State Series 6 – Kangaroo Flat

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Competitors in State Series 6 enjoyed beautiful weather and excellent courses on a brand new map on the outskirts of Bendigo. There was a great turnout for what was originally planned as a Bendigo local event, with many people taking on the challenge of course 1-2.

Runners were treated to a new map by Neil Barr, who had also set courses for the day. It’s amazing to think that an area of such complex technical gold mining has sat unused so close to the centre of Bendigo for so long. Look out for when the next event is on here!

Six people arrived at the assembly area looking very relaxed, having arrived by train. While public transport to events is common in some countries overseas, this was a novelty for bush orienteering in Australia. To encourage people to take the train, one free entry was on offer to a train traveller. Congratulations to Pam King, and we hope you enjoyed your journey.

Space Racing also happened in the Botanic Gardens, with teams of primary school kids zooming around with their parents on a score course. See Space Racing for results.

Thanks to all the Bendigo club members who volunteered and helped the day run smoothly.

Results are HERE Splits are HERE       NEXT WEEK: Kangaroo Gully.

Clare Brownridge, Organiser

Pre-enter for Kangaroo Flat

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Bendigo Orienteers event on Saturday’s 15 August is doubling as a State Series event (see more info: HERE)

As usual, excellent courses will be available, in a new area for orienteering just on the edge of Bendigo in Kangaroo Flat.

Please pre-enter through Eventor, if you haven’t done so before REGISTER EVENTOR LOGIN HERE).

Limited entries will be available on the day for courses 4-8 only.

Normal entries close at midnight on Wednesday, with late entries available until 8pm on Friday.

Starts times from 12-2pm.

See you on Saturday, Clare

Space Racing 1 – A Resounding Success

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Bendigo Orienteers 2015 Space Racing Series has begun with a resounding success on the Whites Ruins map near Maiden Gully during Saturday afternoon. It was very pleasing to see a mix of both some space racers from last year’s events, as well as some new kids and families. A great little bunch of youngsters were super keen to take off as the mass start got underway just after 2:00pm. With 30 minutes to find as many checkpoints as possible the kids raced off in three directions heading to their different first controls. The score format and various route choices meant that each team was able to decide which way they thought suited their team best. With twenty checkpoints to find there was plenty of excitement as the teams worked their way around the map.

Reportedly, “the pack out front, full of a dozen kids, was all laughter and excitement as they ran around the controls. I heard parents say it was great too!”

A big thanks go to Darren and the whole Eenjes family who were able to accommodate the combined events, with a bit of effort placing some extra controls just for the Space Racing (and marking tape on some vague tracks so no one got lost!) the two separate events worked very well together! This event has very successfully demonstrated how our Space Racing and Bush Classic events can be integrated. Keep an eye out for our next Space Race at Spring Gully on August 1st.

Space Racing goes bush

Space Racing goes bush

Richard Goonan.

Whites Ruins Bush Classic

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The rain held off for a cool, but challenging event at Maiden Gully’s Whites Ruins. The fast open country with patches of green, and lack of catching features, may have prompted some to slow down and not overshoot the controls. There were many interesting features on the Whites Ruins area mapped by Neil Barr some years ago – some orienteers even had to ask what they were. These included native Cherry trees and Boundary stone piles, mixed with shallow gullies and tracks that were overgrown or newly formed by mountain bikes.
We even had the added challenge of the lack of North- South grid lines on the maps, for those who love to really spice it up. That’s the course-setter’s excuse anyway!!
More than 50 competitors tackled four courses, and 15 keen young Space Racers took part in a 30-minute Space Racing event.

On the shorter courses, ten starters completed the 3.6km moderate course 4, with the ever-improving Karina Cherry (Bendigo) leading the field home from Amos Walz (Bendigo) and Sarah Davies (Dandenong Ranges).Gemma Candy blitzed course 3, covering the 4km of hard navigation in 29.13 minutes, followed closely by Rueben Cameron and Jacqui Knee, both from Bendigo.

Course 2 had 17 starters and is becoming an extremely competitive weekly event, with any number of athletes capable of taking out top spot. With his father away for the event, young Jimmy Cameron (Bendigo) kept the family name at the top of the list with masterful display of orienteering over 6km in a time of 35.12 minutes. Fellow Bendigo young guns Lachlan Cherry and Michael Loughnan were not too far behind to fill 2nd and 3rd and gain valuable experience ahead of the national schools championships later in the year.

The long and hard navigation course 1 covered 7.2km and was run by 11 competitors. Ben Goonan from Bendigo was lightning fast to finish at the top of the leader’s board in 35 minutes, with his twin Richard coming home in third. The brothers were split by another Victorian schools representative, quiet achiever Louis Cameron, who finished 2.23 minutes behind Ben.

Whether competing seriously or just for relaxation and fun, well done to all on Saturday, and I hope you benefit from the health and fitness that Orienteering provides.

Results are HERE Splits are HERE Check how you are going in the overall standings. Best 11 of 20 scores to count

NEXT WEEK: Norfolk Hero.

Darren Eenjes (Course setter and Controller, Whites Ruins 2015).