Saturday 28th September - 7th October 2018

It’s been a busy time in South Australia with the Australian Middle Distance, Relay, Sprint and Long Championships plus the Australian Schools Championships (Sprint, Long & Relay) and to top off the Carnival the SA Middle Distance Championships.

The first weekend, based at Renmark on the Murray, had two great complex terrain with erosion gullies and sandy red river banks. Plus, a double school campus for a fast-paced sprint on a flat course.

Australian Middle Distance Championships results include these fine performances to kick off the carnival;

M/W10N, 1^st Rohan Braid
W10, 2^nd Amy Dufty
W21AS, 1^st Daisy McCauley
W40A, 3^rd Ceri Pass
W45B, 3^rd Marlize Bosman
WEasy, 1^st Sasha Eves
W65A, 1^st Carol  Brownlie
W65AS, 1^st Jenny Komyshan
M12A, 1^st Eckart Bosman
M35A, 2^nd Paul Dowling
M45A, 3^rd Craig Dufty
M45B, 3^rd Jaco Bosman

With over 60 West Australians travelling the Australian Relay Championships had some great team performances from the West Aussies on the complex terrain. Some highlights included;

W55AS 1^st Anthea Feaver, Rosalie McCauley , Jenny Komyshan
W65A 2^nd Jan Fletcher, Lois West, Carol Brownlie
M21E 3^rd Henry McNulty, Andries Swart, Craig Dufty

The Australian Long Championships explored the hills and pine forest of Mt Crawford east of the Adelaide city with the crowning performance of the day Henry McNulty taking first place in M21 Elites by over 7 minutes. The first WA man to claim the title in 20 years. Other WA podium places:

M/W10N 2nd Rohan Braid
W10A 2nd Amy Dufty
W21AS 3^rd Daisy McCauley
W40A 3^rd Jen Graham Taylor
W45B 1^st Marlize Bosman
WEasy 1^st Sasha Eves
W65A 2^nd Carol Brownlie
M14A 3^rd Aldo Bosman
M21E 1^st Henry McNulty
M45A 2^nd Craig Dufty
M45B 1^st Jaco Bosman

Rocks, rocks, and more rocks were the order of the day at The SA Middle Distance, similar to some WA farm maps and many sandgropers enjoyed the last event! Henry again was able to hold off a strong field to take 1^st place. The other WA place getters were:

M/W10N 3^rd Rohan Braid
W10A 1^st Amy Dufty
WEasy 1^st Sasha Eves
W21AS 1^st Daisy McCauley
W40A 2^nd Caeri Pass
W55A 3^rd Anthea Feaver
WEasy 3^rd Juliette Jarrett
W65A 2^nd Carol Brownlie
W65AS 3^rd Jenny Komyshan
M10A 3^rd Lachlan Braid
M12A 3^rd Liam Dufty
M14A 3^rd Aldo Bosman
M21E 1^st Henry McNulty
M35A 1^st Paul Dowling
M45A 2^nd John Toomey
M45AS 2^nd Paul Jarrett

Add in the three days of the Australian Schools Championships at which the WA schools team acquitted themselves well and ended up ahead of the Tasmanian’s and it was a very full week of events. There will be a full report on the Schools Championships and the WA team adventures in the next issue of O Xpress.

The results and all associated splits and maps can be found on the SA Orienteering website

https://www.sa.orienteering.asn.au/2018-australian-championships-results

Lots of Photos via the 2018 Carnival Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/2018auschamps/

and on the Orienteering WA Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/OrienteeringWA/

Saturday 23rd September 2018

Nangaguringguring

After the steep slopes and rigours of the Middle Distance event, the Long Distance Champs provided generally open Wandoo woodland with patches of rock and gully terrain. Some long legs and tricky rocks provided challenge, while runnability assisted the very fit and accurate.

The courses were set by David Kessell, based in Moora, and coming out of self-imposed ‘retirement’ from orienteering to assist LOST with the event.

Controlling was ably provided by Tony Simpkins, who also assisted the inexperienced (at least in recent times) event organizer, Anna Napier.

The weather was fine, which was great for the event organizers but a bit too warm for runners and for the presentations, held in an open, sunny spot near the caravan.

Thanks to the many helpers, in particular Peter Gillon for caravan towing (again!) and for assisting with putting out water a few days before the event and caravan packing at the end. The computer crew of Cameron and Jane, supervised by Rosalie McCauley did their usual good work, particularly with managing pre-entries.  Control collection was undertaken by a large number of people: Mike Howe, Chas Lane, Anthea Feaver, Henry McNulty, Peter Gillon, Edward Plummer, Robert Graieg, Moreen and Alan Cox and David Kessell. Tony Simpkins also assisted with control collection and packing up. Thanks also to Dan Greig who organized printing and collection of the place getter certificates.  The cake and drink stall raised a good amount, thanks to the bakers and consumers.

Good luck to all those who have gone to SA for the Nationals!

Results in Eventor

Saturday 22nd September 2018

Jumbuck Hill (Bells)

Spring well and truly sprung on Saturday with temperatures in the high 20s, 106 intrepid orienteers sprang to it - to navigate the steep slopes, rocky hilltops, swathes of vegetation and hopefully took a moment to enjoy the views while competing in the Middle Distance Championships at Jumbuck (Bells). The courses were Middle Distance style with lots of controls and short legs between controls to keep the orienteers concentrating.

It was an interesting area to set as the limited access and steep slopes added to the usual challenges of setting a Championship event. Some words from the Setter

“I must thank unknown and identified people who volunteered me feedback on the technical aspects of the courses. This is greatly appreciated. I would l have liked some feedback from Course 1 competitors and if possible from parents of Course 6 and 7 competitors to put into my mind for future events. I must thank the lady who asked if next time that the weather be a little cooler. Yes, I think I will pray to the weather gods to ensure a cooler event next time!

To Rosalie: thanks for stepping in at the last moment picking up the pieces at that late stage was very very helpful. Rosalie's experience and dedication was greatly appreciated. Graham is the consummate controller. Unflappable, experienced and "on the ball" made setting so much easier. His feedback contributed greatly to allowing me to set in such a difficult area. Lack of access was the greatest challenge, and I offered up a number of scenarios for starts. After eliminating a heap of scenarios myself, a mess of emails later, we came up with what we ended up as our final model. I hope the challenge was accepted positively.

Thanks go to all that helped on the day. By noon Saturday I was, to use the vernacular, absolutely "buggered" after carrying water up the hill, putting out 70, yes, seventy controls, 55 Friday and 15 Saturday. I was spent. Thanks to my wife Jan, who left her busy schedule of coffee and movies to walk up the hill to help Graham with the starts.

This event was made possible by Robert Boekelaar (Setter), Graham Braid (Controller) and Rosalie McCauley (Organiser) with support from Digby Mercer (Caravan tower), Daisy McCauley (general fixer), Dan Greig and Carol Brownlie (Presentation managers) and of course the always helpful WOW control collectors and Melinda Richards (Computer Operator extraordinaire).

Occasional helpers were great: Don and Val Mason, offers from Peter Komyshan, Ken and Helen Post, Nick Lethbridge, and Peter Hamilton. To the control collectors dragooned into climbing back up the mountain: much, much thanks go to Ken and Carol Brownlie, Dan Grieg, Graeme Harris, Digby Mercer, Daisy and Rosalie McCauley and my comrade in organising this event, Graham Braid.”

Robert Boekelaar, Setter

Results in Eventor