Category Archives: Event Reports

SummerGong update

Our SummerGong events are off to a flying start with one more event to go. Both events have hosted more than 30 competitors/teams, and its great to see new faces and local families coming along to test themselves and have some fun. Also good to see families coming back to step up to the next level and complete the medium course with a smile on their face! Below is a few photos from the first two events thanks to Vicki.

We’ve had fog at Thirroul and brilliant sunshine at Fairy Meadow, fingers crossed for our final event which starts from Stuart Park in Wollongong. For club members, a reminder that the Annual General Meeting will be held after the SummerGong 3 event at Wollongong (venue to be advised).

If you’ve enjoyed the SummerGong events and are keen for more we are currently finalising our 2020 event calendar. We will continue our usual mix of events between Southern Sydney and the Illawarra.

Bay Orienteering Series complete

Sunday was the fourth (and final) event for the Bay Orienteering Series. Stormy skies threatened to disrupt proceedings but thankfully the weather held off allowing 46 people/teams to experience the delights of the San Souci foreshore and parks.

Unfortunately a planned fifth event (for November 10) had to be cancelled due to concerns by the Council.

A BIG THANK YOU to our organisers and course setters, James, Kev, Margaret and Sue for organising these four events. The NSW Stingers also provided invaluable help in putting out and collecting in controls, manning the registration desk and welcoming new orienteers. Ron Pallas provided his usual IT expertise for which we are always grateful.

The events attracted a good range of both experienced orienteers and newcomers, including family groups and three groups of girl guides who turned up to our last event at San Souci. Thanks to Barbara Dawson and Ewan Shingler for providing some tips to the girls before they set off on their courses. The first three events all attracted 60-70 entrants (including some teams) while the threat of storms is likely to have contributed to the smaller number of competitors for the final event on Sunday (46 competitors).

The River Orienteering Series which showcases the Cooks River starts on Sunday 17th November at Ashbury hosted by Uringa. Check Eventor for details.

Barbara coaches some girl guides before their course at San Souci

Blown away at the School Champs

230 very hardy school kids and orienteers braved cyclonic winds on the weekend (Sep 7-8) to participate in the 2019 NSW Schools Championships in the Southern Highlands. Steady winds of 60-70 km/hr and gusts of up to 100 km/hr challenged organisers, competitors and spectators at Saturday’s events at Oxley College and Tudor House. Flags in danger of being ripped out of the ground had to be packed away, control flags blew off their stands, and result slats had to be laid out on the ground because they kept blowing away! And while the top temperature at Moss Vale was just 9 degrees, the windchill kept the temperatures almost Arctic!

By all accounts Sunday’s event at Welby was not much easier with continued high winds and cool temperatures.

Congratulations to Mowbray Public School and Knox Grammar School for taking out the overall championship over two days of competition.

A huge round of applause needs to go to the brave and determined crew from IKO and SHOO who put on a successful event under extremely challenging circumstances. The months of preparation (and endless emails that clogged our inbox) all paid off and I don’t think there were any complaints or incidents over the weekend.

Well done to the organisers and planners – Lyn, Ruth, Peter, Stephen and Robert (SHOO) and David, Vicki, Kevin and Keith (IKO). Many thanks also to the IKO and SHOO start crews who had no respite from the wind, to Ron Pallas for his computer skills, and everybody else that pitched in to help out over the weekend.

Some photos of the sprint at Tudor House are below.

Sunny afternoon at Grays Point

Thanks to Peter and Julie for organising such a lovely afternoon for our club event at Grays Point. Scenic bush tracks and perfect temperatures combined for a pleasant outing in the bush. The medium and long courses were a bit challenging length wise but a few club members made it around in less than an hour – Ross and James took 58 and 59 minutes respectively to complete the medium course which was closer to 6km all up, and Alex did a sizzling time of 56 minutes to complete the long course which was 7-8km.

Those of us doing the short course enjoyed the pleasant ramble around the main tracks taking in the scenic rock formations and wilflowers out in bloom.

A belated CONGRATULATIONS to all the IKO members who cleaned up the awards at the QBIII carnival last weekend. The club had six overall winners after three days of competition: Natalya 2nd (W35A), Shiona 2nd (W45A), Helen 3rd (45AS), Vicki 2nd (55AS), Margaret 2nd (W70A), and Ian 3rd (M65A).

Congratulations to all!

NSW Championships 18-19 May 2019

View over Wyangala Dam — View of Wyangala Dam currently at 29% capacity

Congratulations to our club members who were successful in taking home a lovely wooden medallion / coaster from the NSW Championships. Sue came first in W55AS in the Middle Distance Championships at Wyangala on Day 1, while on Day 2 Vicki came second in W55AS and Helen 3rd in W45AS in the Long Distance Championships.

Wyangala Day 1 — All smiles at Wyangala on Day 1

Both days had their challenges. On Day 1 the challenge was not to get too distracted from your map while taking in the stupendous views over Wyangala Dam, as well as mustering the stamina for several ascents and descents of the steep hills on the course. On Day 2 the intricate map detail combined with some long legs caused grief for some (OK, mostly me!) but was clearly not a challenge for others.

The weather was fantastic and the events well organised – thanks to Western and Hills Orienteers for hosting a great weekend. A club dinner at the Royal Hotel at Carcoar rounded out the social activities for 11 club members.

See the club Facebook page for a full gallery of photos.

Wyangala Dam Day 1 — Ken disappears over the edge at Wyangala Dam