doing this for 5-10 minutes daily.

In sport, mindfulness is similar to the experience of being ‘in flow’ or ‘in the zone’ – characterised by an intense focus on the process of orienteering, yet aware and attentive to incoming stimuli and able to effortlessly and seamlessly shift attention between internal (e.g. physical sensations, thoughts, feelings) and external experiences (e.g. the map or terrain) as needed.

It is also possible Orienteering may attract people to it for its mindfulness creating qualities. When you are surrounded by an ever-changing natural environment it is difficult not to tune in and savour the immediate experience. The activation of the senses (i.e. sight, sound, smell, touch and taste) can be enough to stop any time travel and keep you focussed on the present moment experience. In contradiction, the stress of competition can interfere with mindfulness and lead again to automatic processing. In some circumstances automatic processing will be helpful and save valuable time, as long as it is applied in the right circumstances or does not lead to distraction from the task at hand.

Mindfulness and orienteering

Note: the goal is not to stop or push away your thoughts but to choose where you rest your attention, rather than your attention choosing for you.

Daily mindfulness practice A less formal approach is daily mindfulness, which can be as simple as using your senses to focus on daily tasks such as eating a meal, taking a shower, walking to work, or going for a jog. For the duration of the activity keep your mind focussed on your chosen activity by using your senses – what can you see, hear, smell, touch, or taste? Activating your senses keeps you grounded in the present moment. Any time you notice your attention travel elsewhere or you go into story telling mode, just acknowledge where you are and then, without criticism or judgement, gently guide your attention back to the experience.

For a free guided mindfulness audio email Jo Mitchell at psychjm@gmail.com or you can purchase a mindfulness CD at www.actmindfully.com.au/cds_and_books

Mindfulness can: • Be a useful technique in training to help build awareness of helpful or unhelpful automated responses and to broaden the awareness-response repertoire; • Create more ‘flow’ experiences in competition or training; • Help cope with anxiety/stress (e.g. in competition and during transitional periods such as injury, de-selection, or shifting from junior to senior ranks);

Jo Mitchell is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Melbourne and recovering orienteer (with occasional relapses). She has over 15 years of experience working in sport and is completing her PhD in well-being and performance psychology. You can contact Jo at psychjm@ gmail.com

• Create a more enriching and satisfying experience.

Like any skill in sport or life, it is possible to cultivate mindfulness through practice. Whether you are a competitive or recreational orienteer cultivating mindfulness can enhance the quality of your Orienteering experience and/or your performance, depending on what your goals are.

18 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Orienteering Australia – National Training Centre

EVENT ORGANISATION

More about Water on Courses Kathy Liley (Yarra Valley, VIC) I always carry my own water. It doesn’t’ have to be an expensive solution – a 500 ml bottle easily fits into a small bumbag or waist-belt-type bag and doesn’t slow down this non-elite runner.

Then I’m not at the mercy of course-setters or terrain of the types described by John Colls & Geoff Peck (The Australian Orienteer Dec’08, p28). They provided a map example of a “better” solution. But looking more carefully at that map and course, the earliest ‘real’ opportunity for a drink on that course was between #10 and #11. Many runners would have taken the road route from #4 to #5 which did not have a water point! (I wonder why there wasn’t water point at the SE point of the triangular road junction?)

I would argue that the OA Competition rules should be amended to allow water to be placed at other convenient locations (eg at multiple points along a road which all competitors must cross) but as John and Geoff point out, the safety of competitors should not be compromised. It should not be possible for a competitor to avoid passing a water ‘control’ because a sensible route choice does not have a water point.

One creative way around the OA Rules would be to put the same-numbered control (eg #110) at every water point along the road. Wen you cross the road you must visit one of these points – but depending on your preferred route choice, it can be any one!

Then of course you have to be sure that the water points are where they are marked on the map and not in danger of interference by passing traffic (if army cadets, etc, are not available to guard all the points) …

Finally, we might note that the OA Competition Rules are only binding on Level A and Level B events on the Australian calendar – ie Australian and State Championships, Australian 3-Days, National Orienteering League events and designated Badge events.

TRAINING

Fat Loss Laboratory

Boutcher said this would be applicable to other types of exercise such as swimming, walking, and rowing. The results have been presented at meetings of the Heart Foundation and American College of Sports Medicine.

Do you have a few kilos to shed? University of NSW (UNSW) researchers have shown that short periods of intense exercise interspersed with active recovery exercise burns more fat than steady continuous exercise.

Of course, runners have known this for years. Interval training and “fartlek” sessions are often used to improve speed and fitness, but it’s encouraging to learn there is scientific evidence to show that it is, indeed, effective in toning body fat.

“We think the reason that it works is because it produces a unique metabolic response,” said Professor Boutcher.

“Intermittent sprinting produces high levels of chemical compounds called catecholamines, which allow more fat to be burned from under the skin and within the exercising muscles.

The resulting increase in fat oxidation drives the greater weight loss.”

How to burn more fat Researchers from have found an easier way of getting off those extra kilos you may have gained over the holiday season. The team has trialled a different way of exercising which burns more fat than regular continuous exercise.

“The group which did around eight seconds of sprinting on a bike, followed by 12 seconds of exercising lightly for twenty minutes, lost three times as much fat as other women, who exercised at a continuous, regular pace for 40 minutes,” said the team leader, Associate Professor Steve Boutcher, Head of the Health and Exercise Science program, in the School of Medical Sciences at UNSW. The study involved a group of 45 overweight women who cycled three times a week over a 15-week period. Professor

The women lost most weight off the legs and buttocks.

“This may be unique to this type of exercise,” said Professor Boutcher. “We know it is very difficult to ‘spot reduce’ troublesome fat areas. When you do regular exercise, you tend to lose fat everywhere and you tend to look emaciated.

Our results are unusual but were consistent across the women who performed the sprinting exercise.”

“Overall, any type of exercise is good. You just have to work out your objectives, whether it is to increase muscle, lose fat, or enhance other aspects of your life such as improving the quality of your sleep,” said Professor Boutcher.

And there is a positive message for some people who are overweight. “A lot of people are fat despite having a good diet and a high level of physical activity,” he said. “But being ‘fat and fit’ is much healthier than being lean and unfit. Those overweight people who don’t have excessive fat around their abdomen and don’t have low grade inflammation typically stay healthy and don’t become diabetics.

“The message that fat is awful is an exaggerated one,” he said.

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 19

JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT

Queensland’s Mini Cyclones Rob Simson (Squad Manager)

Queensland already had named its NOL teams the Queensland Cyclones and its Junior training squad the Junior Cyclones when the Mini Cyclones squad was launched in 2003. The plan was to give greater encouragement and support to 11-14 year olds who could participate at the easy (green) and moderate (orange) levels of competition.

T

he program is skills not fitness based, in the belief that serious orienteering fitness training for Juniors should not occur till the 15th year, and that the natural fitness from childhood games and other sporting activities is sufficient for the young participants. The thumb compass is introduced early, to be used in conjunction with the map, and nutrition and injury prevention are part of the program. Exposure at an early age to the atmosphere of a major competition is also important.

The aim is to encourage and hold families by offering some financial assistance for travel to major national events as well as discounted introductory club membership.

An annual 3-Day training camp is fully financed for each Mini Cyclone member and one parent. Parents are encouraged to participate and help in the camp activities and learn the orienteering skills themselves. Where possible the squad members are also attached to an adult coach or mentor other than a parent to give advice and further encouragement through the year. The emphasis is always on enjoyment. We want them to love the sport and not to feel that they have to win to be recognised and successful.

The 2003 intake included national stars, Bridget Anderson and Simon Mee. As well 10 others out of the first 20 members went on to represent Queensland in the Queensland Schools Team. The second year brought in Krystal Neumann and Kurt Neumann (still 11 at the time), Joshua Neumann (their cousin), Oliver Crosato, and Lilian Burrill, and started them on the way to National success and National Junior Squad membership. Now seven members of the current National Junior Squad and four of the National Development squad are ex Mini Cyclones.

In our 2009 cohort Max Neumann (from a third Neumann family) is already an outstanding performer. Like his cousin Kurt before him he won the M14 Australian Championship at 13 and was selected in the Australian Schools team for the Oceania carnival where he won the M14 class. He has more speed than Kurt but not quite the eye for terrain and the same composure under stress. Younger brother Jack is also showing lots of promise.

David Tay, also 14 this year, is the Australian MTBO M14 Champion. Like Max he was a member of the successful 2008 Queensland Schools Orienteering Team. Matt Doyle brother of the outstanding Doyle sisters, Katie and Jacqui (see their Easter 3 Day and National Championship results in 2007-8) will be making his mark on the national scene this year. While still 12 Matt was 4th in the M14 Queensland Championships and 6th in the Australian Middle Distance at the 2008 National Carnival in Maryborough.

20 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Rising stars amongst the girls are Heather Burridge and Alison Burrill. Heather is the Australian and Oceania W12 Champion over both Long and Middle Distances and will run W14 this year. Alison (sister of Lilian) came 4th in the W14 Australian Championship this year and has another chance in this class in 2009.

The plan is to maintain the squad at around 24-30, eight to ten for each year level. Scouts are on the lookout at school and club events and those showing talent or a keen interest are recruited.

Members are encouraged to bring siblings and friends along to events to try out the sport, and this can also lead to new memberships. Some newspaper advertising has been tried with little response.

This year Queensland Orienteering will be recognising our UltraMini Cyclones, 9-11 year olds, to start them off on the right foot with map reading and navigation practice. They will feed into the Mini Cyclones in their 12th year.

Editor’s note: some extracts from the OQ Junior Incentive Program brochure make informative reading.

Activities: Juniors selected to participate in the scheme will be offered opportunities to further their progress in Orienteering by participating in a number of different activities. These activities will vary from year to year but may include: • A special fully or partially funded coaching camp for 12-14 year olds.

•M ini Cyclone coaching activities as part of the normal OQ coaching days.

• Subsidised bus travel to selected events outside Brisbane and the annual Queensland Championships.

• Being assigned to a personal coach or mentor who will provide advice on how to keep a performance log and analyse results.

• Receiving advice on training and injury prevention.

Special financial assistance may also be arranged for Mini Cyclone squad members who live outside Brisbane and may not be able to benefit from the city-based activities.

Parents must be prepared to support the program by seeing that their child has suitable orienteering equipment including an orienteering compass, a whistle, appropriate foot-wear, and perhaps an orienteering suit. The State Director of Coaching will be able to advise on the most suitable equipment and where it is available.

Competition Level: Juniors who enter the scheme in their 12th year will be expected to participate in their first year at Green (easy) level of navigation with a view to improving their map reading and navigation skills.

Participating juniors in their 13th year must be able to participate at an Orange (moderate) level involving off-track navigation and be confident enough to cope with re-location problems when controls prove difficult to find.

Participants in their 14th year will be expected to perform very well at Orange (moderate) level and be prepared to try an occasional Red (hard navigation) course in training situations.

Continuing juniors: A participant in their 12th or 13th year shall not assume that their inclusion in the scheme for the following year will be automatic.

Any on-going selection will be dependent on the child showing continued interest, commitment and development - perhaps in terms of reaching certain goals set out by the personal coach or State Coaching Coordinator.

Casey Taylor

David Tay Max Neumann

Matt Doyle Rob Simson debriefs boys

Kelsey Harvey

Jack Neumann

Alison Burrill

Rob Simson with Kelsey Harvey & Karl Withers

Heather Burridge

Rebecca Freese & Jacqui Doyle

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER

21

BIG MISTAKES Norwegian Championships Sprint

Gold Medal winner disqualified

O

ne of the special characteristics of maps for Sprint events is the linear uncrossable boundary feature. It may be a 3-metre high cyclone wire fence with barbed wire on top, or a 1-metre high fence around a cricket ground, or a 0.2-metre high garden bed; and anything in between. The garden bed may be physically crossable but the gardener doesn’t want heavy-footed orienteers stomping on his prized plants or hedge, so it is forbidden to cross. Usually shown by a black line on the map, any orienteers who cross these boundaries are disqualified from the event.

Norway’s Oystein Kvaal Osterbo is a seasoned Sprint orienteer. He has competed in, and won, many of the Park World Tour sprint events in Europe and Asia. Recently he had fastest time by 8 seconds for the Sprint at the Norwegian Championships in Stavern, but on the way from #1 to #2 Osterbo jumped over a stone wall shown as ”unpassable barrier” on the map. The map section here shows his route (red) compared with the route of the eventual winner, Lars Skjeset, (purple).

What was Osterbo thinking?? Certainly he gained some time, but only 4.4 seconds on that leg to #2. The direction he left #1 drew him into making the error, but there were alternative ways to go. Clearly the organisers had people out on the course watching for this type of transgression. So Osterbo lost his gold medal.

Australian orienteers have been caught and disqualified for making much the same mistake. With Sprint events becoming more popular we need to get our minds around the special characteristics of Sprint maps and Sprint terrains.

This was Oystein’s Big Mistake

Map and photo courtesy Veivalg magazine

22 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Osterbo finishing a Blodslitet at Fredrikstad, Norway

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 23

We will have coverage of the Team members chosen to represent Australia at WOC in the June’09 edition.

Keeping in precise contact with the map whilst running up and down hills at high speed will be an absolute essential for the members of our WOC team if they are to conquer the Hungarian terrain and courses.

The map and competitors’ routes come courtesy of Orienteering North America magazine, and show just how easy it might be to make parallel navigational errors in terrain which seems to be made up of many ‘copy and paste’ features.

The terrain for this year’s World Orienteering Championships (WOC) to be held near Miskolc, Hungary, in August should prove to be hilly but quite fast if the training camp held there late last year is anything to go by. Big rounded hills and enormous depressions are likely to be typical, with some areas of quite thick undergrowth.

