A little orienteering practice...

Snow Hills postponed. Disappointment. Accommodation and other activities already committed. What to do? Enter Maggie from Uringa and Toni from the ACT to coordinate some training exercises on a property down the southern highlands. Sunshine and blue sky - yes! Dry land, no mud or flood (on the property) challenges - yes! Good practice at contouring, relocating, and generally orienteering in the bush after not much bush orienteering since last winter season.

Highlight: curious donkeys. (Close that gate quick, or they'll make a break for it!)

Many thanks to the people who planned the actual exercises, too.

2011 National Rankings

The rankings for 2011 have been released and several Uringans are featured in the rankings:

1. Maureen Ogilvie W75

3. Sophie Jones W10

4. Georgia Jones W14

Linda Sesta W40

5. Dick Ogilvie M65

6. Dave Lotty M65

For your information, these rankings are based on the Australian 3-Days (Easter, Western Australia), Australian Sprint, Middle, Long Distance Championships as well as the Oceania Sprint, Middle, Long Championships which were all held in the Beechworth, Wagga, Cooma areas in October.

Congratulations to everyone, well done and keep up the good work !!

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!