Mort Bay Dock Sprint

Yesterday was the last event of the 2012 Sydney Sprint Series, and the second of Uringa's two events in the series, this one on the Balmain peninsula.

Course setter Dave Lotty offered wonderful views, route choice... and, well, the potential for rather a lot of going up and going down... if that was your route choice.

Ballast Point in particular provided some tricky navigation both as the map is complex and because when you are on the site it's not always possible to see where it is you want to go.

Thanks to Matt Peters who did the original mapping for Summer Series events and Dave Lotty who prepared the sprint map. Ron Pallas as usual led the results team, and numerous Uringans turned up to help set up and take down, and to staff the necessary posts during the event.

Honorary Life Member Arthur Durham

Extract from the presentation at the AGM:

I have asked Arthur to make the trip from Wyong tonight because as a club of strong loyalties it is not only our duty to honour Arthur for his many years of wonderful service but because he has been a good friend to all of us, for many here tonight, for over twenty years.

First introduced to orienteering in around 1976/7 by Frank Assenza, Arthur initially joined Bennelong Occasional Orienteers as it was known back then, due to Frank’s affiliation with this club.

However in the late eighties / early nineties Arthur joined Uringa and has been a valued and active club member ever since.

If event volunteers were needed, Arthur always made himself available. He was asked consistently to help out with Enter on the Day, registration and taking money because we knew the money would be accurate and his friendly manner would always inspire newcomers.

He also held the office of Treasurer for nearly a decade, retiring in 2010 - he truly did a sterling job.

Many people who are here tonight, whose children are now adults, will remember fondly the kindness Arthur showed towards their children, and the many times he watched over them while the parents were out running.

He has also been known to shadow many of the children on their courses throughout the year even on their first night events!

Arthur himself competed regularly, even in Europe in the 70s, 80s and 90s, until he experienced ill health.

Over the last few years, his health has unfortunately limited his participation in the club activities, and last year he made the decision to move to the Central Coast to be closer to family and friends. Arthur may have moved but will be in our thoughts despite the distance. And hopefully you will manage to come down to Sydney and join us for the Curry nights or Christmas parties.

It is with the greatest pleasure that we bestow on Arthur Life Membership of Uring and also ask him to accept this gift as a reminder of us.

Arthur, on behalf of all the Uringa orienteers, a big heartfelt thank you for your contribution to Uringa over all these years. Congratulations!

Uringa Orienteers Annual General Meeting

The club's annual general business and social meeting was held on February 24, 2012. Club officers for 2012 are:

President                                     Linda Sesta
VicePresident                             Lisa Lampe
Secretary                                     Mary Jane Mahony
Treasurer                                     Dave Lotty
Webmaster                                  Dave McKenna          
Blogmaster                                  Rick Steele
Social Secretary                         Gayle Shepherd
Events & Mapping Officer         Dave Lotty
Equipment Officers                    Ron Pallas, Nick Wilmot, Matt Peters
Club Captain                               Brian Cleland
Training Co-ordinator                Maggie Jones
Medical Officer                            Lisa Lampe
Delegates to OANSW (2)          Linda Sesta, Ron Pallas

Much business was addressed (minutes will be distributed via the email list SOON).

Contour training

Last Sunday Maggie Jones (and her Jones' entourage) offered  exercises in reading contours at Sydney Park. It was a marvelous sunny Sunday morning for a run (or a walk, for some of us) in the park, and we learned a few things, too.

Update on the Permanent Orienteering Course in Centennial Park

Just a bit of an update on the permanent orienteering course in Centennial Park which our club is involved in.

Centennial Parklands has partnered with Uringa and Conservation Australia volunteers to set up a permanent orienteering course in Centennial . The project started about a year ago and is nearing completion with control site markers going in by the end of February, hopefully!! Linda & Dave set the courses (with a total of 31 control sites), and along with OANSW Development Officer Barbara Hill attended several meetings throughout 2011 to help push this project along.

