Australian Long Distance Champs

A huge convoy of cars headed south through Captains Flat, a former mining town to a sleepy valley near Jerangle for the running of the Australian Long Distance Championships. Slap Up Creek was the name of the map and the area was very reminiscent of the famous "Big Badja" Granite  rock features, open paddocks, fallen timber- this map was a real test of endurance and navigation.

You have to wonder how an area such as this gets spotted. A few years ago a rogainne was held in the valley and from that came the interest in turning the area into an orienteering map.
From there aerial photos were obtained and then photogrammetry (This process takes the aerial photos which are shot in stereo and using this stereo vision to  interpret what is up, what is down and what is on the ground.) The Photogrammetry would have given the mapper the majority of boulders out in the open orange areas. Importantly the photogrammetry gives you the contours which the mapper then uses as a basis for the map.

Fortunately the weather had improved but the cold wind was but a vesper of its former self. As long as you had a jumper ready for when it increased life was good.

Early runners brought news of the competition area. many were happy with the terrain although there was universal agreement that fallen timber would be best totally cleared from the forest. One British elite was effusive in his praise in saying that this was the best area he had ever stepped on.

Dave Lotty steeped, with some difficulty onto the dais for 2nd in his class and father and son Dave and Jared McKenna claiming 3rd in their respective age classes. Georgia Jones missed 3rd place by the slimmest of margins.
Have to mention the catering by Jerangle Public School P & C. Well organised and well catered. The wraps were to die for and the cakes and slices straight from the Country Womens' Association Cook Book. Yumm would dine thre again!
Northward rolled the cars in a cloud of dust making the return trip to Canberra or Sydney or wherever all set to return to the Nation's Capital the following weekend for the Australian Middle Distance Champs and Australian Relay Champs on another new map near Bungendore.
Mid week are the Australian Schools Champs with Georgia and Lawrence Jones competing as part of the NSW "Carbines" team- good luck!

Australian Sprint Champs

Orienteering made it onto the hallowed turf of the centre quadrangle of the Canberra  Grammar School for the Australian Sprint Championships. According to those who have attended this school the mere thought of walking across the grass was enough to give you a weeks detention.
The venue was indeed a suitable test for the Aussie Champs. The many building, olive green out of bounds along with narrow paths meant you concentrated or bust. It was interesting at the finish to watch runners enter the quadrangle and then start scratching their collective heads.
before setting out- alas that moments hesitation was enough to bring you undone so fast and furious was the pace.
Maureen Ogilvie  2nd in W80 and Ian Jones 3rd in M45 were two Uringans who made it onto the victory dais.  As was mentioned in the sprint a moments hesitation costs you places, a wrong route choice can see you spiralling down the result boards.
The overall results for Uringa are listed below.

Plac	Name	Class	Time
2	Maureen Ogilvie	W80A	26:34
3	Ian Jones	M45A	18:37
7	Georgia Jones	W16A	16:49
8	Sophie Jones	W12A	39:08
11	Dick Ogilvie	M65A	20:49
14	Jared McKenna	M12A	17:17
17	Jane McKenna	W45A	26:54
17	Dave Lotty	M65A	24:56
21	Margaret Jones	W45A	43:32
21	Gayle Shepherd	W55A	23:53
23	David McKenna	M50A	25:55
	Lawrence Jones	M20E	mispunched
	Catherine Murphy	W21E	did not start
	Ron Pallas	M60A	did not start

Georgia leaving the finish control

Perhaps the lowlight of the event was the weather. What started out in Sydney as a beautiful sunny day continued in Canberra , minus a couple of degrees until the wind arrived. Straight out of the freezer and people were sent scurrying for coats, hats and whatever could keep you warm. There was a collective crossing of fingers that the wind would abate and the temperature rise for tomorrow's Aussie Champs.

 





NSW Miidle and Long Distance Champs

Georgia leaving the start

When one heads towards Newcastle one always needs to consider traffic as one traverses Sydney. For a change the traffic was light (except for an accident which caused some delays) and our arrival at the event was early to say the least.

