Last weekend, around 90 Canberrans journeyed to Cowra for the NSW Middle and Long Distance Championships and many came home with unusual place mementos.
2019 NSW Middle Distance Championships (ACT League # 4)
The Middle Distance Championships were held on a re-mapped area of the steep, western slopes of Wyangala Dam, an area last used for Orienteering about 20 years ago, when the map was called ‘Giant’. The weather was ideal, but the steep terrain was a challenge for older competitors. The ACT placegetters were:
- First: Patrick Miller (M20E), Grace Crane (W21E), Tara Melhuish (W20E), Hayden Dent (M10A), Bodie Terrill (M14A), Andrew Slattery (M21AS), Eino Meuronen (M85A).
- Second: Tate Needham (M45A), Ann Scown (W65A), Ella Cuthbert (W20E), Ana Herceg (W55A), Phoebe Dent (W35A), Matt Crane (M21E), Roy Prosser (M16A), Connor Dent (M10A).
- Third:: Anna Hyslop (W45A), Caitlin Young (W20E), Matt Doyle (M21E), Alice Radajewski (W12A), Grant McDonald (M60A), Jill Walker (W55AS), Owen Radajewski (M14A), Amy Ting (WOpenB).
The top five points in the ACT League were awarded to:
- 138: Matt Crane
- 137: Patrick Miller
- 136: Grace Crane
- 135: Martin Dent
- 134: Matt Doyle
The terrain obviously favoured the younger competitors who were not impeded by the steep slopes. The full results for ACT League #4 are here and the Winsplits are here.
2019 NSW Long Distance Championships (ACT League # 5)
The Long Distance Championships were held on a re-mapped area of Roseberg State Forest; the original map in 1991 was called the ‘Land of the Blind’. While the terrain was relatively flat and the forest fairly open, the older competitors found the fallen timber strewn throughout the area impeded their progress. The ACT placegetters were:
- First: Natalie Miller (W16A), Phoebe Dent (W21AS), Grace Crane (W21E), Patrick Miller (M20E), Tara Melhuish (W20E), Marina Iskhakova (W35A), Hayden Dent (M10A), Elye Dent (M12A), David Stocks (M16A), Ben Rattray (M40A), Eino Meuronen (M85A).
- Second: John Scown (M65A), Matt Doyle (M21E), Ella Cuthbert (W20E), Mace Neve (W35A), Ana Herceg (W50A), Ann Ingwersen (W75A), Connor Dent (M10A), Owen Radajewski (M14A), Roy Prosser (M16A), Andrew Slattery (M21AS), Felix von Oertzen (Open Easy).
- Third: Matt Crane (M21E), Robert Mouatt (W80A), Caitlin Young (W20E), Amy Ting (W Open B).
The top five points in the ACT League were awarded to:
- 138: David Stocks
- 137: Tara Melhuish
- 136: Patrick Miller
- 135: Ella Cuthbert
- 134: Ana Herceg
The full results for ACT League #5 are here and the Winsplits are here.
The top five best three scores after five events are:
- 401: Ella Cuthbert, Ana Herceg
- 400: Tara Melhuish
- 397: David Stocks
- 394: Matt Crane
ACT League. The full standings are here.
Bennelong Trophy. The NSW Long Distance Championships were the first leg of the Bennelong Trophy competition. The points awarded on the day were NSW 28.5, ACT 11.5. The second leg will be the ACT Long Distance Championships at Slap Up Creek on 1 September.
National Orienteering League
The Canberra Cockatoos recorded some exceptional performances with Grace Crane (Senior Women), Patrick Miller (Junior Men), and Tara Melhuish (Junior Women) winning on both days. Also the Cockatoos Junior Women’s team filled the top three placings on both days, ensuring they won the top team points. They are unbeaten this year and lead their division on 90 points from Tassie Foresters on 60. The Senior Men have won seven in a row and lead Victoria by 104 points to 76. The Senior Women are second on 78 points, just five points behind Victoria. The Junior Men also won on both days and lead their division on 80 points, just five ahead of NSW Stingers.
In the individual divisions, Tara Melhuish on 207 points has a clear lead over her younger sister Zoe on 180. Matt Doyle on 200 points has taken over the lead in Senior Men’s division from Simon Uppill on 185 points. Grace Crane has moved into second place on 186 points in the Senior Women’s division, 19 adrift of Bridget Anderson. And Patrick Miller on 167 points, trails the leader Alvin Craig on 180 points in the Junior Men’s division. The full standings after 10 events are here.
There are a number of albums of maps and photos on Facebook.