WORLD ORIENTEERING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2009 Hills, depressions and parallel errors.

Nicola Blatchford, Day 4

Golden Summer 08 Xmas 5 Days Carnival in Victoria’s Golden Triangle Photos: Ken Dowling rt on Day 3

Heading off from the sta

Peter Cusworth, Day 2

The new generation – Aston Key on Day 4

24 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Carnival organi ser Warwick Williams got to run on Day 3

also part of the carnival.

Two MTBO events were minute score course. start group out on the 75 t firs the Tim Hatley leads

Dave Colls tries to move a boulder.

Photo: Judy Hill

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 25

The Midweek Orienteers in Queensland

The

Thursday Mob

Jim Bowling (Enoggeroos, Qld) Jim Bowling

The start

T

here is an Orienteering institution in Brisbane, which has been around for over thirty years. It began as an Army sports afternoon event that included some R.A.A.F. runners. The average attendance was 12 to 14. Today that event has coalesced into The Midweek Orienteers, or ‘The Thursday Mob’, with regular attendances of 40 to 50.

This event owes its birth to some stalwarts of Orienteering who are still active in our sport. Don Bajenoff, Eric Andrews and Brian Coolahan, to name a few, were all serving army officers in Brisbane.

Don Bajenoff was instrumental in getting the Army senior staff to encourage Orienteering. With the help of Eric Andrews and Brian Coolahan they soon had a small corps of runners who used a series of early hand-drawn maps, both colour and black and white. By today’s standards some were extremely crude, but they did the job.

Although the numbers were small, it was popular with those members who enjoyed a challenge. With the dedicated coaching of such people as Eric Andrews, the Queensland army team managed to win in successive years the Armed Services Orienteering Championships, originally called Mil-O The organization of events was, and still is, kept to the absolute basics. Perhaps some of the long-time orienteers can relate to this more easily than the newer members. A large plastic tub from a two-dollar shop holds all the equipment. One person usually ‘volunteered’ to set and run the event on their own. Today we still run the events the same way. We now have two plastic tubs that we alternate so the next organizer can set the course at their leisure.

Orienteering was growing in popularity and a number of service members joined local clubs. This led to civilian runners such as Clive Pope cutting some of his classes and coming along to the mid-week events. These army events continued through to the 1980’s until the inevitable happened. Members were posted away and others retired. The focus of the armed services shifted away from many 26 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Terry Cavanagh

sports and Orienteering was one of the casualties. By that time there were more civilians attending the midweek event then there were service personnel. Brian Coolahan, who was in charge of the Orienteering at that time, asked Clive Pope if he would care to take over.

During Clive’s time at the helm the Thursday events quietly rolled along with a steady attendance of mostly older runners who had the time available to regularly attend mid-week events. As most of the competitors were experienced, the courses were, and still are, set at a high degree of technical difficulty. With his usual enthusiasm and efficiency Clive ensured that the midweek events ran smoothly well past the turn of the

Robin Spriggs

Clive Pope

of $4 to cover insurance, maps, the Christmas break-up and the occasional replacement of equipment. With the universal adoption of the home computer Orienteering Queensland now has a web based weekly bulletin and the mid-week events are listed on the calendar.

Brisbane City Council also encourages outdoor sports and has assisted with advertising and sponsorship through their web site.

The mid-week event has grown from a small army sports afternoon with 12 to 14 runners to what it is today; an event that is run every week except for the Christmas-New Year break. With more exposure there has come more competitors particularly during school holidays.

To cater for the influx of non-orienteers during these times we now try to run events close to the city on park/bush maps. To our usual three Red courses we try to add a Blue or Green course for these competitors.

century. One much anticipated event is the Christmas break-up party. Preceded by a regular event, the break-up party gives a whole new meaning to the friendliness of orienteers. Chris and Robin Spriggs took over the organising from Clive, and after five years, continue today.

For ‘The Thursday Mob’, the emphasis is on enjoyment, so minor distractions such as the control not always being in exactly the right spot, or perhaps a punch missing, are not considered serious. The equipment is minimal so such niceties as tables, chairs, and shelters being used is up to the member running the event on the day. There is a small charge

One of our younger and more enthusiastic members is Matt McGuire.

Matt decided that we needed a Mid-Week Championship. In 2007 he organised and ran our first championship with over 57 competitors.

Not a person to do things by halves, Matt used the SportIdent system.

Naturally there were awards. But being The Thursday Mob they tended to be a bit different. Slowest up the shute; Latest starter, (a large kitchen clock to make sure they weren’t late again) being some of these awards. 2008 saw the championships run on Mt Coot-Tha. Jim Bowling, who set the courses, narrowly avoided being lynched after the competitors found that green meant GREEN, and Mt means MOUNTAIN! A good bar-be-que and a promise not to set the next championships saved him.

A number of Queensland juniors were chosen to compete in the New Zealand challenge this year, and the Mid-Week Orienteers were able to donate a substantial amount to the team to help offset some of their costs.

The Mid-Week Orienteers continue merrily on their way in 2009.

There is an event every week regardless of financial crises, tsunamis, or political upheavals. For anyone coming to Brisbane with a spare Thursday afternoon to spend, look up the web site at www.oq.asn.au to find the location of the event, come along and enjoy a good run, fine company, and naturally great weather.

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 27

URBAN ORIENTEERING

Dragon Slayed Monday, 19 January 2009 The Park & Street Orienteering event at Camelot Rise in Melbourne in mid-January was something right out of the box. In this case the box was a small pirates’ treasure chest and there were magic swords and bejewelled objects to be seen all round the starting arena.

Dragons’ fire had bestowed a hot evening on the participants but they still came in vast numbers to try their hands at solving the riddles and secrets of these Camelot courses. Lady of the sword and chief course setter, Katherine Dent, takes up the narrative:

28 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Treasure Clues

Camelot Rise T

was seven o’clock in the two thousand and ninth year on the nineteenth day of the month of Janus, the god of gates.

The sun was still high in the sky, its torturous rays beating down on the grassy clearing as the troops started to arrive. All involved in the battle eagerly awaited the cool of twilight. At the request of Lady Katherine and Sir Kristian of the Kingdom of the Yarra Valley, the soldiers had arrived. Most were all aware of their roles although a few newcomers had to be briefed for the mission.

Once briefing was complete infantry A and B charged away in all directions. They were closely followed by cavalry C and D, and then the agility and stealth of the PW fighters. The last a speck in the distance disappeared and the dust settled. Silence reigned.

Lady Katherine held down the fort and prepared for the soldiers’ triumphant return. Many minutes went by and at first it seemed like the heat had engulfed the lot of them. Then the pounding of feet was heard and one, then two soldiers could be seen over the horizon. The first, Lady Emma was followed closely by Sir John.

Then more and more returned, rejoicing to have completed the mission and to be out of the heat. Sweat dripped down their dusty

faces and they enjoyed great swigs from the gushing fountains of Bottle. The majority of those who returned spoke of a great and successful battle. Some regretted venturing all the way to the castle tower and the haunted tree. Others spoke of their encounters with Sir Lancelot, Gareth and Galahad.

Overall it was a prosperous event and there was only one casualty – Sir Trevor, who was unable to complete his mission on time but retuned nonetheless, nursing his wounds (well a wounded ego maybe). And Sir Len returned with 18 injuries (lost points).

Those who returned in good spirit passed on congratulation to Lady Katherine for a fortuitous evening. Furthermore King Ian of OV spoke of his exciting adventure and gave his report although it was hard to tell if he thought the mission successful or simply mind-boggling. Lady Katherine was gracious nevertheless for his Highness’ presence.

The sun began to set and most set forth to retire, apart from a band of straggling revellers who stayed on to enjoy a traditional banquet feast and ritual burning of the meat. All eagerly await the next adventure.

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 29

NUTRITION Gillian Woodward

Antioxidants and Sport What are anti-oxidants?

red grapes, mangoes, apricots and citrus. Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, carrots and pumpkin are good sources too.

Legumes like soy, kidney or pinto beans are good as are the nuts – particularly pecans, pistachios, walnuts and hazelnuts. Seeds and wholegrains are yet another good supplier of these valuable nutrients. Drinks that contain antioxidants include tea (especially green) and coffee (both brewed and instant) as well as red wine of course! Dark chocolate is the other ‘extra’ food that has some (but not a high concentration) but don’t forget the high saturated fat content that might be adding weight to your waist or hips. (“Extras” are the foods that don’t really fit into any of the main 5 food groups – like high fat savoury and sweet foods or drinks and, of course, alcohol etc.)

Try these ideas to boost your antioxidant intake: 1. H ave cooked tomatoes and mushrooms (or other leftover vegetable combinations) on wholegrain toast for breakfast, followed by an orange;

They are naturally occurring chemicals in our food and include some vitamins – mainly C and E for example, as well as other compounds such as polyphenols, flavenoids and indoles.

2. Eat some grapes or strawberries for morning tea;

Why are they relevant to the exercising population?

4. Nibble dried fruit and nuts for an afternoon snack;

Antioxidants are needed to help fight the damaging effects of the free radicals that our body cells produce. Free radicals are the result of incomplete reduction of oxygen which occurs during energy production (but only at a rate of about 2-5%). Several good and bad things make us produce more free radicals – exercise, smoking, pollution, infections and UV light, to name a few. Obviously exercise or training is the good guy in this list! When there is excess free radical production or insufficient protection against them (by the antioxidants) there can be a deterioration in the immune system as well as other effects like ageing, cancer and atherosclerosis, all of which we might like to avoid. A sudden increase in intensity of training could possibly result in excess free radical production, so care may be needed to make sure antioxidant intake is higher than normal around this time.

3. P ut lots of salad vegetables in your sandwich or have baked beans on multigrain toast plus a berry smoothie for lunch; 5. P ile your dinner plate high (at least 2/3 of it) with red, green and orange vegetables – carrots, capsicum, eggplant, broccoli, etc; 6. F inish off with fresh fruit salad or berries with low fat icecream, yoghurt or custard for dessert; 7. F or a night cap, have a hot cocoa drink or maybe even a small piece of dark chocolate (20g) as a treat a few times a week; 8. I f you like to drink tea (including green) or coffee in moderation during the day, this will add to your total antioxidant intake.

How can we boost our intake of antioxidants?

Don’t expect that eating a high antioxidant diet will protect you totally from infection or, in fact, improve your athletic performance, but it may just help you to fend off some unwanted ills that could otherwise attack if your immunity is down. In summary, when you are training hard include more antioxidant rich foods and drinks during your day.

The answer does not have to involve drinking buckets of green tea, although it is a proven source of flavonols, one of the antioxidant groups. Many fruits and vegetables are rich in the antioxidant compounds. Fruits that contain most include berries,

Gillian Woodward is a Practising Dietician and has been providing advice in the field for over 25 years. She has been an orienteer since 1984.

30 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Letters

The Australian Orienteer welcomes letters. Preference will be given to letters which are concise and which make positive points. The editor reserves the right to edit letters, particularly ones which are longer than 300 words.

Mispunching controls I write with respect to the Trewin Report (AO-Dec’08, pp1416). I am new to the sport so please excuse my ignorance.

I read Blair’s report with interest, in particular his comment about Hanny Allston being disqualified in the Australian Sprint Championships. Blair indicates in his article that some considered the mispunched control was closer than it should have been. As I said, I am new to the sport and whenever I have done shorter distance events such as this the controls have always been close together and certainly no closer than they appear on the map (AO-Dec’08, p12). Being new to the sport and trying to learn more I have been taught by experienced orienteers that I should be matching not only the correct punch number but also ensuring the actual feature corresponds so such an error doesn’t occur.

My question basically is - what is the minimum distance between controls for this type of event? In reality, if the distance is more than that specified then it isn’t really a matter of opinion.

Brett Sweeney

It is very easy to take moderately good orienteers and time them over 10m, 20m & 50m of equally steep country to get baseline variations, if any. But, increase the contours per minute rate as well and the variations are very significant.

When I was a controller in the olden times I found examples on courses of excessively long steep climbs for children, for older women, and much older men. I even found excessive amounts of climb for M20 courses with no alternative routes of a reasonable length or slope.

Orienteering is a navigational sport, not an extreme conditions run with navigation tacked on (like a mountain marathon – Ed.).

Our club sometimes tries to set standards based on the map using km per minute rates for similar runners on different maps. But that is not so clear to newer course setters or when the course participants don’t have the same “running-upsteep-hills” ability as the course setter. Once we were given a leg that climbed up the steepest part of Mount Alexander along a very steep rocky gully requiring no navigational skill whatsoever, which was very boring and very, very tiring. And that was for M60s.

Course setting is an acquired skill of great complexity, and enthusiasm, although helpful, is not enough. Someone should be capable of devising a way to measure climb with intensity and length factored in, and not leave it all to those of us who do that automatically. The little grey cells in our brain boxes constantly need exercise, not by running up steep hills but in problem solving. As we totter into dotage the rest periods are longer and solutions take longer, but it still takes place.

Ian Johnson (Bendigo, VIC)

Coaching item Re the article by Michael Hubbert published in The Australian Orienteer, December 2008. Words fail me. (name & address supplied) [Editor’s note: the article mentioned appeared on pp3233 of AO-Dec’08 under the page header “TECHNIQUE – NAVIGATING”. It was written as a coaching item in response to a request (LETTERS, AO-Dec’08, p31) for more articles on how orienteers navigate through the bush. In no way was it intended to be a critique of the way the terrain had been mapped but, as a coaching article, it had to compare how one competitor saw the terrain with how it was depicted on the map. That is a fundamental of map reading and navigation. It seems our correspondent must have missed that point.

