Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
2024 has been another great year of orienteering offerings. From the local events, through to the state and championship events, I hope you have managed to get your fix of puzzling your way through the bush, suburbs, and other locales.
This is the first newsletter that I’m sending as convenor of the Bushflyers. I’d like to once again thank Valerie for her many years growing a great club. Valerie has sent through a message of thanks (included below), in particular for the card and gift presented to her at a recent twilight event.
The Bushflyers club have made some significant contributions to ensuring that we have had an array of events to participate in 2024. We have organised 12 events, including 2 twilight events last summer, 2 classic series events, the ACT Middle distance championships, 4 metro series events and 3 more twilight events this year. But the contribution of our membership extends beyond those events, contributing to the Learn and Play, Sprint series, street-O, mountain bike orienteering, training, score o, and taking on roles to keep the sport going. These contributions from many of our members to these events has been fantastic, and a big thank you to all that have made these events the successes that they have been.
I hope you manage to find an orienteering challenge in the months ahead, be it locally in the Street-O, twilight series and/or sprint series, or further afield at the Xmas 5-days in Sydney, or even further at the Oceania Championships over around Palmerston North in New Zealand.
And I wish you and your families all the best for the Christmas/New Year break. If you aren’t orienteering, I hope you are making the most of the warmer weather and recharging the batteries for a big 2025.
Australian Championships
The Australian Championships and Australian School Championships were held up in the Armidale region in late September and early October. There were some fantastic results, but perhaps more importantly, there were some fun and challenging courses for all participants. There were some excellent results, and I’d highlight David Stocks performance in the M21E, where he was the first Australian and 3rd overall, and Justine Hobson had a great championships with a 2nd and 3rd place in the W20E middle and long respectively.
Australian Middle Distance Championships, 28 September, Glenburnie.
Results included:
- Ian de Jongh (M21 Sport); Nina Davis (W21AS)
- Justine Hobson (W20E)
- Patrick Maundrell (M12A)
Australian Long Distance Championships, 5 October, Glenburnie.
Results included:
- Ian de Jongh (M21AS); Tom de Jongh (M65AS)
- David Stocks (M21E); Justine Hobson (W20E); Nina Davis (W21AS)
Australian Sprint Distance Championship, 6 October, University of New England
Results included:
- Ian de Jongh (M21A)
- Patrick Maundrell (M12A)
- Nina Davis (W21AS)
Australian School Championships
The Australian School Championships had some good representation from the Bushflyers, with special mention to be made for Matty Maundrell, who was selected in the Australian Schools Orienteering Honour Team (Junior Boy). It is great to see our younger club members participating at a high level including Josh Mansell, Max Johnson, Naomi Penton, Ben Mansell, and Patrick Maundrell. And unfortunately Katherine Maundrell was unable to compete due to injury even though she was selected.
Australian Schools Sprint Championships, 1 October, The Armidale School
Results included:
- Matty Maundrell (Junior Boys)
Australian Schools Long Distance Championships, 2 October, Pine Tree
Results included:
- Matty Maundrell (Junior Boys)
Summer Swarm and Annual Awards – SAVE THE DATE
Please mark Sunday 16th February in your diary for our first Swarm of 2025. I’m happy to host the event at my place in Weetangera. Based on the start of summer, I’m expecting it to be warm so that the pool will be in use by the young and young at heart.
It will begin from 4pm, with everyone bringing a plate to share (salad or dessert). I’ll provide some meat and bread to keep the group happy.
I’ll send out another notice about this event but feel free to RSVP to me () if you know you can make it. At the swarm we shall be making our annual awards as well. We would love to have a huge turnout; newer members are especially welcome!!
NOMINATIONS: If you have nominations for the Blue Bottle (Services to Bushflyers) Award and the Fly Swat Award (for the silliest mistake, biggest blunder, heroism under fire, most humorous moment etc.), please email Craig with these at .
Message from Valerie
Dear fellow Bushflyers,
Thank you all for the beautiful Thank You card (handmade!) and potplant gift that was hand delivered to me last week. It was a huge surprise which I was delighted to receive!
I was very touched and quite humbled by everyone’s warm and generous messages as I end my time as Convenor of Bushflyers. Please be assured that your thoughts and good wishes mean a great deal to me.
I have had a wonderful time as the Bushflyers convenor over the past seven years; I am now enjoying slipping back to being a regular club member again, knowing that you are in the safe care of Craig, your new Convenor. I will remain a committed club member, and will continue to enjoy meeting new members and making people feel welcome! I’ve even ‘kept’ the banner (maintaining custody of!), as I am more likely to be at events outside of the ACT where it is great to have a focal meeting point for fellow Bushies. Craig will always know where the banner is, of course.
