Tag Archives: illawarra

IKO SPRING SERIES #3 – Port Kembla Sunday 1 November

Will Pippa’s courses this Sunday be as challenging as Joel’s courses at Shell Cove? See the Shell Cove wrap up on the IKO FaceBookpage https://www.facebook.com/iko.orienteering/.

Find out by joining us as we try out the new Port Kembla map (scale 1:7500). Navigate your way around the WWII battery gun emplacements and other historical remnants of military fortifications from WWII. Bring your swimmers and cool down after the event with a swim at Port Kembla Beach.

Start/Finish is at Pork Kembla Beach Park.  Look for the Illawarra Kareelah Orienteers club flag. Public toilets/ water are available.

 Starts are from 10:00am – 11:00am. You must finish by 12:00pm. All entrants must report back to the computer download area so we know you have returned back from your course.

Three line courses are available. Long (6km), medium (4km) and short (2K). You can run or walk, go individually or as a group.

Course Setter’s note:  The long course distance could measure up to 8k.  Walkers should aim to start 10-10.15am to give plenty of time to finish before course closure at 12pm.

See Eventor for details and to enter. Pre-entry is recommended although enter on the day will be available to newcomers. No cash accepted –  tap-and-go payments only. Newcomers entering on line should follow the instructions for CASUALS in the general information section on the event page.

Never orienteered before? Not a problem – you are most welcome to attend. Experienced orienteers will be at hand to provide guidance and set you on your way. The event is open to people all ages. It’s a great sport for the whole family. Note: newcomers who complete three of the four events in the Spring Series will be offered a 12-month membership with the club.

IKO Spring Series Event#2 – Shell Cove Sunday 18 October

After a successful event last week on the bush map at Bomaderry Creek – perfect weather, challenging terrain and sightings of local fauna (black snake, echidna and goanna) and flora (waratah) – we look forward to some fast times this Sunday on the Shell Cove urban map. The usual short (2.1Km) medium (4.9Km) and long (7.2Km) line courses will be available. Note: there are many road crossings on medium and long courses.

The BBQ will be back in action with chef Ian cooking up free sausage sandwiches for all finishers.

Assembly area is adjacent to the eastern side of 64 Promontory Drive, Shell Cove with starts from 10-11am.  See Eventor for details and to enter.

Pre-entry is recommended although enter on the day will be available to newcomers. No cash accepted –  tap-and-go payments only.

Never orienteered before? Not a problem – you are most welcome to attend. Experienced orienteers will be at hand to provide guidance and set you on your way. The event is open to people all ages. You can run or walk, go individually or as a group. It’s a great sport for the whole family. Note: newcomers who complete three of the four events in the Spring Series will be offered a 12-month membership with the club.

Club meeting

Members are reminded there will be a club meeting after the event. All members are encouraged to attend.

IKO Spring Series starts Sunday 11 October

The IKO Spring Series kicks off on Sunday 11 October with a bush event at Bomaderry Creek. The usual line courses will be available – short (2Km) , medium (4Km) and long (6Km). Starts are from 10am to 11am. Meet at the  Bomaderry Creek Picnic Ground off Narang Road, Bomaderry. For details about the event and to enter go to  https://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/23851  

Pre-entry is recommended although enter on the day will be available to newcomers. No cash accepted, tap-and-go payments only.

Those new to orienteering are most welcome to attend. Experienced orienteers will be at hand to provide guidance and set you on your way. The event is open to people all ages. You can run or walk, go individually or as a group. It’s a great sport for the whole family. Note: newcomers who complete three of the four events will be offered a 12-month membership with the club.

After the event we have a booking from 1-3pm in the Coach House at The Berry Hotel if you’d like to join us for lunch.  Park in the carpark at the back.  Enter via Princess St. RSVP to IKOrienteers@gmail.com by 8 October.

Other events in the series

Events will be held at a range of different locations in the southern suburbs of Wollongong, including a new map at Port Kembla. See below for dates, locations and links to Eventor for details. Pre-entries are encouraged and should be made through Eventor.

DateLocationDetails
18 OctoberShell Cove https://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/23852
1 NovemberPort Kembla https://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/23853
8 NovemberOak Flats https://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/23854

Note: No event has been scheduled for the last Sunday in October to allow those interested to enter the Sydney City Race. This year’s race will be held in the North Sydney area. This is only the second time a City Race has been run in Sydney. It is a fun event. Those who ran in the inaugural race in 2024 can attest to that. For details and to enter go to https://www.sydneycityrace.com.au/

Recent winning performances

NSW Championships  

Congratulations to those IKO members who came home with medals from the recent NSW Championships in the Tuckland State Forest out Gulgong/Dunedoo way. From all accounts competitors enjoyed the running in the spur-gully terrain with the fast open forest, scattered Cypress Pine (Gulgaba) with occasional rocky outcrops and complex, intricate erosion gullies

NameClassMiddle distanceLong distance
Vicki WilmottW65AS1st2nd
Michael FlackM35AS1st2nd
Pippa WhittenW16A2nd2nd
Phil WhittenM35A2nd1st

Ferrygaine

Despite the strike that cancelled the F3 Ferry to Parramatta on the day, several IKO members were up to the challenge of planning courses with limited ferry services and came home as winners in last weekend’s rogaine held around the western side of Sydney Harbour. Congratulations to the following first place getters in their respective classes. Phil Whitten & Gill Fowler, David Green & Sharon Hopper, Sue Froude & Margaret Duguid, Ian Froude. Check out the IKO Facebook page for more details.

Attention Athletes! IKO Strava Club officially launched.

Join the Illawarra Kareelah Orienteers community, track your training, and connect with runners across the region. Joining the IKO Strava Club is a great way to add a bit of friendly competition amongst members. Track your weekly totals, chase segment times, and cheer on teammates as they hit their goals.  Click here to join.

Many IKO members already use Strava, which is like the social media for sports people. It  works on any smartphone and can be connected to your watch. You record your walk or run, and it automatically appears in the club feed if you join the IKO Strava club, however there are privacy controls if you don’t want this to happen. Note: you need to register with Strava in order to join the IKO Strava Club.

For many athletes, Strava becomes a fun way to keep active, celebrate progress, and now to stay connected with the Illawarra Kareelah Orienteers community. Whether you’re doing a short coastal walk, a gentle jog, or a full training session, your activity counts and you can celebrate your progress with fellow club mates.

Parkrun enthusiasts

There is also the opportunity for IKO members to join the IKO group if you do Parkrun. Search for Illawarra Kareelah Orienteers in the Parkrun app under Extras – Clubs. You can download the app at https://www.parkrun.com.au/

For those new to Parkrun it is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. Parkrun is 5k and takes place every Saturday morning at one of the 550 locations across Australia. Junior parkrun is 2k, for 4 -14 year olds and their families, and is run on Sunday mornings.

A run with a difference  – Stanwell Park Sunday 23 August

The courses for this week’s orienteering event incorporate routes through an open-air art gallery known as “Art in the Park”.  Dotted along the tracks are giant bird’s nests each containing a solitary ceramic egg, hand painted by local artists and community members. There is even a giant human sized bower.

 The usual range of short, medium and long line courses are available. Starts are between 10 – 11am.  See https://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/24392 for details and to pre-enter.  For newcomers enter on the day will be available. Payment by card  or bank transfer only. Club members will be available to help you on your way.

Make a day of – catch the train, it is only a 15min downhill walk to the start. After the event join IKO members at the local beach café and/or walk the famous Seacliff Bridge