• Bendigo Orienteers would like to acknowledge and pay respects to the traditional owners, the Dja Dja Wurrung people, whose country we are on and extend our respect to their Elders, both past and present.

Monthly Archives: July 2015

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).