'Foreign' raiders claim Xmas spoils
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 02 January 2018 10:39
Interstate orienteers took out seven of the nine overall hard categories as the Xmas 5-Days carnival wrapped up at Belanglo State Forest on Sunday.
Garingal's Warwick Selby set lovely courses (his first outing as a bush planner) on Uringa's The Piggery map, and the GO team were all packed up by 12.30pm, allowing everyone an afternoon nap before the New Year's Eve fireworks.
A cooler day and some soft pine needles underfoot made for easy running... until the rocky pagodas and fallen tree paddocks required more careful negotiation of the terrain.
A huge thanks to all the clubs, setters, controllers, organisers, SI gurus, participants and hangers-on. All the best for 2018... there are whispers next year's X5D may be back in Sydney for urban up-and-down a la 2014.
Overall point scores can be viewed here. Our 2017 champions were:
| Men A | Peter Hodkinson | Vic | Women A | Caroline Pigerre | Qld |
| Men B | Warren Key | Vic | Women B | Kathie Dent | ACT |
| Men C | Richard Morris | Bennelong | Women C | Carolyn Jackson | Vic |
| Men D | Tony Radford | Vic | Women D | Alison Radford | Vic |
| Men E | Eric Baker | Northern Tablelands | Women E | Nea Shingler | Big Foot |
| Men F | Oliver Freeman | Big Foot | Women F | Aoife Rothery | Big Foot |
| Men G | Elye Dent | ACT | M/W Novice | Alex Morris | Bennelong |
Pigerre, Morris cleaning up at Xmas 5-Days
- Last Updated: Thursday, 28 December 2017 15:37
Young Queensland star Caroline Pigerre has made it two-from-two at the Xmas 5-Days carnival in the Southern Highlands.
Caroline won Thursday's first bush event at Canyonleigh by almost five minutes from ACT's Shannon Jones, after taking out the opening sprint by 78 seconds.
The Arthursleigh map was the venue for our NSW Long Champs in May when Uringa dusted off a map unused for at least a decade. This time it was Jim Mackay setting, and interstate women claimed the first four divisions.
Bennelong Northside's Richard Morris also made it a double, in Men's C, sparing his Sydney Summer Series rivals another flogging in the process.
Wednesday's carnival opener was a sprint at Chevalier College in Burradoo (pictured). The campus is not overly tricky but has enough complexity to trap the unwary.
SHOO's Peter Meyer set courses that perplexed and stumped, in a smallish area that does not appear to hold too many demons - yet the list of mispunches on the Men's A course was a veritable Who's Who of Australian orienteering.
Garingal's Duncan Currie led a junior sweep of Men's B while juniors won three of the top five women's classes.
There is Enter on Day at each of the three remaining events but you must register by 8.30am to claim a spot.
Garingal stars take out Big Foot Sprints
- Last Updated: Wednesday, 27 December 2017 10:52
The heat was well and truly on in western Sydney on Sunday for the 20th annual Big Foot Sprints.
Temperatures were in the high 30s right across the Sydney region, but especially at Nurragingy as 60 runners took on the unique two-race challenge in flat parklands.
Aidan Dawson and Lisa Grant (pictured, right) emerged triumphant; Aidan pipping SHOO legend Dave Meyer by six seconds and Lisa a minute clear of GO clubmate Aniko Fozo-Kertesz.
Aidan was 27 seconds up after the first leg after Meyer was left ruing a 45-second error that ultimately cost him the title.
Big Foot's Brian Thorpe took out the shorter single race for kids. All the maps and results are on the BF Sprints page. Thanks to the Feet for a big effort in sapping conditions. Andy Simpson noted that this was Uringa godfather Dave Lotty's 100th event for the year.
On the other side of the city at Manly Dam, Bennelong Northside had their Christmas party with a leisurely 3km run taking in some of the rock to the northeast of the dam. The fresh water of the dam provided a nice cooling off opportunity and we thank Terry Bluett for putting on the course.
The Xmas 5-Days starts this afternoon with a sprint at Chevalier College in Burradoo.
2017 Xmas 5-days program published
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 19 December 2017 14:48
The final program has been released for the annual Xmas 5-Days carnival in the Southern Highlands.
We will be using queueing starts each day.
In the event of forecast high temperatures (>35 degrees) or bushfires in the area, organisers of the bush events (days 2-5) are empowered to cancel that Day’s event under ONSW Rule 4.3.
The Day 3 or Day 5 events may also be cancelled if Forests NSW close access to the State Forests. We will endeavour to update the event website, Facebook, and email competitors if these conditions are expected.
It is looking like a warm Xmas 5 Days. There will be limited water at the finish, so competitors are asked to bring their own supply (1-2 litres per day.)
For those who didn't pre-enter, there will be Enter on Day available in Very Easy, Easy, Moderate and two Hard courses.
Moss Vale, Bowral or Mittagong would be good bases for accommodation as they are close to four of the events. Big Foot's event at Snows Hill on Day 4 is the 'remote' day, being closer to Bungendore.