We need to publish more coaching articles on Orienteering navigation in this magazine, and I don’t intend to write them.

So please send me some. Different people read the terrain in different ways.]

Measuring Climb Orienteers like measuring things, like minutes per km, but they are somewhat primitive in measuring climb. The variations in climb are enormous as some course setters are “running-up-steep-hills” addicts, but the sport is touted as ‘suitable for families’.

When rain falls heavily it may overflow spouting and fall in unwanted places so spouting has a standard that can allegedly accept rainfall of 80mm per hour, but the size of the catching roof is NEVER stated.

Stating how much climb there is on a course is equally informative. What I would want to know if I was really interested in the “running-up-steep-hills” part would be the intensity/length of climb.

VICTORINOX AWARD The Victorinox Award goes to Jim Bowling from Enoggeroos, Qld for his work in putting together the article on “The Thursday Mob”.

Jim will receive a Victorinox Voyager with 20 tools and features including a watch/alarm/timer; retail value $109.95.

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 31

RIDING THROUGH SAND

WMOC 2009 Sydney, Australia

X wrong

World Masters Sprint

A

intricate and Blue Mountains area which WMOCnSprint —park Sydney Australian East Coast ‘O’ Tour – 2009 building layout awaits Saturday 10th Oct - Sprint Qualifier is certainly worth a stop. competitors in both the You may want to return on 19th and 20th Sept - Queensland Championships Sunday 11th Oct - Sprint Final WMOC Sprint Qualification the rest days as there will be 26th Sept to 4th Oct - Australian Championships Carnival 6th and 7th Oct - Canberra 2 Day

and the Sprint Final. The plenty of things to see and WMOC Long — Lithgow 24th to 26th Oct - Dunedin, New Zealand right route choice will be do in the area.

Tuesday 13th Oct - Model Event significant in both these Wednesday Qualification 1 locations as14th the Oct fast -courses www.2009worldmasters.com Thursday 15th Oct Qualification 2 weave between the manmade structures.

Saturday 17th Oct - Long Final www.wmoc2009.orienteering.asn.au Both events are relatively close to each other which help you to make a decision as to where to get accommodation.

The Sydney CBD is only 12kms away from the Sprint venues and easily accessible by public transport. The city offers visitors many attractions such as the famous Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and the historic Rocks area. These are all on the beautiful Sydney Harbour’s edge where you will be able to enjoy a ferry ride to see the wonderful harbour. Our world famous zoo, which is also on the harbour’s edge, is certainly worth a visit along with many other attractions in and around the harbour. You can check these out on a Sydney website.

With the finishing touches going into the maps and course planning well underway we are certain you will have an enjoyable and spectacular experience.

Details of the public events and the social attractions should now be up on the website along with facilities for you to book and pay.

X wrong

Accommodation is still available within 30 minutes of the Lithgow event centre, in Blackheath and Katoomba, and these have varied prices and standards. Camping is also available in Lithgow and more information is available on our website.

can start 2 0 0 9 W O R You LD M your ASTERS ORIENTEERING CHAMPIO holiday down under with

With the Final to be followed by the World Masters Games Opening Ceremony, it is expected that most competitors will move on to Lithgow on the Monday in preparation for the Long Distance races.

Orienteering in Victoria (Australian Championships) and then move on to the World Masters in Sydney and in Lithgow and finish your Orienteering in New Zealand.

Check out the Australian East Coast Orienteering Tour for more events or the State Association websites for smaller local events.

4 right

As you travel from Sydney to Lithgow you will pass through the World Heritage 32 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

WMOC Sprint — Sydney

Australian East Coast ‘O’ Tour – 2009

The Key Skills:

Riding Skills – Sand

• Keep weight to the rear of your bike • Maintain smooth powerful pedaling in a medium to low gear.

• Use your body weight to steer and keep your bike straight.

• Increase your speed through easier sections to help maintain your speed as you gain confidence.

• Ride to your ability.

Andrew Slattery

M

any riders will be planning to travel to the Limestone Coast region of South Australia in June this year to compete in the Australian Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships. Lee Merchant, an experienced course setter says, “The Mount Gambier forest tracks are fast limestone and easy to ride which will make for an enjoyable event for all riders”. However Lee also mentions that some riders may encounter the occasional short section of sand.

For those intending to ride here is some advice on the best ways to tackle the short patches of sand which may be encountered on some route choices. Firstly, the difficulty in passing a sandy section can change depending on recent weather. If it has rained lightly the upper layer of sand will become moist and easier to ride, however, if the sand is deep your tyres will cut through this layer into the soft dry sand below. If there has been heavier rain the sand will become fully saturated with water and ride-ability will be increased greatly with many sandy sections causing only a limited reduction in speed.

You may be asking what is the best technique to attack a sandy section? Should I ride fast or slow and what gear should I choose or should I walk? One of the most important skills in sand is the ability to power through the sand in a smooth manner. It is important to maintain consistent smooth pedal strokes and maintain momentum. Do not coast your bike through the sand, as you will slow rapidly and become unbalanced. If you have just punched a control in a sandy section and need to get started again stand on your pedals and use powerful strokes to get your wheel to grip and once you are moving keep the strokes smooth to maintain momentum.

Riders often find it best to stay to the edge of the track and avoid the deep sand ruts which will cause your bike to sink down and become stuck. Large tyres are useful as they will help to keep your bike above the sand allowing you to float past. In an area with shallow sand thin tyres are better as they will sink through the thin layer of sand and help you to get better traction from the hard surface below. As soon as your bike sinks down into the sand you will have difficulty maintaining your rate. If you can find a long straight rut made by a vehicle or another bike put your tyres into this and pedal hard. Let your bike follow the rut with minimal steering.

Generally although riding in sand is strenuous it is better to power through a sandy section quickly rather than getting off and walking. As you gain confidence and master the art of shifting weight to your back wheels you may find you are able to steer in sand. Steering in sand is an advanced skill.

You may find it advantageous to adjust your seat to a lower saddle height and if you have a long saddle move it backwards along the seat rail to help you to sit further back than you would normally.

A long wheelbase bike will handle much better in sand than a short wheelbase model.

Maintaining your balance can be difficult in sand and it is important that you keep your wheel as straight as possible. It is better to use your body weight to steer and maintain direction.

Use your hips and shoulders to shift your weight and be light on the handlebars.

Attacking a sandy section at speed can be difficult and risky. If the sand is deep your front will sink down very rapidly and you will be lucky to stay on your bike. The simple rule is the faster you go the more weight you need to put to the rear of your bike. When approaching sand keep your body weight to the rear of your bike as this will help to keep your front wheel above the sand. Deep sand is best approached at a lower speed and powerfully pedaled through whereas light sand can be easily crossed at speed keeping your weight on the rear of your bike.

Further details about the Australian MTB-O Championships are available on the website: www.sa.orienteering.asn.au along with an entry form for download. (The organiser stresses there is only very limited sand and the event will be very ride-able for all age competitors) MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 33

MOUNTAIN BIKE ORIENTEERING

Australian MTBO 2009 Squads

World Ranking List 2008

HIGH PERFORMANCE SQUAD In recognition of reaching the highest standard in World MTBO

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 37

MTBO MEN Adrian Jackson Ruslan Gritsan Beat Schaffner Anton Foliforov Lasse Brun Pedersen Beat Oklé Tõnis Erm Tobias Breitschädel Lubomír Tomecek Simon Seger Matthieu Barthélémy Andreas Rief Maxim Zhurkin Christian Gigon Viktor Korchagin Margus Hallik Bjarke Refslund Erik Skovgaard Knudsen Jiri Hradil Alex Randall Damian Welbourne

AUS RUS SUI RUS DEN SUI EST AUT CZE SUI FRA AUT RUS AUT RUS EST DEN DEN CZE AUS AUS

380 347 344 343 340 336 329 305 276 265 244 242 239 228 223 222 221 210 208 179 103

40 50 53 64 72 73 83 88 99 99 107 113 122 125 127 136 146 151 166 183

Dion Keech Andrew Fellows David Simpfendorfer David West Stu Adams Joel Young Craig Flintoft Marcel vanSchie Hamisch Mackie Martin Boland David Clark Jiri Cech Toby Carter Jeremy Welbourne Matt Hope Jason Cheshire Miles Ellis Paul Darvodelsky Steven Todkill Anthony Darr

AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS

92 72 70 56 49 48 44 42 38 38 35 32 29 27 25 21 19 18 15 13

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 11 12 13 14

MTBO WOMEN Michaela Gigon Christine Schaffner Ingrid Stengård Anna Füzy Marquita Gelderman Hana Bajtosová Ramune Arlauskiene Karolina Mickeviciute Anna Kaminska Ksenia Chernykh Sonja Zinkl Renata Paulícková Marika Hara Nadia Mikryukova

AUT SUI FIN HUN NZL SVK LTU LTU POL RUS AUT CZE FIN RUS

401 381 361 340 331 323 319 281 277 277 258 246 242 237

15 16 17 18 19 30 37 58 62 73 89 111 115 139

Markéta Jirásková Line Pedersen Lisi Hohenwarter Madeleine Kammerer Thorlene Egerton Carolyn Jackson Melanie Simpson Narelle Ash Helen Sheldon Diana Mittag Cath Chalmers Margaret Bouttell Sonya Palfreyman Jen Graham-Taylor

CZE DEN AUT FRA AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS AUS

228 214 213 212 206 122 90 58 54 46 35 25 23 10

Adrian Jackson.................. VIC

Women Alison Curtin................... NSW Sarah Dunnage.................. WA Caitlin Wade...................... VIC

SENIOR A SQUAD = those who have represented Australia at WOC, have strongly contested selection or have performed well in major events and demonstrated commitment to elite MTBO racing

JUNIOR A SQUAD = those who have achieved top performances in major events and have expressed an interest in committing to improving with a view to attending selection trials in the future.

Men Tony Clark*........................ VIC Anthony Darr................... NSW Paul Darvodelsky............. NSW Andrew Fellows................ QLD Matt Hope......................... TAS Alex Randall....................... VIC David Simpfendorfer..........ACT

Junior Boys Chris Firman...................... QLD Heath Jamieson................. VIC Peter Markworth................ VIC Kurt Neumann................... QLD Oscar Phillips.................... TAS Luke Poland....................... ACT Joshua Roberts............... NSW

Women Cath Chalmers.................. WA Thorlene Egerton*............... Qld Mary Fien........................ NSW Jen Graham-Taylor............. WA Carolyn Jackson................ VIC Anna Sheldon*................... Qld Melanie Simpson*.......... NSW

JUNIOR B SQUAD = those who have shown a high level of competitiveness in MTBO events and are committed to improving their skills and ability.

SENIOR B SQUAD = Those who have demonstrated a high level of performance and a commitment to attending selection trials in the future.

Junior Boys Morgan Clark..................... VIC Ian Lawford....................... ACT Alex Massey................... NSW James Robertson................ VIC *not available for selection for 2009

Men Jiri Cech.......................... NSW Aaron Dodd......................... VIC Jamie Goddard................... VIC Stewart Grieg.................... WA Dion Keech......................... VIC Matt Koerber..................... ACT Brett Merchant................... SA Matt Ryder........................ QLD Ricky Thackray................. WA John Toomey.................... WA Jason Wallington.............. WA Damian Welbourne......... NSW

2009 National MTBO Series The 2009 Australian MTBO schedule will focus on three rounds of the 2nd National MTBO Series.

Round 1 - April 25 (Middle Distance); 26 (Long Distance) Woodend, Victoria (Selection Trial for MTB WOC) Round 2 - June 6 (Sprint); 7 (Long Distance); 8 (Middle Distance) - Mt Gambier, SA (National Championships) Round 3 - September 5 (Middle Distance); 6 (Long Distance) - Beerburrum, Queensland (Final Round) Four divisions – M21E, W21E, M17-20E, W17-20E – will contest seven races over the 3-round series. In addition to the Senior and Youth classes, Junior (-14,-16) and Masters classes (40-, 50-, 60-, 70+) will be contested during these events.

With the 2009 MTB WOC staged from August 9th to 16th in Israel, Round 1 in Victoria will be the Selection Trials for Israel.

Blake Gordon, OA MTBO Committee 34 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Bayside Kangaroos and Tuckonie Orienteers present

4 BIG reasons to ride at Woodend on April 25 & 26 1. 2009 Victorian MTBO Championships 2. National MTBO Series Round 1 3. Australian Selection Trials 4. Victorian MTBO Series Race 1 & 2

Middle & Long Distance races A terrific new map using a popular MTB riding area close to Melbourne The Event Centre will be at the fantastic Cammeray Waters Resort

All details and entry at

vicmtbo.com or call organiser, Peter Cusworth on 0409 797 023

2008 National MTBO Rankings In 2008 Australia staged thirteen ranking events (8 Long Distance, 4 Middle Distance and 1 Short Distance) covering all States, which served as a basis for rankings with the best three races counting for each rider. Though Short Distance races were held in three States, these races were not used for ranking purposes as small differences in time distort the time-behind-the-winner calculations. Australian Sprint results were used in junior classes or where the rider only rode the three Australian Championships races. Some interesting points from the 2008 rankings •T he number of riders ranked in the top 3 in each age class were QLD(14), VIC(10), NSW(7), ACT (6), WA(6), SA(1), TAS(1); •W inners to repeat their top 2007 ranking were Adrian Jackson (M21), Alysha McKee (W-12), Lyn Stichbury (W40), Kathy Liley (W60); •L arge winning margins were recorded

by David Tay (M-14) - 25 points, Alex Massey (M-16) - 24 points, Kathy Liley (W60) - 15 points, Rick Armstrong (M60) - 10 points; •S everal junior men were ranked in two classes: Chris Firman (2nd M-20, 5th M-16), Heath Jamieson (3rd M-16, 4th M-20), David Tay (1st M-14, 4th M-16); •M ore riders were ranked in 2008 than in past years as more riders travelled interstate to compete in the three events needed for ranking.