Thank you all again; it has been a pleasure and privilege to have been able to support you all. I look forward to continuing to seeing you out in the bush, ‘in control’ and enjoying our wonderful sport.
Valerie
Bushflyers Events
As mentioned earlier in the last newsletter, Bushflyers organised and presented the three twilight events so far this season, Twilight #3, Twilight #4 and Twilight #5.
Thank you very much to the following club members for setting courses and organising the event, and also to their teams of helpers who set up and pack up the event, manage the registration desk, and especially assist with control collection.
Twilight #3 Wednesday 13 November 2024
Course Planner: Dave & Naomi Penton Organiser: Ari Piiroinen
Twilight #4 Wednesday 20 November 2024
Course Planners: Matt Stocks Organiser: Jo & Andrew Hobson
Twilight #5 Wednesday 27 November 2024
Course Planners: Caitlin Young Organiser: Alison Inglis
Club events in the next few months
The Bushflyers are scheduled for following events in the current 2024/2025 Twilight season.
- Twilight #8, Location TBA, 5 February 2025
- Twilight #13, Commonwealth Park, 14 March 2025
Please look out for an email request from Jo Hobson for your assistance with these events.
Of course, course setters, organisers and controllers/vetters will be needed for the 2025 events in Metro and ACT League events as well. Don’t worry if you haven’t taken on any of these roles before as we have lots of people who would be happy to help you out with the practicalities. Watch for Jo’s emails, and consider how you might be able to support our club.
January-March 2025 MapRun Street Series
The Street O series is a fantastic way to explore Canberra’s suburbs. You can walk, jog or run around the courses, aiming for either a desired number of controls or working within a time limit (the walking challenge). Season Pass registration is now available for the January-March 2025 MapRun Street Series. The Street Series Season Pass provides a 40% discount on entry to all 12 events in the series, and is available to both OACT members and non-members.
Registration is available here: https://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/21701
| 2025 JANUARY-MARCH STREET O SERIES | ||
| JANUARY | Location | Course Setter |
| 2 to 6 | Parkes | Jon Glanville |
| 9 to 13 | Strathnairn | John Harding |
| 16 to 20 | Gowrie-Fadden | Lawrie Brown |
| 23 to 27 | Nil: Aust Day holiday | – |
| FEBRUARY | ||
| 30 Jan to 3 Feb | Ainslie | John Harding |
| 6 to 10 | Scullin Page | Pat Miethke |
| 13 to 17 | Chifley Pearce | Xander Phillips |
| 20 to 24 | Franklin | Jennifer Webb |
| MARCH | ||
| 27 Feb to 3 March | Deakin | Jonathan Ricks |
| 6 to 10 | Palmerston | Chris Andersen |
| 13 to 17 | Barton | Melissa Clarke |
| 20 to 24 | Lyneham | Arthur Watson |
| 27 to 31 | Griffith Narrabundah | Course setter needed |
ACT Sprint Series
The ACT Sprint Series is a fun outing on a Sunday morning in summer. This year the plan is for seven events at schools and other campuses around Canberra. The program is below, and more information can be found at the following link at the ACT orienteering website (https://act.orienteering.asn.au/event-series/sprint-series/).
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 19-Jan-25 | ACT Sprint Series #1, Fern Hill Park |
| 02-Feb-25 | ACT Sprint Series #2, Queanbeyan South Public School |
| 09-Feb-25 | ACT Sprint Series #3, Palmerston District Primary School |
| 16-Feb-25 | ACT Sprint Series #4, Namadgi School |
| 23-Feb-25 | ACT Sprint Series #5, AIS |
| 02-Mar-25 | ACT Sprint Series #6, Aranda Primary School |
| 09-Mar-25 | ACT Sprint Series #7, Marist College |
| 09-Mar-25 | ACT Sprint Series Season Pass |
2025 Membership Renewal
Thank you for your continued support of our club. We do hope that you’ll continue to be a part of the Bushies family in 2025. It is now time to renew your membership for this year, if you haven’t done so already. The easiest way to do this is via Eventor. If you need assistance, please contact the OACT office
Bushflyer clothing
I now house the range of Bushflyers’ clothing (O-tops and jackets mostly) for sale. As noted in previous newsletters, the range of sizes is becoming a little limited, but we will still be able to meet the needs of some of our members. Please check with me if you would like wear our Club colours, especially if you are competing in major interstate events.
Keep safe; keep well; and keep moving!
Craig Johnson (Club Convenor)
0408 492 808
For Bushflyers Orienteering – where no-one gets left on the bench!