IKO’s year of orienteering begins on February 7 with our annual SummerGong Series.  Set over four consecutive Sunday mornings the series is ideal for beginners to find out what orienteering is all about.  For experienced orienteers its a chance to stretch our legs and tune up our navigation after the Christmas break, all while taking in the scenic parks and coastline that the Wollongong region offers.

While previous years have spaced the events over a wider area of the Illawarra, this year the club has chosen to focus on the Wollongong area.  The first event will be held at Stuart Park at North Wollongong, followed by events at Thirroul, McCabe Park and Flagstaff Hill.  See the Coming Events page for more details.  All events are also listed on the Orienteering Eventor site.

Club captain Kevin Curby says the event is specifically designed to introduce people in the Illawarra to the sport of orienteering. You can compete as an individual or go with a buddy or family group.

“If you can read a street directory then you can read an orienteering map” he says. “Just go at your own pace; walk, jog or run. For this introductory series we use urban areas, parks, streets and beaches.”

Club members will be on hand to assist beginners with map reading and navigation. All of the events will take the form of a 45 minute “score event” where competitors try to visit as many controls (or checkpoints) as possible within the time limit. The person with the highest score wins.

The series winner (with the highest score over the four events) will win a complementary membership to Illawarra Kareelah Orienteers for 2016 (for anyone not already a member of an orienteering club).

The fifth season of the Southern Sydney Summer Series commenced on October 11 at Maroubra, the first in the series of eight events to be held on Sunday afternoons from now until early December 2015.

The Southern Sydney Summer Series showcases the wonderful parks, reserves and bushland of the Eastern Suburbs and Inner West. It mixes exercise – at whatever pace you like (walk, jog or run) – with a simple navigational challenge. If you can read a street directory you can do it! It’s a great way to explore a suburb.

Competitors have 45 minutes to get to as many of the 30 checkpoints (called controls) as possible, using a specially prepared map of the area. The checkpoints are worth different amounts, and you may plan your route before starting.

Go solo, with a buddy or in a small group of family or friends. Beginners are welcome and will receive basic instruction.

Each event will run late on Sunday afternoon with starts available any time between 4-6pm. All events use SportIdent electronic timing and SI sticks can be hired at each event.

Each event will stand alone but there will also be an accumulative point score over the series, with the four best results counted.

Illawarra Kareelah Orienteers are running two events this series, one at Double Bay on October 25 and one at Earlwood on November 15.

See the Coming Events page for further details on all event locations.