2008 MTB-O National Rankings Best 3 Events Results M-12A * =winner 1 Aidan Dawson GON 200.00 Nl* M-14A 1 David Tay 2 Oscar McNulty 3 Timothy Jackson 4 Angus Robinson 5 Morgan Clark 5 Aiden Sullivan 7 Henry McNulty 7 Ryordan Panter 9 Jack Allison 9 William Stockdale

UGQ LOW MFV BKV BKV YAS LOW BKV ..S ..S

100.00 125.00 127.12 150.00 200.00 200.00 250.00 250.00 300.00 300.00

Al*Am*As* Wl*Wm* Nl*AlAs Cl*Vl Vl* Sl* WlWm AmAs Sl Sl

M-16A 1 Alex Massey 2 James Robertson 3 Heath Jamieson 4 David Tay 5 Chris Firman 5 Oliver Poland 7 Aaron Shillington 7 Simon Greenhalgh 7 Darian Panter 10 Ian Lawford 10 Ryan Lloyd

NCN BGV CHV UGQ ENQ BSA MTQ MTQ BKV AOA BKV

100.00 123.83 124.09 125.00 200.00 200.00 250.00 250.00 250.00 300.00 300.00

Nl*Am*As* Al*AmAs AlAmAs Qm*Ql* Vl* Cl* QmQl QmQl AmAs Cl Vl

M-20A 1 Luke Poland 2 Chris Firman 3 Joshua Roberts 4 Heath Jamieson 5 Kurt Neumann 6 Peter Markworth 7 Joshua Neumann 8 Christopher Horne 9 Bryn Trehearn 9 Morgan Clark

BSA ENQ NCN CHV ENQ CHV ENQ EVT UGQ BKV

100.00 101.22 104.25 105.29 114.66 125.00 125.64 250.00 300.00 300.00

Nl*Al*Am* Ql*Qm*As AlAmAs Cl*VlVm VmAlAs Vl*Vm* AlAmAs VlVm Ql Vm

M21Elite 1 Adrian Jackson MFV 2 David Simpfendorfer RRA 3 Andrew Fellows FRQ 4 Joel Young PLQ 5 Allan Uhlmann MTQ 5 Ricky Thackray ..W 7 Damian Welbourne MDN 8 Jiri Cech MDN 9 Dion Keech MFV 10 Craig Flintoft MTQ 11 Alex Randall YVV 12 Toby Carter SOQ 13 Martin Boland BKV 14 Kris Clauson WRT 14 Bruce Greenhalgh TTS

100.00 101.58 112.69 122.94 125.00 125.00 130.99 132.61 142.49 147.71 150.00 167.08 178.42 200.00 200.00

Al*Am*Vm* Cl*Nl*Vl AlAmAs QmQlAl Qm*Ql* Wl*Wm* NlVlAl NlVlVm VlAlAm QmAlAm Vl*Vm AlAmAs VlVmAl Tl* Sl*

M40A 1 Allan Uhlmann MTQ 2 Duncan Sullivan LOW 3 Warren Prentice MTQ 4 Craig Steffens MTQ 5 Bruce Paterson BKV 6 Tim Hatley BKV 7 Malcolm Ryan MTQ 8 Robert Davis BKV 8 Mark Shingler BFN 8 Andrew Martin WOW 8 Steve Truscott AOA 8 Jeff Dunn ALT 8 Ian Winn OHS

100.00 105.33 108.46 108.64 112.74 120.59 150.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00

Al*Am*As* AlAmAs Ql*QmAm Vm*AlAm VlVmAl VmAlAm Qm*Ql Vl* Nl* Wl* Cl* Tl* Sl*

M50A 1 Robert Prentice SHN 2 Eoin Rothery LOW 3 Richard Robinson SOQ 4 Peter Cusworth BKV 5 Mark Petrie BUQ 6 Geoff Todkill NCN 7 James Lithgow GON 8 David Firman ENQ 9 John Scown AOA 10 Lee Merchant TJS 10 Jim Anderson MDN

101.65 104.36 104.81 109.21 122.73 127.64 127.80 128.32 141.53 150.00 150.00

Cl*NlVl Wl*Vl*Vm Ql*Al*Am NlVlAl Qm*QlAl AlAmAs VlVmNl VlAlAm NlAlAm VlVm* Nl*Cl

M60A 1 Rick Armstrong 2 Peter Hoban 3 Leigh Privett 4 Reid Moran 5 Dave Bright 6 Bruce Campbell 7 Hub Carter 8 Barry Hart 9 Terry Cavanagh 10 David Tilbrook 11 Dick Ogilvie 12 Mike Howe 12 Ken Brownlie

AWV EVT AWV TFQ MTQ SOQ SOQ YVV ENQ OHS URN LOW WOW

100.00 109.45 111.60 119.31 119.82 121.77 126.93 132.41 135.89 136.73 144.11 150.00 150.00

Nl*Vl*Vm* Tl*AmVl VlAlAm AlAmQl* QlQm Qm*QlAm VlVmAm VlAlAm QmQlAm SlAlAm AlAmAs WlWm* Wl*Wm

M70+A 1 John Sheahan 2 Eino Meuronen 3 Kevin Paine 4 Graham Cadman 5 Don Bradford

BKV BSA BSA YVV POA

100.00 109.22 150.00 250.00 300.00

Vl*Vm*Al* Cl*VlAm Nl*Al VlVm Cl

W-12A 1 Alysha McNee

BSA 200

* =winner Nl*

W-14A 1 Arnneka Panter 2 Michele Dawson 3 Petra Clarke

BKV GON SHN

150.00 200.00 300.00

Am*As Nl* Nl

..S

200.00

Sl*

W-16A 1 Phoebe Allison

W21Elite 1 Thorlene Egerton UGQ 2 Cath Chalmers LOW 3 Jen Graham-Taylor WOW 4 Carolyn Jackson MFV 5 Melanie Simpson NCN 6 Narelle Ash TFQ 7 Helen Sheldon UGQ 8 Anna Sheldon UGQ 9 Diana Mittag BKV 10 Julie Quinn AOA 10 Mary Fien BFN 10 Kay Haarsma TTS

100.78 101.40 108.03 108.36 115.32 115.78 122.16 125.00 144.98 200.00 200.00 200.00

Vl*Am*Al Wm*VlCl Wl*WmVl NlVlAl ClVlVm QsQlQm AlAlAm Qm*Ql* AlAmAs Cl* Nl* Sl*

1 2 3 4 5 5 5 8 9 9

W40A Lyn Stichbury SOQ Su Yan Tay UGQ Cathy Vinter TFQ Suzanne O’Callaghan BKV Anthea Feaver LOW Paula Shingler BFN Michelle Chamalaun OHS Heather McInulty BKV Wendy Stevenson NSW Kay Haarsma TTS

106.84 107.02 141.30 163.28 200.00 200.00 200.00 250.00 300.00 300.00

Vl*AlAm Qm*Ql*Am AlAmAs VlVm*Am Wl* Nl* Sl* VlVm Nl Vl

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 9

W50A Ann Scown Andrea Harris Susan Williams Carol Brownlie Peta Whitford Kathy Petrie Gail Campbell Penny Hearn Jean Douglass Sally Wayte Carolyn Strong

AOA PLQ MTQ WOW YVV BUQ SOQ SOQ BSA ALT TTS

111.24 111.46 111.71 125.00 143.04 143.78 149.26 159.94 200.00 200.00 200.00

Nl*AlAm Qm*QlAm Ql*AsAl Wm*Wl* VmAlAm QmQlAl QmAlAs AlAmAs Cl* Tl* Sl*

W60A 1 Kathy Liley YVV 2 Ann Guyatt RRQ 3 Penny Dufty BOW 4 Jenny Sheahan BKV 5 Kate Chown MDN 5 Judy Allison RRA 5 Helen Smith TTS 8 Margaret Moore MTQ 9 Jackie Sheldon YVV 10 Dale Ann Gordon EUV 10 Dianne Shalders BKV 10 Sandra Hogg POA

100.00 115.20 125.00 148.97 200.00 200.00 200.00 217.00 250.00 300.00 300.00 300.00

Al*Am*Vl* Qm*Q*lAm Wl*Wm* AmAlAs Nl* Cl* Sl* AlAmAs VmVl Vl Al Cl

W70+A 1 Joyce Rowlands 2 Maureen Ogilvie 3 Cath Howitt

100.00 103.13 300.00

Vl*Am*As* Al*AmAs Qm

NEV URN SOQ

Key to Symbols 1 Al = AUS Long Distance in Qld 1-Oct 2 Am = AUS Middle Distance in Qld 30-Sept am 3* As = AUS Sprint Distance in Qld 30-Sept pm 4 Cl = ACT Long Distance 2-Nov 5 Nl = NSW Long Distance 27-Jul 6 Ql = QLD Long Distance 19-Oct 7 Qm = QLD Middle Distance 18-Oct 8 Sl = SA Long Distance 13-Oct 9 Tl = TAS Long Distance 21-Oct 10 Vm = Vic Middle Distance 20-Apr 11 Vl = Vic Long Distance 19-Apr 12 Wl = WA Long Distance 19-Oct 13 Wm = WA Middle Distance 18-Oct * = Winner of a race scores 100 points 2008 Ranking Criteria - Legend 1 A rider who completed 3 races in 2008 - ranking calculated by average of best 3 results 2 If a rider won two races they scored 125 if they did not ride in a third race 3 If a rider won one race and rode in a second, they scored 150 4 If a rider won one race, they scored 200 5 If a rider rode only two championship races, they scored 250 regardless of place 6 If a rider rode only one championship race, they scored 300 regardless of place If a rider mispunched in a championship race, they scored 250 for that race 3* Sprint Distance results were only used in calculations of junior classes or if a rider only did the 3 AUS Champs races in 2008.

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 35

MOUNTAIN BIKE ORIENTEERING

Photo: Ken Dowling

MTBO Goes National in 2008

Blake Gordon OA MTBO Coordinator

T

he first year of the National MTBO Series was a moderate success with excellent numbers over two of the three rounds held in Victoria, Queensland and ACT. The fact that the Victorian events included the Poland WOC selection trials, while Round 2 in Queensland was the Australian MTBO Championships, accounted for lower competitor numbers in Canberra for Round 3. Travel planning with bikes will always be a challenging factor in the numbers attending major MTBO competitions. But with the overall individual podium positions (top 6 places over the three rounds) being shared Victoria 6, Queensland 6, NSW 3, ACT 2, WA 1, the closeness of the 2008 Series really lived up to expectations.

Adrian Jackson (Vic) scored a perfect 150 (5 first places over 6 races) to top the Men 21 Elite, but strong rides by WOC teammate David Simpfendorfer (ACT) in Round 3 and up-and-coming Dion Keech (Vic) saw them place 2nd and 3rd respectively. Alex Randall (Vic) and WOC teammate Paul Darvodelsky (NSW) only managed the three rides in Round 1. The M21 surprise of the series, Andrew Fellows (Qld adventure rider), saw him take 6th overall while consistent Damian Welbourne (NSW) took 4th place ahead of Randall.

Thorlene Egerton (Qld) had the Women 21 series wrapped up after three strong wins in Round 2. But the most competitive races of the year were left for Round 3 where WA’s Cath Chalmers won the Sprint and 2002-2004 WOC team member Julie Quinn (ACT) scored a convincing victory in the LongDistance race. Three Queensland women in the top 6 (without talented Anna Sheldon) – Egerton (1st), Helen Sheldon (5th) and Narelle Ash (6th) – showed the depth of talent in Women 21 up north. Promising Melanie Simpson (NSW) with one win from 5 races shaded evergreen Carolyn Jackson (Vic) into 4th place. WA’s Cath Chalmers took a well-deserved 3rd overall while WOC teammate Jen Graham-Taylor was edged into 7th.

36 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

Juniors Show Rapid Progress But most encouraging results came from the M17-20 Elite where several potential JWOC team riders surfaced during the 2008 season. Kurt Neumann (Qld) scored enough points in Rounds 1 and 2 to establish an unbeatable lead in M17-20.

But Luke Poland (ACT) and Joshua Roberts (NSW) “rode up” in M21 Elite in Round 3 to establish their credentials among the M21 Elite. After strong 1-2 finishes in Round 2, Poland and Roberts tested their fitness on the Long-Distance course in Canberra. These two riders plus promising M-16 Heath Jamieson (Vic) have shown the potential for big results in 2009. Young Chris Firman (Qld) took 3rd despite mechanical difficulties in a couple of races. Rounding out the podium finishers was Peter Markworth (Vic) who won 2 events and came 2nd in the third, but did not contest the Nationals or Round 3. With talented young riders Alex Massey (NSW), Josh Neumann (Qld), Morgan Clark (Vic), Chris Horne (Tas), and Oscar Phillips (Tas) knocking on the door, the 2009 Series should be a ripper!

Victoria & Queensland Top the State Competition As expected the Victorian Men 21 Nuggets team lead by World Number 1 Adrian Jackson scored a narrow win over NSW (54 points to 52) with Canberra (33) in 3rd place.

Excellent performances by Queensland’s Women 21 Elite team - Thorlene Egerton, Helen Sheldon, Narelle Ash and Sonya Palfreyman - saw them score victory over Victoria by the narrowest margin – 1 point! Queensland’s Junior M1720 team lead by Kurt Neumann and Chris Firman took the honours over Victoria (2nd) with ACT (3rd). Overall combined results saw Victorian riders score a comfortable win: 1st Victorian Nuggets (145), 2nd Queensland Cyclones (116), 3rd NSW Stingers (91), 4th Canberra Cockatoos (72), 5th WA Nomads (44), 6th Tasmania Foresters (24), and 7th SA Arrows (10).

