New champs crowned at Riverina
- Last Updated: Monday, 07 May 2018 18:26
Mater Dei Senior School has made a stunning debut at the Riverina Schools champs by taking out the title on Monday.
They won all the girls' events, while Wagga High School claimed most of the boys' placings.
Multiple winners TRAC are rebuilding their teams after losing a lot following last year’s HSC.
59 students from seven schools took part at the Wagga Botanic Gardens under brilliant blue skies. They were a mix of girls and boys, experienced and novice orienteers.
The relays, as usual, created lots of noise and confusion with much ‘advice’ from the waiting runners. We thanks Waggaroos for providing excellent courses and many willing hands to run a great event.
Juniors dominate 2018 Goanna
- Last Updated: Sunday, 06 May 2018 21:30
Our rising young stars won all three divisions as Garingal's annual Goanna race moved to the tricky rock of Galston on Sunday.
This wacky format, the brainchild of GO member and ONSW staffer Ian Jessup, has a mass start, forks, a score course box and you may skip a control or two.
It's a brain-bending exercise where route choice is not the only consideration.
Big Foot's Ewan Shingler, an all-Australian schoolboy last year, won the long GOanna (6.5km) in 46m18s, more than a minute ahead of JWOC rep Toby Wilson (GO). Toby was defending champion but somehow made the mistake of not skipping any controls when he had the luxury of dropping two of them.
This means Ewan has now won all 3 race lengths since the Goanna started in 2012.
Two wise old heads in Richard Morris (Bennelong) and Andy Simpson (BF) were next - although Andy only skipped one control and was left ruing his choice to visit #20 near the end.
The 1:6,000 scale meant a map flip (see side 1 and side 2) - which fork would you take? which order would you do the box? Which two controls wold you skip?
In the middle DraGOn (5.1km), Clyde McGhee (BN) continued his great form with a 34-second win over young Finn Iida Lehtonen (GO). Clyde got around in 47:05. Angus Leung (GO) made it a trifecta of juniors with his third placing.
Angus' younger sister Andra won the short GeckO (3.9km) by a massive 12 minutes, covering the course in 48:59. Veteran Ian Miller (WHO) was second in a tad over an hour. Iida's dad Juha started late and had the second fastest time (56:46) but was not part of the mass start.
We'd also like to congratulate sub-juniors Lyra Simpson (BF) for winning the Easy (1.9km) and Curtis Pepper (BN) the Long Easy (3.5km). And thanks to the half dozen newcomers for giving it a go today.
Vale John Wilmott
- Last Updated: Thursday, 03 May 2018 08:36
John Wilmott, founding member of Uringa and father of one of the most famous orienteering families in Australia, has passed away aged 89.
John was also an original FOTH (Friend of the Hut, at Belanglo State Forest). The third of ten children, he died peacefully at home on Sunday morning.
"He was M50 Australian champion the same year that mum was W50 champ (1978)," said Luke, one of five sons.
"They would have been in M/W90 this year. He wouldn't mind us naming the dunny after him... The John 😊."
Son Mark added: "Looking through old photos, it struck us all how much the ‘orienteering family’ has been a great part of all our lives. Very early on, Dave Lotty contacted Dad - knowing if John joined up he would bring the kids and he would have an instant club.
Being afforded life membership of Uringa was something he treasured.
From this time until now there are so many friends from all over the world who are special to Dad and Mum.
Dad loved his orienteering, but what he loved most were the people he met. He would talk constantly about the characters, laughing out loud, but most of all he loved and was enormously proud of his family.
Orienteering gave us all so many great times and on behalf of Dad and our family we thank you for your kind thoughts and wishes."
Dave Lotty recalls: “It was 1961 or ’62, I was 18 and part of the first social running club in Australia; we used to run at Canterbury Racecourse. John brought the boys along and that’s how we met.
“When orienteering started around 1971 or 1972, I mentioned it to the boys and they said: ‘That’s for me!’. Within three months the whole family was doing it.
“We all joined Kareelah and in 1975 broke away to form Uringa.”
John's funeral is on Friday at 11am at St May Mackillop Catholic Church at 13 Parker St, Rockdale.
SMH link to leave messages - http://tributes.smh.com.au/obituaries/smh-au/obituary.aspx?n=john-wilmott&pid=188891511
SOS heads for the Hills
- Last Updated: Monday, 30 April 2018 11:52
Our popular Saturday morning series SOS resumes on Saturday and is expanding into the Hills District.
Each Saturday in Terms 2 and 3 for six weeks you'll have a choice of Northern Sydney or Hills - with a combined event to finish each school term.
This week the events are on at Castle Hill High School and Howson Oval, Turramurra. You may start any time between 9.30-11am.
The Turramurra map features a beautiful angophora and eucalyptus forest growing on sandstone outcrops and nestled in north shore suburbia. The courses will take advantage of the bush and the tracks.
The Castle Hill event will be Sprint orienteering within the school grounds - plenty of twists and turns in that!
No experience is necessary and courses are ideal for beginners as well as regular orienteers.
The SOS is run by partner organisation Bold Horizons. See here for details.
