NSW State League Kicks Off

It was a warm and windy weekend for the opening of the NSW State League, with sweltering summer temperatures making a comeback and strong gusts sweeping clouds of dust across the terrain. This didn’t deter the large gang of orienteers including six Uringans who headed to Southeast NSW for the first two events of the season, which included a range of navigationally challenging courses of varying length and elevation, over hilly bush terrain with no paths or park benches in sight. Termite mounds served as one of the key navigation features, and various species of wildlife including kangaroos, deer, snakes and owls also made an appearance over the weekend. The 2018 State League comprises 16 events in total and incorporates the NSW Orienteer of the Year competition, which is awarded in each age class with the scoring based on a competitor’s best seven results in the hard A category courses.

Event #1 was held on Saturday afternoon at Collector Hill. Many of the participants struggled in the heat and conditions underfoot were challenging, with a proliferation of fallen trees reducing the pace to a stumble in many places. Maggie Mackay competed in the W12A class on a 2.2k course, and persevered to secure the win in a time of 1.01.08. Her brother Finn was 8th in the M16A class over 5.8k, and Shane Doyle was 2nd in the M50A class on the same course in 1.20.56. Linda Sesta finished a close second in the W50A class on the 4.1k course, having stopped to help a clubmate in difficulty. Jim Mackay and Dave Lotty were forced to retire from their races in the M55AS and M65AS classes.

Maggie Mackay at Collector Hill on Saturday. Photo: Clare Jessup

Conditions were slightly better for event #2 at Snows Hill on Sunday morning, although many participants were exhausted from the previous day’s competition. Maggie again won her class in an impressive time of 33.37 for 2.7k, and Linda turned the tables on Saturday’s result to come first in her W50A class by a margin of over six minutes, in a time of 104.49 for the 5.5k course. Shane was again second in the M50A class, and narrowed the gap by over four minutes to finish in 1.17.14 over the 6.2k course. Jim competed in the M55AS class, finishing 6th in 1.47.28 for 3.9k, while Finn bailed out of contention in the M16A class with a mispunch.

Linda Sesta, winner of the W50A class at Snow Hills on Sunday.
Photo: John Harding, Orienteering Australia

Shane Doyle finishing second in the M50A class at Snow Hills.
Photo: John Harding, Orienteering Australia

Jim Mackay in action at Snow Hills.
Photo: John Harding, orienteering Australia

Map of the 5.5 course at Snow Hills showing Linda's splits

Full results for both events are available on the Orienteering NSW site.