The only disappointment of 2008 was that no W17-20 riders emerged during the season to share the excitement in developing W21 Elite women. 2009 should be the year our talented young women who have competed in DuO and Adventure races try the national MTBO Series.

Junior MTBO profiles Luke Poland Age: 17years, Bushflyers / ACT How long been doing MTBO? About three years How / why did you start MTBO? I had been foot orienteering for 9 years. Dad and I began riding Polaris (Bike rogaine) events four years ago and naturally, the pursuit of MTBO events followed that.

Best MTBO result? First place in M20E in all three Australian MTBO 2008 Championship races in QLD. Best mountain biking result? Not the best result, but definitely the race I am most satisfied with, and proudest of: Josh Roberts and I raced in the 2008 Scott 24hr as an open “Marathon Pair”. We finished 22nd with 21 laps.

Foot O history: Started in 2000 and represented ACT Schools team for 3 years.

Heath Jamieson Age: 16 years Central Highlands O club, Victoria - Live at: Gisborne How long been doing MTBO? Properly just over 1 year but I have been doing school events since 2005.

How / why did you start MTBO? I started MTBO at Braemar College in year 7 (2005). I put my name down for the event because it was 5 minutes down the road and the sound of spending a day in the bush seemed more appealing than school. I did it the year after in 2006 and 2007. In ‘07 I came 2nd in the interschool senior competition and really enjoyed it, so decided to do more.

Best MTBO result: 2nd at the Vic Long Distance Champs last year.

One of my first proper races so that was a good result for me. I think 2nd in the NOL MTBO 17-20E was pretty awesome as well.

Best mountain biking result: My team (Team revolution) won the Kona 24 hour junior race in December 2008, beating the next team by 4 laps (or 80k).

Foot O history: Competed just for school from grade 5. Last year I did more and in September I travelled with the Vic Schools team to the Champs in Queensland.

How much riding do you do per week? I probably ride 2-3+ times

How much riding do you do per week? 4-5 rides/7 hours

and Majura Pines are also great trails close to home.

How much running do you do per week? 2 runs/ 2 hours

Main MTBO strengths: My competitiveness and determination when in the forest, and my navigation.

Bike details: Scott Scale 40. I originally bought the 2007 model but managed to put a nice big crack in that after 15 months!

Scott kindly replaced it with the 2008 frame. Everyone loves a free upgrade!!

Weaknesses? Over-excitement for big events. Also I think I need to learn to navigate whilst riding more, I make too many short stops to double check things.

Other mountain bike events you race: Lots of cyclegaine/polaris enduro navigation events. I’ve also raced in two 24hrs, and look to compete in more XC races this year.

Do you train / race on road or track too? I use the bike path around Lake Burley Griffin to do sprint circuits. I also do time trials on the road up Mt Ainslie once or twice a week.

Favourite riding area. Definitely Bruce Ridge trails. It’s a native forest on route to school. I can even sneak over there during lunch and free classes, and it’s not too far from home for weekend ventures. Sparrow Hill, Mt Stromlo,

Favourite pre-race food / drink: Weetbix and Nutrigrain for breakfast, a Milo on the way, Powerade before and during, and of course I never race without a little bag of sultanas and jelly beans!

a week. Fun rides with my mates out to the tracks like the Wombat State Forest. It would be about 3-5 hours a week but it varies a lot.

Photo: Ken Dowling

How much running do you do per week: Not much. I ride more because I enjoy that. I do running in other sports like footy and tennis.

Other sports you do: I play tennis, Australian Rules footy, mountain bike riding and I like to surf in the summer. That is about 8 hours a week I guess.

Other hobbies: I was a ball boy for three years at the Australian Open tennis and loved it. During the tennis I have a weird obsession with collecting Evian bottle caps just in case Evian do the free sweatbands for two bottle caps again. I guess that is a hobby!

Bike details: Love Giants bikes Giant Anthem X 1 and Giant Talon Other mountain bike events you do: Enduro (6hr or 8hr solo) and 24hr races in a team.

Favourite riding area: I rode at Stromlo in ACT and that was the best riding I have ever done in my life. But around home – the Wombat Track near Woodend.

Main MTBO strengths: I think about my route choices rather than just rushing to the obvious option.

Weaknesses? When I get under pressure I make mistakes. So when I see someone behind me or in

front of me I don’t look at the map enough, rush and take stupid risks.

Do you train / race on road or track too? I don’t have a road bike but when I go out formally training I will usually ride road because I think that it gets your fitness up quicker.

Favourite pre-race food / drink: I don’t think that Powerade and all that work. So I stick to water before races. I am also a big believer in Glucose Jelly beans (thanks to Kay) so I munch on them. I like bananas and muesli.

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER

37

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MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 39

O-Spy Sports Cheats Beware Athletes caught using illegal performance enhancing substances now face tougher penalties under a new code agreed by all Australia’s major sporting bodies. The nation’s 91 sporting organizations have all signed up to the World AntiDoping Agency Code which came into effect on January 1st.

The code is a pre-requisite for Olympics participation.

It now doubles the ban on athletes caught intentionally taking performance enhancing substances to four years.

However, those who mistakenly dope themselves through taking common medicines could win reductions to the previous two year ban. Athletes who fail a second doping test, and anyone caught administering prohibited substances will face a life ban.

The whereabouts of athletes outside competition times will be more closely monitored and they will have to nominate a time period in each day when they will be available for random testing.

Source: ASADA – Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.

Test Will Catch Sports Cheats on New Endurance Drugs Research News from the journal Drug Testing and Analysis Avoiding detection just got harder for drug cheats who try to use a particular range of untested, but potentially enhancing, compounds. In the past, tests have been developed once a drug is known to be in circulation.

Now a German research team has developed tests for a class of drugs that they believe could be used in the near future.

On the face of it, the Beijing Olympics were remarkably drug free with only six athletes being caught during the Games and three further suspect cases identified after the Games closed. Rumours suggest that many athletes were in fact using performance-enhancing drugs that could not be detected using standard tests. One possibility is that some athletes were using compounds that have not yet been tested in humans, but have shown performance enhancing properties in animal trials.

Because these compounds are in the early stage of development no test has been developed, so their use will go undetected.

A new test, announced in the launch issue of the new journal, Drug Testing and Analysis, will help sports officials stay one step ahead of the game by allowing them to screen for some of these emerging drugs, as well as others in the same class that have not yet reached the market.

The test detects a core chemical structure belonging to a class of compounds called benzothiazepines. These compounds stabilise protein channels that would otherwise “leak” calcium from muscle cells during strenuous exercise.

Calcium is needed for muscle contraction and this “leaking” effect weakens the contractions and is a causal factor in muscle fatigue.

JTV-519 and S-107, benzothiazepines currently in development for the treatment of heart abnormalities, are known to increase endurance in mice.

Although they have not yet entered human clinical trials, both can be detected in spiked urine at concentrations as low as 0.1 nanograms per millilitre..

“As soon as these drugs enter human clinical trials, there is a huge potential for them to be misused in sports. This preventive research lets us prepare before these compounds are officially launched,” says Mario Thevis, Director of the Center for Preventive Doping Research at the German Sport University of Cologne, Germany, who led the research. The researchers think the simple nature of the compounds means they are easy

40 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

to make and sell to drug cheats as endurance boosters on the black market.

The next step is to look for the molecules created by the metabolic breakdown of the compounds once they have entered the human body. This will give researchers a wider scope of compounds by which to identify cheats when screening samples.

News of Gareth Candy

World Record Another unofficial World Record has been claimed by Victorian orienteer, Michael Hubbert, of Bayside Kangaroos. Since hitting the ‘slowing-up-with-age wall’ some years ago Michael has been concentrating on quantity rather than quality of performance. In calendar year 2007 he completed 216 courses and in 2008 he surpassed that mark with 258 courses completed. On the way he visited 3534 controls and covered approx 1500 kilometres.

We believe this is an unofficial World Record, but we would like to hear from any other orienteers with similar performance records.

For instance, how many courses have you completed in your Orienteering career; how many countries have you competed in; what is the longest distance you have travelled direct to an Orienteering event? We believe Australian Murray Hanna holds the record for this last one, travelling from London via Canada direct to an event in Victoria.

British Orienteering has appointed Gareth Candy as International Programme Director. He took up post on 1 Jan. Gareth has experience of both the UK orienteering scene and, prior to him coming to the UK, the Australian Institute of Sport system and Australian orienteering. The international programme run by British Orienteering is already successful and Gareth will be responsible for ensuring its future success through: Consistent talent identification and development of athletes who have the potential to go on to compete in World Orienteering Championships; Consistent achievement in the World Orienteering Championship as detailed in the Whole Sport Plan; Influencing coaching and the club/regional structure to integrate and support the national squad programmes.

Gareth accepts that the post will be challenging and stated “The British Orienteering International Programme has been successful and it will be a continuing challenge to keep it at the forefront of the competitive world of international orienteering.

British Orienteering needs to be innovative and creative to continue our success and make our International Programme the world’s best at elite athlete development.”

TOP EVENTS 2009

2010 April 10 - 13

June 6 - 8

June 13 - 14

June 22 - 28 July 3 - 5

July 3 - 5

July 5 - 12

July 7 - 12

July 12 - 17

July 16 - 26

July 19 - 24

Aug 2 - 8

Aug 2 - 8

Aug 9 - 16

Aug 14 - 16

Aug 18 - 23

Aug 17 - 23

Aug 23 - 30

Sept 26 Oct 4 Oct 10 - 17

Dec 27 - 31

Australian 3-Days 2009. The Royal Easter O Launceston, Tasmania www.tasorienteering.asn.au AUS MTBO Championships 2009 (Sprint; Middle; Long) Mt. Gambier, SA

April 2 - 5

Jukola Relays Mikkeli, Finland www.jukola2009.net JWOC/MTB Farum, Copenhagen, Denmark Northern Territory Champs Coomalie www.topend.nt.orienteering.asn.au 3 Days of Belgium Genk, Belgium www.orientatie.org JWOC 2009 Primiero, Italy www.jwoc2009.it 5 Days of Dolomites Primiero, Italy www.jwoc2009.it Fin5 Hameenlinna, Finland www.fin5.fi World Games 2009 Kaohsiung, Taiwan www.worldgames2009.tw O-Ringen 2009 Eksjö-Småland, Sweden www.oringen.com/smaland2009 Scottish 6-Days Tayside, Scotland www.scottish6days.com Swiss O Week Muotathal Switzerland www.swiss-o-week.ch WOC/MTB 2009 Ben Shemen (20km from Tel Aviv), Israel 3 Days of the Kempen Leopoldsburg, Belgium www.kempen-ol.be WOC 2009 Miskolc, Hungary http://woc2009.hu Hungaria Cup (6 Days) Miskolc, Hungary hungariacup.woc2009.hu Portugal ‘O’ Summer 2009 (6 Days) Cantanhede, Portugal www.ptosummer.com AUS Champs Carnival 2009 Victoria www.vicorienteering.asn.au/ WMOC 2009 Lithgow, NSW. www.wmoc2009. orienteering.asn.au/ Xmas 5-Days Southern Highlands, NSW

June 27 July 4

Australian 3-Days 2010 ACT www.act.orienteering.asn.au AUS MTBO Championships 2010 (Sprint; Middle; Long) ACT Jukola Relays Kytäjä, Finland www.jukola2010.net 6 Days of Tyrol 2010 Karersee, Austria / Italy www.tyrol2010.com JWOC 2010 Aalborg, Denmark www.jwoc2010.dk WOC/MTB & JWOC/MTB 2010 West Alentejo, Portugal

tba June 19 - 20

July 4 - 11

July 11 - 17

July 12 - 17

Fin5 Imatra, Finland www.fin5.fi O-Ringen 2010 Örebro, Sweden www.oringen.se/987.php Tour O Swiss 2010 www.tour-o-swiss.ch

July 24 - 30

July 24 - 31

July 31 Aug 7

Sep 25 Oct 3

WMOC 2010 Neuchatel, Switzerland www.wmoc2010.org WOC 2010 Trondheim, Norway www.woc2010.com AUS Champs Carnival 2010 – SA www.sa.orienteering.asn.au

Dec 27 - 31

Xmas 5-Days NSW

July 24 - 29

O-Ringen 2011 Halsingland, Sweden www.oringen.se WOC 2011 Savoie Grand Revard, France www.woc2011.fr

Aug 7 - 15

2011

Aug 13 - 20

OR I ENTEER I NG PUBL I CATI ON S IOF Publications

Australian Publications

International Specifications for‑Orienteering Maps . . . . . . . . . . $11.00 Competition rules for IOF events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11.00 Control Descriptions. . . . . . . . . . . . $11.00 Simple Maps for Orienteering . . . . $11.00 Trail Orienteering (BOF book). . . . . $30.00 Trail Orienteering (booklet). . . . . . . . $8.25 Trail O (leaflet) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.70

Elementary Orienteering Instructors‑Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.20 Level 1 Coaching Manual. . . . . . . . $22.00 Level 1 Coaching Syllabus. . . . . . . . $3.90 Level 2 Coaching Syllabus. . . . . . . . $4.40 Level 3 Coaching Syllabus. . . . . . . . $4.40 Among the Best Orienteers (video).$19.75 Sponsorship & Advertising, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . available from states Club Guide, available on disc.

Prices include GST and postage within Australia for single copies.

Prices for bulk orders available on request. Orders should be addressed to Orienteering Australia, PO Box 284 Mitchell BC 2911, with cheques made payable to Orienteering Australia. Email: orienteering@netspeed.com.au

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 41

ORIENTEERING AUSTRALIA

Bushfire toll rises

S

everal orienteering families have been hit by the Victorian bushfires.

