The 10
Uringans who represented the club at the NSW Middle and Long Distance
Championships over the weekend produced some excellent results. The championships incorporated events #3 and #4
of the NSW State League, as well as the hotly contested Orienteer of the Year
Competition. Hosted by Northern Tablelands
and Bush n Beach Orienteering clubs, both events were held on newly mapped
territory at Pine Tree, Yarrowyck, 35 km west of Armidale, which included lots of granite and boulders. Weather conditions
were ideal, with sunshine and moderate temperatures.
The Middle Champs/State League event #3 held on
Saturday morning yielded two wins and two third places for Uringa. Jim Mackay
won the M55As class by a whopping 12 ½ minutes, completing the 2.71km course in
a time of 31.10, and Dave Lotty was 1st in the M65AS class in 32.52 for 1.97km.
Brian Cleland came 3rd in the M80A class, also over 1.97km, in a time of 1.03.10,
and Shane Doyle was 3rd in the M50A class, finishing in 48.28 for 4.1km. Finn
Mackay was 9th in the M16A class, running 49.36 for 3.27km. In the women’s races,
Maggie Mackay was 4th in the W12A class, completing the 2.51km course in 31.23,
Linda Sesta was 4th W50A in a time of 40.56 over 3.24km, Serena Doyle came 5th
in the W16A class in 51.09 for 3.24km, Melanie Christie was 5th W45A in 1.21.57
for 3.27km, and Mary Jane Mahony finished 5th in the W70A class in 1.30.13 over
2.71km.
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| Brian Cleland competing in the Middle
Champs on
Saturday. Photo: Alec Watt, NTN |
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| Linda Sestsa finishing the Middle Champs on Saturday. Photo: Orienteering NSW. |
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| Map of the 2.71km Middle Champs course. Photo: Orienteering NSW. |
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The Long Champs/State League #4 event on
Sunday morning was challenging by all accounts, and involved navigating over
steep, rocky terrain. All the Uringan competitors persevered to cross the finish
line, and four members earned podium positions for their efforts. Shane Doyle
improved on his Saturday performance to grab 2nd place in the M50A class, finishing
in 1.06.59 for 6.54km, while Jim Mackay was just over a minute off 1st place in
the M55AS class, finishing in 1.07.47 for 4.1km. Dave Lotty came 2nd in the
M65AS class in a time of 43.33 for 2.68km, and in the M80A class Brian Cleland
was 2nd, completing the 2.68km course in 46.00. Finn Mackay was 5th in the M16A
class in 1.14.29 for 5.94km. Best placed of the women was Serena Doyle, who
finished 2nd in the W16A class in 1.32.52 for 4.87km. Linda Sesta had a great
race in the W50A class, finishing a close 4th on the 5.94km course in a time of
1.14.06, while Mary Jane Mahony was 4th in her W70A class in 2.34.25 for 4.1k,
Melanie Christie was 5th W45A in 2.22.40 for 6.54km, and Maggie Mackay was 5th
in the W12A class, finishing in 32.35 for 2.68km.
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| Jim Mackay, 2nd M55AS at the Long Champs on Sunday. Photo: Alec Watt, NTN. |
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| Map of the 4.87km Long Champs course. Photo: Orienteering NSW. |