The NSW Middle Distance Champs were held at Blue Gum, Minmi. This new map is of an old mining area complete with Chimneys and subsidence cracks. Spur gully with a reasonable vegetation cover made for fast running and the course setter, Dennis Lyons really picked the eyes out of the area to give us great courses.
Results for Uringa were very strong with 10 Uringans claiming a badge. The Jones clan ; Sophie, Georgia and Lawrence cleaned up which is especially noteworthy as the Jones household has been battling a lurgy for the past weeks. Maggie did not even make it to the start triangle but stayed with the catering tent.

Now there is a very good article in the latest edition of the Australian Orienteer about Miss Punch. Well Miss Punch lured me into her charms. Fancy heading through controls 13, start of a spectator leg, 14 the end of the streamered spectator leg and yours truly did not punch the control at the end too keen to head off to control 15! Ah Miss Punch you got me again!

Plac	Name	Class	Time	Diff	Km time
1	Georgia Jones	W-16A	34:14		11:45
1	David McKenna	M45AS	33:05		11:22
2	Lawrence Jones	M-18A	51:14	+10:47	10:08
2	Sophie Jones	W-12A	44:10	+19:51	18:33
2	Linda Sesta	W45A	41:22	+0:18	9:39
2	Dave Lotty	M55AS	38:20	+5:12	14:15
2	Danielle Kopriva	W35A	53:13	+12:36	11:34
3	Jane McKenna	W45A	59:45	+18:41	13:57
3	Brian Cleland	M75A	51:40	+16:50	19:12
3	Ian Jones	M45A	39:03	+1:15	7:43
5	Jared McKenna	M-12A	47:51	+21:26	20:06
5	Dick Ogilvie	M65A	44:31	+5:03	11:50
6	Lisa Lampe	W50A	1:09:51	+31:22	18:34
6	Gayle Shepherd	W45AS	1:06:36	+25:41	24:45
7	Maureen Ogilvie	W70A	1:00:42	+22:26	22:33
	Ron Pallas	M55AS	mispunched
	Margaret Jones	W45A	cancelled

Jared heading to the map boxes

The NSW Long Distance Champs were help near Kitchener on another new map called Astley. This was very traditional Newcastle terrain with spur gully dominating. The area has a million and one tracks brought about mostly by the ubiquitous motor bike riders. These tracks were a case of follow at your peril as in places they were a maze. Once again course setting, David Kitchener,  was  great with a nice mix of long and short legs to keep you on your toes.

Again Uringa did very well with 5 runners standing on top of the podium With 3 second placing's.


 Must mention Danielle Kopriva here. Danielle has grown up around orienteering and drifted away from the sport in her late teens as she set about travelling and making a life fore herself. Having returned to "The Shire" Danielle has re-discovered her love for the bush and has returned this year to the sport. Not content with starting on easier shorter courses Danielle has thrown herself into W35A and what a great job she is doing!

Plac	Name	Class	Time	Diff	Km time
1	Jared McKenna	M-12A	36:53		14:01
1	Linda Sesta	W45A	58:33		9:48
1	Georgia Jones	W-16A	50:26		10:47
1	Dave Lotty	M55AS	48:36		12:35
1	Ian Jones	M45A	59:59		7:42
2	Danielle Kopriva	W35A	1:20:45	+15:41	12:18
2	Sophie Jones	W-12A	1:00:51	+30:24	23:08
2	Lawrence Jones	M-18A	1:09:16	+2:16	8:54
3	Brian Cleland	M75A	56:56	+6:00	14:44
3	Jane McKenna	W45A	1:13:55	+15:22	12:22
3	Celine Samba	EOD-M	1:13:08	+14:56	18:48
3	Ron Pallas	M55AS	52:13	+3:37	13:31
3	David McKenna	M45AS	56:49	+3:49	12:09
3	Gayle Shepherd	W45AS	59:57	+9:15	15:31
4	Maureen Ogilvie	W70A	1:02:11	+12:32	16:06
9	Dick Ogilvie	M65A	1:11:22	+18:10	13:34
	Margaret Jones	W45A	cancelled

 Now it is time to turn our attention to the Australian Champs being held in Canberra over the coming two weekends.
Good luck to all Uringans may your navigation be accurate and your speed great.