The thoughts of all Australian orienteers are with the families of those who perished.

•M ountain Bike orienteer – Rob Davey, and his family.

•P ark & Street orienteer – Carolyn O’Gorman and her family.

•D avid and Kate Whittington – parents of Tasmanian orienteer John Whittington.

Vale Alec MacKelden

O

ur first sponsor of Orienteering back in 1971 was Cerebos with their product “Refresh” - a concentrated powder orange drink mix. The Managing Director, Alec MacKelden, was impressed with this new sport and advanced something like $5,000 towards the cost of running the inaugural Australia v New Zealand Challenge held near Puckapunyal, in central Victoria. Part of the sponsorship paid for the production of a quantity of car stickers bearing the message “Up with Orienteering, down with Refresh”.

Alec retired some ten years ago and settled on the Gold Coast whilst taking up voluntary duties as Chairman of the Board of the Skin & Cancer Foundation Australia. He was also awarded with the Medal of the Order of Australia.

Alec passed away in November and will be remembered as our sport’s first commercial sponsor.

Tom Andrews

Executive Matters Kay Grzadka – OA Executive Officer

O

rienteering Australia will continue to receive Federal Government funding for its High Performance program until 2010 but the situation beyond that is not assured. The Federal Government awaits the findings of the Independent Sport Review to finalise its policy for funding sport in Australia.

Given this climate of uncertainty, long term strategic planning is high on the Board’s agenda and was the topic of a workshop at the 2008 Annual Conference.

Under the invaluable direction of Ian Dodd (President, VOA) the Board and Council members broke into defined groups to each discuss a particular aspect of long term strategic planning.

The outcome of the workshop was the appointment by the Board of a Working Group tasked with preparing a strategic direction framework for Orienteering Australia. The Working Group is to have a brief prepared by February 2009 for consideration by the Board. The framework would then be distributed to State Associations for comment before presentation at the OA Annual General Meeting to be held in Launceston on 11 April 2009.

Embargoes: VICTORIA The areas covered by the following maps are embargoed until after the 2009 Australian Orienteering Championships Carnival; September 26th October 4th.

• Chewton Diggings (Castlemaine) • Castlemaine Goldfields (Castlemaine) • Crocodile Reservoir (Castlemaine) • Browns Reef (Bendigo) • Warby Range (Wangaratta) • Jubilee Creek (Wangaratta) • Triptera (Wangaratta) The following area in Benalla is embargoed to intending participants in the 2009 Australian Sprint Orienteering Championships: The area bounded on the north by Bridge Street (the main street through town), on the east by Coster Street and the Benalla-Tatong Road (C517), on the west by Thomas Street, and on the south by the town boundary.

Shops and accommodation on the south side of the road along Bridge Street are not included in the embargo, but parks and the Showgrounds are.

Jim Russell – Carnival Coordinator

QUEENSLAND

Attendees at OA Conference – December 2008 Back row: Eric Morris, John Toomey , Blair Trewin, Ben Rattray, Craig Steffens, Dave Meyer, Ian Dalton, Liz Bourne, Nick Dent.

Middle row: Robert Spry, Miriam Whittington, Ian Dodd, Paul Prudhoe, Andy Hogg, Reid Moran, Hugh Cameron, Robin Uppill, Bob Allison. Front row: Bill Jones (OA President), Geoff Wood, Bruce Arthur, Jenny Casanova, Kay Grzadka (OA Executive Officer).

Absent from the photo: Mike Dowling, Ann Scown, Christine Brown.

42 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

The area north of the Biggenden to Maryborough Road, including in the orienteering maps North of Aramara, Aramara State Forest and Hidden Glen, is embargoed from 1 October 2008 to all orienteers and rogainers.

This embargo will gradually be lifted between 2010 and 2012.

Eric Andrews

ORIENTEERING AUSTRALIA

Vale Brian Johnson

B

rian Johnson, aged 78, a member of Garingal Orienteers competing in M75, passed away in December 2008 after 33 years of Orienteering. Brian loved every aspect of Orienteering: he liked the challenges of orienteering courses and he liked winning (which he did often because he was a first-rate competitor). But within Garingal he will be remembered for his enthusiasm in helping others enjoy Orienteering.

Brian and his family began Orienteering in 1975. As a chemical engineer, Orienteering suited Brian’s very scientific and analytical ways of thinking. He shared his early Orienteering years not only with wife Beverley but also his children Carolyne and Chris, and at the 1981 Australian Club Relays the team of Johnson, Johnson and Johnson represented Garingal. In national events, Brian’s climb up the results board was relentless. At the Australian 3-Days in Tasmania in 1984, Brian won his class of M50A. After that Brian had many successes at national level. Records show he was 1st at the Australian 3-Days on three occasions (’84, ’95, ‘02), 1st in the Australian Championships twice (’91 and ’03) and nationally ranked 1st on four occasions (’91, ’95, ’00 and ’03). As would be expected, Brian soon represented Australia at international competitions (for over 15 years). An early event that he often talked about was the 1987 Australia-New Zealand Challenge at Kapamahunga. The terrain is one of the most infamous in Orienteering history. The M55 course was just 3.3km and as explained by Brian, as well as an extremely vertical terrain, New Zealand had added a lashing of rain. One aspect of Brian’s orienteering was that he also competed determinedly against himself with a formula to calculate how long he should take if he made no errors. It was based on length and climb. He was always pleased if he beat his own best time.

Brian’s success as an orienteer is only half of the story of his orienteering. He enthusiastically devoted thousands of hours to helping others to enjoy Orienteering. He particularly helped newcomers. At minor events he talked with people who were not participating in the usual Orienteering conversations and introduced them to: what to do, what to look for, how to think about the map and the course, etc. He would watch for their return to ask “how had they gone?” Many people graduated to country events with his coaching on the differences between city maps and country maps and the techniques required. He helped them make the final step to the most difficult navigation courses, with explanations of the techniques and insights that had made him a successful orienteer. He organised countless coaching activities at all levels: map walks to relocation exercises, map memory courses, map corridor courses and his favourite, the contours only map. A particularly fiendish map was the ‘contour only’ map of Belangalo State Forest. No doubt Brian would have read this map with ease, but many Garingal members were lost for a long time. There were many Garingal training weekends, but the most memorable was that organised by Brian on Milson Island in the Hawkesbury River. Along with some other Garingal members, he mapped the island for the Department of Sport and Recreation. The weekend was magnificent: great location, great training activities, great company, great memories. Brian’s huge

contribution to helping other orienteers was recognised by the OANSW a few years ago, when he was awarded the Cox Silver Cup for providing encouragement to new orienteers. Brian also greatly enhanced friendships across Garingal. His excellent memory was a great source of “do you remember when” stories.

But these are not his only contributions to Orienteering.

Orienteering needs course planners, event organisers, controllers.

Brian enthusiastically accepted all of these roles. He played a major role at major events on nearly every one of Garingal’s country maps: controller at Culoul Creek, controller at Baal Bone Gap (twice), organiser at Sooley Valley, and course planner at Kahli’s Rocks. Brian not only planned courses, organised, and vetted countless minor events, but he also enjoyed helping Garingal members new to course planning gain the skills. Brian’s contribution to Garingal Orienteers was enormous. At different periods of time he served on Garingal’s Committee in a variety of roles. In recent years he printed the maps for most local events for a number of clubs. Garingal formally recognised Brian’s contribution twice: first with Garingal’s Silver Hare in 1989 and again in 2007 with a Garingal Medal for service.

However, Brian’s life was fascinating in other ways. Brought up under the family motto “Living is Trying” he developed a strong sense of community. He had early interests in the Christian faith and met Beverley at a Victorian Christian Youth Camp, marrying her for just short of 50 years ago. Despite his training as a chemical engineer and work with CIG gases (now BOC), social reform became his focus and he left work to develop residential conferences by the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Australian Frontier to bring about changes in society. After three years of moving the family and much travelling, he returned to CIG as plant engineer and then manager, developing Australia’s first liquefied natural gas industry and later was involved in establishing the pyrethrum industry in Tasmania. In the 1990s he became Director of Cryofab Industries which designed and manufactured ultra-low temperature storage vessels. Throughout these times his interest in social reform continued with bids for both State and Federal seats for the Australia Party (later the Democrats). Brian was a volunteer until recently for Vision Australia, recording technical books for vision impaired high school and university students, including describing the charts, figures and graphs. He also read extracts from the Sydney Morning Herald live to air for 2RPH (Radio for the Print Handicapped) until July this year when Alzheimer’s finally caught up with him.

Additionally, Brian was actively involved at various times with Rotary, Australian Institute of Management, Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Mensa, and the Australian Shareholders Association.

At his Memorial Service, Brian was recognised as one who never went backwards. If a mountain was in his way, he, with Bev, walked over it. One of life’s greatest lateral thinkers, his broad knowledge of all things was extraordinary, he never stopped learning (he even did his best to learn everything he could about his dementia!). Brian’s contribution to Orienteering in New South Wales, and therefore Australia, was immense. We will all miss him, his helpful hints and most of all, his friendship.

[Compiled by Ron and Barbara Junghans from the presentations of Carol Jacobson, Ron Hardwick, Rendell and other members of Brian’s family at the Memorial Service held 22nd December 2008.]

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 43

ORIENTEERING AUSTRALIA

2008 National rankings – non-elite Rankings in non-elite classes have been determined based on results in the Australian Easter 3-Days (E1, E2, E3), Australian Sprint, Medium, and Long Championships (AS, AM, AL), and the Queensland Long Distance Championships (SA).

Points are awarded for each event completed on the basis of 100 points for first place and lesser points for other competitors. Orienteers’ best 3 events count towards their ranking. The first 10 orienteers ranked in each class are published here. State Secretaries have lists of all orienteers ranked between 50 and 100 points inclusive.

When more than 1 orienteer in a class has 100 points, the first ranked orienteer is determined by the average of their 3 best relative winning margins.

Some points of interest in the 2007 rankings: • Winner by the largest margin was Alex Tarr (YV.V), winning by 7.83 percentage points.

• There were a number of classes where more than one orienteer earning maximum points (this year they are separated by winning margins): Henry McNulty (LO.W), Noel Boos (UR.N) (M12); Mark Nemith (TF.Q), Bjorn Mella (NC.C) (M45); Paul Pacque (EV.T), Geoff Lawford (AO.A) (M50); Asha Steer (DR.V), Rebecca Hyslop (PO.A); Jacqui Doyle (EN.Q), Michele Dawson (GO.N).

• 19 clubs had class leaders in the rankings with the most successful clubs being: UG.Q (4); LO.W, AO.A, TF.Q, EV.T, PO.A (2); BS.A, RR.A, YV.V, SO.Q, GO.N, DR.V, WR.T, EN.Q, BB.Q, WH.N, NT.N, AL.T, UR.N (1).

• Family units with two or more members placed in the rankings were: Lawford/Bourne (Ian M16, Geoff M50, Jenny W50); Burrill (Simeon M12, Lilian W16); Dowling (Anna W12, Michael M45); Uppill (Adrian M55, Robyn W50); Pope (Clive M70, Barbara W65); Lyon (Jeffa W75, John M70); Steer (Asha W10 Lanita W12); Hyslop (Rebecca W10, Anna W35).

Darryl Erbacher, OA Statistician

Class M10 1 Aidan Tay 2 Simeon Burrill 3 Jake West 4 Lachlan McIntyre 5 Nicholas Burridge 6 Daniel Gray

UG.Q BB.Q AL.T UG.Q UG.Q UG.Q

Class M12 1 Henry McNulty (11.92) 2 Noel Boos (07.38) 3 Daniel Hill 4 Aidan Dawson 5 Jacob Neumann 6 Oliver Mill 7 Jack Neumann

LO.W 100.00 ASAMAL UR.N 100.00 E1E2E3 GO.N 92.51 E3AME1 GO.N 77.15 E2E3E1 EN.Q 74.88 ALAMAS RR.A 63.71 E3E2E1 EN.Q 56.78 ALASAM

Class M14 1 Oliver Poland 2 Max Neumann 3 Kelly Bertei 4 Matthew Hill 5 Shane Keely 6 Bill Mann 7 Bryn McComb 8 Brodie Nankervis 9 Brendon Canzirri 10 Ben Thompson

BS.A 100.00 E2E3AM EN.Q 99.63 E1ALE3 TE.S 88.90 E3E2AL GO.N 84.89 E3ASE1 BG.V 83.54 E3ALAS BO.W 82.75 ASALSA OH.S 78.84 E3ASE2 EV.T 77.25 ASALAM SW.W 73.47 ASALAM AO.A 66.92 AMASSA

Class M16 1 Ian Lawford 2 Todd Neve 3 Stewart Lawrie 4 Alex Massey 5 Kasimir Gregory 6 Rob Bennett 7 Aaron Breed 8 Tom Palfrey 9 Karl Bicevskis 10 Chris Firman

AO.A MF.V AL.T NC.N NT.N GS.N UG.Q AL.T AL.T EN.Q

99.59 E3ASAM 95.90 E1ALE2 93.05 E2E3E1 86.75 AMSAAS 72.38 AMSAAL 56.15 SAAMAS

98.61 AMASE1 98.02 E2E3AS 96.57 E1ASE3 91.90 ASALSA 91.20 ALASAM 87.48 ALSAE1 85.61 ALAMSA 83.03 ALASSA 82.76 E1SAAL 77.17 ALE1E2

Class M35 1 Scott Simson 2 Shane Trotter 3 Dion Keech 4 Jonathan McComb 5 Rohan Hyslop 6 Antony Burnett 7 Ben Hiley 8 Gregory Lane 9 Miles Ellis

