The final event of the Orienteering WA bush season brought competitors into the rugged beauty of Avon Valley National Park for the State Long Distance Championships. First mapped for orienteering back in 1988, the area continues to test athletes of all ages with its areas of fast-running open wandoo forest, scattered rock features and tricky gully complexes.
The longer courses were designed to emphasise route choice, and as the Livelox image below shows, runners fanned out in all directions as they navigated from one corner of the map to the other.
Congratulations to Craig Dufty on claiming his 24th State Long Distance crown — an extraordinary achievement — and to Amy Dufty on securing her very first title, a milestone to remember.
A very big thank you goes to setter Graham Braid and controller Ceri Pass, and a big thank you also goes to the KO members who pitched in to collect controls, ensuring that everything was packed away and everyone was on the road home before 2 pm.
Results are in Eventor.
Upload your track to Livelox and compare your route choices with those of you fellow orienteers.
Photos above: Finishers at Avon Valley; screenshot from Livelox showing some different route choices.
Photos below: (left, l to r) W21A placegetters Kate Braid (2nd), Amy Dufty (1st) and Rachel West (3rd); (right, l to r) M21A placegetters Hadrien Devillepoix (3rd), Liam Dufty (2nd) and Craig Dufty (1st). All photos taken by Sue Dowling.
Ngalak kaaditj nidja Noongar Boodjar. Koora-Yeyi-Kalyakool.