Following article has been published in the Centennial Parklands summer news bulletin, see page 5:

http://www.centennialparklands.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/57834/Cent_SummerMag_2011_LR.pdf

This year also marks 40 years of orienteering and mapping in Centennial Park, with the 1st ever event held in April 1972, so the opening of this permanent course in 2012 will signify a great milestone in the Uringa Club history.

It is anticipated that the official opening will be held in conjunction with our Metroleage/Juniorleague event on 17 June.

Happy New Year

Hope everyone had a marvellous Christmas time and is now ready for some more great orienteering in 2012!! With the new year already in full swing, the next Uringa events are once again just around the corner..........below are the details:

11 Jan Summer Series Balmain

30 Jan Sprint Callan Park

5 Mar Sprint Balmain

As usual helpers are required at all events and organisers will be grateful for anyone lending a hand !!

To a happy and successful New Year, and to the terrain and beyond !!

2011 XMAS 5 Days

A small but hardy crew of Uringans made the trip north to Newcastle for the 2011 Xmas 5 days. 5 days, 5 events in a variety of terrains. Sounds good.


The courses, set by Junior orienteers supported by senior mentors, were well received. I can vouch for that as when you sit in the finish tent you get all sorts of comments and for these 5 days there was a steady stream of positive comments.

Our accommodation - Bonnay!




This year the 5 days featured a different style of event each day.



Day 1 saw a long sprint at the Ourimbah Campus of Newcastle University. Unfortunately it was a little wet underfoot and all had tp cross a rather broad marsh - wet and muddy feet was the order of the day. However it caould have been worse as two weeks ago all the low lying areas were under 30 - 40 cms of water.




Linda Sesta had a win in Womens B and fortunately for me Aldo cam with her and he helped me sort out the myriad enter on days. Jared McKenna scored a very solid 3rd on the Enter on day easy course. Dave Lotty was next in line with 7th in MD and Dick scored a 16th place in the same class. Gayle Shepherd led home Maureen Ogilvie in Womens D with 18th and 20th places respectively.

Day 2 and into the bush we go with a Middle distance course at Sothams Road. Jared improved his placing with a 1st in EOD easy. Dave was ever consistent with 7th in MD along with Dick who stepped up two places to 14th. Gayle and Maureen also headed up the leader board with 10th and 13th respectively.

Day 3 and it was a traditional Long Distance Event near Abernathy. Times were as expected longer than previously. Dave had his best day so far with a 3rd in MD whilst Dick continued the climb up the leader board with a fine 12th placing. Gayle had not one of her best runs with Maureen heading her home in 13th and gayle in 17th.

Day 4 saw the mob assemble on Jacobs Oval at Pelaw Main. This was the day that caused me the most concern as it was "MASS START" day. The thought of all 270 runners in the bush within 20 minutes had visions of a long long queue at the download. Alas it was not to be as everyone finished in a civilised fashion and the longest the queue got was about a dozen.

It was interesting to watch the mass starts 5 in all and there is a very interesting photo of Dave face planting just after starting- reading the map and not seeing a nasty dip in the ground! Despite the fall Dave continued to score well with a 4th placing and Dick did things by 2 again with another jump of two placings to move to 10th on the day. Maureen continued to head Gayle into the finished with a fine 11th placing with Gayle next in in 12th.

Here we go "Loopy d Loo" was the theme for the 5th and final day staged in the hills behind Glendale High School.. Competitors in each class started in pairs with each one doing loops in a different order. Perhaps the highlight of the day was Nicola Blatchford heading home mum Karen in a fierce sprint down the finish shute. This was Dave's worse result with a 20th and Dick once again in powers of 2 was two in front in 18th. Gayle came in in 12th with Maureen in 15th.

And so it was that the crowd eagerly awaited the results as in the 5 days you drop your worse run. Dave was a very healthy 4th place in MD with Dick 13th overall. Maureen managed to head Gayle in WD with a fine 15th placing with Gayle ( 16th) by 0.56% in the overall score.


Superbly organised by Nick Dent the 2011 event was a great success.

2012 5 days will be in northern Victoria. Beechworth Bakery here we come!