TF.Q NC.N MF.V AL.T PO.A BF.N RR.Q PO.A EV.T

Class M40 1 Lance Read 2 Magne Knudsen 3 John Morris 4 Mark West 5 Neil Simson 6 Andy Simpson 7 Mark Freeman 8 Damian Welbourne 9 Tony Hill 10 Ian Jones

UG.Q BS.A IK.N AL.T TF.Q BF.N BF.N NC.N GO.N UR.N

98.33 97.56 87.47 87.43 86.76 86.43 85.14 84.42 81.70 75.64

AME2E1 E1E3E2 E1E2E3 ASE2E3 ASAME2 E2E1E3 E2E3E1 ASE3E2 ASE2E3 E3E1E2

Class M45 1 Mark Nemeth (9.47) 2 Bjorn Mella (4.52) 3 Michael Dowling 4 Mark Darvodelsky 5 Graham Turner 6 Tim McIntyre 7 Russell Blatchford 8 Glenn Burgess 9 Martin Wehner 10 Simon George

TF.Q 100.00 NC.N 100.00 WR.T 96.53 UR.N 95.57 RR.A 95.08 UG.Q 93.97 NC.N 92.44 NC.N 89.08 WE.A 81.54 BF.N 80.21

E1ASAL E3AMSA E2E1E3 E3E2E1 E2E1E3 SAE3AM SAASE1 E2E1E3 E3E1E2 E3E1E2

44 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

100.00 E2E3AS 95.42 E1E3E2 88.46 AMSAAL 87.00 E2E1E3 80.48 AMSAE3 78.42 E1E2E3 63.53 ASSAAL 55.41 E3E2E1 51.47 E3E2E1

Class M50 1 Paul Pacque (15.48) EV.T 100.00 AMALSA 2 Geoff Lawford (11.74) AO.A 100.00 E1E2E3 3 Roch Prendergast EU.V 86.98 ASALE3 4 Grant McDonald AO.A 86.29 ASALSA 5 Melvyn Cox BN.N 85.19 ALASE1 6 Ian Taylor UG.Q 83.68 ASALAM 7 Ted Van Geldermalsen YV.V 81.48 E3E1E2 8 James Lithgow GO.N 77.88 SAALE3 9 Geoff Todkill NC.N 76.25 ASALE3 10 Neil Barr BG.V 75.07 ALE3E1

Class W16 1 Lilian Burrill 2 Morgan McIntyre 3 Rebekah Sunley 4 Georgia Parsons 5 Naomi Mitchell 6 Katie Doyle 7 Glennie Nottle 8 Mary Flemming 9 Melanie Neumann 10 Rebecca Phillips

BB.Q UG.Q TK.V BS.A BS.A EN.Q RR.Q CH.V EN.Q EV.T

98.21 E1E3E2 97.73 AMALAS 93.52 E2E3AS 92.90 ASE3AM 91.44 AMASAL 90.76 ALE2AS 89.13 E1ALE2 89.02 SAALAS 87.87 AMALE1 82.49 E1ASE2

Class M55 1 Nigel Davies 2 David Marshall 3 Adrian Uppill 4 Gordon Wilson 5 Nick Dent 6 Richard Matthews 7 David Firman 8 Tony Radford 9 Paul Hoopmann 10 John Oliver

EV.T 100.00 ASALSA AL.T 99.57 E1E2E3 OH.S 97.35 AME1E2 BN.N 96.75 E2E3AS CC.N 92.39 ALAMAS LO.W 89.23 E2E3E1 EN.Q 88.88 E1E2E3 TT.S 88.79 E2E3E1 TJ.S 87.05 ASALSA WR.N 86.49 E2E3E1

Class W35 1 Anna Hyslop 2 Sheralee Bailey 3 Susie Kluth 4 Cathy McComb 5 Anitra Dowling

PO.A GB.R PO.A AL.T EU.V

100.00 ASAMAL 97.27 E2E3E1 93.13 E3E1E2 91.17 E1E3E2 56.60 E1E3E2

Class M60 1 Hugh Moore 2 Robert Allison 3 Steve Flick 4 Greg Chatfield 5 Ross Barr 6 Terry Bluett 7 Dave Lotty 8 Dick Ogilvie 9 Jim Merchant 10 Robert Smith

RR.A 100.00 RR.A 99.00 BN.N 98.00 UG.Q 89.27 GO.N 89.00 BN.N 82.44 UR.N 81.68 UR.N 80.02 GO.N 79.57 TT.S 72.61

Class W40 1 Clare Leung 2 Jenny Enderby 3 Sue Hancock 4 Su Yan Tay 5 Barbara Hill 6 Karen Blatchford 7 Anita Scherrer 8 Jo-anne Keely 9 Kirsten Wehner

UG.Q NC.N WR.T UG.Q GO.N NC.N RR.A BG.V WE.A

Class M65 1 Alex Tarr 2 Ron Junghans 3 Darryl Erbacher 4 Michael Howe 5 Tim Dent 6 Peter Prime 7 Ted Mulherin 8 John Hodsdon 9 Frank Anderson 10 David Hogg

YV.V 100.00 E1E2E3 GO.N 92.17 ASE3SA PO.A 87.33 AME1E2 LO.W 87.30 ALASAM YV.V 77.94 E1E3E2 TK.V 76.96 E1E2E3 WH.N 73.69 ASAMSA SH.N 72.14 E3ALE1 NN.N 70.90 E3E2E1 PO.A 70.62 ALE2E3

Class M70 1 Clive Pope 2 John Lyon 3 Ian Hassall 4 John Sheahan 5 Rob Simson 6 Peter Cutten 7 Eino Meuronen 8 Barry Sampson 9 Allan Miller

UG.Q 100.00 TT.S 96.72 IK.N 90.99 BK.V 83.68 TF.Q 78.60 WA.S 76.72 BS.A 60.03 YV.V 53.90 DR.V 52.84

Class M75 1 Gordon Howitt 2 Don Bajenoff 3 Ray Kelly 4 Tony Mount 5 Kevin Paine

SO.Q IK.N UG.Q AL.T BS.A

Class M80 1 Neil Schafer 2 Hermann Wehner

GO.N 100.00 E1E2E3 WE.A 93.30 SAE3AS

Class W10 1 Asha Steer (35.94) DR.V 2 Rebecca Hyslop (29.31) PO.A 3 Stephanie Cantwell UG.Q 4 Heather Lane PO.A Class W12 1 Anna Dowling 2 Lanita Steer 3 Heather Burridge

E1E2AM ALE3AS E3ASE1 ALE3AM E3ASSA ASE3AL E3ASSA ASE3AL E3ASSA E3E2E1

E2ASAM E1E3SA E3ALSA ASE3AL ALAME2 E3E1E2 ALE3E2 E3E2E1 ASE3E1

100.00 AMALSA 97.87 E2ASAL 95.26 E1E3AL 94.05 E3SAE2 70.10 E3E2E1

100.00 ASAMAL 100.00 E1E2E3 89.83 SAALAM 70.69 E3E2E1

WR.T 100.00 E1E2E3 DR.V 98.58 ASSAAL UG.Q 93.19 AMALAS

Class W14 1 Jacqui Doyle (18.31) EN.Q 2 Michele Dawson (07.78) GO.N 3 Nicola Blatchford NC.N 4 Rebecca Freese TF.Q 5 Alinta Merrotsy NT.N 6 Alison Burrill BB.Q 7 Shea-cara Hammond GG.A

100.00 E1E3AM 100.00 E2ASAL 93.71 AMASE2 88.29 ASALSA 64.63 ASE2AM 55.75 E1ASAL 54.68 ASAMAL

99.63 97.74 95.58 92.54 89.34 86.40 66.87 61.21 57.24

AMSAE1 E1E2E3 E2E3E1 E3E1AS ASE3AL AMASE1 E3E1E2 E1E2E3 E2E3E1

Class W45 1 Anthea Feaver LO.W 100.00 ASAMSA 2 Christine Brown EV.T 97.93 E1E3E2 3 Gayle Quantock-Simson TF.Q 91.95 ALASSA 4 Carol Harding BS.A 87.20 E1ASE3 5 Felicity Crosato RR.Q 87.14 E2ALAS 6 Christine Marshall AL.T 82.09 E1E2E3 7 Joanna Parr BF.N 78.84 E1E2E3 8 Lisa Lampe UR.N 66.32 SAALAS 9 Lyn Stichbury SO.Q 60.62 ASALSA 10 Toni Brown BS.A 53.28 E1E3E2 Class W50 1 Jenny Bourne 2 Robin Uppill 3 Debbie Davey 4 Hillary Wood 5 Mary McDonald 6 Sue Key 7 Julie Leung 8 Geraldine Chatfield

AO.A 100.00 E1E2E3 OH.S 99.21 AMSAAL WR.N 86.80 ALASE1 CC.N 78.92 ASALE2 AO.A 78.60 ASSAAM MF.V 75.53 E1E3E2 TF.Q 58.55 ASSAAL UG.Q 55.63 AME3E1

Class W55 1 Lynn Dabbs 2 Carol Brownlie 3 Jacquie Rand 4 Lynda Rapkins 5 Fiona Calabro 6 Valerie Barker 7 Kerryne Jones 8 Judith Hay 9 Theresa Howe 10 Penny Hearn

WH.N 100.00 WO.W 99.84 UG.Q 93.07 EN.Q 92.94 TF.Q 87.62 BS.A 83.85 RR.A 77.17 BN.N 75.71 LO.W 69.36 SO.Q 68.94

Class W60 1 Jenny Hawkins 2 Val Hodsdon 3 Jean O’Neill 4 Robin Spriggs 5 Kathy Liley 6 Ruth Goddard 7 Anna Booth 8 Joan Sheldon 9 Judi Herkes 10 Pauline Moore

NT.N 100.00 AMALSA SH.N 97.46 E2E1AL BK.V 91.42 E1E2E3 UG.Q 91.32 ASSAAL YV.V 90.88 E3E1AM YV.V 90.67 E1E2SA BS.A 85.60 E3E2E1 UG.Q 81.03 ALE1AM BK.V 72.20 E2ALE1 WR.N 70.44 E3E1AS

Class W65 1 Ann Ingwersen 2 Jean Baldwin 3 Barbara Pope 4 Carolyn Chalmers 5 Christa Schafer 6 Janet Tarr 7 Pam Cox 8 Valerie Brammall 9 Jennifer Sheahan 10 Emily Quantock

PO.A GS.N UG.Q NC.N GO.N YV.V TF.Q EV.T BK.V WE.A

Class W70 1 Sue Mount 2 Janet Morris 3 Helen Alexander 4 Pat Miller

AL.T 100.00 WH.N 97.36 BK.V 92.66 DR.V 85.00

Class W75 1 Maureen Ogilvie 2 Jeffa Lyon 3 Sue Healy 4 Joyce Rowlands

UR.N TT.S NE.V NE.V

E3AMAL E2SAE1 E1E2E3 ALE2AS E1ALE2 ASE2AL ALE1E3 ALE3SA SAE2AS ASSAAL

98.73 E2E3E1 96.07 E1E2E3 94.21 AMALSA 93.86 ALSAAM 89.57 ASE1AL 83.84 AMSAE3 79.94 AMSAAL 74.93 E1E2E3 67.94 ASAMAL 66.91 AMSAE3

100.00 96.74 84.72 83.50

E1E2E3 ASAME2 E1E3E2 AME3SA E1E2E3 ALE3AS ASALE3 E1ALE2

ORIENTEERING AUSTRALIA

2009 National Senior Squads

National Merit Badge awards

2009 National Squads have also been announced.

In the National Senior Squad selectors have placed a strong focus on athletes with current WOC prospects as well as younger athletes with longer term claims to WOC places. The elite High Performance Group contains four women, reflecting their excellent performances at this year’s world championships.

The National Merit Badge Awards aim to recognise orienteers who achieve a consistent orienteering standard relative to their age-group peers and to be a fund raising activity for Australian Teams to World Championships. An orienteer can qualify for a Badge when three Badge credits have been earned within a two-year period.

Badge credits can be earned at all Championship and Badge events, including AUS 3-Days.

National Senior Squad/ High Performance Group MEN Julian Dent (HPG) Matt Parton Ben Rattray Kerrin Rattray Dave Shepherd Reuben Smith Ryan Smyth Simon Uppill William Hawkins Bryan Keely Oliver Mitchell

WOMEN Jo Allison (HPG) Hanny Allston (HPG) Grace Elson (HPG) Kathryn Ewels (HPG) Jasmine Neve Vanessa Round Anna Sheldon Laurina Neumann Rachel Effeney Shannon Jones Mace Neve Susanne Casanova

For further information contact: John Oliver, 68 Amaroo St, Wagga Wagga 2650 Tel: 069 226 208 ; e-mail: oliver.family@bigpond.com. au Badges awarded during Oct – Dec 2008 Melvyn Cox BN.N M50 Kathryn Cox BN.N W45 Kelly Bertei TE.S M14 Lachlan Hallett TE.S M21 Jon Potter TE.S M60 Liz Abbott PO.A W45 Bruce Bowen PO.A M55 Kate Bowen PO.A W14 Scott Bowen PO.A M16 Jennifer Clarke PO.A W17 Richard D’Abrera PO.A M17 Sue Garr PO.A W40 Kay Grzadka PO.A W45 Peta Halloran PO.A W21 Anna Hyslop PO.A W35 Rebecca Hyslop PO.A W10 Richard Hyslop PO.A M16 Rohan Hyslop PO.A M35 Thomas Hyslop PO.A M10 Dylan Ingwersen PO.A M10 Ruben Ingwersen PO.A M12 Ciaran Lane PO.A M12 Greg Lane PO.A M35 Heather Lane PO.A W10 Barbara Martin PO.A W55 William Monaghan PO.A M55 Sandra Oliver PO.A W21 Richard Pywell PO.A M21 Geoff Stacey PO.A M20 Jill Walker PO.A W45 Kristen Walker PO.A W17 Phil Walker PO.A M45 Arthur Watson PO.A M65 Rick Armstrong AW.V M60 Wayne Bajenoff AW.V M35 Ian Herbert AW.V M60 Liz Wood AW.V W50 Don Bajenoff IK.N M75 Terry Carberry IK.N M45 David Green IK.N M40 Dayle Green IK.N W35 Ian Hassall IK.N M70 Keith Jay IK.N M55 Julie Mann IK.N W45 Barry Pearce IK.N M65 Peter Shepherd IK.N M55 Alex Davey WR.N M50 Briohny Davey WR.N W21 Deb Davey WR.N W50 Pauline Moore WR.N W60

Gold Silver Gold Silver Bronze Gold Silver Bronze Silver Bronze Bronze Gold Silver Bronze Gold Gold Silver Gold Bronze Bronze Gold Silver Bronze Bronze Silver Silver Bronze Silver Gold Bronze Silver Bronze Gold Silver Bronze Bronze Bronze Gold Bronze Silver Bronze Gold Bronze Silver Silver Gold Silver Gold Gold Bronze

John Oliver WR.N M55 Kathy Oliver WR.N W45 Wally Cavill DR.V M80 Debbie Dodd DR.V W45 Ian Dodd DR.V M50 Louise Hall DR.V W40 Pamela King DR.V W55 Mark Korvin DR.V M45 Allan Miller DR.V M70 Pat Miller DR.V W70 Denise Pike DR.V W55 Tina Smith DR.V W40 Asha Steer DR.V W10 Lanita Steer DR.V W12 Martin Steer DR.V M40 Ilze Yeates. DR.V W55 Peter Yeates DR.V M60 Nicholas Burridge UG.Q M10 Daniel Gray UG.Q M10 Lachlan Mcintyre UG.Q M10 Aidan Tay UG.Q M10 David Tay UG.Q M14 Aaron Breed UG.Q M16 Thomas McIntyre UG.Q M17 Oliver Mitchell UG.Q M17 Stephanie Cantwell UG.Q W10 Heather Burridge UG.Q W12 Lisette Schutts-Rand UG.Q W14 Emily Cantwell UG.Q W16 Morgan Mcintyre UG.Q W16 Bridget Anderson UG.Q W17 Michelle Cantwell UG.Q W17 Sarah Aitken TK.V W14 Michelle Aston TK.V W16 Paul Elam TK.V M55 Anne Garvey TK.V W45 Lisa Linssen TK.V W21 Ken Moore TK.V M65 Pam Prime TK.V W60 Peter Prime TK.V M65 Jasmine Sunley TK.V W20 Julie Sunley TK.V W40 Rebekah Sunley TK.V W16 Sean Sunley TK.V M40 Jan Thomas TK.V W65 Matthias Boos UR.N M35 Noel Boos UR.N M12 Sibylle Boos UR.N W40 Zuzu Burford UR.N M55 Mark Darvodelsky UR.N M45 Sarah Garnett UR.N W50 Lisa Lampe UR.N W45 Dave Lotty UR.N M60 David McKenna UR.N M45 Jane McKenna UR.N W40 Clare Murphy UR.N W21 Helen Murphy UR.N W55 Angela Murray UR.N W60 Dick Ogilvie UR.N M60 Jenny Ogilvie UR.N W21 Maureen Ogilvie UR.N W75 Ron Pallas UR.N M45 Linda Sesta UR.N W40 Gayle Shepherd UR.N W35 Rick Steele UR.N M45 Margaret Wilmott UR.N W35 Nicholas Wilmott UR.N M50 Sarah Goodwin WE.A W35 Norm Johnston WE.A M65 Emily Quantock WE.A W65 Gordon Quantock WE.A M65 John Suominen WE.A M65 Hermann Wehner WE.A M80 Kirsten Wehner WE.A W40 Martin Wehner WE.A M45 Bert Elson AL.T M55 Jan Hardy AL.T W55 Felicity Crosato RR.Q W45 Oliver Crosato RR.Q M18 Rob Crosato RR.Q M45 Ben Hiley RR.Q M35 Glennie Nottle RR.Q W16 Richard Nottle RR.Q M45 Danette O’Connell RR.Q W16 Nicole Thomas RR.Q W21 Jake West AL.T M10 Karl Bicevskis AL.T M16 Marc Gluskie AL.T M16 Stuart Lawrie AL.T M16 Tom Palfrey AL.T M16 Nick Andrewartha AL.T M17 Lee Andrewartha AL.T M21 Louis Elson AL.T M21 Paul Liggins AL.T M21

Gold Bronze Bronze Silver Silver Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Gold Gold Bronze Gold Gold Silver Bronze Silver Gold Silver Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Silver Silver Gold Gold Silver Bronze Bronze Gold Silver Bronze Bronze Bronze Gold Gold Bronze Gold Bronze Bronze Silver Gold Silver Silver Gold Bronze Gold Gold Silver Silver Gold Silver Silver Gold Silver Gold Bronze Gold Bronze Silver Bronze Gold Bronze Silver Silver Bronze Bronze Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Bronze Bronze Gold Bronze Gold Bronze Gold Gold Gold Silver Silver Gold Gold Gold Gold

Luke Topfer AL.T M21 Jonathan McComb AL.T M35 Mark West AL.T M40 Bill Butler AL.T M45 Mark Buckerfield AL.T M50 Robert Carmichael AL.T M50 Peter Cusick AL.T M45 Kari Eronen AL.T M50 Martin Bicevskis AL.T M55 Mike Calder AL.T M55 Renny Duckett AL.T M55 David Marshall AL.T M55 Lindsay Pender AL.T M55 Rod Bilson AL.T M60 Ross Kelly AL.T M60 James Laver AL.T M60 Peter Shaw AL.T M60 Wayne Griggs AL.T M65 Tony Mount AL.T M75 Rebecca Butler AL.T W14 Nicola Marshall AL.T W14 Amy Buckerfield AL.T W16 Claire Butler AL.T W17 Emma Campbell AL.T W16 Jessie West AL.T W16 Isobel Cusick AL.T W20 Sarah Buckerfield AL.T W-2 Anthea Barrow AL.T W21 Jess Davis AL.T W21 Kristin Raw AL.T W21 Cathy McComb AL.T W35 Gayle West AL.T W40 Elizabeth Butler AL.T W45 Jane Cusick AL.T W45 Judy Davis AL.T W45 Christine Marshall AL.T W45 Andrea Schiwy AL.T W45 Wendy Andrewartha AL.T W50 Rosie Rutledge AL.T W50 Elizabeth Bicevskis AL.T W55 Robyn Chapman AL.T W55 Barbara Tassell AL.T W55 Janet Bush AL.T W60 Helena Griggs AL.T W60 Sue Mount AL.T W70 Karen Hagan WP.N W21 Don Barker NT.N M50 Lloyd Barker-Smith NT.N M18 Felicity Barker-Smith NT.N W14 Felix Burkhard NT.N M50 David Clayton NT.N M21 Boahdan Gregory NT.N M18 Kasimir Gregory NT.N M20 Bob Hawkins NT.N M55 Jenny Hawkins NT.N W60 Alinta Merrotsy NT.N W14 Erica Smith NT.N W45 Alec Watt NT.N M55 Jane Watt NT.N W45 Frank Assenza BN.N M75 Terry Bluett BN.N M60 Kathryn Cox BN.N W45 Melvyn Cox BN.N M50 Bruce Dawkins BN.N M65 Steve Flick BN.N M60 Judith Hay BN.N W55 Elise Kennedy BN.N W21 Eric Morris BN.N M21 Rodney Parkin BN.N M50 Wayne Pepper BN.N M35 Robert Spry BN.N M55 Alexander Stollznow BN.N M45 Osric Van Aggele BN.N M21 Gordon Wilson BN.N M55 Alicia Ng UG.Q W35 Jodie Chia UG.Q W21 Su Yan Tay UG.Q W40 Darryl Fulton SB.S M45 David Medlin SB.S M45 Liz Bourne BB.Q W50 Lilian Burrill BB.Q W16 Marion Burrill BB.Q W45 Philip Burrill BB.Q M45 Ruth Burrill BB.Q W21 Simeon Burrill BB.Q M10

Silver Gold Silver Silver Bronze Bronze Silver Gold Silver Bronze Gold Gold Silver Bronze Bronze Silver Gold Gold Gold Bronze Bronze Gold Silver Gold Gold Silver Silver Bronze Gold Silver Gold Silver Silver Silver Bronze Gold Silver Silver Gold Silver Silver Gold Gold Silver Gold Bronze Silver Silver Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Gold Gold Gold Bronze Bronze Bronze Silver Silver Gold Silver Gold Silver Gold Gold Bronze Gold Bronze Silver Silver Bronze Bronze Gold Bronze Bronze Gold Silver Bronze Gold Gold Silver Bronze Silver Gold

MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 45

SILVA COMPETITION WINNER

Training Diary In each issue of The Australian Orienteer, SILVA will award an L1 Headlamp to the best account of how you have been training and of your goals for the future. There are three more awards to go this year so send in your Training Diaries to mikehubbert@ ozemail.com.au . All Training Diaries received so far will remain in the running for future awards.

WINNER The winner this time is Oscar Phillips from Esk Valley Orienteering Club in Launceston, Tasmania. Oscar was a member of the Australian team to JWOC in Sweden last year.

Oscar’s goals for the near future are: Focus in the short term on a successful Easter in my home State in April and the longer term on going to JWOC in Italy in July. I also plan to make the State cross country team again and go to the Nationals in August. There’ll be less focus on the track season at the moment to train more for these goals.

OSCAR PHILLIPS’ TRAINING January 12-18 2009 MONDAY JAN 12 Running 50min (sick) shoes: Salomon SpeedCross 2; Still coughing. Run in reserve near home, with a map.

TUESDAY JAN 13 Running 35min (sick) shoes: Nike dart V1 w/up; Fartlek around Carr Villa Trail, w/d, Ran after work.

30-30-60-60-2min-2min-2min-2 min-60-60-30-30.

WEDNESDAY JAN 14 Note: Enforced rest day. Was going to train after work as it was 32 degrees during the day which was very hot for Tasmania, but got asked to stay until close so too late for the run.

THURSDAY JAN 15 Running 35min (sick) shoes: Adistar Competition. Swapped Tues with Thurs session for work reasons. Warm up for about 15min, a few stretches, run throughs, 1km solid in 2:55, 5mins rest then 4x400 in 65-68sec, 2min recovery. Pretty hot day. At the St. Leonards track. Coughing still and felt crap when I finished. Walked the warm down...

FRIDAY JAN 16 Orienteering 1hour - shoes: Salomon SpeedCross 2. Went up to Trevallyn to help the Brammalls with a corporate thing -professional development for nonorienteers.

Put out some controls and marked off cards and moved some more controls for the afternoon session.

Was there for 4 hours but actually running around probably an hour but could have been more.

I’ll be my usual self and go the conservative option (lol). Used the control putting out and moving as speedy terrain runs which was fun.

SATURDAY JAN 17 Running race 35:00 shoes: Nike Jasari Spikes Ran in a 3200m handicapped “pro” carnival race at St Helens. Got pulled about 240m on last years handicap because of winning last year, so no prizemoney for me this year.

Had a tactic of letting a couple of the older guys behind me catch me then getting carted round which worked for a while but the frontmarkers had been generously looked after so sort of lost interest when that became obvious. Hot weather, grass oval, don’t know my actual race time.

Total time includes warmup,warmdown.stretches/ runthroughs.

Went home via Upper Scamander and the forest reserve and Top Marshes Rd where vegetation is growing back after the bushfires.

It is a very cool area and should be mapped immediately ha ha.

SUNDAY JAN 18 Running 2:00:23 shoes: Salomon SpeedCross 2 Long training run , ran through four maps, Kate Reed, Trevallyn, Royal Park and Heritage Forest. Felt average to start off with then started to get going once I left Kate Reed, running faster at end than start. Feeling pretty good and strong. Last half was in the dark as went after work. Dad got pissed on by a possum ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha as we ran past a building at the railway yards.

Schools Relay.

Photo: Catherine Phillips

Oscar at the Australian Sprint Champs ’08.

Photo: Catherine Phillips

46 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2009

WIN a

L1 Headlamp valued at $199.95

Send us your TRAINING DIARY Record your training for a typical week; include some words about how your felt; tell us your short term and long term goals; then send your Training Diary and a photo of yourself to The Australian Orienteer;email: mikehubbert@ozemail.com.au We will choose the best entry and print it in the next magazine.

Each Diary printed will win a SILVA L1 Headlamp.

This competition will run all year, so keep sending your Training Diaries in.

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WIN a Gerber Method™ Butterfly Opening Multi-Plier® valued at $119.95 Every issue of The Australian Orienteer needs good quality action photos from recent events. This is your chance to get your photos in print. The best photo in each issue will win a valuable prize. We need high resolution photos (file size 2MB or greater). Send your photos to mikehubbert@ozemail.com.au Winner this time is Andrew Johnstone from New Zealand who supplied many of the Oceania Champs photos we’ve used in this issue, including the cover.

The Method™contains a full set of tool components featuring stylised spring-action pliers and ergonomically contoured lightweight aluminium handles.

RRP: $119.95 -available at Anaconda, King of Knives, Rays Outdoors and other leading outdoor retailers. www.gerbergear.com; australia@fiskarsbrands.com MARCH 2009 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 47

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